Roger and his wife, Joyce came to live in Kingston in 1963. Their children, Melanie and Adam were born here and attended the village school. Roger had joined the then very new University of Sussex and enjoyed a long and illustrious career as a teacher and research chemist of international fame which continued into his retirement.
After a few months in Monckton Way the family moved into their newly built and permanent home on St. Pancras Green. These were exciting times as the little village of Kingston had expanded enormously with a large influx of young families along with the Taylors.
St. Pancras Playing Field was little more than a building site and Roger who was always a doer set to with others of a like mind to hand rake the whole 4 acre field and clear away some 40 tons of builder's rubbish and scrub. He was very much involved with the establishment of the Tennis club and held office on the committee on many occasions, at the time of his death he was secretary. The courts were ready for use in1966 and in 1968 Roger, Mike Springford, Mike Richards and others built the wall between the courts. Roger then went on to plant the shrubs which remain a feature of that corner of the green.
Roger was very conscious of the stark outline of the newly built housing and in the spirit which caused him to plant the shrubs arround the tennis courts he persuaded East Sussex County Council in 1974 to plant some 93 trees on the estate verges, on the banks by the village green and along the south side of Wellgreen Lane. He was a prime mover for the planting of several other shrub and hedge areas and for ensuring that trees blown down in the storm of 1987 were replaced.
The village, as it appears today, owes a great deal to Roger's vision and determination.
Roger was able to make his mark by serving the community on the Parish Council. He was a member from 1969 until 1972 and again from 1979 to 1995,and during this time he was chairman from 1988 to 1991. Fellow councillors recall his stong sense of community. He was particularly concerned about preserving the character of the Village Green and the newly created Playing Field, as well as maintaining the Village Hall. Roger was very much involved in organising the Silver Jubileee celebrations particularly the sports and the memorable interstreet relay race.
A man of many talents; he was an active member of the Kingston players taking part in the two village music halls. Here, it was as a talented musician that he was able to contribute. He was a member of the "Sussex Trugs" who preformed their inimicable style of jazz at the university on Friday lunch times. He also wrote a comprehensive
Roger, where did you find time to do all this? You will be sorely missed.
Colin Arlett
On behalf of the Kingston Parish Council