ALBION MOURN DEATH OF JACK TAYLOR

ALBION MOURN DEATH OF PAST PRESIDENT AND PLAYING STALWART JACK TAYLOR

Older members of Bridgwater & Albion were saddened on Saturday evening when they learned of the death of Jack Taylor. Jack had been a stalwart player of the club in the immediate post-war years and was President in 1995/6.

Jack joined Albion just after the Second World War and initially appeared in our United XV as a flanker and in the early 1950’s he graduated to the 1^st XV. He continued to play for the club through the decade, retiring in the early 1960’s when he became mine host of the Lime Kiln on Salmon Parade – a refuge for many Albion supporters and players.

Jack was a contemporary of several Albion luminaries from that era – Jack Andrews, Herbie Davies, Colin Webber, Gordon Barrett, Bert Bastable, the Carlisle Brothers, David Hodge, Alan Gibbs, Alan Date, Jack Smith, DT Williams. He also saw the emergence of players like Colin Ball, Bobbie Collard and Roy Chidgey.

Jack maintained his connections with the club and he would have been delighted that his son Michael followed him in the Albion ranks when he joined the Colts in 1966 and also made his way through the senior sides, becoming captain in 1977/8 and 1978/9. Further, Jack’s grandson – another Michael – and son of Mike, also took the same route, appearing in the Colts and also in our 1^st XV before joining North Petherton.

Jack was resident at the Lime Kiln for many years before moving up to the Anchor Inn at Bleadon for a few years and that was also a port of call for many Albion players en route back from games at Weston-super-Mare. Jack finished off his attachment to the licence trade back in the Bridgwater area.

He had suffered deteriorating health in recent years so his visits to the club became less frequent.

The club offers its sincere condolences to Mike and Carol Taylor and to Janice and Peter Mansfield and their families. They have sadly lost both Jack and Phyllis over the last few weeks.

Jack will forever be remembered in Albion circles and through Bridgwater life in general.

Category: Club News