His father, Thomas, was a lieutenant in the 17th (Leicestershire) Regiment of Foot, and stationed at Edinburgh castle at the time of Henry's birth on 17 April 1826.

Thomas travelled with his wife and seven children on the convict transport ship City of Edinburgh, where he was appointed officer of the guards.

[1][3][4] Baylis' role as magistrate was to take charge of the district's police force, issue hawking and liquor licences, preside over enquires of suspicious deaths and to lead the bench in the Court of Petty Sessions.

[7] As the police magistrate in the area, Baylis made monthly visits to the settlements of Urana and Narrandera to hold court sessions.

[8] On 20 August 1863, Baylis was making one such trip to Urana, when he was "stopped about midday by two rascals armed with double guns and revolvers, and ordered to surrender 'his money or his life'",[9] these two men were later identified as bushrangers, Dan Morgan and his associate "Flash Clarke".

[8] Baylis was struck in the thumb by a bullet, which then glanced along his arm before entering the right breast under his collarbone, passing along his back, before exiting under his left shoulder blade.

[1][8][9][10][11] For his efforts in helping to track down the bushranger Dan Morgan, Baylis was awarded a gold medal.

It was enclosed in a gold casket, which Henry Baylis wore suspended from his watch chain as a good-luck charm.