On Tower Hill Memorial, Trinity Square, London is the name of 1712 Second Engineer George Albert Victor Taylor serving on S.S. Manchester Miller with the Mercantile Marine who died 05/06/1917.
He was the son of Rachael and the late George Taylor and the husband of Isabella Taylor (nee Lawther), of 3, Cairo Street, Sunderland. He was born at Sunderland.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following;
George Albert Victor Taylor was one of 4 children of whom only 3 had survived by 1911.
His father George Taylor was born at Hunslet, Leeds, Yorkshire in 1846 this is all that can be confirmed about him. George was married at Chester Le Street, County Durham in 1891 to Rachel Anderson who was born in the village of Allanton, Berwickshire, Scotland in 1856 and who at the age of 16 in 1871 was employed as a servant in the home of railway contractor John Tone, his wife and family at Stockton Road, Sunderland.
The first of their 4 children Ethel May was born at Chester le Street in 1886, George Albert Victor in 1889 in the village of Lumley Thicks, just north of Great Lumley. In 1891 the children were living with their mother at 47, Bramwell Street, Sunderland, George Taylor was at sea.
In 1892 Rachel gave birth to a third child whom they named Hilda. Born during the 2nd quarter (Apr/May/Jun) she died not yet 1 year old during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1892, Arthur Nightingale Taylor was born in 1896. Rachel was living with their children at 49, Bramwell Street, Sunderland in 1901 described as a sea engineer’s wife.
By 1911 George Taylor had retired as a sea going engineer, he, his wife Rachel, Ethel May (25) a qualified elementary school teacher and Arthur (15) a house agent’s clerk were living in 6 rooms at 14, Hastings Street, Sunderland, later that year George Taylor (65) died, his demise registered at Sunderland, historically in County Durham during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec).
George Albert Victor Taylor followed in his late father’s footsteps and went to sea joining the Mercantile Marine. Prior to his demise he was married at Sunderland in 1916 to Isabella Lawther who was born September 13th 1888 and was the daughter of Emily and the late coal trimmer Robert Lawther of Herrington Street, Sunderland.
At the time of his demise George was serving as 1712 Second Engineer aboard the cargo ship S.S. Manchester Miller en-route from Philadelphia U.S.A. to Manchester. In the Atlantic Ocean 190 nautical miles north west of the Fastnet Rock, June 5th 1917 she was torpedoed and sunk by SM U-66 of the Imperial German Navy with the loss of 8 crew including 2nd Engineer George Albert Victor Taylor who is deemed to have drowned, his body was never recovered for burial. He was 28 years of age.
His sacrifice is recorded as one of over 36,000 names inscribed on the Tower Hill Memorial which stands on the south side of the garden of Trinity Square, London commemorating men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died in both World Wars and who have no known grave.
His widow Isabella received all monies due to her late husband, his awards and a pension sent to her at 3, Cairo Street, Sunderland where she was still living in 1921 and working as a confectionary shop assistant at 22, Fawcett Street, Sunderland employed by Meng Brothers Confectioners, Sunderland. She later moved to 101. Catterick Street, Didsbury, Manchester and is also known to have lived at “Riverside” Godmanchester, Huntingdonshire, c/o H. O. Metherell, “Tall Trees” Godmanchester and the same at The New Lodge, The Cliffe, Roedean, Brighton, Sussex.
Harry O. Metherell died in 1939. In the 1939 census widow Isabella Taylor is listed as a chiropodist living at 68, Roedean Road, Brighton with widow Lillian E. Metherell, Joan Price nee Metherell secretary to an architect, Archibald F. Price hotel manager and part proprietor of The New Lodge, The Cliffe and assistant manager Violet L. Price.
Isabella Taylor nee Lawther died in 1943 at Brighton, Sussex, September 27th 1943 and laid to rest within Hove Cemetery (South), Hove, Sussex. She was 55 years 14 days old.
The marriage of George Albert Victor and Isabella was childless, with his death this line of the Taylor family ceased to exist.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Albert Victor Taylor is remembered at Hendon on H123.02 , at Sunderland in S140.48 Part 8 page 176 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
