Sidney Taylor of Bristol

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SIDNEY GEORGE TAYLOR, my grandfather, born February 14th, 1895
at 4 Southernhay Crescent, Clifton Wood, Bristol; died 1963 Bristol. He was the
son of ROBERT GEORGE TAYLOR and MATILDA TAYLOR (nee LUKE) of Clifton Wood, Bristol
and later of 34 Gatton Road, St Werburghs, Bristol. Sidney was the grandson of JOSEPH TAYLOR and
ELIZABETH TAYLOR (nee FARRANT) of Clifton Wood, Bristol.

His Paternal grandfather Joseph Taylor was born in Sidbury, Devon in 1838 and his paternal grandmother
Elizabeth Farrant was born in 1833 at Rockbeare, Devon. Sidney's maternal grandparents JACOB LUKE and
ELIZABETH LUKE (nee UREN) were distant cousins and both originally from Hayle, Cornwall.
They had moved to Bristol about 1860 and lived latterly in Hotwell Road, Bristol

He married LILIAN GIBBONS of Kennilworth Place, Newtown, Old Market, Bristol on October 27th,
1923 at. St Stephen's by Saltash, Cornwall. Daughter of GEORGE LLOYD GIBBONS and HARRIET GIBBONS
(nee HALLS) of Kenilworth place, Newtown, Old Market, Bristol. Parents of NORMAN SIDNEY TAYLOR

1st World war Reg number 291561 Gunner (later Lieut ) 11th Corp RGA transferred to reserve
23 /4/1915 Royal Garrison Artillery Medals authorized prior to 11th November 1918 place of rejoining
Gosport Medical Cert A Transferred to Army reserves 20 / 3/ 1919. SG Taylor Lieut Dover Sidney
like my other grandfather Edwin Creese he fought on the Somme in the First World War.

1915? 1st World war Reg number 291561 Gunner 11th Corp RGA transferred to reserve
23 /4/1915 Royal Garrison Artillery Medals authorised prior to 11th November 1918
Place of rejoining Gosport Medical Cert. A Transferred to Army reserves 20 / 3/ 1919

SG Taylor Lieut. Dover 1916 1 March "Dear Lil, Just a line to say first chance shall be busy packing up,
shifting Friday morning 9.15 Yours Sid"

1917 14/12 "My Dear Lil, Just a card with the best of wishes, lets hope this is the last Christmas of war.
Fondest Love Cheerio Sid xxxxx"

"My dearest Lil, Many thanks for loving letter received Dec 21st. Also the Observer Dec 11th. I received your
PC, also one from Elsie and Gert, am gld you had a good time at Clevedon. Will be writing in a day or so.
Fondest Love, Kindest Regards to all, yours Sid"

1918 April 28th "My dear Lil, Many thanks for loving letter received Dec 19th will be writing first opp, pleased to
know my letter reached you. Hope all are well am still going strong Fondest Love Sid XXXXXXX"

1918 Lilian's brother William Shergold Gibbons died in Italy.

1918 15/10 "My Darling, Just a PC to say I arrived safely 10pm Sunday night (same journey) now did you get PC
from Dover also other letter, will be writing soon as poss, hope all are well and yourself much better cheer up!
Will be home again soon, kindest regards to all and fondest love yours ever Sid
Weather wretched here "

1918 Dec 18 "Dear Lil, Just another PC for collection am looking forward to line soon Fondest Love Yours Sid XXXXX"

1958 Sidney's goldwatch on his retirement from "Bristol " He was a clerk in their offices.

The Sisters of my grandfather were.

(1) Florence Gertrude Taylor born June 8th 1890 at 42 Ambra Vale East, Cliftonwood, Bristol;

Died October 4th 1980 Bristol aged 90.

A relation wrote

I knew Sid between the years 1946 to 1956 when we came to Australia.

As you know, he was adversely affected by poison gas during the first world war, and was never really full recovered thereafter. He died as far as I can remember at the age of 68 in an old persons home. We actually visited him there in 1963 but I cannot remember the address offhand.

Sid was a reasonably likeable fellow but was very careful with his money. (Probably because he did not have much). He and Lily lived in Warminster Road Eastville not far from the Aunts at Gatton Road. I think his number was 16 and the house backed onto the main Railway Line.

He loved watching Football and playing snooker. We used to walk from Warminster road to the snooker hall and back every time I played with him. A journey of around an hour each way. We used to think nothing of it and it saved a tuppeny bus fare.

He and Norman and a couple of us used to play hapenny nap every Friday evening at his place, with Lily providing a cuppa during the evening.

By and large, he was a simple soul who was faced with the fighting of demons nobody else could see or understand their presence.

(2) Elsie Matilda Taylor born October 23rd 1891 at 4 Southernhay Crescent, Cliftonwood, Bristol and died
May 22nd 1988 at Clarendon House Nursing Home, Frenchay, Bristol.

(3) SIDNEY GEORGE TAYLOR, born February 14th 1895 in 4 Southernhay Crescent, Cliftonwood.
Bristol; died 1963 in Ham Green, Somerset (?) married LILIAN GIBBONS October 27, 1923 in St Stephens
by Saltash, Cornwall. Daughter of GEORGE LLOYD GIBBONS and HARRIET GIBBONS (nee HALLS)
of Newtown, Old Market, Bristol. My grandfather

(4) Lilian Emilie Taylor born Abt.1897 Cliftonwood, Bristol. Died before 1901 Bristol
She died according to the aunts because as a young child she was taken out into the garden by an
aunt (a sister of her mother matilda) when she was unwell. Matilda had protested at her daughter being taken into the garden, but the aunt had insisted. The child Lilian had just learned to say her sisters names.

1897 Death of maternal grandmother Elizabeth Luke (nee Uren)

Jacob Luke sidney's maternal grandfather who died three years before he was born. Jacob's portrait was on the wall throughout Sidney's childhood. The aunts gave it to me in the late 1970s.

1907 Attending Newfoundland Road Council School, Bristol. A birth certificate was issued to enable him to be
employed as a person under the age of 16 years and was signed by James Chard Schoolmaster at
Newfoundland Road School, Bristol.

1911 When Sidney was about 16 his grandfather Joseph Taylor (born 1838 in Sidbury, Devon) died Sandy Park? Bristol and was buried at Arnos Vale. His grandmother Elizabeth Taylor (nee Farrant) died sometime about 1918 at St Joseph's Home, Cotham Hill, Bristol.