Aust. Historical Medals

Lot 860    SESSION 4 (4.30PM MONDAY 30TH AUGUST)    Aust. Historical Medals

Estimate $1,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $3,600

FORT ACADEMY, Kent Street North, Sydney; handcrafted in silver with ornate surround mount (55x68mm), reverse inscribed "The Prize/for/Diligence/Awarded to/George Bolton/May 6th 1843". Good very fine and extremely rare.

Ex Gregory J.Smith Collection.

Fort Academy at Princes Street, Church Hill in Sydney was founded by George Taylor in May 1841. He had been the headmaster of St James' Grammar School at Church Hill in Sydney and in the St James' Hall, at Phillip Street there is a tablet to his memory. After serving from 1838 he had an afliction that hindered his moving around so he was granted permission to leave and he founded the Fort Academy at his residence in Prince Street, Church Hill on 10 May 1841. Then on 26 April 1843 he announced that the Academy had moved from Prince Street to Kent Street North but still at Church Hill. He closed the Fort Academy at the end of 1849 and returned to St Philip's Grammar School in 1850 but before the end of that year he left to enter into private enterprise. He would later move to Dubbo, where he pioneered the legal profession, becoming a well known citizen there and in the surrounding districts.

The above medal issued by George Taylor's Fort Academy on 6th May 1843 must be the first of its kind issued from the Academy at Kent Street North having been issued only ten days after the announcement of its new location. It is also rare because the Fort Academy was only open for the short period of 8 1/2 years.