Taylor, Robert H

Person

Taylor, Robert H

Robert Henry Taylor was born on 11 July 1886 in Perth, one of 3 children of Mary (nee Jackson) and Robert Duncan Taylor, a draper. He studied at The Glasgow School of Art for the 1913-14 session as an evening student of architecture. He worked during the day as an assistant architect with Glasgow architectural practice, Stewart and Paterson, accomplished designers in late Gothic, Scots Renaissance and Scots vernacular. At the beginning of the 1914-15 session, Taylor resigned from his place at art school to join the army. He served with the Royal Engineers in France with the 102nd Field Company in the 23rd Division of K3, Kitchener's 3rd New Army. In 1916, 102nd Field Company took part in the Battles of the Somme including the Battle of Albert, in which the Division played a part in the capture of Contalmaison, The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, The Battle of Pozieres, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, The Battle of Morval and The Battle of Le Transloy and were involved in the capture of Le Sars. On 5 February 1917, Taylor married Catherine Stewart Wilkie of Carnock House, Carnock, Fife, the daughter of a retired factory manager. They were married in Dunfermline by the minister of Dunfermline Abbey, Taylor was 30 at the time and his wife, 38. It is probable that Taylor was subsequently injured in battle and returned to England. He died from his wounds on 13 June 1917, just a few months after his wedding day, and is buried at Earlsfield Cemetery in Wandsworth. Robert H Taylor is commemorated on The Glasgow School of Art's First World War Roll of Honour.

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Sources: Scotland's People: http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk; Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.co.uk ; the Dictionary of Scottish Architects: http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk; The Long Long Trail: http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk; Commonwealth War Graves Commission http://www.cwgc.org

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