WD3767

Album (ff.1-28) containing satirical drawings on the treatment of Tayler by Sir Frederick Halliday, Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, and other officials, along with newspaper cuttings relating to the affair.

Water-colour, drawings various sizes, laid down with inscriptions in Tayler’s hand on the album pages and in some cases with further lengthy inscriptions on the drawings.

Inside flyleaf inscribed: ‘H. Graham Tayler May/97’ with a printed extract from letters supporting Tayler’s case. Tayler’s second son and eldest grandson were both named Graham.

Album 38.5 by 55 cm.

f.1 ‘Compulsion, Awful effect of a visit to the Commissioner of Patna. Before AD 1857 After. One of the most absurd but at the same time the most malignant accusations preferred against me by Sir Frederick Halliday in 1857 was that I had exercised compulsion on some of the wealthy landholders and thereby obtained large subscriptions for a scheme of industrial education which I had projected. The above sketch represents one of the unhappy victims of compulsion when paying a visit to me at Patna’.

Two drawings, both 18.2 by 16 cm.

f.3a The Commissioner in discussion with three landlords, two eavesdroppers behind a curtain.

Inscribed: ‘The Commissioner detected. Awful process of ‘talking over’’. Eavesdroppers: ‘All this shall go to the Lieut-Governor’.

17.2 by 25 cm.

f.3b A landlord offers a coin to Tayler watched by two amused Indians behind the door.

Inscribed: ‘The disinterested subscriber offering one rupee’.

17.2 by 25 cm.

f.5 Two fearful Indians being pushed towards a doorway by R.N. Farquharson.

Inscribed: ‘Terrible excitement among the Natives!’

17.2 by 25 cm.

Note: Robert Nesham Farquharson, Opium Agent, Patna.

f.7 ‘Oppression and tyranny over the helpless natives - by W. Tayler and family! When the pleasant insinuation in regard to compulsion had been sufficiently bruited abroad one amiable public officer suggested in a demi official letter that Mr Tayler was collecting large sums of money from the Native landholders, but that nobody knew what became of them, he therefore suggested that the Government should make some enquiry into the matter. The purport of this insinuation is sufficiently obvious and the above picture realizes the pleasant hypothesis - Mr Tayler’s three daughters are seen inflicting various acts of torture while Mr Taylor is quietly placing bags of money in his box and Mrs Tayler is taking the opportunity of placing one into his pocket. Other victims are waiting for the exercise of the required compulsion’.

25.3 by 44 cm.

f.8 Four angry men, including J.B. Elliott and R.N. Farquharson, pursue two others deep in conversation.

18.2 by 25.7 cm.

Note: John Bardoe Elliott, former ICS official living in retirement at Patna.

f.9 Farquharson reading by candlelight a despatch drafted by Elliott. A devil taps the latter on the shoulder.

Inscribed: ‘The Conspiracy. The Midnight despatch’.

22.8 by 29.5 cm.

f.11 Sir Frederick Halliday restrains Tayler from attacking several of weeping Indians, the group dressed as small children.

Inscribed: ‘The Warning or the ‘inoffensive Wahabee Gentlemen’’!

Note: Shah Muhammad Hussain, Ahmedulla and Waiz Huq, three Wahabis arrested by Tayler at the start of the disturbances in Patna.

22 by 30 cm.

f.13 Halliday and Tayler as fighting cocks.

Inscribed: ‘The Engagement’.

18.8 by 30.5 cm.

f.15 Tayler hanging from a tree, with Halliday, Farquharson and Elliott as vultures, perched in the branches, and Tayler’s Deputy Magistrate, Maula Baksh, as a dog at his feet.

Inscribed: ‘The Commissioner suspended’.

31 by 22 cm.

f.17 Tayler with bow and arrow fighting back his attackers.

Inscribed: ‘Ulysses and the Suitors. An Ancient Tragedy re-enacted! ‘Chief expired at every wound’ Homer’s Odyssey. W. Tayler. E.A. Samuells. J.B. Elliott. F.J. Halliday. R.N. Farquharson’.

19.9 by 30.7 cm.

f.19 Halliday and Farquharson manhandling Samuells into a fight with Tayler.

Inscribed: ‘Ulysses and Irus.* Then pale with fear and sickening at the sight they dragged the unwilling Irus to the fight. WT. FJH. EAS. RNF.* Qy Iratus?’

17.5 by 27 cm.

f.21 Halliday dressed as a woman pats a mudspattered Samuells on the head. Farquharson sits nearby, Tayler leans against a wall watching. The latter three are dressed as young children.

Inscribed: ‘Dame Halliday and Small Sammy, Dame - “Well Sammy dear! What have you been doing with that mud?” Sammy - “Oh! haven’t I been pitching into Bill Tayler, just! hav’n’t I been pelting him?” Dame - “Ah! that’s right! Bill Tayler’s a naughty, troublesome fellow! but you should be more careful dear! You have splashed my gown all over and you have covered yourself with dirt”‘!

22.8 by 29.8 cm.

f.23 Halliday, Farquharson and Samuells as a three headed lion with entwined snake headed tails tear Tayler to pieces.

Inscribed: ‘“Three Gentlemen at once” - Dante’s Inferno’.

19 by 28.4 cm.

f.25 Halliday, Samuells and Farquharson as centaurs attack Tayler and his colleague Maula Baksh with bows and arrows.

Inscribed: ‘Three quivered chiefs forsook the tented field. Dante’s Inferno. W. Tayler. Mowla Buksh. F.J. Halliday. E.A. Samuells. R.N. Farquharson’.

19.8 by 28.7 cm.

f.27 Tayler challenges Halliday, who is clutching some papers, to a fight while Samuells, Farquharson and Elliott scatter, carrying other papers. All are dressed as children.

Inscribed: ‘Bill and Hal. Bill - “Come Hal! Tell the truth for once in your life! have you got those papers”? Hal - No I haven’t -yes-oh-no-yes- Sammy’s got”!’

19 by 26 .4 cm.

f.29 Farquharson holds smelling salts to the nose of Luft ‘Ali who is supported by Elliott. Samuells remonstrates with an Indian onlooker, the scene watched by a triumphant Halliday in full dress uniform. Two Indians dance in the background.

Inscribed: ‘Looft Ali’s release. “Rupeea burra bat hye”. Martyred victim of the Commissioner’s cruelty? Tender sympathy of the acquitting judge! excitement of Sammy! and stern disapproval of Hal! Rascaldom of Patna dancing in the distance!’

23.8 by 29.5 cm.

Note: Luft ‘Ali Khan, Shia banker, who had been in alliance with the arrested Wahabi leaders.