John Taylor - Auctioneer - Part 3

John Taylor was born on 8 December 1827 in Parramatta. He was son of Hugh and Elizabeth Taylor. Hugh Taylor wanted his son John Taylor to become a lawyer but in early 1840s John had taken up an apprenticeship with James Urquhart, Parramatta’s coachbuilder. After six years working with James, John went to New Zealand and then Maori war. In 1849 he went to California and arrived back to Australia just in time for gold rush.

John’s coach making skills proved very profitable in Californian gold mines. In early 1850s after the death of his parents John returned to Parramatta with his American wife and Afro-American servant. His servant Frank was very good in boxing and athletics, which made him sporting hero among the Parramatta crowd in late nineteenth century. 

John Taylor was very successful in America. With his success and inheritance, he established auctioneer and valuation business on Church Street Parramatta. He was very successful in his business and he dominated Parramatta market. Cumberland Times newspaper was established by John Taylor.

There were no local banks for major financial transactions. Local solicitors and publicans were providing this service to local residents. In 1847 solicitor William Lewthewaite of George Street was offering to lend 300 pounds at 10 per cent interest. In 1859 John Taylor offered the same service to lend the amounts of pounds 100 or more.

John Taylor was a licenced auctioneer in Parramatta. He had auction rooms in Church Street, Parramatta. John had an efficient staff of clerks with the special knowledge of sales, cash handling with ultra-promptness. He laid out is week as:

Tuesday – land sale day at the sale rooms, Church Street, Parramatta.

Wednesday – selling livestock, dairy stock and produce adjoining the Parramatta Railway Station. Wednesday is always a very busy day.

Friday – sale of furniture and general merchandise.

Special sales were held as and when required for houses, land, fruit orchards any day of the week.

John Taylor died on 6 April 1905 in Parramatta.

References:

Anne-Maree Whitaker, Shaping a City: 150 years of Parramatta City Council, Parramatta City Council, 2012

John Taylor, Parramatta: Past and Present, Parramatta, 1882

J. Wharton, Jubilee History of Parramatta, Parramatta, 1911

J. Jervis, The Cradle City of Australia, G. Mackaness ed. Parramatta, 1961

J. Jervis, ‘A history of politics and politicians in Parramatta’, Parramatta and District Historical Society, Journal, 3 (1926)

John Taylor, Parramatta: Past and Present, Parramatta, 1882

Terry Kass et al, Parramatta, A Past Revealed, Parramatta City Council, 1996

The Cumberland Argus, Saturday 18 December 1897

Hugh Taylor, Vertical File, Local Studies and Family History Library, Parramatta Heritage and Visitor Information Centre.

http://parramattahistory.blogspot.com.au/

http://www.ancestry.com.au/

Photo from Historic Houses Trust - Hugh Taylor with wife and son at their house in Church Street Parramatta, 1870 – Image 35533

Hugh Taylor Jr

Hugh Taylor junior and his brother John Taylor were first generations of native-born Australians locals, also known as “The Currency”. More about the Taylor bothers in the next posts.

Hugh Taylor jr was a son of Hugh Taylor. He was born on 19 March 1823 in Macquarie Street Parramatta. He went to King’s School. After leaving school he started butchering which he carried out very successfully. He was very passionate about Parramatta issues. Hugh was a champion for the working people and was also known as a friend to the poor. He was involved in lot of things like being a Justice of the Peace, member of Park Trust, member of Parramatta School Board, and president of the cricket club, just to name the few. He was elected to council in 1865 and remained an alderman until his death in 1897. Hugh also served as a Mayor from 1871 to 1874.
Hugh served on the management committees of the District Hospital and the Protestant and the Catholic orphanages. He was a diligent Trustee of Parramatta Park and of St John’s Park in Parramatta, and of the local Eisteddfod and he was a member of the local school board.

Hugh Taylor died on December 13, 1897 aged 74. He remained in public eye for the most of his life. He was concerned about the poor and a public opinion was  so great and massive amount of people were there to attend his funeral.

“The funeral moved from Mr Taylor’s late residence at 4.30 pm on Tuesday. The procession was a sight never before beheld in Parramatta’s streets. The foot ways along the line of the route were blocked with crowds of onlookers. St John’s bells tolled on Monday morning (Hugh Taylor died on Sunday evening) and throughout the funeral. The muffled bells of All Saints rang during the funeral procession, joined by the bells of the other Parramatta churches. Father O’Reilly read the burial service with Fathers Martin, Sheridan, Kerwick and Mahony and then presented what was reported to be an eloquent address: “We shall miss him … But above all, the poor of Parramatta shall miss him, because he was a friend and a father to all in distress” from The Cumberland Argus, Saturday 18 December 1897.