Pte 47205 Fred Taylor

Fred Taylor (his full name) was born in Oldham in the summer of 1897, the son of Samuel Taylor and his wife Isabel (nee Thornley) of 207, Horsedge Street, Oldham. Both of his parents were born in Oldham, and married in St. Luke's Church, Miles Platting, Manchester in 1888. They had 14 children, of whom only six survived:  Harry (who was born Thornley in 1886), Edith, Elizabeth, Fred, Eva, and Ivy.

 

In 1901 the family is living at 138 Edge Lane Road, Oldham.  His father is 33, and his mother 32.  Harry is 13, Edith 12, Elizabeth 6, and Fred is 3 years old. His father’s occupation is ‘self actor minder’ in a cotton mill (in the spinning room, the operator of a self-acting spinning mule, which could be operated by semi-skilled personnel).

 

In 1911 they are living at 20 Park Street, Oldham. His mother shown as Isabella, 43, and married, is head of household, Harry is 24, a soldier on leave, Edith, 22, and Elizabeth, 16, are employed in a cotton mill, Fred is 13, Eva 8, and Ivy 6. The father Samuel doesn't appear on the Census.

 

As his military record has not survived, little is known of Fred’s service.  He would have been 17 years old when the war broke out, and would have turned 19 in the summer of 1916.  SDGW shows he enlisted in Oldham in the 22nd (Reserve) Bn, King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, as Private 47205. 

 

Fred died of meningitis in Southport Infectious Diseases Hospital on 18th August 1916 and was buried in Chadderton Cemetery, Oldham, on 23rd August 1916.  His burial record shows his date of death as 19th August.

The CWGC graves registration form seems to suggest his grave is private, and that his grave was neglected. However, Fred now rests, with a CWGC headstone, at Oldham (Chadderton) Cemetery.

 

The Cemetery covers about 50 acres. It contains 72 scattered War Graves, and a War Cross is erected on the main drive.

 

A pension of 15/- a week went to his mother Isabel and, after her death, to his father.  Fred’s effects, including a War Gratuity of £3, went to his father Samuel.

 

A Fred Taylor appears on St. Mary’s Church Sunday School Memorial, Oldham.

His father died in the June quarter of 1938, aged 70. 

 

We currently have no further information on Fred Taylor, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.