THE COLLECTION OF HONG KONG FORMED BY THE LATE ROBERT HORLEY TAYLOR OF SYDNEY
FOREWORD
Robert was a friend who I first met in 1947 when he was President of the Sydney Philatelic Club. A solicitor by profession, he helped me with any legal work that I needed in Australia.
On my annual visits to Sydney we usually spent two days together with his wife, Alison, touring the countryside and cooking our lunch over a fire.
He was a great collector with a wide variety of interests. Some of his subjects were also amongst my own collecting interests, particularly New South Wales used in Queensland. Alas, he died last year and our lengthy correspondence ceased, but he will always be remembered together with his wife and two daughters as dear friends. I am sure that he would hope that the new owners of his philatelic treasures would have as much fun and joy from their possession as he did.
Robson Lowe, August 1995
Early Letters and Handstamps
cover 1840 (1 Dec.) entire letter from Edmund Lyons on H.M.S. Melville at Chien-fee, Canton River, addressed to London, rated "8" and bears a good strike of boxed "INDIA LETTER/PORTSMOUTH" with 1841 (7 May) London backstamp, long contents give an indication to the build up to the signing of the Treaty of Chuenfee and the resignation of Admiral Elliott due to ill health, "...We sailed with the squadron from Chusan on 14th November and arrived at Toukoo the entrance to the river in five days...This place is about 7 miles from the Borea Tirgis forts which defend the passage to Canton. We have collected a squadron and some troops and fully expected to knock them down having made preparations but some mandarins were sent to us...and they seem to think it will be settled quietly...". Fine and an interesting early letter
Details
cover 1840 (1 Dec.) entire letter from Edmund Lyons on H.M.S. Melville at Chien-fee, Canton River, addressed to London, rated "8" and bears a good strike of boxed "INDIA LETTER/PORTSMOUTH" with 1841 (7 May) London backstamp, long contents give an indication to the build up to the signing of the Treaty of Chuenfee and the resignation of Admiral Elliott due to ill health, "...We sailed with the squadron from Chusan on 14th November and arrived at Toukoo the entrance to the river in five days...This place is about 7 miles from the Borea Tirgis forts which defend the passage to Canton. We have collected a squadron and some troops and fully expected to knock them down having made preparations but some mandarins were sent to us...and they seem to think it will be settled quietly...". Fine and an interesting early letter