Arthur Taylor

Bank: Parr's Bank

Place of work: London Bartholomew Lane office

Died: 8 July 1916

Arthur Albert Taylor was born in Ilford, Essex, in 1892, the son of Henry William Taylor, a drain and sewer contractor, and his wife Jannette. In 1910 he went to work for Parr's Bank. He also joined the bank's staff sports club, and was a champion competitive walker, winning the Essex two miles championship in record time and holding various Banks', Stock Exchange and Insurance Office records. He was expected to represent his country at the 1916 Summer Olympics, which were due to have taken place in Berlin.

At the beginning of the First World War Taylor left his job at the bank's London Bartholomew Lane office to join the army. He was posted to France in June 1916 as a Serjeant in the London Regiment. He was killed in action there on 8 July 1916, on his first visit to the trenches. He was 25 years old. His commanding officer later wrote to Mr and Mrs Taylor, telling them that he had put Taylor forward for a commission before his death, 'for I was quite convinced he would have made an excellent officer.'

Arthur Taylor is commemorated on a bank war memorial held at NatWest Group Archives.