Joanne Taylor was born and educated in Sydney. She studied Indian history at the University of Sydney and has written a thesis for the University of New South Wales, The Great Houses of Calcutta, 1750 - 2006. Joanne’s first visit to India in 1971 left an indelible impression on her. An accomplished writer and photographer, Joanne has since travelled widely in India, particularly in Kolkata and Bengal. Her award winning book, The Forgotten Palaces of Calcutta published in 2006 (Niyogi Books) ignited an interest in the heritage importance of north Kolkata’s unique mansions resulting in a push for conservation. Taylor’s The Great Houses of Calcutta, Their Antecedents, Precedents, Splendour and Portents published by Niyogi Books in 2016 is co-authored by highly respected Emeritus Professor Jon Lang. By bringing in Taylor’s first hand experiences and research in Kolkata and Lang’s knowledge of the broader context of architectural history it is a more definitive work on the subject. The Churches of India is Taylor’s third in the series.