Alasdair and Hetty Tayler

Alexander Norwich Tayler (11 July 1870–8 November 1937) and his sister Helen Agnes Henrietta Tayler (24 March 1869–10 April 1951) were British historical writers, specializing in 17th and 18th century Scottish and English history.

Helen Agnes Henrietta Tayler, known as Hetty Tayler was born in London. Her brother Alexander, known as Alasdair Tayler was born 16 months later at the family summer home in Rothiemay, Banffshire, Scotland. Their parents, William James Tayler and Georgina Lucy Duff, were descended from noble multi-generational Scottish and English families, whose long aristocratic histories provided much material for the two future historians in their formative years.

Among the books under the joint authorship of Alasdair and Hetty Tayler were:
*cite book|title=The Book of the Duffs|publisher=William Brown|year=1914|author=Alasdair and Hetty Tayler,
*cite book|title=Jacobites of Aberdeenshire and Banffshire in the 45|publisher=Milne & Hutcheon, Aberdeen|year=1928|author=Alasdair and Hetty Tayler,
*cite book|title=The Ogilvies of Boyne|publisher= Aberdeen University Press|year=1933|author=Alasdair and Hetty Tayler,
*cite book|title=Jacobites of Aberdeenshire and Banffshire in the Rising of 1715|publisher=Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh and London|year=1934|author=Alasdair and Hetty Tayler - about Charles, Lord Fraser of Muchalls, William Fraser of Inverallochy, Captain Simon Fraser and the Hon. James Fraser of Lonmay,
*cite book|title=John Graham of Claverhouse|publisher=Duckworth, London|year=1939|author=Alasdair and Hetty Tayler
*cite book|title=The House of Forbes|publisher=3rd Spalding Club, Aberdeen|year=1937|author=Alasdair and Hetty Tayler ISBN 0-912951-29-X and Scotpress 1987.

Neither Hetty nor Alasdair ever married. Following Alasdair's death in London at the age of 67, Hettie wrote additional historical works, including:
*cite book|title=History of the Family of Urquhart|publisher=Aberdeen University Press|year=1946|author=Hetty Tayler and
*cite book|title=Bonnie Prince Charlie|publisher=Thomas Nelson|year=1949|author=Hetty Tayler.

Hetty Tayler died in London at the age of 82.

Another writer in the family, John Hubert Arthur Coulson, the son of Hetty and Alasdair's sister, Constance, who wrote under the pseudonym John Bonett, became a well-known author of detective fiction.

External links

* [http://www.kittybrewster.com/ancestry/duff.htm Family tree]
* [http://www.thepeerage.com/p18080.htm#i180793 Listed on website detailing family members of British aristocracy]