George Taylor (1900-1983) [2637, Lieutenant-Colonel, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment]
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- born 31 May 1900
- son of cigar manufacturer Thomas Taylor & Eva Emily (née Briggs)
- married Margaret Thompson Silvester in 1924 at Goole
- Patricia Anne Taylor (1926–2006)
Jacqueline Mary Taylor (1930–2018)
Christine M. Taylor (1934–1934)
- Patricia Anne Taylor (1926–2006)
- died 6 October 1983
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Huddersfield Examiner (10/Aug/1940):
NEWS OF MEN IN THE FORCES
Lieut.-Colonel George Taylor
Lieut. Col. George Taylor, of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, previously reported missing, is now officially reported to be a prisoner of war. He is the son of Mr. Thomas Taylor, of Kirkvale, Kirkheaton, and lives at Emley Woodhouse, Emley.
Lieut.-Col. Taylor, who was educated at Almondbury Grammar School and Sedbergh School, held a commission in the Royal Scots Greys during the Great War. He is a member of the Badsworth Hunt and the Rockwood Hunt, and had served in the Territorials for more than twenty years.
He is a partner in the firm of Messrs. Jackson and Taylor Ltd., cigar manufacturers and merchants, King Street, of which he is also a director. Another firm of which he is also a director is that of Messrs. R. and J. Hill, Ltd., tobacco and cigarette manufacturers, London.
He is also a member of the Denby Dale Urban District Council and a churchwarden at Emley Church. At one time he played with the Huddersfield Old Boys Rugby Football Club.
Huddersfield Examiner (17/Aug/1940):
NEWS OF SOME MEN IN THE FORCES
Lieut.-Col. George Taylor
Lieut. Col. George Taylor of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, son of Mr. Thomas Taylor, Kirkvale, Kirkheaton, is a prisoner of war. He had been previously reported missing. He lives at Emley Woodhouse, Emley, is a member of the Denby Dale District Council, and a churchwarden at Emley Church. In business he is a partner in the firm of Messrs. Jackson and Taylor, Ltd., cigar manufacturers and merchants, of Huddersfield. He is a director, too, of Messrs. R. and J. Hill, Ltd., tobacco and cigarette manufacturers, of London. He was educated at Almondbury Grammar School and Sedbergh School.
The Iron Duke (issue 191 April 1893 PDF):
BAND CONCERT, HUDDERSFIELD: 10th February 1983
Reproduced below are extracts from a letter addressed to the Officer Commanding the 1st Battalion from Lieut Colonel George Taylor.
“In my 83rd year I am delighted that I managed with some difficulty the many steps to get me on the balcony of Huddersfield Town Hall to watch and listen to one of the most original delightful and impressive entertainments that I have ever been fortunate to witness.
The stage production, showmanship, playcraft and technology were superb. This could have been achieved only by an efficient, loyal and enthusiastic Regiment and for this I wish to congratulate you, the Band and the whole Regiment. It gives me tremendous pleasure to tell you that so many of us, who were in the Town Hall last night, felt very proud to have been members of the Regiment.
All the programme was tremendous fun. The Halifax Male Voice Choir made a splendid contribution to a most delightful evening.
The brass playing was particularly beautiful. I understand one brass instrument costs over £1,000 these days. In 1939 when the Territorial Army had been duplicated and the 4th DWR turned into Anti-Tank Gunners I went over to Halifax and bought from there for the 2/7th DWR the whole of their Band instruments, drums and bugles and scarlet uniforms for a total of £750.
Well done Dukes.
– George Taylor”.
Huddersfield Daily Examiner (08/Oct/1983):
Death of Lt-Col G Taylor
A former prisoner-of-war who became a Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire has died at the age of 83.
Lt-Col George Taylor, of Lower Hall, Kirkheaton, was taken prisoner at Dunkirk while leading a Duke of Wellington’s battalion in a rearguard action.
He joined the 7th Bn of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in 1921 and took the 2/7th Bn to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force in 1940.
During the rearguard action he was taken prisoner by Rommel’s armoured corps and spent five years in German and Polish camps, despite several attempts to escape. On his release at the end of the war he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
He was made a Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire in 1974.
Lt-Col Taylor became a successful businessman after the war. He built up textile manufacturers Taylor Mills Ltd, of Whitley Willows, Lepton, from scratch and was chairman of Heckmondwike Carpets from 1960 to 1980.
In 1971 he gave three fields off Church Lane, Kirkheaton, to Kirkheaton Parish Church on the proviso that they were preserved as an open space for ever.
Lt-Col Taylor was a prison visitor for many years. His interests included watercolour painting, hunting, rugby union and golf.
He had been a member of Huddersfield Rugby Union Club since 1919 and was an ex-captain of Woodsome Hall Golf Club.
Lt-Col Taylor was a widower. He leaves two daughters.
The Iron Duke (issue 193 December 1893 PDF):
Lieut Colonel G. Taylor, DSO, TD, DL
George Taylor, who died on October 1983 at the age of 83 was educated at Almondbury Grammar School and Sedbergh School. Being too young for active service in the First World War he attended the Cavalry School in Ireland. As soon as he returned to England he joined the Territorial Army and there after never missed a Summer Camp. When the 2nd 7th DWR was formed he became second in command under Lieut Colonel Hinchcliffe. On the retirement of Lieut Colonel Hinchcliffe he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and took command of the 2nd 7th Battalion. In March, 1940, the Battalion was moved to Blain in Normandy, theoretically for training and exercises. They had little fighting equipment except for .303 Rifles, five anti tank rifles and a few mortars, as it was not intended that they go into action. However, when the Germans broke through they became rearguard to the 51st Division and ended up on the perimeter of St Valerie. The 2/7 was assailed by one of the crack German Panzer Divisions under General Rommel, over-run and about half the Battalion was taken prisoner. It was during this battle that Colonel Taylor proved himself a man of outstanding gallantry and leadership and his resourcefulness saved many casualties; for this he was awarded the DSO and mentioned in despatches. Lieut Colonel Taylor was in 17 Prison Camps, from Austria to Poland and back from which he repeatedly endeavoured to escape. At one period he was kept underground at Fort 8 in Posen for four months. During his captivity he learnt to paint and reached quite a high standard of water colour landscape painting. He was a keen huntsman before the War with the Rockwood and the Badsworth. Lieut Colonel Taylor was a dowser of quite extraordinary ability. He had many commercial interests, chiefly centering on textiles, and applied his energies after the War building up the Taylor Mills Group from scratch to five Mills employing almost 500 people; a lasting memorial to his commercial endeavours. He was Chairman of Heckmondwike Carpet Company and a Director of John Duckworth and Sons Limited; Edward Denison (Yeadon) Limited and Reliance Hosiery (Halifax) Ltd.
His interest in the Regiment never faltered and until recently he was a Trustee of the Regiment’s Charitable Funds.
In 1978 he instituted the Taylor-Miles Award which is annually given to the best junior NCO in the 1st Battalion.
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