John Jefferson Bray
Encyclopedia
The Honourable Dr John Jefferson Bray, AC
(16 September 1912 – 26 June 1995) was an Australia
n lawyer
, academic and published poet
, and from 1967-1978 served as Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of South Australia
.
, South Australia
, the elder son of Harry Midwinter Bray (1879–1965), an Adelaide stock broker
, and his wife, Gertrude Eleanore Stow (members of whose family were Congregationalist
missionaries in South Australia). His father's family had a history of involvement in South Australian politics and current affairs: Bray's grandfather was the Honourable Sir John Cox Bray
, a former Premier of South Australia. On his mother's side, Bray claimed a collateral relationship to the third U.S.
president, Thomas Jefferson
.
, a state school in the Clare Valley
; St Peter's College, Adelaide
; and at the University of Adelaide
, where he earned a BA in 1932, an LL.B.(Hons.) in 1933 and an LL.D. in 1937. He was granted an Honorary Doctorate in 1983.
for the years 1941, 1943, 1945 and 1951. He was created a Q.C. in 1957. He served as a lecturer in Legal History at the University of Adelaide from 1957-1958, and then as a lecturer in Roman Law
from 1959 until 1966. He was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia on 28 February 1967 and served until his retirement from the judiciary on 28 November 1978. Bray was appointed Chancellor of the University of Adelaide in 1968. He also served as Deputy to the Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia from 1968 until retirement.
He was also joint-editor for "No. 7 Friendly Street Poetry Reader" (Adelaide University Press, 1977, and 1978).
He also made contributions to:
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(16 September 1912 – 26 June 1995) was an 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 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...
, academic and published poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, and from 1967-1978 served as Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Supreme Court of South Australia
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...
.
Family
Bray was born in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, the elder son of Harry Midwinter Bray (1879–1965), an Adelaide stock broker
Stock broker
A stock broker or stockbroker is a regulated professional broker who buys and sells shares and other securities through market makers or Agency Only Firms on behalf of investors...
, and his wife, Gertrude Eleanore Stow (members of whose family were Congregationalist
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
missionaries in South Australia). His father's family had a history of involvement in South Australian politics and current affairs: Bray's grandfather was the Honourable Sir John Cox Bray
John Cox Bray
Sir John Cox Bray KCMG JP was a prominent South Australian politician and the first native-born Premier of South Australia .-Early life:...
, a former Premier of South Australia. On his mother's side, Bray claimed a collateral relationship to the third U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
president, Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
.
Education
Bray was educated at SevenhillSevenhill, South Australia
The town of Sevenhill is in the Clare Valley region of South Australia, approximately 130 km north of Adelaide. It was settled by the Austrian Jesuit Fathers and Brothers in 1848...
, a state school in the Clare Valley
Clare Valley
The Clare Valley is one of Australia's oldest wine regions, best known for Riesling wines. It lies in the Mid North of South Australia, approximately 120 km north of Adelaide. The valley runs north-south, with Main North Road as the main thoroughfare....
; St Peter's College, Adelaide
St Peter's College, Adelaide
St Peter's College, , is an independent boy's school in the South Australian capital of Adelaide...
; and at 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...
, where he earned a BA in 1932, an LL.B.(Hons.) in 1933 and an LL.D. in 1937. He was granted an Honorary Doctorate in 1983.
Legal career
Bray trained as a lawyer and was admitted to the South Australian Bar in 1933. He was acting lecturer in jurisprudence at the University of AdelaideUniversity 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...
for the years 1941, 1943, 1945 and 1951. He was created a Q.C. in 1957. He served as a lecturer in Legal History at the University of Adelaide from 1957-1958, and then as a lecturer in Roman Law
Roman law
Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome, and the legal developments which occurred before the 7th century AD — when the Roman–Byzantine state adopted Greek as the language of government. The development of Roman law comprises more than a thousand years of jurisprudence — from the Twelve...
from 1959 until 1966. He was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia on 28 February 1967 and served until his retirement from the judiciary on 28 November 1978. Bray was appointed Chancellor of the University of Adelaide in 1968. He also served as Deputy to the Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia from 1968 until retirement.
Honours
Bray was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1979, and is said to have refused a knighthood. He described his views as "æsthetic - traditional; social - emancipated; political - fluctuating" and his philosophies as "sceptical, some tendencies to Platonism".Publications
Bray's publications reflected his interests which he listed as "poetry, history, classics":- "Poems" (Melbourne, Cheshire Press, 1962)
- "Poems 1961-1971" (Brisbane, Jacaranda Press, 1972)
- "Poems 1972-1979" (1979)
He was also joint-editor for "No. 7 Friendly Street Poetry Reader" (Adelaide University Press, 1977, and 1978).
He also made contributions to:
- "Well and Truly Tried" (festschrift for Sir Richard Eggleston, 1982)
- "Adelaide Law School Centenary Essays" (Adelaide University Press, 1983)
- "Australian Law Journal"
See also
- Judiciary of AustraliaJudiciary of AustraliaThe judiciary in Australia is modelled substantially on the system of courts which existed in England.The large number of courts and tribunals in Australia have different procedural powers and characteristics, different jurisdictional limits, different remedial powers and different cost...