Eva Taylor, née Watts - Jane's youngest sister, known as Auntie Eva

Eva Watts was born on 3 September 1887 (GRO ref: Beverley 9d 101). In 1908, as a young girl, she married Alfred (Fred) Taylor, born 16 July 1875, of 47 Keldgate, just around the corner from her Lairgate home, and where Eva lived for the majority of her life.

Although married for three years, the 1911 census shows Eva to be living at home ...

1911 Census:      Sun/Mon 2nd April/3rd April 1911
Source:   TNA Ref:        RG14 PN  
          Reg. Gen. Ref:  RG78 PN 28545; En.Dist: 2; Sched: 100
          RegDist: 520 SubDist: Beverley
Dwelling: 49 Lairgate             
Place:    Beverley, Yorkshire East Riding              
Rooms in dwelling, other than scullery, landing, lobby, closet, bathroom: 10
Years married: 39         
Children:      Alive 6, dead 2 

Name              Rel  Mar  Age  Occupation             Status    Birthplace 
John Watts       Head   M   63   Farmer & carrier       Employer  Lincolnshire, Louth
Sarah Ann Watts  Wife   M   62                                    Lincolnshire, Horncastle
Anne Watts        Dau   S   39   Assisting in business  Worker    Yorks, Hull
Eva Taylor        Dau   M   23                                    Yorks, Beverley
Arthur Watts      Son   S   20   Assisting in business  Worker    Yorks, Beverley

Eva Taylor, née Watts, had been married for two years. Her husband Fred was in a Bournemouth boarding house working as a chauffer-mechanic. The census doesn't name his employer or whether he too happened to be in Bournemouth.

1807info3d, sheet 2

1911 Census:      Sun/Mon 2nd April/3rd April 1911
Source:   TNA Ref:        RG14 PN  
          Reg. Gen. Ref:  RG78 PN 5846; En.Dist: 15; Sched: 97
Dwelling: 30 Cotlands Road             
Place:    Bournemouth, Hampshire             
Rooms in dwelling, other than scullery, landing, lobby, closet, bathroom: 6
Years married: 13         
Children:      Alive 3, dead none 

Name                      Rel  Mar Age Occupation                  Status  Birthplace 
Albert Carter             Head  M  38  Printer, Machine minder     Worker  Devon, Sidmouth
Isabel Charlotte Carter   Wife  M  38                                      Surrey, Croydon
Dorothy Isabel Carter      Dau     12  School                              Hants, Bournemouth
Edith May Carter           Dau      9                                      Hants, Bournemouth
Horace Albert Carter       Son      5                                      Hants, Bournemouth
Alfred Taylor             Bord  M  33  Chauffer-Mechanic(Domestic) Worker  Staffs, Darlaston
Laura Elizabeth Ridley   S-I-L  S  42  Bookkeeper                  Worker  Surrey, Croydon
Vernor Frank Ryden Samson Bord  S  22  Chauffer-Mechanic(Domestic) Worker  Sussex, Brighton

Alfred Taylor, Eva's husband

Alfred Taylor was born in Darlaston, a village in the Staffordshire coalfield west-south-west of Walsall, to Ann and Matthew, a miner. His birth is likely to have been in the second quarter of 1876 (GRO ref: Walsall 6b 727)

1881 Census  Sun/Mon 2/3rd April 1881
Source:      FHL Film  TNA Ref RG11 
             Piece: 2891;  Folio: 101;  Page: 2;  Sched: 7                      
Dwelling:    74 (back of) Walsall Road 
Place:       Darlaston, Staffordshire

Name             Rel  Mar Age Occupation  Birthplace
Matthew Taylor  Head   M  30  Coal miner  Staffs, Ettingshall
Anne Taylor     Wife   M  28              Staffs, Darlaston
William Taylor   Son       7  Scholar     Staffs, Darlaston
Alfred Taylor    Son       5              Staffs, Darlaston
James Taylor     Son       11mo           Staffs, Darlaston

Ten years later Alfred had begun his work with metal and machines.

1891 Census   Sun/Mon 5/6th April 1891
Source:       FHL Film  TNA Ref RG12
              Piece: 2246;  Folio: 143;  Page: 27;  Sched:
Dwelling:     76 (back of) Walsall Road
Place:        Darlaston, Staffordshire

Name              Rel Mar Age Occupation                Status  Birthplace
Matthew Taylor  Head   M  41  Coal miner                Worker  Staffs, Darlaston
Ann Taylor      Wife   M  38                                    Staffs, Darlaston
William Taylor   Son   S  17  Bolt & nutworks machinist Worker  Staffs, Darlaston
Alfred Taylor    Son      15  Bolt & nutworks machinist Worker  Staffs, Darlaston
James Taylor     Son      10  Scholar                           Staffs, Darlaston
Thomas Taylor    Son       8  Scholar                           Staffs, Darlaston
Amy Taylor       Dau       5  Scholar                           Staffs, Darlaston
Ann Taylor       Dau       3                                    Staffs, Darlaston

By 1901 both Alfred and William had left home, but, at this moment, cannot be found on Ancestry or findmypast. There is no obvious record in the passenger indices. The possibility of them being in the South Africa war has to be investigated.

1807info3d, sheet 3

1901 Census   Sun/Mon 31st March/1st April 1901
Source:       FHL Film  TNA Ref RG13
              Piece: 2704; Folio: 106; Page: 29; Sched: 165
Dwelling:     New Mill Street
Place:        Walsall, Staffordshire

Name             Rel Mar Age Occupation          Status  Birthplace
Matthew Taylor  Head  M  51  Coal hewer  Worker  Staffs, Ettingshall
Annie Taylor    Wife  M  48                      Staffs, Darlaston
James Taylor     Son  S  20  Shoe maker  Worker  Staffs, Darlaston
Amy Taylor       Dau  S  15                      Staffs, Darlaston
Annie Taylor     Dau  S  13                      Staffs, Darlaston

Family hearsay records that Fred served with the Royal Flying Corps. This wasn't proved until 2019 when service record was found in findmypast's British Royal Air Force, Airman's Service Records 1912-1939.

This records him as No. 31229 Alfred Taylor, born 1875 living at 47 Keldgate, Beverley, as a chauffer mechanic. Auntie Eva was listed as his next of kin from their Beverley marriage on 08 June 1908. On attestation Fred was a short 5 foot 2 inches (1.57m) with a chest of 26 inches (66cm).

Royal Flying Corps (RFC) Service

Although Fred's service record is an RAF service record, it does show that he joined the army/Royal Flying Corps (RFC) on 10 June 1916 one month short of his 41st birthday. He served for the duration of the war, transferring to the RAF on 01 April 1918 and being discharged on 30 June 1920. Fred's service record shows he was no exception to the hundreds of RFC personnel, whose whole RFC service career would fall within the sphere of command of the Middle East Brigade as part of the Middle East Expeditionary Force (MEF). Given that he was promoted to Chief Mechanic on 01 October 1918, he was a technician perhaps with a particular skill for the squadron's aircraft.

Fred's first posting was to 23 T[raining]S[quadron] ¹ (2TS), also known as 23 Reserve Training Squadron. The nucleus of 23TS was formed at Beaulieu and at Brooklands in June 1916. In that Fred joined the RFC on 10 June 1916 it is possible he was at Beaulieu or Brooklands. In August 1916 the squadron was based in Aboukir, Egypt where they formed part of 20th Training Wing. On 23 December 1916, 23TS had an establishment of 18 BE2 and two Bristol Scouts. 23TS was disbanded into 60T[raining]D[epot]S[tation] (TDS) on 1 December 1918. During its formation the squadron possessed:

Curtiss JN3   1 Avro 504A/j 14 Bristol Scout D   1 Sopworth Pup   3 Martinsyde G.102   6 BE2c 14 BE2e 25 RE8 15
	Above: Royal Aircraft Factory BE2

On 16 July 1918, Fred was posted to 194 T[raining]S[quadron] (TS) which in September 1917 had moved with its BE2cs to Amaria, to the south-west of and just outside Alexandria. It was commanded by Major Arthur Claud Wright and was suitable for two squadrons.194 TS was still part of 20th Training Wing. He served with his second squadron until 13 February 1919 when he was posted to Blandford until 24 February 1919. On 21 July 1918 it was redesignated as 16 T[raining] D[epot]S[tation] (TDS). During its formation the squadron possessed:

He served with his second squadron until 13 February 1919 when he transferred to Blandford until 24 February 1919. He was discharged on 30 June 1920.

1807info3d, sheet 4

On 14 April 1918, Fred was admitted to 17 General Hospital as a Casualty Return in the field. He had a disability of chr[onic] nephritis due to service. This is an inflammation of the kidney. Left: The Tented portion No17 Hospital Alexandria

However, the National Archives records No 17 General Hospital being in Alexandria, Egypt from March 1915 to March 1920. It arrived from the UK to Victoria College, Alexandria without nursing staff on the assumption its staff would be sent to the Dardanelles. This suggests Fred served with the Middle East Expeditionary Force, in Egypt, before being hospitalised in Alexandria. Right: "Dining hall and ward No17 Hospital Alexandria

Above: Side one of Fred Taylor's pension card confirms his World War 1 service Source: Ancestry.

1807info3d, sheet 5

Above: Side two of Fred Taylor's pension card

This pension card, coded 4/A F/No. 290 being 4 for Yorkshire and A F for Airforce, confirms:

• His name, year of birth, the correct Beverley address - see below - and marital status
• His RAF number as 31229 and his rank of flight sergeant in the RAF and by implication the RFC
• That he had a disability of chr[onic] nephritis due to service. This is an inflammation of the kidney
• He was discharged on 24 March 1919
• That he was awarded a conditional pension, based on a 20% disability, of 10 shillings a week with two shillings to his wife
• The award, dated 14 May 1920, was only made from 2 June 1920 to 30 November 1920 but medical review boards, listed on page two, seem to end in 1920
• There are two post-award correspondences logged. One to DR [Doctor] Caoker Boar Lane [Leeds] on 6 January 1921 and to SMA Chelsea on 31 January 1921
• The 'other actions' which are coded and dated with dates ranging from 18 March 1920 to 18 February 1921
• His medal index card has yet to be found, suggesting it may be in RAF records.

His promotion record shows:

• Enlisted as 2^nd class air mechanic on 10 June 1916
• Appointed 1^st class air mechanic on 01 December 1916
• Acting corporal 01 June 1917
• Promoted corporal 01 September 1917
• Appointed acting sergeant 01 February 1918
• Transferred to RAF 01 April 1918
• ? illegible
• Promoted Chief Mechanic 01 October 1918 (Flight Sergeant?

A possible reason for joining the RFC/RAF

In late 1916 and into 1917, the government were faced with the problem of a shortage of infantry and a lack of technical people in munitions, on the railways at home and on the Western Front, the chemists to organise the gas cylinders, the Army Service Corps to maintain the increasing number of motor vehicles and for RFC/RAF mechanics.

Rather than just sending every volunteer and conscript to the infantry, the government began to adopt the American scientific approach of selecting the right man for the most appropriate job both by interview and by withdrawing men with technical skills from the front into technical units.

The Trade Test Centre at Woolwich verified the competence in a trade of skilled men of engineering experience. They were given a practical examination and passed as proficient and posted to a branch where his qualification could be most fully employed. If a soldier was rejected as unskilled he was either returned to his unit or posted to a technical branch as a pioneer.

1807info3d, sheet 6

Eventually, in August 1917 the Army Council ordered that 'no tradesman who possessed a technical skill required by a technical corps should be allowed to remain in a unit where his skills were not being utilised for the benefit of the nation.' ¹

This process may have applied to Fred, who with his knowledge of cars, was assessed as suitable as an RAF mechanic.

End notes

1. Army Council Instruction, TNA ACI 1302, 22, quoted by Fox p.200

Sources:

• findmypast's British Royal Air Force, Airman's Service Records 1912-1939
• 23 Squadron Combat reports The National Archives, London (TNA) AIR 1/1221/204/5/2634
• The History of 23 Squadron TNA AIR 1/690/21/20/23
• Fox, Aimeé, Learning to Fight, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2018
• MacPherson, Major-General Sir WG, Medical Services General History Vol. III, Chapter XIX, Medical Services in Egypt, HMSO 1924 p.378 (Accessed: 10 June 2019)

1807info3d, sheet 7

Married life in Beverley

Right: 47 Keldgate, Beverley, Eva and Fred's home for many years, being one of two long thin and low gatehouse cottages to what was the Bannister's property 47 Keldgate was Fred's given address on his marriage certificate. At some point in their lives Fred Taylor was employed as a chauffer-mechanic to a Mr Bannister who lived in the large house over looking the park. However, there is no 1911 enumeration sheet for 47 Keldgate, suggesting it was vacant. This remained the family home into the 1960s. I recollect Eva's home being small, dark, very muddled and very unlike her mother's tidy home.

Above: 1911 6" OS map locating 47 Keldgate, Beverley circled in red. Note the proximity to Lairgate. The entrance leads into the house and gardens of the Bannisters.

It was said that, one afternoon whilst 'on duty', Mr Bannister sent Fred home to collect some things. That afternoon, after trying for fourteen years, their only child Annie, known as Nancy, was conceived. Nancy was born on 19 February 1922 (GRO ref: Beverley 9d 182). In the third quarter of 1942 Nancy married Frederick F Cook (GRO ref: Holderness 9d 184) . Donald Crompton, Nancy's cousin, was best man. At some point Fred, who worked in the frozen food industry associated with Grimsby dock, and Nancy moved to Scartho, Lincolnshire. Nancy died in October 1995 (GRO ref: Staincliffe 17 6571 158), in a Grassington residential home that cared for dementia sufferers.

1807info3d, sheet 8

1939 England and Wales Register 29 September 1939
ED Area code:     JBA
ED District code: D
Sched no:         317    
Dwelling: 47 Keldgate  
Borough, UD or RD: Beverley, East Yorkshire

Names          Sex  D of B  Status  Personal Occupation       Others
Taylor, Alfred  M   16jul75    M    Engineer fitter, Aircraft
Taylor, Eva     F   03sep86    M    Unpaid domestic duties
Taylor, Nancy   F   17feb22    S    Short hand typist         Not presently employed
Annie, known as, Nancy who married Fred Cook

The National Identity Number devised from this Registration would have been: Enumeration Area code+Emuneration District code+Schedule number+position in house

This suggests that Fred had given up his occupation of chauffeuring and was following the trade he had learnt in the RFC/RAF, possibly at Blackburn Aeroplane's Brough Factory ², 11 miles from Beverley. When he started is unknown and it assumed he was working there until his retirement or death.

Above: Blackburn aircraft Brough 10 January 1934

Alfred died on 10 February 1944, aged 68 (GRO ref: Holderness 9d 94) and left £1646 11s 9d to Midland Bank Executor and Trustee Company Limited.

Eva died, aged 89, at Nancy's home in 143 Waltham Road, Scarthro, near Grimsby, on 13 February 1977 (Probate/GRO ref: Grimsby 7 0559) leaving £7194.

1807info3d, sheet 9

RFC Training Squadrons in Egypt Stuart Hadaway writes 'About 4,000 aircrew were trained in Egypt during the War, mostly from the summer of 1916 onwards. Relatively few were retained in Egypt or Palestine, and others were sent to Mesopotamia and Salonika. The bulk, I believe, were sent to France. As you can imagine, this was a pretty important cog in the RFC/RAF's machine. Unfortunately, none of the units kept any records, and I've not been able to find anything detailed on them at TNA'. On 6 January 1915 the War Office sanctioned the formation of thirty additional RFC squadrons, plus an increase in training squadrons (TS) as reserve units. At the time there were three urgent requirements; firstly the design and production of aircraft and aero engines and secondly the recruitment and training of pilots and observers. The third urgent requirement was the establishment of training aerodromes in the United Kingdom, plus suitable sites and buildings for aerial gunnery, photography, rigging, engine repair etc. On 6 January 1915 the War Office sanctioned the formation of thirty additional RFC squadrons, plus an increase in training squadrons (TS) as reserve units. At the time there were three urgent requirements; firstly the design and production of aircraft and aero engines and secondly the recruitment and training of pilots and observers. The third urgent requirement was the establishment of training aerodromes in the United Kingdom, plus suitable sites and buildings for aerial gunnery, photography, rigging, engine repair etc. As expansion began the RFC were aware that one element was totally outside their control and could delay or halt progress and that was the British weather during the months of October to March. The suggested solution was Egypt where the winter weather conditions were, in the main, ideal for flying. Visibility was generally excellent though spoilt by the occasional sandstorms and morning mist. Graduates, with 21 solo hours, were then posted back to the UK. Their planes required an appropriate number of technical support personnel: the riggers, armourers and mechanics of Fred Taylor’s skills. The RFC ‘Egypt Detachment’, based at Ismailia, had arrived in Alexandria on 17 November 1914. To counter the Turkish force the Detachment comprised of three Maurice Farman and two Henri Farmans. Additional aerodromes were established at Aboukir, Heliopolis and Kantara. Over the next four years, Ismailia and Heliopolis were expanded to the RFC’s principal training centres. The Middle East Expeditionary Force (MEF) detachment of the RFC continued to expand. The training of reinforcements began on 19 November 1915 with the arrival of personnel forming the 5th Training Wing. During April 1916, three Reserve Squadrons were formed with approximately 100 pilots under training at one time. Instead of sending trainees from the UK, trainees would be taken from the MEF, with Reserve Squadron personnel only sent from the UK in the cooler months of July and August. Fred Taylor’s 23 Reserve Training Squadron arrived at Aboukir on 31 July 1916 to find uncompleted hangers and no workshops. In August 1916 it was decided to remove the Reserve Squadrons from 5th Wing and form 20th (Reserve) Wings, to include 23 Reserve Training Squadron, with its headquarters at Aboukir. On 21 August 1916, Aboukir opened the Technical Training Class, with three mechanics to give instruction on engines, rigging and general flying subjects. The need for technical personnel is reflected in the number of pilots and planes. From January 1917, 20th Reserve Wing was accepting 60 trainee per month with 242 pupils under instruction, 57 in the advanced school and 29 pilots, with 15/20 flying hours, being sent home. Numbers increased during the year with 39 planes being available for 98 pupils On 01 January 1918 the Eastern Aircraft Factory came into existence at Aboukir and may have given Fred a different use of his skills. It was to assemble ‘kit-form’ parts of wings, fuselage and engines sent out from the UK. From 16 February 1918, Aboukir also supported the Native Base Depot where native labour took over various posts including cook and air mechanic, thus releasing more men into the training system. In the same month Maj-Gen Salmond had written to RFC HQ to point out that a still greater expansion of Training Depot Stations (TDS) was possible in Egypt. Each TDS had a strength of three squadrons, 565 personnel, 56 aircraft and an aeroplane repair section. Recruitment of more mechanics and ground personnel came from the MEF and South Africa. With more up-to-date aeroplanes, 180 fully trained pilots qualified each month from an additional twenty training squadrons. Despite this, in June1918, Salmond reported being 2200 men short of establishment due to transfers to France at the time of the German March 1918 offensive. With thanks to Stuart who responded to a query following a Western Front Association talk and 'Log Book RFC/RAF Training Units in Egypt' in Cross and Cockade: the First World War Aviation Historical Society International, Spring 2016 Vol.47/1

1807info3d, sheet 10Faero

Blackburn Aeroplane at Brough Having set up his business in 1910, aviation pioneer Robert Blackburn established a new aircraft factory and airfield at Brough in 1916 where Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Co. Ltd. of Leeds, established a base for test-flying their seaplanes on the Humber River. Aircraft were assembled at Brough during the First World War, and in 1929-32 the firm's main works were moved there from Leeds. During the mid-war years, Brough concentrated on the production of torpedo bombers, seaplanes and patrol aircraft and creating many designs for the Fleet Air Arm. Aircraft such as the Blackburn Dart (118 build from 1922), Ripon (92 build from 1926, Baffin (97 build from 1932) and the short-lived Shark ( 269 built from 1933). The Skua (192 built from 1937 retired 1941) was the first naval monoplane with an enclosed cockpit were being produced together with a series of mighty three-engine flying boats culminating in the Blackburn Perth. Right: Brough factory Throughout most of the inter-war years Brough was a centre of the Royal Air Force training becoming No.4 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School in 1935 and then No.4 EFTS, providing wartime training for pupils on de Havilland DH82a Tiger Moths and Blackburn B2 biplanes. In 1934, Blackburn acquired Cirrus Hermes Engineering and moved the company into a new building on the Brough Site where it was renamed as Blackburn Engines Ltd. At the beginning of World War II, Brough began assembling 1699 kits of the fabric covered Fairey Swordfish naval torpedo bomber. Production of 382 underpowered and unstable Botha torpedo/light bomber/trainer intensified before it was retired in September 1944. The Swordfish was replaced by 635 Fairey Barracuda naval torpedo bomber. [?] During the same period Brough adapted nearly 4000 American naval aircraft: Martlets, Avengers, Corsairs and Hellcats to British operational requirements. Damaged aircraft were also repaired. Brough also began new Blackburn designs: 220 unimpressive Firebrand, redeveloped as a single-seater fighter/torpedo-bomber and built between 1942 and 1947 but with a eight year service life. Whilst the aircraft manufacturing side of the factory on the banks of the Humber may have reduced, the BAE Systems facility at Brough in East Yorkshire is still [July 2019] [?] the engineering centre for the Hawk trainer [?] and as the UK centre for Military Aircraft Structural Testing. Sources: Britain's oldest remaining aircraft factory (Accessed: 19 July 2019) Jackson AJ, Blackburn Aircraft since 1909, Putman, London, 1988 edition Victoria County History Yorkshire East Riding, 1979, Vol. IV, p.100

This page was created by Richard Crompton and maintained by Chris Glass		Version A10 Updated 07 August 2024