George Ligertwood
Encyclopedia
Sir George Coutts Ligertwood (1888–1967) was a Judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia
(12 July 1945–14 October 1958).
, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia.
He was educated at Norwood
Public school, the Pupil Teachers' school, and the University of Adelaide
(B.A., 1908; LL.B., 1910).
He was admitted to the Bar on 15 December 1910 and became the acting-master of the Supreme Court in 1914.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force
on 6 May 1918, returning to South Australia in 1919 to become a partner in the firm Baker, McEwin, Ligertwood & Millhouse. He served as the President of the Law Society
of South Australia from 1935 to 1937, and again from 1941 to 1943.
He was a member of the executive-committee of the Law Council of Australia
in 1937, and in 1942–43. He was appointed as a Kings Counsel on 28 August 1930.
Ligertwood served on the bench of the Supreme Court from 12 July 1945 until his retirement in 1958. The Federal government appointed him to three royal commission
s. In 1945, he was appointed Royal Commissioner by Prime Minister
Ben Chifley
to look into the conduct of Lieutenant General Gordon Bennett; in 1949, he took part in a commission into timber-leases in New Guinea
; finally, in 1954–55 he was one of three commissioners who examined espionage in Australia.
Ligertwood was knight
ed in 1956. In 1959, he was appointed royal commissioner by the Western Australia
n government to inquire into betting. He chaired the Federal committee on taxation (1959–61), and the South Australian committee on assessment for land tax (1962–64).
He received an honorary LL.D. from the University of Western Australia
in 1963, and another from the University of Adelaide
in 1964.
Ligertwood died on 13 October 1967, in Adelaide.
Ligertwood married Edith Emily Naismith at the Methodist Church, Upper Sturt
on 6 April 1915. He became a member of the Adelaide Club
in 1929, and was a prominent Freemason.
From 1930–67, Ligertwood served as a governor of Scotch College, Adelaide
. He held the following roles at the University of Adelaide:
Supreme Court of South Australia
The Supreme Court of South Australia is the superior court for the Australian State of South Australia. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the state in civil matters, and hears the most serious criminal matters. The Supreme Court is the highest South Australian court in the Australian court...
(12 July 1945–14 October 1958).
Early life and legal career
Ligertwood was born on 15 October 1888, in MaylandsMaylands, South Australia
Maylands is a suburb of Adelaide located within the City of Norwood Payneham St Peters, and bounded by the main roads Portrush Road and Magill Road.- History :...
, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia.
He was educated at Norwood
Norwood, South Australia
Norwood is a suburb of Adelaide, about 4 km east of the Adelaide city centre. The suburb is in the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters, the oldest South Australian local government municipality, with a city population over 34,000.-History:...
Public school, the Pupil Teachers' school, and the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
(B.A., 1908; LL.B., 1910).
He was admitted to the Bar on 15 December 1910 and became the acting-master of the Supreme Court in 1914.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
on 6 May 1918, returning to South Australia in 1919 to become a partner in the firm Baker, McEwin, Ligertwood & Millhouse. He served as the President of the Law Society
Law society
A Law Society in current and former Commonwealth jurisdictions was historically an association of solicitors with a regulatory role that included the right to supervise the training, qualifications and conduct of lawyers/solicitors...
of South Australia from 1935 to 1937, and again from 1941 to 1943.
He was a member of the executive-committee of the Law Council of Australia
Law Council of Australia
The Law Council of Australia is an association of law societies and bar associations from the States and territories of Australia, and the peak body representing the legal profession in Australia. The Council was formed in 1933 to unite the various state legal associations, in order to represent...
in 1937, and in 1942–43. He was appointed as a Kings Counsel on 28 August 1930.
Ligertwood served on the bench of the Supreme Court from 12 July 1945 until his retirement in 1958. The Federal government appointed him to three royal commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
s. In 1945, he was appointed Royal Commissioner by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Ben Chifley
Ben Chifley
Joseph Benedict Chifley , Australian politician, was the 16th Prime Minister of Australia. He took over the Australian Labor Party leadership and Prime Ministership after the death of John Curtin in 1945, and went on to retain government at the 1946 election, before being defeated at the 1949...
to look into the conduct of Lieutenant General Gordon Bennett; in 1949, he took part in a commission into timber-leases in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
; finally, in 1954–55 he was one of three commissioners who examined espionage in Australia.
Ligertwood was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1956. In 1959, he was appointed royal commissioner by the Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
n government to inquire into betting. He chaired the Federal committee on taxation (1959–61), and the South Australian committee on assessment for land tax (1962–64).
He received an honorary LL.D. from the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
in 1963, and another from the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
in 1964.
Ligertwood died on 13 October 1967, in Adelaide.
Academic career and personal life
Upper Sturt, South Australia
Upper Sturt is a suburb in the inner south of Adelaide, South Australia. The suburb is nestled in the lower reaches of the Mount Lofty Ranges with the Western Half located in the City of Mitcham Local Government Area, and the eastern portion located in the Adelaide Hills Council Local Government...
on 6 April 1915. He became a member of the Adelaide Club
Adelaide Club
The Adelaide Club is an exclusive gentlemen's club in the South Australian capital city of Adelaide. Founded in 1863, the club comprises members of the Adelaide establishment....
in 1929, and was a prominent Freemason.
From 1930–67, Ligertwood served as a governor of Scotch College, Adelaide
Scotch College, Adelaide
Scotch College is an independent, Uniting Church, co-educational, day and boarding school, located on two adjacent campuses in Torrens Park and Mitcham, inner-southern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia....
. He held the following roles at the University of Adelaide:
- examiner in wrongs (1913–15)
- examiner in property (1917 and 1919–26)
- member of council from 1942
- warden of the senate (1945–59)
- Deputy-chancellor (1958–61)
- Chancellor (1961–66)
- Chaired the planning committee for the Flinders University of South Australia (founded 1966).
- Patron of the Adelaide University Football ClubAdelaide University Football ClubThe Adelaide University Football Club is a South Australian based Australian rules football club. It is an affiliate of the Adelaide University Sports Association and plays in the South Australian Amateur Football League . The club promotes itself as the largest amateur football club in Australia...
(1966)