James William Taylor/Goodall(1893–1969)

Private

Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) 1413 1/5th Battalion

Derbyshire Courier 6 March 1915

Photo James Goodall

Biography
James William Taylor was born at Derby on 15 September 1893. He was the son of Alice Taylor. In 1896, Alice married James Fletcher Goodall at Codnor, Derbyshire, and they soon settled at Fritchley. During his youth, James was known by his step-father's surname of Goodall. He was working as a coal miner at Oakerthorpe when he attested for service with a volunteer battalion of the Sherwood Foresters in May 1911 aged seventeen. As a volunteer, he was embodied for service at the very start of the First World War in August 1914. He was posted to France in February 1915, though returned home in July of the same year. Early in 1915 his bravery in removing a fire bomb dropped by enemy aircraft at Braintree was reported in the press. He was discharged on 16 May 1916. 

After the war, James returned to his occupation as a coal miner. He married Agnes Ellen Smith of Fritchley in 1918 and they lived at Hill Top, Fritchley, for many years. They had three sons. James William Taylor passed away on 15 October 1969, aged 76 years. He is interred in the Parish Cemetery at Crich.

Photo courtesy Lynne Ablard

James William Taylor with et dog

[On the 1920 Roll of Honour in Crich Parish Church, James's name is given as 'James Goodall', alongside his step-father 'James Goodall (Senior)'. He is listed as Sapper which would be the Royal Engineers not the Foresters.]

Medal Index Record
James Goodall was awarded the Victory, British War and 15 Star Medals.
Entered France 25/2/15
Discharged 16/5/16

Army Pension Record
James attested 8 May 1911 at Belper, aged 17 years 3 months, a single collier at Wingfield Manor Colliery. His address was Park View, Fritchley and he was 5ft 8½in tall. His parents were given as James William and Alice Taylor, of Bull Bridge.
His service was from 17 May 1911; discharged 16 May 1916 under Para 392 (xxi ) K.R. (termination of first period of engagement).
1912 Annual training
1913 Annual Training
5/8/14 Embodied Service
17/5/11 to 28/2/15 Home
1/3/15 to 22/7/15 Expd. Force France
23/7/15 to 16/5/16 Home
29/2/16 Posted from 1/5

Newpaper Reports

Derbyshire Courier 6 March1915
IT’S JUST LIKE JIMMY
Fritchley Private and the Blazing Bomb
We publish today a photograph of Private James GOODALL, of Fritchley, who as announced in last week’s “Derbyshire Courier” was the recipient, along with Corporal LARGE, of Bakewell, of the present from the Braintree Urban District Council for a gallant deed following German air raid on Braintree. It will be recalled that GOODALL and LARGE, who are in the 5th Notts and Derbyshire Regiment, saw a smoking bomb in a field, and GOODALL at once tried to check the danger by heaping earth on to it. He and the Corporal then put stick through the handle of the bomb and despite the fact that the bomb burst into flame they hurried with it to a neighbouring river and buried it.
Private GOODALL is exceedingly popular in the Crich Fritchley district and is a well-known local sportsman. He is not to be despised as an exponent with the gloves. He is recognised as a crack shot and excels in his hobby of pigeon shooting. His exploit is tersely summed up in a phrase freely used by his friends when they heard of it “It's just like Jimmy”, they said.

Ripley & Heanor News 12 March 1915
BULL BRIDGE MAN’S GALLANTRY
We understand that Pte. James Goodall, who was, along with Cpl. Large, responsible for the gallant deed of removing a fire bomb dropped by German aircraft at Braintree recently, is a native of Bull Bridge, and before enlistment worked at the lime kilns.

His step father James Fletcher Goodall is also on the Roll.

CENSUS INFORMATION

1901: Fritchley

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
James Goodall Head 30 Lime burner Codnor
Annie Goodall wife 31   Appleby
James Goodall son 7   Derby
Thomas Goodall son 4   Fritchley
Mary Goodall daughter 2   Fritchley
Charles Goodall son 2 mo   Fritchley

RG13 piece 3231 folio 9 page 10

1911: Fritchley

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
James Goodall Head 41 Labourer Codnor
A Goodall wife 41   Ashbourne
J.H. Taylor son 18   Derby
T Goodall son 14   Fritchley
M Goodall daughter 12   Fritchley
C Goodall son 12   Fritchley
Robert Goodall son 9   Fritchley
Kitty Goodall daughter 7   Fritchley

RG14PN20983 RG78PN1251 RD436 SD4 ED12 SN189

1939 Register: Hill Top Fritchley
James W Taylor b.15 September 1893; miner underground heavy work
Agnes E Taylor b.12 April 1893
James C Taylor b.12 February 1926; school