Vivian 'Tinker' Taylor player at Penzance & Newlyn RFC

Club History - Players - Vivian 'Tinker' Taylor

Vivian 'Tinker' Taylor

The only son of Mr. John Taylor of Polwithen, Penzance, John Vivian David (Tinker) Taylor was educated at Downside School and following Sandhurst served in the Irish Guards in WW2.

He was a wartime hero, popular Pirates rugby captain, Penzance businessman and magistrates chairman.

In August, 1944, Captain Taylor was in command of tanks that faced heavy German attacks in their support of the infantry.

Panzers and guns knocked out many British tanks, including his own, so he took over another tank which later became bogged down.

Despite this he stayed there for nearly two hours, directing the fire from his other tanks. When the position was consolidated and he had a direct order to withdraw he took his men safely back.

Vivian 'Tinker' Taylor

He was later awarded the Military Cross, for displaying perseverance and gallantry of a very high order.

After the war, this modestly quiet but immensely popular man went into the family business of Taylors Garage, along from the Yacht Inn opposite the bathing pool. He developed the business until in the late seventies he left to fulfil an ambition to read history at Cambridge University.

But what of his rugby? Well, his passion for the game was nurtured as a small boy when his father took him to watch Penzance play at St. Clare.

In 1939 he played for Penzance Reserves against Newlyn Reserves at St. Goulder, not knowing then that six years later he would play at scrum-half for the new Penzance & Newlyn RFC in their first-ever match which was played against Guys Hospital on 22nd, September, 1945. Tinker captained the Pirates in 1949-50 and 1950-51, seasons which saw us beat Cardiff 5-0 and draw with them 3-all. He also played six times for Cornwall.

Remarking on his Pirates career he once said: The abiding thing for me is the spirit of the Pirates, a spirit born of the friendships and sense of comradeship we were a band of brothers.

Tinker was also chairman of the Governors at St. Marys RC School, chairman of the Sailors Institute Charity, besides also being a Past President and Life Member of the West Penwith Cricket League.

Retirement (and he clearly deserved it!) eventually saw him settle at Wimborne, Dorset, where he passed away in 2003 aged 81 years.