Provenance

Harold James Strickland Taylor (1922–2016) was an enthusiastic amateur archaeologist whose early career began far from the field. He served as a Spitfire pilot with No. 16 Squadron, RAF, and in 1944 was forced to bail out over Holland. After evading the enemy for five days, he was eventually captured and interrogated by German forces. His wartime experiences are recounted in One Flight Too Many (1991), a copy of which is held by the Imperial War Museum.

Following the war, 'Jimmy' Taylor read history at Trinity College, Cambridge (1946-49) and subsequently trained as a teacher. In 1953 he took up a post with the Iraqi government as an English teacher, later becoming Head of English at the Primary Teachers Training College. During his time in Iraq (1953-57), he used extended vacation periods to explore the country’s archaeological sites. His travels took him to Nineveh, Mosul, Khorsabad, Tepe Gawra, Nimrud, and Assur, which he documented in engaging written accounts accompanied by charming illustrations. It was during this period that his collection was assembled.