John Hargrave (jurist)
Encyclopedia
John Fletcher Hargrave was an Australia
n politician and judge.
Hargrave was born to Joshua Hargrave and Sarah Hargrave (née Lee) at Greenwich
, England
. His father was a hardware merchant. He was educated at King's College
, London
in 1830 winning a certificate of honour for rhetoric. He went on to Trinity College, Cambridge
and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in 1837 and a Masters of Arts in 1840. He enrolled at Lincoln's Inn
and was called to the Bar in 1841.
He married his cousin Ann Hargrave on 20 September 1843. They were to have three sons and a daughter. He retired from the bar in 1851 and some time after was committed to an asylum at Colney Hatch
in Middlesex
by his wife and he gradually recovered there. He never forgave his wife for this.
He migrated to Sydney
, New South Wales
in February 1857. He was admitted to the New South Wales bar on his arrival and became a judge of the then District Court. His wife returned to England because he could not endure her presence. He resigned from the bench in February 1859 as his judgeship was "disastrous for women suitors" as he regularly decided against them. He became solicitor-general for New South Wales on 21 February 1859 following his resignation and held that appointment until 26 October of that year. He appointed again to that position on 3 November and held it till 8 March 1860.
He represented East Camden
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
between 15 March and 11 April 1859, and then the Illawarra
from 15 June to 11 October 1859.
On 12 October 1859 he was appointed to the Legislative Council and held that appointment until 23 June 1865. He was Attorney-General of New South Wales from 2 April 1860 until 31 July 1863, and then returned to the role of Solicitor General between 1 August 1863 and 15 October 1863. There was a further appointment between 3 February and 21 June 1865.
He then received a life appointment to the Council on 3 September 1861. In Parliament he was on the:
He was appointed a Kings Counsel in 1863. He was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
on 22 June 1865 but his swearing-in was boycotted by the New South Wales Bar. He was the Judge in divorce appointed to the Divorce Division of the Court. He proved to be a disaster on the bench and he admitted that he did not sit before 11am or work after 1pm. He was retired as a judge in 1881.
He became reader a in general jurisprudence at the University of Sydney
and gave his first lecture on 3 August 1858. His course of twenty lectures were published in 1878. He died in 1885 and was buried in Waverley Cemetery
.
His brother Richard Hargrave
also served in the New South Wales Parliament after arriving in New South Wales in 1838. His son Lawrence Hargrave
was the inventor of the box or cellular kite. Hargrave's great, great nephew Rick Colless
is a current serving member of the New South Wales Parliament.
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 politician and judge.
Hargrave was born to Joshua Hargrave and Sarah Hargrave (née Lee) at Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. His father was a hardware merchant. He was educated at King's College
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1830 winning a certificate of honour for rhetoric. He went on to Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in 1837 and a Masters of Arts in 1840. He enrolled at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
and was called to the Bar in 1841.
He married his cousin Ann Hargrave on 20 September 1843. They were to have three sons and a daughter. He retired from the bar in 1851 and some time after was committed to an asylum at Colney Hatch
Colney Hatch
Colney Hatch is the historical name for a small district within the London Borough of Barnet in London, England. The name Colney Hatch was originally that of a hamlet in the parish of Friern Barnet, first recorded in the early 15th century...
in Middlesex
Middlesex
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...
by his wife and he gradually recovered there. He never forgave his wife for this.
He migrated to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in February 1857. He was admitted to the New South Wales bar on his arrival and became a judge of the then District Court. His wife returned to England because he could not endure her presence. He resigned from the bench in February 1859 as his judgeship was "disastrous for women suitors" as he regularly decided against them. He became solicitor-general for New South Wales on 21 February 1859 following his resignation and held that appointment until 26 October of that year. He appointed again to that position on 3 November and held it till 8 March 1860.
He represented East Camden
Electoral district of Eastern Division of Camden
Eastern Division of Camden was an electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1856 to 1857. Its name was changed to East Camden in 1858 and it was largely replaced by Illawarra in 1859....
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
between 15 March and 11 April 1859, and then the Illawarra
Electoral district of Illawarra
Illawarra was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It was originally created in 1859, replacing East Camden. It was replaced by Wollongong in 1904 and recreated in 1927. In 1968, it was abolished and partly replaced by Kembla. In 1971,...
from 15 June to 11 October 1859.
On 12 October 1859 he was appointed to the Legislative Council and held that appointment until 23 June 1865. He was Attorney-General of New South Wales from 2 April 1860 until 31 July 1863, and then returned to the role of Solicitor General between 1 August 1863 and 15 October 1863. There was a further appointment between 3 February and 21 June 1865.
He then received a life appointment to the Council on 3 September 1861. In Parliament he was on the:
- Standing Orders Committee,
- Elections and Qualifications Committee,
- Burwood Tramroad Continuation Act Amendment Bill Committee,
- Late Shipwrecks Committee
- Port Jackson Committee; and
- the Australian Agricultural Company's Newcastle Railway Bill Committee.
He was appointed a Kings Counsel in 1863. He was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
on 22 June 1865 but his swearing-in was boycotted by the New South Wales Bar. He was the Judge in divorce appointed to the Divorce Division of the Court. He proved to be a disaster on the bench and he admitted that he did not sit before 11am or work after 1pm. He was retired as a judge in 1881.
He became reader a in general jurisprudence at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
and gave his first lecture on 3 August 1858. His course of twenty lectures were published in 1878. He died in 1885 and was buried in Waverley Cemetery
Waverley Cemetery
The Waverley Cemetery opened in 1877 and is a cemetery located on top of the cliffs at Bronte in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. It is noted for its largely intact Victorian and Edwardian monuments. The cemetery contains the graves of many significant Australians including the poet Henry Lawson and...
.
His brother Richard Hargrave
Richard Hargrave
Richard Hargrave was a former Australian politician and a pastoralist.Hargrave was born to Joshua Hargrave and Sarah Hargrave on 1 February 1817 at Greenwich, England. His father was a hardware merchant....
also served in the New South Wales Parliament after arriving in New South Wales in 1838. His son Lawrence Hargrave
Lawrence Hargrave
Lawrence Hargrave was an engineer, explorer, astronomer, inventor and aeronautical pioneer.- Early life :Hargrave was born in Greenwich, England, the second son of John Fletcher Hargrave and was educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmorland...
was the inventor of the box or cellular kite. Hargrave's great, great nephew Rick Colless
Rick Colless
Richard Hargrave Colless is an Australian politician and National Party of Australia member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. Colless has been a member of the Council since 30 August 2000 and is serving his second term in that Council...
is a current serving member of the New South Wales Parliament.