His father, John Sharp Taylor, was an Independent Labour Party Member.
His first job upon leaving school was as an office boy in the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society.
His proposers were Alick Buchanan-Smith, Baron Balerno, Robert Allan Smith, Donald McCallum and Sir David Lowe.
On 29 January 1968 he was created a life peer as Baron Taylor of Gryfe, of Bridge of Weir in the County of Renfrew.
Taylor served as President of the Co-operative Wholesale Society in Scotland and chaired the UK Forestry Commission.