The Taylors'

Born on January 24th, 1932, in Blyth, Northumberland, son of Margaret Weedy Soulsby Baines (nee Taylor) & her husband, Ronald Baines, young Les was adopted by his grandparents Thomas & Roseanna Taylor (nee Barnes) shortly after his mother's death in 1936 following giving birth to his half sister, Rose.

Following the passing of his grandparents he stayed with an aunt & uncle in Aldborough Street, Blyth.

It was during this time he saw for the first time, his wife to be, Lena Whisson at a dance at the town, saying to his company even before he was introduced to her "I'm going to marry that lass."

And so it was to be some courting years later that this happened.

In between serving his National Service years on the south coast of England he found the Whissons of Kings Gardens a new family of his own, finding happier days lodging with Lena's Aunt Maggie Dawson literally down-the-street from his fiancé & her clan in Malvins Close.

The couple would wed on January 5th 1955.

Not wanting his wife & children to suffer the hardships of his early years Les worked hard in various jobs including farm labouring, welding at a local shipyard & colliery as well as time in Bergen, Norway, where there was a chance to relocate & live for all.

However, that didn't come to pass with the Taylors taking their annual holidays either in Butlins camps or by tent or caravan about Britain.

The Taylor family at home in Blyth. Summer 1977

( From left to right ) Wendy, Les, Jeff & Lena (nee Whisson ).

Nicole (2) & Lianne (3) Mills, daughters of Wendy & Keith, celebrate their birthdays at home in Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, February 1984.

Ronald & Margaret Weedy Soulsby Baines (nee Taylor).

Parents of Leslie Blythe Taylor.

Chloe Thompson at the memorial of her great-grandad, Les Taylor in Blyth, Northumberland.

Jeff Taylor-the galloping family historian delving into roots of another kind on a genealogy-free alternative day out!

Les & Lena Taylor on holiday in Skegness, Lincolnshire circa 1973.

Click on to read the general history of the Taylor surname.

Click on to read the general history of the Baines surname.

Les Taylor ( top row, 3rd from left ) in a Sunday league  football team photo in Blyth circa 1960.

Les & Lena Taylor rocking out during another Christmas in early 1980s Blyth.

Jeff Taylor, (3rd row, 4th from right) at Blyth Tynedale High School, circa 1977.

A gathering of kin in Blyth, Northumberland in the summer of 1974. (from L to R) Wendy Taylor. Rose Baines (half sister to Les) Les Taylor, Lena Taylor (nee Whisson) & Jeff Taylor.

Jeff on holiday in Scarborough in North Yorkshire.

Les Taylor on a family holiday in Scotland in the 1960s.

The Taylor family relaxing at a local park about 1971. (From left to right) Wendy, Lena (nee Whisson), Les & Jeff.

The birth certificate of Margaret Weedy Soulsby Taylor, mother of Leslie Blythe Baines.

The marriage certificate of Margaret Weedy Soulsby Taylor to Ronald Baines.

The birth certificate of Leslie Blythe Taylor, son of Ronald & Margaret Weedy Soulsby Baines (nee Taylor).

Les Taylor whilst on national service duty in southern England.

Les & Lena Taylor celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary in style.