MARTIN TAYLORTributes have been paid to Martin Taylor, one of the men who set up Topsham’s Quay Antiques Centre in 1993, drawing visitors to the town over many years.He was a founder member of Topsham Round Table, becoming chairman, then area chairman and serving on the national Round Table council. He set up the Topsham Branch of the RNLI, which over 10 years raised in excess of £73,000. In 2000, Mr Taylor joined Exeter Southernhay Rotary Club and served there as president.As well as his business and social life, he was also a keen sailor and sportsman, playing hockey and cricket and he later developed an interest in rugby, becoming a vice-president of Topsham Rugby Club and a member of the Chiefs. He was also involved in amateur dramatics and trod the boards of Seaton Town Hall.Mr Taylor was born in Dartmouth where he spent his early days with his grandmother as his parents, Joan and Laurence, were serving in the Navy.After the war, the family moved to Kent but returned to Devon where his father took over the auctioneers and estate agency, Purnell Daniel & Morrell, in Honiton. PD & M, as it was known, later became Taylors of Honiton.When Laurence retired in the 1970s the business was run from Honiton Galleries, the old cinema at the bottom of the High Street, where Martin developed the auctioneering of antiques and paintings.Before working for the family firm, he had spread his wings in Canada and on his return he honed his sales skills with J & FJ Baker in Colyton and French’s Feeds & Seeds in Exeter.Martin died on October 20 while recovering from an operation.
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