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Updated:16/03/21
ID:747 George William Taylor 1892-1967 aka George Gray
Gaz's 2nd Great Uncle
Birth    10 JUL 1892 St Philips Nottingham
Death 6 MAY 1967 Coventry, Warwickshire
1892
July 1892, Birth of son George William Taylor in St Phillips, Nottingham. 
Between 1892 and 1895 we know the family moved to Norton Canes in Staffordshire. 
In 1901, George,9, lived with his mother, Alice, in Stokes Lane, Norton Canes. His  half siblings, Charles, 19, a colliery horse driver below ground,  and Lucy, 6 also lived at the home along with boarders Fanny and Charles Cooper.
1901
1901 Census for 'Stokes Lane, Norton Canes, Staffordshire'
Name                 
Relationship Status       Age     Est YOB Gender   Birth County                    Occupation                  
Alice Taylor        Head              Widowed 43       1858        Female  Wanstead, Essex            Charlady
Charles Taylor Son Single 19 1882 Male Walthamstow, Essex Colliery Horse Driver Below Ground
George Taylor Son
9 1892 Male
St Philips, Notts
Lucy Taylor Daughter   6 1895 Female Norton Canes, Staffs
Fanny Cooper Boarder   30 1871 Female Norton Canes, Staffs  
Charles Cooper Boarder   1mth 1901 Male Norton Canes, Staffs  
In 1911, George was registered on the census as George Gray. We are aware that there was a name change, probably with his parents from the name Gray but we are not sure why George chose to use this name on the 1911 census? George, 19, was living with his stepfather Isaiah Whitehouse and his mother Alice. George was a pony driver at the Conduit Pit in Norton Canes.
1911
1911 Census for 'Stokes Lane, Norton Canes, Staffordshire'
Name                   
Relationship Status       Age     Est YOB Gender   Birth County                    Occupation                  
Isiah Whitehouse Head             Married     52        1859       Male       Staunton, Glocs             Waggoner                
Alice Whitehouse Wife Married 54 1857 Female Woodford, Essex  
George Gray Stepson Single 19 1892 Male Nottingham, Notts Pony Driver in Coal Pit
We know that George worked at the Conduit Colliery in Norton Canes prior to joining the army in 1914. 

Below is an account of his service and his receipt of the Distinguished Conduct Medal:

9678 Corporal George William Taylor D.C.M. 7th (Service) Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment .

George Taylor served with the 7th (Service) Battalion since its formation on 15 August 1914 at Whittington Barracks, and disembarked at “V” Beach on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 21 August 1915.
He took part in the landing at Suvla Bay on 7 August, and in the disastrous attack against Ismail Oglu Tepe two days later.
He went on to serve in Egypt following the evacuation of Suvla in December 1915, and in France from July 1916.

Taylor was a stretcher-bearer when the 7th South Staffords, as part of 33rd Brigade of 11th (Northern) Division, took part in the Battle of Messines, which opened on 7 June 1917. Acting as support battalion for 33rd Brigade, the 7th South Staffords followed in the wake of 16th (Irish) Division, and it was during the subsequent days that Taylor performed several acts of gallantry that resulted in him being awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

News of his award was printed in The Walsall Observer on 4 August:
A NORTON CANES D.C.M.
“Lance-Corporal George William Taylor, of the South Staffords, who has received the D.C.M. for his gallant work in tending the wounded on and after June 7, is the first Norton Canes man to win this honour.
Single, and 23 years of age, his home is at Stokes Lane, Norton Canes, and prior to enlisting, in August, 1914, he was employed at the Conduit Colliery.
He has seen service and been wounded at the Dardanelles, and while serving in France has been several times wounded.” The citation for Taylor’s Distinguished Conduct Medal was published in The London Gazette on 25 August, although the entry stated that he was a resident of Brownhills and not Norton Canes. The citation was quoted in full in another report regarding Lance-Corporal Taylor’s gallantry that was printed in The Walsall Observer on 16 February 1918:

“His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to No. 9,675, Lance-corporal G. W. Taylor, 7th Battalion South Staffs. Regiment, for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in attending to the wounded under shell fire, during which the medical officer became a casualty. For several days he rendered most valuable assistance, keeping admirable control of his men, and successfully tending and evacuating all the wounded. His tireless devotion and courageous conduct have on every occasion proved invaluable to his battalion when in action.” – “London Gazette.”

Lance-corporal G.W. Taylor is an old boy of Norton Canes Boys’ School, of which Mr J. P. Underwood is head master. He received his medal when on leave recently.

 Promoted to Corporal, George Taylor was demobilised on 25 January 1919 and transferred to the Class Z Army Reserve.
1918
1918 - Marriage of George Taylor and Katherine Burke at St James Church,  Norton Canes, Staffordshire.
1919
1922
1919 - Birth of son Sidney Charles Taylor registered at Cannock, Staffordshire.
March 1922 - Birth of daughter Ivy L Taylor registered at Cannock, Staffordshire.
1922
1922 - Birth of son Edward J Taylor registered at Foleshill, Warwickshire.
We are unsure of the other childrens names and details.
We know that between 1922 and 1927 George and Kate moved to Coventry and George worked at Binley Colliery, He was a member of the Ambulance Division.
George is pictured above front row, third from right.
1939
1939 Registry for '78 Marlborough Road, Coventry, Warwickshire'
Name                           
Status     DOB            Gender    Occupation               
George W Taylor         Married  16/08/1891 Male        Store Keeper from Foundry/Factory ARP First Aider  
Kate Taylor Married 06/04/1896 Female UDD  
Undisclosed Record Sidney?        
Ivy L Taylor   27/03/1922 Female Food Warehouse Packer  
Undisclosed Record Edward?        
We think George died in 1967 and had a cremation at Canley Crematorium but cannot substantiate this at the moment.