ARCHIVE NO. 006 · 19th century
Tom Taylor
Playwright, critic and editor
Born in Bishopwearmouth, now part of Sunderland, Tom Taylor was a critic, playwright and editor of the satirical magazine Punch. His work brought him into both the theatrical and publishing worlds.
His comedy Our American Cousin has a particularly famous place in American history. Abraham Lincoln was watching it at Ford’s Theatre in Washington when he was shot on 14 April 1865; he died the following morning.