Walter was born on 13th May 1896 the son of Samuel and Mary Ann Fox (née Taylor).
His father Samuel was born in Arnold in 1860 and his mother Mary Ann Taylor was born in 1861, also in Arnold. They were married in 1878 and had 11 children of whom four died in infancy or early childhood. Their eight surviving children were: Kate b. 1879, Christopher Taylor b. February 1881, Clifford Taylor b. 1882, Samuel Taylor b. 1887, Francis (Frank) Charley b. 1889, William b. 1892, Walter Ernest b. 13 May 1896 and Sybil Mary b. 1897. All the children were born in Arnold.
In 1891 Samuel, a coal miner hewer, and his wife Mary Ann were living in Arnold with their five children Kate, Christopher, Clifford, Samuel and Francis.
In 1901 Samuel a coal miner hewer, and Mary were living on Sherbrooke Road, Daybrook, with their seven unmarried children, Christopher and Clifford who were both coal miners, Samuel, Francis, William), Walter and Sybil. Also in the household was their married daughter Kate Wilson, her husband Herbert (b. 1880 m. 1898), a framework knitter, and their infant daughter Annie.
By 1911 the family was living at 61 Mansfield Road, Daybrook. Samuel (senior) was still working as a miner hewer, Only five of their eight children were still living at home: Clifford, Samuel and William who were all miner hewers, Walter a pit pony driver and Sybil a laundry hand.
The eldest child, Kate Wilson was living at 19 Byron Street, Daybrook, in 1911 with her husband Herbert cotton drawing frame, and their three children, Annie, Herbert and Frank. Kate and Herbert had lost another child in infancy. Also in the household was a boarder, Alice Hudson, a laundress.
The eldest son, Christopher Taylor, had married Olive Emily Ash (b. 1884) in 1905 at the parish church of St Paul, Daybrook. Christopher and Olive were living in Daybrook at the time of the 1911 Census. Christopher was now working as a hairdresser. He and Olive had two daughters, Olive Edna and Sybil Nellie, and they had another child the following year; Francis Leonard.
At the time of the 1911 Census the fourth son, Francis Charley, was serving in the Royal Navy. Francis had joined the Royal Navy at the training establishment, HMS Ganges, as a Boy 2nd Class on 19 May 1905. He entered on a 12 year engagement on his 18th birthday on 10 September 1907. He joined HMS Philomel on 5 October 1911 and died aged 22 of jaundice on 23 October 1911 in the European General Hospital, Aden. He was buried in Aden. (See 'Extra information')
Walter's mother, Mary Ann, died at the age of 56 on 7 June 1916, shortly after receiving the news of her son's death at the Battle of Jutland (buried Arnold Cemetery). The family was still living at 61 Mansfield Road, Daybrook, at the time of her death.
Samuel was living with his married daughter Kate Wilson and her husband when the 1939 England & Wales Register was compiled. Samuel died in 1950 at the age of 90 (buried Redhill Cemetery). At the time of his death he was living at 23 Church Drive, Arnold.
Christopher Taylor attested on 14 January 1915 at the age of 33 years 11 months. He was then living at 61 Mansfield Road, Daybrook, and working as a hairdresser. Christopher joined the Sherwood Foresters (22386 Private) but was discharged on 20 November 1917 as 'no longer physically fit for war service'. He had served 2 years 311 days on Home Service.
William attested in the Territorial Force, 8th Bn Sherwood Foresters on 23 November 1910 when he was 18 years 7 months old. He was employed at Bestwood Colliery. He completed annual training in July 1911, August 1912 and July 1913 (Thoresby Park) and entered the army on embodied service on 5 August 1914. He served in France from 2 March 1915-5 March 1915 but was discharged on the expiry of his engagement in December 1915 but then attested in the regular army. It seems that he served initially in the 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters but later transferred to the King's Yorkshire Light Infantry (April 1917) and subsequently the Durham Light Infantry. However, he was serving in the RDC (47649 Private) when he was demobilized on 8 March 1919 to 'South View', Church Drive, Daybrook. He was awarded a pension as a result of 30% disability (neuritis) although this was to be reviewed in 26 weeks. He qualified for the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.