Samuel James Mitchell
Encyclopedia
The Hon. Samuel James Mitchell (11 May 1852 near Mount Barker
in South Australia
– 3 October 1926) was the first Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory
and served from 1911 to 1912.
.
He worked at Mount Gambier and Melrose
before moving to Port Augusta
in 1871 and working as an auctioneer.
He was a district councillor and Mayor
for 2 years before returning to Adelaide and working as a draper
. He married Eliza Ann Gardner on 15 September 1875.
in 1890 and was admitted to the Bar and practised with Paris Nesbit QC and later Robert Ingleby QC.
of Port Augusta
for 2 years.
He stood unsuccessfully for Parliament
in 1900, but in 1901 won the House of Assembly
Seat for the Northern Territory
. He was re-elected in 1902 and 1906 and was Attorney-General for 6 months from June 1909.
control, he resigned to become the Government resident and the Northern Territory Judge. In 1911 he helped to effect the transfer of control to the Commonwealth.
He remained Acting Administrator and Judge but resigned in 1912 after the Federal authorities would not make his appointment for life.
and became a Stipendiary Magistrate and in 1916 transferred to the Adelaide Police Court. He was the first South Australian Judge of Insolvency
from 1918 to 1926 and a Stipendiary Magistrate of the Adelaide Local Court and Taxation Appeal Court.
.
Dame Roma Mitchell
, his grand daughter, born 2 October 1913 was Australia's first female Queen's Counsel
in 1962 and first female Judge in 1965. She later became Governor
of South Australia in 1990, and is regarded as a pioneer of women's rights
.
Mount Barker, South Australia
Mount Barker is an expanding city, home to 10 258 residents that is 33 kilometres up the South Eastern Freeway, east of Adelaide, in South Australia. It is the seat of the District Council of Mount Barker, is the largest town in the Adelaide Hills, and is one of the fastest growing areas in the...
in 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...
– 3 October 1926) was the first Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory
Supreme Court of the Northern Territory
The Supreme Court of the Northern Territory is the superior court for the Australian Territory of the Northern Territory. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the territory in civil matters, and hears the most serious criminal matters...
and served from 1911 to 1912.
Early life
He was educated at RC Mittons Grammar school 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...
.
He worked at Mount Gambier and Melrose
Melrose, South Australia
Melrose is the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges. It is in the shadow of Mount Remarkable, 265 km north of Adelaide. At the 2006 census, Melrose had a population of 431....
before moving to Port Augusta
Port Augusta, South Australia
-Electricity generation:Electricity is generated at the Playford B and Northern power stations from brown coal mined at Leigh Creek, 250 km to the north...
in 1871 and working as an auctioneer.
He was a district councillor and Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
for 2 years before returning to Adelaide and working as a draper
Draper
Draper is the now largely obsolete term for a wholesaler, or especially retailer, of cloth, mainly for clothing, or one who works in a draper's shop. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher. The drapers were an important trade guild...
. He married Eliza Ann Gardner on 15 September 1875.
Legal life
He became an article clerk for H.E. Downer in 1885. Samuel Mitchell graduated from 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...
in 1890 and was admitted to the Bar and practised with Paris Nesbit QC and later Robert Ingleby QC.
Political life
He was MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Port Augusta
Port Augusta, South Australia
-Electricity generation:Electricity is generated at the Playford B and Northern power stations from brown coal mined at Leigh Creek, 250 km to the north...
for 2 years.
He stood unsuccessfully for Parliament
Parliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
in 1900, but in 1901 won the House of Assembly
House of Assembly
House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level....
Seat for the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. He was re-elected in 1902 and 1906 and was Attorney-General for 6 months from June 1909.
As Northern Territory Judge
In 1910 with the transfer of the Northern Territory to CommonwealthCommonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
control, he resigned to become the Government resident and the Northern Territory Judge. In 1911 he helped to effect the transfer of control to the Commonwealth.
He remained Acting Administrator and Judge but resigned in 1912 after the Federal authorities would not make his appointment for life.
Later life
He returned to South AustraliaSouth 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...
and became a Stipendiary Magistrate and in 1916 transferred to the Adelaide Police Court. He was the first South Australian Judge of Insolvency
Insolvency
Insolvency means the inability to pay one's debts as they fall due. Usually used to refer to a business, insolvency refers to the inability of a company to pay off its debts.Business insolvency is defined in two different ways:...
from 1918 to 1926 and a Stipendiary Magistrate of the Adelaide Local Court and Taxation Appeal Court.
Children and grandchildren with legal careers
His son Harold, born 11 August 1885, practised law for a short time in Renmark before joining the AIF. Lieutenant Mitchell died on 5 April 1918 and was buried at Millencourt Cemetery in FranceFrance
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...
.
Dame Roma Mitchell
Roma Mitchell
Dame Roma Flinders Mitchell, AC, DBE, CVO, QC was an Australian lawyer, judge and state governor. Mitchell was the first Australian woman to be a judge, a Queen's Counsel, a chancellor of an Australian university and the Governor of an Australian state.Roma Mitchell was born in Adelaide in 1913,...
, his grand daughter, born 2 October 1913 was Australia's first female Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1962 and first female Judge in 1965. She later became Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of South Australia in 1990, and is regarded as a pioneer of women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
.