Lot 2273

Description

Bank of New South Wales, certificate on vellum for one share of Bank Capital Stock, one hundred pounds sterling 'James Taylor' '1st day of January 1824' No 11 Entd. Jas C. Phelps, John Piper President, W. Walker, James Norton Directors, transfer on back for Major Jas Taylor by Terence Murray 4th March 1824. Very fine and extremely rare.

Military officer, Brevet-Major James Taylor (1785-1829), arrived at Sydney on 9 August 1817 in the convict transport Matilda with the 48th (Northamptonshire) Foot Regiment. While in Sydney Taylor produced a number of paintings and prints and his panoramic works of Sydney were particularly popular. Also during his tour of duty in Sydney he presented a long memorandum to the royal commissioner, J.T. Bigge, about the defences of Port Jackson, favouring South Head rather than Governor Macquarie's choice of Bennelong Point. Taylor was granted two years' sick leave and left for England with his son on 15 February 1822. He was promoted to Major on 26 July 1822 and Lieutenant-Colonel on 8 June 1825. He rejoined his regiment in 1825, sailing for India with Colonel Erskine in May. Erskine died within a few days of their arrival and Taylor assumed command, retaining this position until his own death at Bellary near Madras, India, on 10 August 1829.