Henry Wrenfordsley
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Thomas Wrenfordsley (1825 – 2 June 1908) Kt
was an Irish lawyer
and was the second Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of Western Australia
, which is the highest ranking court
in the Australia
n State
of Western Australia
.
, England, the son of Joseph Wrenfordsley (also known as Wrendfordsley, Wransfordsley and Wrenford Sly), an Irish solicitor, and his wife Louisa, née Bywater. Educated privately in France, he entered Trinity College, Dublin
(as Henry Wransfordsly) in March 1841 but did not obtain a degree. Wrenfordsley qualified as a solicitor, became a journeyman lawyer in Dublin and at the English Bar, called to the bar
on 30 April 1863, he was junior counsel for the Privy Council office in House of Commons inquiries into the foreign cattle market.
In 1876 Wrenfordsley became a deputy-judge of County courts at Marylebone, Brompton and Brentford.
at Mauritius
. Wrenfordsley was then appointed attorney-general of Jamaica
, then on the death of Sir Archibald Burt
, he was made chief justice of Western Australia. Wrenfordsley arrived there in the Bangalore on 5 March 1880 accompanied by a lady, probably his sister.
Contemporary accounts suggest Wrenfordsley was given to frequent clashes of personality. One such clash with the Chief Secretary, Lord Gifford
, in which he was supported by the Governor
, Sir William Robinson
led to Sir Henry's removal to the post of Chief Justice of Fiji. This ended a tumultuous three years for the state, although Sir Henry would return once more in 1890 as acting Chief Justice when his successor, Sir Alexander Onslow
took a one year leave of absence.
Wrenfordsley was acting governor of Western Australia from February to June 1883 when he was knighted. From March 1885 to February 1887 Wrenfordsley was an acting judge of the supreme court of Tasmania
, and took a similar position at Melbourne in 1888. In 1891 he was appointed temporary acting chief justice at Perth. Later in 1891
Wrenfordsley became chief justice of the Leeward Islands
, and held the position until he retired in 1901 when he went to live in the south of France. Wrenfordsley died at Antibes
, France
on 2 June 1908, he did not marry.
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
was an Irish lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and was the second Chief Justice
Chief Justice of Western Australia
The Chief Justice of Western Australia is the senior judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia and the highest ranking judicial officer in the Australian state of Western Australia. The Chief Justice is both the judicial head of the Supreme Court as well as the administrative head...
of the Supreme Court of Western Australia
Supreme Court of Western Australia
The Supreme Court of Western Australia is the highest state court in the Australian State of Western Australia. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the state in civil matters , and hears the most serious criminal matters.The Supreme Court consists of a General Division The Supreme Court of Western...
, which is the highest ranking court
Australian court hierarchy
There are two streams within the hierarchy of Australian courts, the federal stream and the state and territory stream. While the federal courts and the court systems in each state and territory are separate, the High Court of Australia remains the ultimate court of appeal for the Australian...
in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n State
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
of 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...
.
Early life
Wrenfordsley was born in MiddlesexMiddlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, England, the son of Joseph Wrenfordsley (also known as Wrendfordsley, Wransfordsley and Wrenford Sly), an Irish solicitor, and his wife Louisa, née Bywater. Educated privately in France, he entered Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
(as Henry Wransfordsly) in March 1841 but did not obtain a degree. Wrenfordsley qualified as a solicitor, became a journeyman lawyer in Dublin and at the English Bar, called to the bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
on 30 April 1863, he was junior counsel for the Privy Council office in House of Commons inquiries into the foreign cattle market.
In 1876 Wrenfordsley became a deputy-judge of County courts at Marylebone, Brompton and Brentford.
Career
Wrenfordsley later joined the colonial service and was appointed as a puisne judgePuisne Justice
A Puisne Justice or Puisne Judge is the title for a regular member of a Court. This is distinguished from the head of the Court who is known as the Chief Justice or Chief Judge. The term is used almost exclusively in common law jurisdictions such as England, Australia, Kenya, Canada, Sri Lanka,...
at Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
. Wrenfordsley was then appointed attorney-general of Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, then on the death of Sir Archibald Burt
Archibald Burt
Sir Archibald Paull Burt Kt QC was a British lawyer from the colonies of the West Indies, and was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, which is the highest ranking court in the Australian State of Western Australia.-Biography:Archibald Paull Burt was born in 1810, in...
, he was made chief justice of Western Australia. Wrenfordsley arrived there in the Bangalore on 5 March 1880 accompanied by a lady, probably his sister.
Contemporary accounts suggest Wrenfordsley was given to frequent clashes of personality. One such clash with the Chief Secretary, Lord Gifford
Edric Gifford, 3rd Baron Gifford
Major Edric Frederick Gifford, 3rd Baron Gifford VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, in which he was supported by the Governor
Governor of Western Australia
The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;...
, Sir William Robinson
William Robinson
William Robinson, or Will Robinson or Bill Robinson or other nicknames, may refer to:-Historical:* William Robinson , Quaker martyr* William Benjamin Robinson , Canadian fur trader and political figure...
led to Sir Henry's removal to the post of Chief Justice of Fiji. This ended a tumultuous three years for the state, although Sir Henry would return once more in 1890 as acting Chief Justice when his successor, Sir Alexander Onslow
Alexander Onslow
Sir Alexander Campbell Onslow was the third Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, which is the highest ranking court in the Australian State of Western Australia....
took a one year leave of absence.
Wrenfordsley was acting governor of Western Australia from February to June 1883 when he was knighted. From March 1885 to February 1887 Wrenfordsley was an acting judge of the supreme court of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, and took a similar position at Melbourne in 1888. In 1891 he was appointed temporary acting chief justice at Perth. Later in 1891
Wrenfordsley became chief justice of the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
, and held the position until he retired in 1901 when he went to live in the south of France. Wrenfordsley died at Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on 2 June 1908, he did not marry.
External links
- Henry Thomas Wrenfordsley by J.M Bennett at Google Books