Between 1861 and 1876 he worked in partnership with Benjamin Burstall (1835–1876); they executed the sculpture on the Town Hall at Bolton in Greater Manchester.

Adey praised his carving on William Taylor's gravestone at Woodhouse Cemetery, Leeds, and named it the "Angler's Tomb."

[7] In 1851 the family was living at Back Claremont Place, Leeds; three children remain at home, and Matthew was still a scholar at age 14.

On 27 September 1866 he married Elizabeth Keith (Bolton 1842 – North Leeds 3 November 1934),[11][12] the daughter of a paper maker.

[13] In the 1871 Census Matthew was living at 6 Hillary Street, Leeds, with his wife and his child Frances aged 2 years.

He contributed some finds to the scientific department of the Mechanics' Institute at Pateley Bridge: for example a hummingbird hawk-moth caught at his home village of Arthington on 31 July 1883.

It was designed by Perkin & Backhouse, built by W. Nicholson & Son, and was "of a very ornate character, in the Italian style of architecture."

[35] The old Queen's Hotel included "carvings of a railway engine puffing out of a tunnel (near the main entrance), a fiddle, bottle of wine, game, fruit etc.

They were scanning the walls of the Queen's with field glasses, so the story goes, and attracted attention sufficient to draw a crowd.

[21] As of 2017, the gravestone has been removed from the right to the left side of the chapel at Woodhouse Cemetery, and the kingfisher is missing from the top of the monument.

The illustration of fishing in the Wharfe has weathered, obscuring the face of William Taylor and the view of Grewelthorpe on the far bank.

The monumental slab at the head of the grave is thicker than usual, so as to give a good appearance when viewed edgeway.

Beneath, and occupying a large part of the face, is a sunk medallion with a representation of the stream, with Grewelthorpe village on the farther bank, and with the old man in the foreground playing a trout, whilst the son, who was the gifted sculptor of the tomb, is receiving it in the landing net.

On the plinth of the tomb, as if left there once for all, is a wonderful facsimile, in actual size though in stone, of the fish basket with strap and buckle.

Finally, at the shoulders of the stone are, beautifully represented in medallions and in natural size, a water-ousel and a kingfisher, one on either side ...

The writer was a Leeds pastor, and Mr. Taylor, the younger, was an old waterside companion in occasional visits to the Wharfe, at Arthington and Pool ...

It is evident that even now a process of settlement is working damage, and an encroaching Aucuba japonica is concealing one of the most beautifully designed tombstones in this, or any other country.

Benjamin Payler carved the exterior details of the building,[57] and Matthew Taylor executed the statues of a boy and girl placed just inside the main entrance.

In 1881 the Leeds Mercury said:[58] "Entering by the principal doorway in Calverley Street, it will be noticed that in the jambs of the archway are carved full-length figures, emblematical of School Board work.

[14][15] "The figure of the boy, with hair nicely parted and carrying a slate and book ... is supposed to be the image of the sculptor's son, Mr Frances B. Taylor, who now (as of 1935) lives in retirement in Leeds ...

[66] Matthew Taylor may have been responsible for the lion-dog carvings on the interior stair rail, bearing in mind his interest in wildlife at Leeds Naturalists' Field Club,[67] his presence with Benjamin Burstall at Bolton Town Hall when an unidentified predator escaped into the rafters there,[68] and Matthew's signature portrait near the roof above those carvings.

[70] Media related to Leeds Central Library, carvings at Wikimedia Commons Reverend William Busfield (1801–1885)[71] was a Rural Dean with an MA from University College, Oxford, and rector of St Andrews, Keighley, from 1840 to 1871.

The newspaper thought he had "devoted himself to a great extent to the painting of still life, and in his self-imposed task he [had] met with considerable success.

[75][76] In 1881 the Leeds Liberal Club moved from South Parade to the Royal Insurance Buildings (demolished after 1960) in Park Row.

[77][78] In 1887 the interior was renovated to include a rearrangement of rooms, fittings and furnishings, after which the club was reopened on Thursday 9 June.