Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

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Amanda52
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Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Amanda52 »

Good evening

I hope everybody is well and safely locked up 😁

I am on the trail of William/Willie Taylor. I found reference to him in Stanley's post of 20 April 2012 regarding Earby Wesleyan Day School.

My gt grandmother was the illegitimate child of William Taylor and Rebecca Salkeld. The only evidence I have is the marriage certificate of Isabella Salkeld which states her father as William Taylor Schoolmaster.

Stanley's article says Willie Taylor was a schoolmaster at the Wesleyan Day School after 1871, three years before my gt Grandmother was born to her 14 year old mother. Apparently Willie then went onto business in Manchester.

I am hoping for any further information on this Willie Taylor to confirm whether or not he is the father.

Thank you.

Kind regards
Amanda
Family originally from Earby and Barnoldswick (paternal Brotherton, maternal Layfield, Salkeld and Sellers). Now living in sunny Scotland.
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Stanley
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Stanley »

Morning Amanda, you say my post but without looking I bet I was posting and article from the paper. Wendy is the woman for you..... I'll alert her.
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Wendyf
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Wendyf »

Hello Amanda and welcome.
The article you refer to was one of series of articles written for the Craven Herald in 1935 by John Hartley under the heading of Earby of Long Ago. They were transcribed by John Turner and posted by him on an older version of One Guy then reposted on here by Stanley after the "crash".
I've been having a quick look over my breakfast and the most likely candidate for your Willie/William Taylor must have only been a similar age to Rebecca.
William Taylor born 1859 in Earby, younger son of John and Sarah Taylor. In the 1861 census they are living on Riley Street in Earby and John is listed as a blacksmith and "lay Wesleyan preacher". In 1871 they are on nearby Water Street.
This same William does indeed end up in Manchester, in 1881 he is working as a teacher in Salford Workhouse, then in later census returns becomes a cashier and then a clerk in Manchester.
Probably a different scenario to the one that instantly springs to mind!
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Stanley »

That rings a bell, a blacksmith in Earby called Taylor. I thought so, have a read o09f this....

HARRY TAYLOR. EARBY BLACKSMITH.
[Obituary from Barnoldswick and Earby Times, 25th of November 2005]

TRIBUTES have been made to a well respected Earby blacksmith who has died at the age of 84.

Mr Harry Taylor, of Bawhead Road, best known for owning and running the Richard Taylor and Sons blacksmith business at Victoria Mill, died peacefully but suddenly at home after a long illness

Mr Taylor lived and worked in Earby all of his life. He was born on Longroyd Road and while still an infant moved to another property on the same road, a house his son Shaun now lives in with his own family.

He never moved far from his place of birth, underlining his love for Earby and the people in the town. He leaves three children, Deborah, Karen and Shaun, and grandchildren Kyle, Ben, Aimee, Roman and Olivia.

Shaun said: "Dad went into the smithy after leaving school, first going under a shire horse at the age of 14. He took over Richard Taylor and Sons from his own father with his brother Joe, before going on to own it himself. He worked there right up until Vokes Mill [Victoria Mill] was closed and demolished in 1987. As children we used to go to see dad at the smithy and we loved watching him work. He was so skilled and just had a knack for the job."

In a family with close military links, Mr Taylor joined the Army and served in Burma during the Second World War. He was also a regular at Green Street Club, Barnoldswick, where he could often be found conversing at the bar, and a season ticket holder at Burnley FC right up until his death.

Until his retirement, he was one of the only remaining blacksmiths to still make his own horseshoes rather than follow the trend of importing them. His most famous equine client was Grand National runner Pendle Lady, whom he shod before the famous race. [Owned and trained by Watson at Southfield, West Marton]

Throughout his later years, Mr Taylor suffered from a progressive lung disorder caused by the nature of his work, but despite suffering from mobility problems he was still able to enjoy life, attending the luncheon club at New Road Community Centre and always attending the town's Remembrance Day services.

The Royal British Legion provided Mr Taylor with a scooter to aid his mobility and his children are keen to thank them for this gift as it gave him the opportunity to get out and about in the town he loved.

A funeral procession led by a horse and carriage will leave Foster's Chapel of Rest at 1 p.m. on Monday, and as a tribute to his life's work it will pause outside the site of the old smithy on Victoria Road. A service will then take place at Mount Zion Church followed by burial at Earby Cemetery. All those who knew Harry are welcome to attend the service and join the family at Earby Conservative Club.

[That has reminded me of Alf Watson at Southfield and that bloody horse. Until we learned better we used to back it. Problem is it was good at running but lousy at winning!]
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Amanda52
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Amanda52 »

Good morning everybody

Thank you for your swift replies. This William, as you say Wendy, would be the same age as Rebecca. If I were to stretch the few facts I have I could imagine it was the same William/Willie and perhaps after his rendezvous with my gt, gt Grandma he was shipped off to Salford. But could this be the same Wille in the article? Can you be a schoolmaster at 15 ? Also on my marriage certificate of 1892 again, Isabella could have said he was schoolmaster instead of assistant schoolmaster. If I'm honest I prefer the idea of a coupling of a couple of teens than an older chap. William's dad was a lay preacher so that's maybe how he got a job at the day school.

Kind regards
Amanda
Family originally from Earby and Barnoldswick (paternal Brotherton, maternal Layfield, Salkeld and Sellers). Now living in sunny Scotland.
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Stanley »

"Can you be a schoolmaster at 15 ?"
Amanda, quite common for a bright older child to be enrolled as a pupil assistant, in effect a teaching assistant.
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Wendyf
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Wendyf »

Amanda, don't forget that the reference to Isabella's father being a school master is on her marriage certificate not her birth certificate! By the time of the marriage he was (or had been). There is only one other William Taylor in the locality around that time and he was a weaver.
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Amanda52 »

I'm beginning to think more and more we are on the right trail with this William. Most details fit. Why else would he go from the Wesleyan Day school to Salford workhouse unless out of shame or as a punishment from his lay preacher father.
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Wendyf »

I think so Amanda. One of our Earby History Society members is currently researching the history of the Methodist church in Earby for a book. I will contact her to see if she has any information on the teachers at the Wesleyan school.
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Amanda52 »

Hi

Further reading and I found the article EARBY WESLEYAN DIAMOND JUBILEE Post by Stanley » 21 Apr 2012, 07:47 where John's sisters Isabella and Mary Jane were mentioned as teachers also.

Thank you
Family originally from Earby and Barnoldswick (paternal Brotherton, maternal Layfield, Salkeld and Sellers). Now living in sunny Scotland.
Amanda52
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Amanda52 »

Hi again

viewtopic.php?t=6820


On this link I have found more information about the Taylor family specifically:

Of James Dodgson it could be said:
"He goes on Sunday to the Church And sits among his boys."
But of John Taylor it required to be:
"He goes on Sunday to the Church And sits among his girls."
He had a large family, all daughters with the exception of his son William, who will be remembered as a day school teacher, musician and cricketer. He passed away in the full tide of his powers, and was outlived by his widow by about thirty years, and their last resting-place is in the lovely quietness of Marton Church burial ground.

Now this seems to be the William Taylor but is he the same William Taylor who went to Salford Workhouse? If not where did this William go? Have they sugarcoated William's career?

Any thoughts, please?
Family originally from Earby and Barnoldswick (paternal Brotherton, maternal Layfield, Salkeld and Sellers). Now living in sunny Scotland.
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Wendyf
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Wendyf »

Having looked at the census returns I'm sure that it's the same William that goes to Salford. Is it John who passed away in the full tide of his powers?
There is quite a gap between Rebecca getting pregnant and William turning up in Salford, the secret of Isabella's father could have been kept for years!
Amanda52
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Amanda52 »

Hi Wendy

I actually think I was the first to find out William's name. Family lore said he was a school teacher and it wasn't until I received Isabella's marriage certificate that we found out who he was. Although, clearly, Isabella knew and I'm sure it was generally kept quiet.

Thanks for clearing up the burial. I read it that it was William but it is John. Although they do seem to have rosied William's career but it all seems to fit. :smile:

Amanda
Family originally from Earby and Barnoldswick (paternal Brotherton, maternal Layfield, Salkeld and Sellers). Now living in sunny Scotland.
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Wendyf »

My colleague Stephanie doesn't have any further info on Willie but she has found me this photo of John Taylor.
1587498772788_john taylor.jpg
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Amanda52
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Re: Willie Taylor Schoolmaster

Post by Amanda52 »

Wow, that's brilliant, thank you.

Kindest regards
Amanda
Family originally from Earby and Barnoldswick (paternal Brotherton, maternal Layfield, Salkeld and Sellers). Now living in sunny Scotland.
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