b. 06/03/1906 ? d. 16/06/1978 Newark, Nottinghamshire.
DATE AND PLACE OF GC ACTION: 03/10/1927 Newark, Nottinghamshire.
William Lloyd (1906-1978) was born on 6th March 1906 in West Derby, Lancashire, though this has not fully been verified as his place of birth (could have been Newark, Nottinghamshire). It is believed that he had at least two brothers and two sisters. As a result of mystery surrounding his place of birth, little is known about Bill’s, as he was known, childhood and schooling. Bill’s first employment came as an apprentice in the drawing office of Ransome & Marles Ltd (later became Ransome Hoffman Pollard or RHP) which produced ball bearings. By the mid 1920s, Bill had changed employment and moved to Messrs Quibell Brothers Ltd in Nottingham, which was a glue making firm.
William Lloyd GC
On 3rd March 1927, Mr Taylor was engaged in attending a grease-extracting plant used to remove grease from bones by means of petroleum benzene. Taylor noticed that benzene vapour was escaping from the extractor through the lid, which had been incorrectly left open, and with the help of another man he tried to close the lid. When Taylor realised the other man was affected by the fumes, he told him to leave the room, which he did. On recovering and finding that Taylor had not followed him out, the other man raised the alarm. Lloyd, who was not on duty but was passing the works on his way home, hearing what had happened, put a scarf around his mouth and ran to the upper floor of the building, where he found Taylor lying unconscious near the extractor. He succeeded in dragging him down the steps to a lower floor but was himself overcome and collapsed, and was later taken out of the building by other men. Frank Boot, the works foreman, who was not on duty but had been summoned from his house, meanwhile arrived at the works, and having covered his mouth with a hankerchief, went into the building where he found Taylor. Boot dragged him to a place where he could be helped by other men. He then was overcome by fumes. Sadly Taylor didnt survive the gas poisoning but both Boot and Lloyd were awarded the Edward Medal on 9th December 1927.
Bill was also awarded the Carnegie Hero Fund Certificate for his actions. In 1932, Bill married Doris Ireena Green in Newark, and they had no children. Following his marriage, the rest of Bill’s working life was divided up into being the licensee of two public houses, firstly the Windmill, and later Spring House, both in Newark. He also for a time, owned Bill Lloyd’s Fishing Shop in Castlegate, Newark. Bill was a keen golfer and fisherman, and often left Dolly, as his wife was known, to run the pub in his absence.
In 1971, following the change in the Royal Warrant, Bill chose to take the opportunity to exchange his Edward Medal for the George Cross. On 20th February 1973, Bill attended an investiture at Buckingham Palace where he received the GC from Queen Elizabeth II. His wife Dolly passed away in 1976, and when Bill died on 16th June 1978, he was buried with her in Newark Cemetery. As he died intestate and with no children, his brother George became his heir. Bill’s medals including his GC and 1977 Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal are not publicly held.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: PRIVATELY HELD.
BURIAL PLACE: NEWARK CEMETERY, NEWARK, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE.
Westside, Row B, Grave 412
