Comments

Hi Pat,

I did not get anywhere with William Emery Taylor. You probably have this on your tree, but do you think William Taylor, born in 1857 in Kidderminster, is the same person as the one listed in the 1891 census for Stapleton, Bristol, at 4 Glen Park? He is a musician, aged 34, states a middle initial of "E" (not sure if that is made up), born in Kidderminster, and is married to Elizabeth (born in Madrid, Spain). If so, I think he died in 1897, aged 40:

p. 8, Western Daily Press, 17 July 1897

(Note, he played in the Bristol City Band). This matches with the transcript from the Bristol & Avon Family History Society which states that he was interred at Avonview Cemetery on the 18 July 1897. It also explains why I cannot find anything about him after 1897. Lastly, I cannot find a probate record for him.

He may have been the secretary for the band based on a report from page 3 of the Bristol Times and Mirror for 6 July 1894, where again, they use the middle initial "E" to describe William.

I have no idea who his wife was and what happened to her after William's death!

Regards,
Richard

Many thanks for that Richard - You've given me some food for thought and I will forward your findings about William Edwin TAYLOR to the School. 

I like the possible idea of the music teacher's nephew being a pupil at the school - have you proved that relationship yet? It looks as if Herbert Hampden TAYLOR's parents, Robert & Louisa, were married at Christ Church in Clifton, Bristol in 1875. 

I'm still working on the Kidderminster William TAYLOR, he's the right age, has musical connections, but at the moment no middle name.

I'm really grateful and so will be the Archivist at the school for your assistance. Thank you!

Hi Pat,

I hope you are well. I do not think it can be William Edwin Taylor (as Canford School believes), living at 6 Clinton Avenue, Exeter, as the 1939 register notes he was born 2 May 1888 i.e. too young to be teaching music in the 1890s. He is listed as a builders merchant in the register, and according to this report on p. 7, Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 3 July 1929, he was a commercial traveller living at 6 Clinton Avenue in 1929. Consequently, I think his organ playing for St Sidwell's was more of a hobby.

I had some vague idea that the music teacher might be William Emery Taylor (perhaps born around 1849) as (perhaps) his nephew, Herbert Hampden Taylor, attended the school. See this obituary on Herbert in The Lancet. I will see if I can get anywhere with that. However, I also think your idea that he might be William Taylor, born in 1857 in Kidderminster, is a very strong possibility.

Best regards,
Richard

Inherited family characteristics: my paternal GF played the cornet in the East Yorks regimental band...it skipped a generation (prob due to lack of money to purchase an instrument), then one of my half brothers played the trumpet, one of my daughters also played the trumpet and t'other daughter played the trombone.

I do a crossword puzzle, wordsearch and suduko every day and adore doing jigsaws...!!!

Here is an image of St John's School when it first opened as a National School in about 1845.