Ivor Taylor passed away on 16th September 2024 at the incredible age of 103 years.
Ivor was born in 1921 in Barton Hill, Bristol where he lived with his mum and dad and younger brother Victor. As a child Ivor raced pigeons with his father and I am told that he was a good pupil at the local school and also an excellent footballer. It was his love of football that led to Ivor being a Bristol City Football Club supporter all of his life.
Ivor volunteered for military service in the early days of the Second World War. In 1941 he applied to be an Air Gunner in the Royal Air Force, but was eventually selected to train as a pilot. After qualifying as a pilot, he was promoted to Warrant Officer and he soon gained further promotion to Flying Officer. It was whilst at the Flying School that he learned to dance. Ivor was soon posted to Malta where he served on Baltimore Light bombers for and amazing thirty four operations. After his tour he was posted to Boston in Lincolnshire where for two years he flew many operations together with his crew in their greatly loved Lancaster bombers.
In 1944, Ivor met a young lady called Mary at the Church Life Brigade ballroom in Bristol and they soon became sweethearts. Whilst he was on leave in 1945, Ivor and Mary married and they enjoyed sixty two years together until Mary’s passing in 2007. They were blessed with their daughter, Denise and son in law Keith as well as their granddaughter Liz and her husband Nigel.
After spending a few years as a bomber pilot in Lancaster, Ivor joined Bristol Fire Brigade as a probationary Fireman on 13 September 1945. He was based at Bridewell Fire Station where he worked hard and achieved the rank of Station Officer. In 1965 he received his 20-year Long Service and Good Conduct medal, in 1975 Station Officer Taylor retired from the Bristol Fire Brigade. His career in the fire service spanned a remarkable 27 years and he is from an era of fireman who were affectionately known as ‘firebreathers’ due to the fact that they often ran into fire without any apparatus and protective gear. Following his retirement from the fire service, Ivor then worked for eight years as a Fire Officer at the Bristol Royal Infirmary until he finally fully retired and dedicated his time to playing golf and volunteering at the Staple Hill branch of the Royal British Legion where he was an active member for over 35 years holding roles such as Branch Secretary, Branch Chairman and finally Branch President.
Over the years Ivor also was a avid grower of chrysanthemums (for which he won many prizes for) as well a breeder of canaries (again many prizes were won over the years). His passion was music and for most of his life he played firstly the accordion and then later the keyboard which he was still playing until the age of 100. Ivor lived an active and independent life until the phenomenal age of 98 when he decided it was time to moved into a care home. He spent his final years in Collingwood Care Home being looked after by the amazing care staff there, who he was incredibly fond of. He passed away just short of his 103 birthday. He lived a long and incredibly fulfilled life that will be celebrated by all who knew him.
Ivor sadly suffers from dementia but often fondly recalls his memories as a firefighter in Bristol.
Funeral details: Monday 21 October at 12.15pm at Westerleigh Crematorium in the Woodland Chapel. There will be a small reception afterwards which we welcome people to join us at. No flowers but we are welcoming donations for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.
To celebrate his 100th birthday, Chief Fire Officer Mick Crennell and firefighters from Kingswood fire station visited former Station Officer Taylor to celebrate his significant birthday.
AF&RS Pensioners Association Secretary & Treasurer. NARF District No. 7 Chairman & Treasurer
Pensioners Association 
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