Private Cyril William Taylor
Cyril William Taylor was born on 23 November 1898 at Woodbine Street, John's Park, Belfast, the second of three children of bank inspector (later Belfast Bank manager) William Alexander Taylor and his wife, Swiss-born Elise Corinne Taylor (formerly Blythe, nee Favre-de-Villairs). In September 1910 he father died tragically when he accidentally fell down the well of a lift at the bank offices at 14 Donegall Square West (where he and the family lived).
By the time of the 1911 Census, Cyril was living with his mother, half-brother and two sisters at Botanic Ave, Belfast. Later that year he was selected to be a pupil of the Masonic Orphan Boys' School. On 12 January 1915 he joined the Northern Bank at its head office in Belfast.
Later that year, or during 1916, Taylor enlisted in the North Irish Horse (regimental number unknown at present). At some point he transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery. Whether he served overseas is not known at present.
Taylor was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve, in January or February 1919. He then resumed work at the Northern Bank, serving variously at Head Office, Dromore, Coleraine, Kilrea and Lisburn before retiring on 31 December 1959.
Taylor's half-brother, Herbert John Blythe, also served in the North Irish Horse and worked at the Northern Bank.
The image and some of the information above is sourced from Gavin Bamford's site honouring the officials of the Northern Bank and Belfast Bank who served during the two World Wars and in more recent conflicts. northernbankwarmemorials.blogspot.com.au