John Young (jurist)
Encyclopedia
Sir John McIntosh Young AC
KCMG
(17 December 1919 – 6 October 2008) was an Australia
n jurist. He was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria
1974-91, the Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria
1974-95, and the Chief Scout of Australia
1989-96.
John Young was born in Melbourne
to Scottish
immigrant parents. He went to Geelong Grammar School
, and then to Oxford
. On the day after World War II
broke out in September 1939 he joined the Horse Cavalry, then after officer training at Sandhurst
he asked to be transferred to the Scots Guards
. He was mentioned in despatches after heavy fighting in Germany
. He was the officer in charge of Rudolf Hess
’s guards when Hess tried to escape in 1941 at Camp Z in Surrey.
On return to Australia, he did a law degree at the University of Melbourne
, and was admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1949. He was chairman of the Victorian Police Board, president of the Victorian Law Foundation, and president of the Victorian Bar. He became Chief Justice of Victoria in 1974, and was also appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria that year. As Chief Justice, he was not afraid to speak out against the government of the day.
He had a long association with the Scouting
movement, and he accepted the role of Chief Scout of Australia in 1989, when the newly appointed Governor-General
Bill Hayden
declined it on the grounds that the Scout Oath was incompatible with his atheism. In 1996-97 he was National President of Scouts Australia.
Sir John Young died on 6 October 2008, survived by two daughters and a son, and their families. He was given a state funeral at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne
on 16 October.
(KCMG).
In 1989 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia
(AC) for his services to the law and the Crown.
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"...
KCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(17 December 1919 – 6 October 2008) 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 jurist. He was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria
Supreme Court of Victoria
The Supreme Court of Victoria is the superior court for the State of Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1852, and is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited jurisdiction within the state...
1974-91, the Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria
Governors of Victoria
The Governor of Victoria is the representative in the Australian state of Victoria of its monarch, Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level...
1974-95, and the Chief Scout of Australia
Scouts Australia
Scouts Australia is an organisation for children and young adults from 6 to 26 years of age. Scouts Australia is part of the global Scouting movement and has been a national member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement since 1953...
1989-96.
John Young was born in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
to Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
immigrant parents. He went to Geelong Grammar School
Geelong Grammar School
Geelong Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, co-educational, boarding and day school. The school's main campus is located at Corio, on the northern outskirts of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, overlooking Corio Bay and Limeburners Bay....
, and then to Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. On the day after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out in September 1939 he joined the Horse Cavalry, then after officer training at Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
he asked to be transferred to the Scots Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
. He was mentioned in despatches after heavy fighting in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He was the officer in charge of Rudolf Hess
Rudolf Hess
Rudolf Walter Richard Hess was a prominent Nazi politician who was Adolf Hitler's deputy in the Nazi Party during the 1930s and early 1940s...
’s guards when Hess tried to escape in 1941 at Camp Z in Surrey.
On return to Australia, he did a law degree at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, and was admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1949. He was chairman of the Victorian Police Board, president of the Victorian Law Foundation, and president of the Victorian Bar. He became Chief Justice of Victoria in 1974, and was also appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria that year. As Chief Justice, he was not afraid to speak out against the government of the day.
He had a long association with the Scouting
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
movement, and he accepted the role of Chief Scout of Australia in 1989, when the newly appointed Governor-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
Bill Hayden
Bill Hayden
William George "Bill" Hayden AC was the 21st Governor-General of Australia. Prior to this, he represented the Australian Labor Party in parliament; he was a minister in the government of Gough Whitlam, and later became Leader of the Opposition, narrowly losing the 1980 federal election to the...
declined it on the grounds that the Scout Oath was incompatible with his atheism. In 1996-97 he was National President of Scouts Australia.
Sir John Young died on 6 October 2008, survived by two daughters and a son, and their families. He was given a state funeral at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne
St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne
St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, is the metropolitical and cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, Victoria in Australia. It is the seat of the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne and Metropolitan of the Province of Victoria...
on 16 October.
Honours
In 1974 he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St GeorgeOrder of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(KCMG).
In 1989 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia
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"...
(AC) for his services to the law and the Crown.