Edmund Taylor. Lithograph by T. Crane.

The sitter, Edmund Taylor, was a member of a medical family prominent in Lancashire for many generations. The type of medicine which he practised was the medicine of the surgeon-apothecary or general practitioner who had not been trained at a university. John L. West, in his book The Taylors of Lancashire: bonesetters and doctors 1750-1890, Walkden, Worsley 1977, describes him as "wearing a low hat, an old greasy long coat with large pockets filled with tow and tape, knee breeches, thick shoes with buckles; he appeared shabby and untidy except on Fridays when he came out in 'grand attire' to meet his coursing friends. He was full of a dry, quaint, kindly humour, abrupt, brusque, familiar, homely and rough in speech and manner - cracking a joke and a bone at the same time. His habit was to rise at six, have a large plate of porridge, which he called a poultice - then at eight o'clock he had his regular breakfast of coffee. He attended his patients in the 'shop' and worked until four o'clock when he dined. On Sundays he worked all day and his leisure time was much occupied with animals, horses, dogs or cocks." (p. 48)