On the Thiepval Memorial  is the name of 291002 Lance Corporal William Taylor, serving with the 1st/7th Batta;ion  Northumberland Fusiliers who died 15/09/1916.

He was the son of Margaret Taylor, of Rock, Alnwick, and the late William Taylor and the husband of Jane Taylor, of Thornington, Mindrum, Northumberland.

His story has been researched by the Belford Museum.

Acknowledgments also to Eric Musgrave.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following. 

William Taylor was one of 4 children and had 7 half siblings from his father’s first marriage. 

His father William Taylor was born at Eglingham, Northumberland on April 7th 1826 where he was baptised on May 7th by his parents agricultural labourer Moses Taylor and his wife Jane. 

William married Mary Railson with whom he had daughter Margaret in 1851, Mary 1855, Andrew 1858, John 1859, twins Robert and Ann in 1863 and twins Ralph and Matthew in 1866. In 1881 widower William Taylor a farmer and miller was living in the village of Eglingham with his son John and his younger sons and daughters all of whom were employed by him in some capacity. 

At Alnwick Register Office on October 21st 1881 William Taylor (44) married Margaret Dunn who was the daughter of agricultural labourer William Dunn and Bridget Hind. Born on February 27th 1855 she was only 28 years old. The Dunn and Taylor family had known each other since Margaret was born as both families lived in the village of East Ditchburn in 1861. 

Margaret gave birth to their son George on February 23rd 1882 who was baptised on March 26th 1892, to a daughter Jane on June 30th 1883, William in 1885, baptised on June 28th 1885 and Margaret in 1888. In 1891 they were living at Biddlestone Edge a farm near Rothbury where William was employed as a shepherd. George (9) and Jane (7) were scholars, William (5) and Margaret (3) remained at home with their mother. 

After William Taylor died on June 6th 1897, Margaret transferred her family to Seaton House Cottages, Longhoughton near Alnwick. Although she was supported by George (19) working as a horseman and William (15) as a cartman she too was working on the farm while her daughters Jane (17) and Margaret (13) remained at home. 

William Taylor married Jane Shell in the district of Berwick in 1907. She was the daughter of farm steward George Shell and Sarah Patten born on August 25th 1883 at Lyham, Northumberland. Their son William was born on November 25th 1907, Margaret Jane on April 5th 1909, sadly their daughter Violet was born and died in December 1910. 

In 1911 William, his wife Jane and their children had moved into a 4 roomed cottage in the farm steading village of Fenwick Steads, Belford, Northumberland as had his widowed mother Margaret with his siblings George and Margaret. 

Tragedy befell William and his wife when she gave birth to their son George Shell Taylor on September 9th 1912 who died not yet 1 year old in 1913. Janie gave birth to their youngest child Nancy on July 6th 1914, less than a month later Great Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany when she ignored an ultimatum to withdraw her troops from neutral Belgium. 

Farming was one of the many reserve occupations that exempted men from military service however William and his brother George both volunteered and were assigned to the 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. 

The 7th Battalion N.F. Territorial Force had been raised in Northumberland with H.Q. at Fenwick Street, Alnwick with companies “A” through to “H” spread across the area at Copper Charm in Morpeth, Ashington, Belford, Alnwick, Amble and Berwick upon Tweed. 

The battalion departed to France in April 1915 where it was attached to the 149th Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division and without any training in trench warfare was sent into the front line during the 2nd Battle of Ypres in Belgium in May 1915. 

Private 3508 William Taylor renumbered as 291002 departed joining his regiment during the spring of 1916 in France where preparations were well underway for the commencement of the Battles of the Somme. 

The opening attack, due to begin on June 29th 1916, was delayed by bad weather until July 1st 1916. On that morning at 07.28 a.m.two huge detonations took place in the explosive packed tunnels under the German lines and at 07.30 the whistles blew and the men went over the top. 

The 50th Division did not take part in any major encounter until the Battle of Flers-Courcelette September 15th-22nd 1916. 

It was confirmed on October 13th 1916 to his wife that Private William Taylor was presumed to have been killed in action on September 15th 1916. William’s brother was reported as missing and after extensive enquiries as to his whereabouts any hope of him being found alive or wounded was dashed when it was confirmed to his mother Margaret that his death was also presumed to have taken place on September 15th 1916. 

The names of Private 291002 William Taylor and Private 291005 George Taylor 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers are inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France commemorating servicemen from Great Britain and South Africa who died on the Somme 1915-1918 who have no known grave. 

Jane Taylor received her late husband’s medals consisting of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at Berrington Cottage, South Berrington on Tweed also a pension for herself and their 3 surviving children in the sum of 26 shillings 3 pence awarded on May 5th 1917 to be received weekly as of May 14th 1917 and diminished as each child in turn reached the age of 16. 

In 1921 Jane was living at Woodside, Berwick, Northumberland with her children William (16), Margaret Jane (12) and Nancy (6) all of whom were in full time education. She had taken into her home her widowed father George Shell (69) a retired farm steward. 

At Cornhill on Tweed in 1939 horseman William Taylor is listed as head of the household supporting his mother Jane and sister Nancy. 

Jane Taylor nee Shell (82) died in the village of Lilburn, Northumberland in 1866 and is at rest within Old Berwick Churchyard. 

Details of William and Jane’s children. 

William Taylor married Winifred Noreen Davis in 1941 with whom he had 4 children, 1 deceased in infancy. Winifred died on December 19th 1986, William Taylor on January 1st 1996. 

Margaret Jane Taylor married James Moscrop in 1932 with whom she had 2 known children. Margaret Jane Moscrop nee Taylor died in 1984 at Newcastle upon Tyne. 

Nancy Taylor married William S. Hush in 1943. She died in Northumberland in 1981. 

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace. 

William Taylor is remembered at Belford on B16.01, B16.02 page 7 and in the Battalion History.