One of Moss Vale’s most prominent early residents was Henry William Taylor.
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Details of his public-spirited life continue here, drawn mostly from articles in local newspapers of the time. His crowning achievement would be to serve as District Coroner from 1910 until shortly before his death, at age 84, in 1923.
Henry had arrived at Berrima in 1839 as an infant with Anne Taylor, his widowed mother. There she met Lewis Levy, married him in 1840 and by the 1850s they were operating a store at Berrima.
It was stated in part one of this series that Annie gave birth to twins. This was not so, although it was announced in the Sydney Morning Herald of December 17, 1852 that she had given birth to twin daughters. The Herald retracted it on December 22, noting that the information supplied, which had appeared genuine, was in fact a forgery. What prompted the malicious trick is unknown.
Henry was Annie’s only child. From 1866 he ran a Moss Vale store owned by his step-father. By the late 1870s he owned the Commercial Hotel next door. On the corner of Berrima Road and Argyle Street, it stands today as the Jemmy Moss Hotel.
Henry and his wife Jane lived at the hotel and raised 11 children. As an indication of their regard for Henry’s step-father, their first son, born in 1869, was named Lewis John and all eleven children were given the name ‘Levy’ as one of their forenames.
Henry, at 21, had joined the Berrima Masonic fraternity, and served as Grand Master for 15 terms. He was one of the founders of the local Manchester Unity Order of Oddfellows, the Protestant Alliance Friendly Society and the Loyal Orange Lodge. These societies raised money to care for those in need.
Henry was an enthusiastic sportsman and follower of horse-racing. According to the Moss Vale Scrutineer, when a two-day meeting was held at the Browley racecourse, he was a leading official of the club. Shooting was also a favourite pastime, and besides local game he would at times go to the Monaro district and combine a short respite with a shooting excursion.
Numerous local clubs and organisations met at his hotel including the race club, rifle and gun clubs, and various football clubs. Another group to meet there regularly was the Berrima District Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Society (AH&I). Its main function was to hold the district’s annual show at Moss Vale, which was a grand occasion and a highlight of each year.
The Bowral Free Press reported on an AH&I meeting held at the hotel in March 1888. On its committee were prominent landowners, businessmen and officials of the district including HE Kater, W McCourt, EH Badgery, JA Badgery, W Morrice, J Loseby, W Osborne, C Nicholson and HW Taylor.
The meeting was informed that His Excellency Lord Carrington regretted being unable to open the show, but would ride over in the afternoon. William McCourt inquired about the publicans' refreshment booths, and was informed that they would be permitted to sell all drinks which the law allowed.
McCourt was the local district’s state parliamentary representative, being the Member for Camden in the NSW Legislative Assembly. He first won the seat in 1882.
He had moved up from Wollongong in 1874 and founded the Scrutineer and West Camden Advocate at Moss Vale. As a child, he had come to the Illawarra in 1853 with his Irish parents and, after attending school, completed a printer’s apprenticeship with the Mercury.
McCourt established the Scrutineer as a major district newspaper. He was a land speculator and investor, served on the local Cottage Hospital Board, was a director of the local Butter Company and was Master of the Bowral Masonic Lodge. He read avidly, played cricket and enjoyed shooting.
He thus had interests in common with Henry Taylor, and their paths would often cross, not always amicably, as will be told.
Moss Vale was gazetted as a municipality in September 1888 and 29 candidates contested the election that November. The nine councillors elected included NH Throsby (first mayor), HE Kater, PH Throsby and HW Taylor.
Henry W Taylor would serve as an alderman for 21 years, actively supporting many town improvements.
- Berrima District Historical & Family History Society – compiled by PD Morton. Part 2 of a 4-part series. To be continued.