Francis James TAYLOR (1899–1918)
Francis James Taylor, known as Frank, was born in New Headington in 1899 and baptised at St Andrew's Church on 24 September.
He was the son of Thomas Arnold Soanes Taylor, who was born at Paradise Square, Oxford on 29 March 1868 and baptised at St Ebbe's Church on 31 May 1868. By the time of the 1881 census Frank’s father Thomas Taylor had moved up with his parents from St Ebbe's to New Headington village, and at the age of 13 he was already employed as a general labourer, while his father was unemployed and his mother was a laundress.
Frank's mother Mary Jane Neville or Nevill was born in New Headington in 1870 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 4 December. At the time of the 1881 census she was aged 10 and living in New Headington with her parents and four siblings, and her father was a gardener.
Frank's parents were married at St Andrew’s Church, Old Headington on 18 April 1893 and had seven children:
- Hilda Mary Taylor (born in New Headington on 20 September 1894 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 21 October)
- Thomas Arnold Neville Taylor (born in New Headington on 20 November 1895 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 22 December)
- Winnifred Edna Taylor, known as Winnie (born in New Headington in 1897 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 1 August)
- Francis James Taylor (born in New Headington on 29 August 1899 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 24 September)
- Eveline Dorothy Taylor, known as Eva (born in New Headington on 18 May 1901 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 23 June)
- Edward Albert Taylor (born in New Headington on 8 September 1906 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 4 November)
- Violet Ruby Taylor (born at 21 Windsor Street, New Headington on 21 September 1909 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 7 November).
At the time of the 1901 census Frank (1) was living at New High Street (probably No. 31) with his father Thomas (33), who was a self-employed house painter, his mother Mary (30), and his siblings Hilda (6), Thomas (5), and Winnie (3).
In July 1908 Frank’s father bought the shop at 21 Windsor Street for £180. For some reason he sold it the next year Mrs Sarah Jane Carter, although he remained there as a tenant until about 1910, and Frank’s sister Violet was born there.
By the time of the 1911 census Frank (11) was living at 28 New High Street with his father Thomas (43), who described himself as a home decorator and employer, his mother Mary (40) and his six siblings: Hilda (16), who was working as a day girl; Thomas (15), who was assisting in his father's business; Winnie (13), who was a mother's help; and Eva (8), Edward (4), and Violet (1).
Within a year, probably as Frank’s father’s painting and decorating business grew, the family moved to the present 4 Lime Walk (then numbered 10) in All Saints’ parish.
In the First World War Francis James Taylor served as a Private in the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex) Regiment (Service No. G/44638). He was then posted to the 1st Hampshire Regiment (Service No. 44638) and was attached to the 19th Battalion of the London Regiment . He died of pneumonia in France at the age of 18 on 6 December 1918. After the Armistice the 39th Stationary Hospital was at Lille, and he may have also been wounded.
He is buried at the Lille Southern Cemetery (I.C.3), and his war grave there has the added words “UNTIL THE DAY BREAK”. (Only 40% of war headstones bear an inscription such as this near their base: the main inscription was free, but families had to pay 3½d per letter for a personal message.)
He is remembered on the roll of honour of All Saints’ Church, Highfield.
Postscript
Frank’s parents
At the time of the 1921 census Frank's parents were living at the present 4 Lime Walk (then numbered 10), and his father was still a house painter. Four of their children were still at home: Winifred (24), who was a leather worker for Quelch of 11 Queen Street; Eva (20), who was a shop assistant at the Co-op drapery department at 65 George Street, Oxford; Edward (14), who was a shop assistant at the Co-op boot & shoe department at 24 & 26 George Street; and Violet (11)
- Mrs Mary Jane Taylor died at the age of 61 at the present 4 Lime Walk and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 24 February 1932.
- Thomas Arnold Soanes Taylor was retired at the time of the 1939 census and living at the present 4 Lime Walk with his married daughter Hilda and her husband and their son John. He still living at the present 4 Lime Walk in 1947, when Kelly’s also listed “Thomas A. Taylor & Son painters” at the house. He died at the Cowley Road Hospital on 24 June 1950. His effects came to £3,775 15s. 5d., and the retired works manager Stanley Dearlove was his executor.
Frank’s siblings
- Hilda Mary Taylor (born 1894) gave birth to Jack Taylor at Lime Walk around 1 October 1913 and had him baptised at All Saints’ Church on 11 October 1913 when he was already dead or dying, as he was marked as dead in the baptismal register: he was buried at Headington Cemetery three days later. She married Jack Marsh in the Headington registration district in the third quarter of 1921, and at the time of the 1939 Register they and their son John (born 17 December 1926) lived with her widower father at 4 Lime Walk. Hilda died in Wigan near the beginning of 1982.
- Thomas Arnold Neville Taylor (born 1895), a house decorator of 4 Lime Walk, married Lilian Ruby Hawes, the daughter of Thomas James Hawes, tailor of 7 High Street, Oxford, at All Saints Church in central Oxford on 6 January 1921.
- Winnifred Edna Taylor (born 1897), a mother's help at Havelock in Barton Lane, married Aubrey Reginald Taylor, a waiter of 8 The Croft, at St Andrew's Church on 11 May 1929.
- Eveline Dorothy Taylor (born 1901), a shop assistant of 83 London Road married Henry William Hansford, a clerk of Cornwall House in New Marston, at St Andrew's Church on 5 September 1925.
- Edward Albert Taylor (born 1906) of 4 Lime Walk, described as a decorator who worked for his father, married Florence May Shepherd of 18 Beaumont Road in Headington Quarry, the daughter of the labourer Albert John Shepherd, at Holy Trinity Church in Quarry on 5 April 1930. At the time of the 1939 Register he was a self-employed decorator living with his family at 17 Kiln Lane. He died at the age of 77 and was buried in Headington Cemetery on 9 April 1984.
- Violet Ruby Taylor (born 1909) married Cyril Brown in the Oxford registration district in the fourth quarter of 1933. She died at the age of 57 and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 17 November 1966.