From 28th July 1914 until 11th November 1918 a global war was fought, centred in Europe, known as the World War or the Great War. In America it was initially called the European War. On the approach to the Second World War, the Great War became known as the First World War, World War I [...]
In the spring of 1915 voluntary enlistments had averaged 100,000 men per month, but this was unsustainable. The upper age limit was raised but it became clear that voluntary recruitment was insufficient On 15th July 1915 the government passed the National Registration Act to stimulate recruitment and to discover how many men aged between 15 [...]
The Volunteer Corps was formed in 1859 in response to patriotic fervour generated by the threat of invasion from Napoleon III of France. The Artists Rifles was formed in 1860, the idea for a special corps for artists, coming from Edward Sterling, an art student. This ‘Corps of Artists’ consisted of painters, sculptors, engravers, musician, [...]
The King's Royal Rifle Corps raised 22 battalions in total during the course of WWI and saw action on the Western Front, Macedonia and Italy. The regiment lost 12,840 men who were killed during the course of the war. The 2nd Battalion was stationed at Blackdown, Aldershot at the outbreak of war as part of [...]
Holzminden prisoner-of-war (PoW) camp was a WWI camp for British and British Empire Officers (Offizier Gefangenenlager) located in Holzminden, Lower Saxony, Germany. It operated between September 1917 and December 1918 occupying the premises of calvary barracks erected in 1913. The two four storey blocks were known as Kaserne. Wooden single storey buildings in front of [...]
Holzminden is remembered as the location of the largest PoW escape of the war ( 23rd July 1918). Using a tunnel, 80 British prisoners planned to make their great escape but unfortunately the 30th escapee got stuck, preventing anyone else from getting through: 29 officers escaped and ten of these made their way back [...]
Artist CEB Bernard was active between 1914 and 1929. His works have been sold at Christie's (South Kensington and Scotland) and Illustration House. He worked with pen and ink and watercolour. In a letter dated 22nd Dec 1917 David says that he has bought the Rip Van Winkle illustration from Bernard who was a [...]
The Northern Assurance Company was established in Aberdeen in 1836 as the North of Scotland Fire and Life Assurance Company and renamed Northern Assurance Company in 1848. The company initially had two departments: fire assurance and life assurance. In 1837 a new prospectus stated that “the company insures houses, manufactories, furniture, goods, and merchandise, farming [...]
David Henry Taylor = brother to Ethel (Ginger), son to Fanny Ginger = Ethel Linn (nee Taylor), David’s sister, married to John, living in New Jersey, mother to Erl and Jack, old school friend of May’s Fanny Taylor = mother to David and Ethel (Ginger), nee Christmas Peter = David’s dog May (Mabel) Muggridge [...]
56 Ramsden Rd, Balham = home to David and Fanny Taylor 18 Manor Rd, Beckenham = home to May and Muggridge family 246 Aycrigg Ave, Passaic, New Jersey = home to Ethel (Ginger) and Linn family 5 Moorgate St, 5th Floor, London EC1 = May’s office, Northern Assurance 2nd Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps [...]