Polycarpus Taylor

Rear-Admiral Polycarpus Taylor (1706/07 – 23 January 1781) was a Royal Navy officer of the eighteenth century, most notable for his service commanding ships in the West Indies during the War of the Austrian Succession. Having joined the Royal Navy some time before 1733, Taylor then served at the Battle of Cartagena de Indias and Invasion of Cuba before being promoted to commander in 1742. After commanding several vessels and being promoted to post-captain, in August 1744 Taylor took command of HMS Fowey; serving in the English Channel he ran ashore and destroyed the French privateer Griffon in 1745.

Taylor joined the Jamaica Station in 1747, and at the start of 1748 was appointed to command HMS Elizabeth. In this ship he led the successful attack at the Battle of Saint-Louis-du-Sud and was also present at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba, after which he was translated into Rear-Admiral Charles Knowles' flagship HMS Cornwall. Taylor commanded Cornwall at the controversial Battle of Havana, and when Knowles returned home to be court martialled Taylor was left as senior officer in Jamaica, commanding HMS Rippon. Recalled to England in 1749, Taylor received his next commands, HMS Culloden and HMS Deptford, in 1756. After serving in them in the Mediterranean Fleet he left Deptford in early 1758 and had no further active service. He was made a superannuated rear-admiral in 1762, retiring to live in Norton, County Durham.