Thomas Turner à Beckett
Encyclopedia
Thomas Turner à Beckett was an Australia
n lawyer
. He was the brother of Sir William à Beckett
and Gilbert Abbott à Beckett
. His eldest son was Thomas à Beckett
was a solicitor
.
He was educated at Westminster School
. In 1829 he joined his father in practice as a solicitor
. Beckett migrated to Victoria
, Australia
in 1850 and was called to The Bar (of Victoria) a year later. From 1852 to 1855 he was a nominee member of the Victorian Legislative Council
. In 1858 Beckett was elected by the Central Province to the new council - this was a seat he held until 1878.
Beckett was in office twice when he was a Minister without portfolio
from 1860 to 1861 and the Commissioner for Trade and Customs 1870 until 1871. In 1870 he was chairman of the Royal Commission on the civil service. Between 1854 and 1887 Beckett was the Registrar of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
as well as for a part of this time becoming a member of the University Council
and he became the trustee of the Public Library.
He retired from the Legislative council political life during 1878 and from all public duties in 1887, at the age of 79 years.
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...
. He was the brother of Sir William à Beckett
William à Beckett
Sir William à Beckett was a British barrister and the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.-Background:Born in London, he was the eldest son of William à Beckett, also a solicitor...
and Gilbert Abbott à Beckett
Gilbert Abbott à Beckett
Gilbert Abbott à Beckett was an English humorist.He was born in London, the son of a lawyer, and belonged to a family claiming descent from Thomas Becket...
. His eldest son was Thomas à Beckett
Thomas à Beckett
Sir Thomas à Beckett was an Australian solicitor and judge.-Personal:Thomas à Beckett was born in London, England...
was a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
.
He was educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
. In 1829 he joined his father in practice as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
. Beckett migrated to Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, 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...
in 1850 and was called to The Bar (of Victoria) a year later. From 1852 to 1855 he was a nominee member of the Victorian Legislative Council
Victorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
. In 1858 Beckett was elected by the Central Province to the new council - this was a seat he held until 1878.
Beckett was in office twice when he was a Minister without portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
from 1860 to 1861 and the Commissioner for Trade and Customs 1870 until 1871. In 1870 he was chairman of the Royal Commission on the civil service. Between 1854 and 1887 Beckett was the Registrar of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
The Anglican Diocese of Melbourne is the metropolitan diocese of the Province of Victoria in the Anglican Church of Australia. The diocese includes the urban cities of Melbourne and Geelong and also some more rural areas. The cathedral church is St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne...
as well as for a part of this time becoming a member of the University Council
University Council
A University Council may be the executive body of a university's governance system, an advisory body to the University President, or something in between in authority....
and he became the trustee of the Public Library.
He retired from the Legislative council political life during 1878 and from all public duties in 1887, at the age of 79 years.
Sources
- Australian Encyclopædia (1912 - third edition revised 1927) published by Angus & Robertson Limited, 89 Castlereagh Street, Sydney New South Wales (page 1)