Three: Joseph Taylor, Boatswain’s Mate, Royal Navy

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Azoff , unnamed as issued; New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1863 to 1864 (J. Taylor, Bosns. Mate, H.M.S. Esk) officially impressed naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, unnamed the last polished, nearly very fine, otherwise good very fine (3) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, An Important Collection of Medals for the Maori Wars, 1845-1866.

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Joseph Taylor's New Zealand War medal was issued on 17 February 1871. 119 medals (16 to R.N. officers, 79 to R.N. ratings, 1 to an R.M. officer, and 23 to R.M. N.C.Os. and men) were issued to H.M.S. Esk for the Second New Zealand War, of which 48 are known including 4 with undated reverses (all to R.N. ratings) and the rest with reverses dated 1863-1864.

Joseph Taylor was born at Landport, Hampshire on 6 January 1819. He first entered the service as an Able Seaman aboard Spartan on 1 July 1846, and then continued to serve on Trafalgar (1851-55) as a Leading Seaman, and transferred to Cracker (tender to Royal Albert) from April 1855 to July 1856. He was employed as a Seaman Rigger in Portsmouth Dockyard from December 1858 to May 1859, with this shore time being allowed to count toward his naval pension. He was drafted to Melpomene as an A.B., attaining Petty Officer status (Bosun's Mate) during her seagoing commission (1860-63). He joined Esk on 26 May 1863 as a Bosun's Mate from which vessel he was discharged to Miranda on 6 February 1865 for passage to England. He then joined Victory on 21 May 1865 as a Bosun's Mate to await payment prior to being pensioned ashore. He is entitled to the clasp for Sebastopol in addition to that for Azoff.