82nd Provisional Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
It is unfortunately not possible to be certain when George Henry Taylor was born and therefore confirm a baptism or parent details as there are two or three possible George Taylors born in the Stroud area. His obituary states he was 41 giving him a birth date of 1874 or 1875. He states he is 36 at the 1911 Census.
There is a record for a George Taylor on Ancestry under the ‘UK Royal Hospital Chelsea Pension Records’. This gives an enlistment date of 1892 when George would have been 18. He enlisted with the Gloucesters and his number was 3659. George’s obituary states that he ‘was an old soldier and had served in South Africa and various other parts in the world with the 1st Gloucestershire Regiment (The Old Braggs)’. I think there is a strong possibility this record does relate to George.
I can find no record for George in the 1901 Census so I am assuming he was serving abroad.
I believe that George married Lizzie Hyam (who was born in Gloucester) in 1903 in Stroud. Lizzie’s parents ran a lodging house in Tower Hill, Stroud. The couple had three children, Elsie Rose in 1907, George Henry in 1905 and Ivey Winifred in 1909.
The 1911 Census shows the family living in Middle Street, Stroud. George gave his occupation as ‘drayman’ at the local brewery. Lizzie was a tailoress.
Unfortunately, no service records survive, so details are scant as to his military career. The Stroud News Roll of Honour lists him as being a member of the 2/5th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. However, the CWGC shows him being in the 82nd Provisional Battalion at the time of his death.
Provisional battalions were made up of men from second or third line battalions who were either not available for overseas service or in a low medical category. The 2/5th Battalion of the Glosters was a Territorial Battalion and Territorials were not obliged to serve overseas, unless they volunteered (and many did). By 1916 there were 41 provisional battalions. The 82nd Battalion was formed in June 1915 from Home Service men of Territorial Battalions and was linked to the Glosters. In time it would become the 17th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment.
Given his age and marital status, it is likely that George either chose not to volunteer for overseas service or was not considered for such.
Private George Henry Taylor died on 5 June 1916 at Stroud Hospital.
Fortunately, the Stroud News of 9 June 1916 carried a comprehensive report of George’s funeral and a short obituary: it stated that George ‘at once volunteered for duty as a National Reservist and had put in one year and eight months service, latterly being attached to the 2/5th Gloucesters. A short while ago he returned home on agricultural leave, and it was then that he contracted chill, pneumonia following and causing his death.’
Soldiers from his Company acted as pall bearers including two who had served with George in South Africa. George Taylor was buried in Stroud Old Cemetery, where a CWGC headstone now marks his grave.
His widow Elizabeth was awarded a war gratuity of £4 15s in August 1916. George appears as ‘Henry George’ on the record. I cannot be sure when widow Lizzie died. Their daughter Elsie married Ivor Richards in 1930 and died in 1996. Ivey married Alexander Black in 1933 and son George married Ada Young in 1932.
Researched by Helen Wollington (with additions from Graham Adams) 25 February 2018