South Yorkshire Times, October 17 1959

Wombwell Man in at Bradford

The success of Mr. W. J. Taylor, who contested Bradford North as Conservative National Liberal, was of particular interest to Wombwell as he is a native of the town and managing director of the Wombwell firm of William Johnson and Sons.

He increased the majority from 69 (the lowest Conservative majority in the country) to 2,671.

Fifty seven years of age, Mr. Taylor lives at “Bentwood”, Cawthorne, Barnsley. He was educated at Barnsley Grammar School and Sheffield University. He is a Deputy Lieutenant of the West Riding and was awarded the O.B.E. In 1943. From 1933 to 1945 he was a member of Barnsley Town Council. In the last government he was parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Supply.

Mr. Taylor has always taken a keen interest in the Air Training Corps and is chairman of the Yorkshire County Association of that organisation.

He is also on the executive of the Air League of the British Empire. He is president of the Yorkshire Federation of the National Conservative and Unionist Association and a member of Lloyds.

The building and civil engineering business with which he was associated was founded by his grandfather, the late Mr. William Johnson, of Wombwell.