Design and Art Australia Online

sketcher and clergyman, was born in Letwell, Yorkshire, England. Orphaned when aged about thirteen, a few years later he decided to enter the Church of England. He studied at Queen’s College, Cambridge. On graduating in 1828 he was ordained deacon and appointed to the curacy of St Botolph’s, Cambridge. In 1830 he became vicar of Coveney and Manea on the Isle of Ely. The Church Missionary Society appointed him to New Zealand and he embarked in the Prince Regent in February 1836 en route to New Zealand via New South Wales. Accompanying him were his wife Caroline, née Fox, and their three children; another child was born in New South Wales in 1837. His diary for the voyage contains a few drawings of shipboard life, passing landmarks, fish and birds. Portrait sketches of a woman and child, presumably Taylor’s wife and one of their children, also appear in the journal, either drawn on the voyage out or in Australia. 'I took a likeness of Mr. Yate with tolerable success’, he wrote on 3 April 1836, but this must have been given to the sitter (or subsequently destroyed).

After arriving at Sydney, Taylor accused the Rev. William Yate, his fellow missionary who had helped him with his studies of the Maori language, of 'improper conduct’ with one of the officers on the voyage. Yate was suspended and recalled to England. Owing to this case and to the illness of the children, the transfer to New Zealand was delayed and Taylor was pressed to stay on in NSW and assist the old and ailing Rev. Samuel Marsden with parochial duties at Parramatta. Marsden found the family a cottage – 'in a most ruinous state, the water finding its way into every room’, Taylor wrote. In October 1836 the family moved to Liverpool where Richard had been appointed temporary chaplain. The following year he took up additional duties as minister to the Male Orphan School, the gaol, the hospital and the two local iron gangs at Liverpool and Lansdowne Bridge.

Taylor made several excursions to country regions of New South Wales (usually on foot as he was unable to ride a horse) and his diary is illustrated with drawings of the various churches and institutions where he officiated, as well as residences and views in Sydney, Parramatta and rural areas. Like many contemporary clergymen, he was a keen natural historian and wherever possible combined his rural duties with botanical and geological excursions. On a visit of approximately four weeks to Newcastle, for example, he regularly preached at the church, hospital and gaol and also made excursions to sketch geological formations and natural history subjects in the region, in particular descending a coal-mine to examine and sketch fossil impressions.

By August 1837 Taylor was very eager to continue on to New Zealand but Bishop W.G. Broughton, who was extremely short of clergy in New South Wales and not above poaching the occasional parson in transit (viz. Rev. W. H. Walsh ), advised him to remain until the proceedings against Yate had been concluded in England. Taylor resigned from his Liverpool duties in December 1838 then was immediately given temporary charge of the Campbelltown parish. The following month he finally escaped the bishop’s clutches, visited Captain Robert Marsh Westmacott on the south coast of New South Wales then left for New Zealand in February 1839 with his family. He remained in New Zealand until his death, apart from a visit to England in 1855 where he published his account of the Maori race, Te ika a Maui , with 100 illustrations from his own sketches. In later life he was absorbed in scientific studies, corresponding with many prominent colleagues and being elected a member of the British Geological Society. He died on 10 October 1873. The Alexander Turnbull Library holds numerous sketches and papers, including 453 pen, pencil and watercolour drawings dating from 1835 to 1860, including his Australian subjects.

Writers:

Staff Writer

Date written:

1992

Last updated:

2011