Henry D'Esterre Taylor
Encyclopedia
Henry D'Esterre Taylor, was an Australia
n banker and Federationist.
, the eldest child of Robert Crofton Taylor, a policeman, and his wife Mary Jane, née D'Esterre. In 1870 he commenced work with the Melbourne Savings Bank (later the State Savings Bank of Victoria and now part of the Commonwealth Bank).
r, Taylor became a member of the Victoria
n branch of the Imperial Federation League
in 1885. He was instrumental in ensuring the Victorian Branch survived the collapse of the parent group in London
in 1893.
The league promoted closer union within the British Empire
and advocated the establishment of an Imperial parliament
to be composed of representatives of Britain
and the self-governing members of the Empire. Taylor was honorary secretary of the Victorian branch from 1895 to 1907.
Taylor was a supporter of the federation of the Australian colonies as a first step in the greater federation. He joined the Melbourne branch of the Australian Natives Association
, hoping to gain members. He clashed with republicans over his I.F.L. prize-winning essay, The Advantages of Imperial Federation (Melbourne, 1888). His address, "Three Great Federations: Australasian, National and Racial" (London, 1890), delivered to the A.N.A. at Ballarat, met with approval insofar as he urged Australian Federation; but his advocacy of Imperial Federation and, ultimately, a federation of the British races aroused heated opposition. Although Taylor held that trade, defence and financial advantage would flow from Imperial Federation, others feared that in such an organization Australia's voice would be submerged.
The conservative Melbourne Argus supported Taylor; the radical Age opposed him.
Taylor was an I.F.L. delegate to the 1893 Corowa conference of the A.N.A.
He was once described as an "Australian imbecile" but was a gifted debater and art critic
. A pamphlet
eer for the I.F.L., he also wrote for other periodicals.
, Taylor had been inspector of branches, accountant
, assistant auditor and manager of city branches of the Melbourne Savings Bank until ill-health forced him to retire in March 1908.
He was a foundation member (1886-1906) of the Bankers' Institute of Australasia and contributed articles to its journal
. Taylor never married. He died of cerebral sclerosis
on 28 April 1909 at East Melbourne and is buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n banker and Federationist.
Early life
He was born on 11 January 1853 at Richmond barracks, MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, the eldest child of Robert Crofton Taylor, a policeman, and his wife Mary Jane, née D'Esterre. In 1870 he commenced work with the Melbourne Savings Bank (later the State Savings Bank of Victoria and now part of the Commonwealth Bank).
Politics
A free tradeFree trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
r, Taylor became a member of the Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
n branch of the Imperial Federation League
Imperial Federation League
The Imperial Federation League was a 19th century organisation which aimed to promote Imperial Federation.-Formation:It was founded in London in 1884. Branches were established in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Barbados and British Guiana. It aimed to promote Imperial Federation. Canada...
in 1885. He was instrumental in ensuring the Victorian Branch survived the collapse of the parent group in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1893.
The league promoted closer union within the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and advocated the establishment of an Imperial parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
to be composed of representatives of Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
and the self-governing members of the Empire. Taylor was honorary secretary of the Victorian branch from 1895 to 1907.
Taylor was a supporter of the federation of the Australian colonies as a first step in the greater federation. He joined the Melbourne branch of the Australian Natives Association
Australian Natives Association
The Australian Natives' Association , a mutual society was founded in Melbourne, Australia in April 1871. The Association played a leading role in the movement for Australian federation in the last 20 years of the 19th century. In 1900 it had a membership of 17,000, mainly in Victoria.The ANA...
, hoping to gain members. He clashed with republicans over his I.F.L. prize-winning essay, The Advantages of Imperial Federation (Melbourne, 1888). His address, "Three Great Federations: Australasian, National and Racial" (London, 1890), delivered to the A.N.A. at Ballarat, met with approval insofar as he urged Australian Federation; but his advocacy of Imperial Federation and, ultimately, a federation of the British races aroused heated opposition. Although Taylor held that trade, defence and financial advantage would flow from Imperial Federation, others feared that in such an organization Australia's voice would be submerged.
The conservative Melbourne Argus supported Taylor; the radical Age opposed him.
Taylor was an I.F.L. delegate to the 1893 Corowa conference of the A.N.A.
He was once described as an "Australian imbecile" but was a gifted debater and art critic
Art critic
An art critic is a person who specializes in evaluating art. Their written critiques, or reviews, are published in newspapers, magazines, books and on web sites...
. A pamphlet
Pamphlet
A pamphlet is an unbound booklet . It may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths , or it may consist of a few pages that are folded in half and saddle stapled at the crease to make a simple book...
eer for the I.F.L., he also wrote for other periodicals.
Banking
A mathematicianMathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, Taylor had been inspector of branches, accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
, assistant auditor and manager of city branches of the Melbourne Savings Bank until ill-health forced him to retire in March 1908.
He was a foundation member (1886-1906) of the Bankers' Institute of Australasia and contributed articles to its journal
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
. Taylor never married. He died of cerebral sclerosis
Sclerosis (medicine)
In medicine, sclerosis refers to the stiffening of a structure, usually caused by a replacement of the normal organ-specific tissue with connective tissue.Types include:...
on 28 April 1909 at East Melbourne and is buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery
Melbourne General Cemetery
The Melbourne General Cemetery is a large necropolis located north of the city of Melbourne in the suburb of Carlton North.-History:...
.
External links
- http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120200b.htm Australian Dictionary of BiographyAustralian Dictionary of BiographyThe Australian Dictionary of Biography is a national, co-operative enterprise, founded and maintained by the Australian National University to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's history....
– Entry of Henry d'Esterre Taylor]