ALBERT TAYLOR 

Albert TAYLOR
Rank: Private
Service Number:9132.
Regiment: B Company, 17th Bn. Manchester Regiment
Formerly: 7th Bn., Cheshire Regiment
Killed In Action Monday 10th July 1916
Age 27
FromRainow.
County Memorial Bollington
Commemorated\Buried Thiepval Memorial
Grave\Panel Ref: Pier and Face 13A and 14C.
CountryFrance

Albert's Story.

EARLY LIFE

Albert Taylor was born in Rainow, near Macclesfield, in 1889, the son of Elizabeth (nee Thompson) and William Taylor, who was a textile stamper at the bleach works. In 1891, one-year-old Albert was living with his parents at Daisy Bank, Bollington.

By 1901 the family had moved to 91 Cook Street, Pendleton, Lancashire, and eleven-year-old Albert had three younger siblings: Ellen (8), Edith (5) and Hugh (3). Albert and his siblings - by then including Walter (8) and William Henry (6) - had returned to Bollington by the time of the 1911 census, when they were living with their aunt Mary Hannah Taylor at 56 Water Street; Albert was employed as a cotton doubler at Clarence Mill, Bollington.

 

WW1 SERVICE

Albert enlisted in Manchester on 1 December 1914, joining the 17th Manchester Regiment, despite having previously served in the local 7th Cheshire Regiment. He was drafted to France on 8 November 1915 and the battalion took part in the Battle of the Somme, which began on 1st July 1916. Although Albert appears to have survived the beginning of the battle, from 1st July onwards, he was not so fortunate when the battalion made an attack on Trones Wood, beginning on 9 July 1916. He was reported to be wounded and missing on 10 July 1916, and was later assumed to have been killed in action on or after that date. More information about the battle can be found on the 17th Battalion Manchester Regiment website.

On 8 August 1916 Albert was listed in a German prisoner of war register as having died, his details being taken from his pay book. However, he does not appear to have actually been taken prisoner, as the usual records of where taken and to which camp are missing; perhaps his body was found on the battlefield by the Germans and the pay book details were recorded.

On 10 November 1916, the Macclesfield Times reported that Albert was missing:

PRIVATE A TAYLOR, Manchester Regt., wounded and missing

Much anxiety is felt concerning the fate of Private Albert Taylor, of the Manchester Regt., whose home was at 56 Water Street, Bollington. He was reported seriously wounded and missing on 10th and 11th July, and nothing further has been heard of him.

Private Taylor is 27 years of age and resided with his aunt, Miss Taylor, Water Street. He was born at Rainow and was educated at the Church of England School there... He also attended Rainow Church. Prior to enlistment he was employed as a doubler at Clarence Mill. Private Taylor joined the Army shortly after the outbreak of war, and was drafter out to France nine months ago. Two of his cousins have been killed in France.

After Albert's death, his father William lived at 21 Oldham Street, Bollington. His aunt Mary Hannah Taylor later lived at Brynhaven, Chancery Lane, Bollington; she died on 2 May 1942 and was buried in plot 1152 at St John's Church, Bollington (now closed), where Albert's two younger brothers are also buried.

 

COMMEMORATION

Private Albert Taylor has no known grave and is named on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Private Albert Taylor.

Locally, Albert Taylor is commemorated on the Bollington St John's parish church (now held by St Oswald's church) and the Bollington civic war memorials. He may be the A Taylor, 7th Cheshires named on the Clarence Mill, Bollington war memorial.

SOURCES

GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births
Census (England & Wales): 1891, 1901, 1911
St Oswald's Church, Bollington website
WWI British Army Service Records 1914-1920 (Find My Past)
The 17th Manchesters website
British Army Medal Index Cards (Ancestry)
WWI British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects (Ancestry)
Soldiers Died in the Great War (Find My Past)
WWI Pension Record Cards (WFA/Ancestry/Fold3)
WWI International Red Cross Prisoner of War Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Lives of the First World War website
Cheshire Year Book, 1917 (photo)
Macclesfield Times: 10 November 1916


Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.