Trevor Henry
Encyclopedia
Sir Trevor Ernest Henry (9 May 1902–20 June 2007) was a New Zealand justice and member of the well known Henry family
.
Henry was born in Thames in 1902 and was the son of John and Edith Henry. He was the eldest of the three sons who include Jack Henry
and Clive Henry. He studied law at the University of Auckland
before being admitted as a barrister in 1925.
He was one of the founding partners of the Auckland law firm, Wilson Henry (now Hesketh Henry), and was involved in several high profile cases during the 1930s including the murder trial of Eric Mareo and Dove-Myer Robinson
's landmark law suit to prevent the Auckland Drainage Board discharging sewerage in Auckland Harbour.
Henry was raised to the bench of the Supreme Court of New Zealand
in 1955, the same year that his son, John Henry
was raised to the bar. He was knighted
in 1970 for his services to Her Majesty's New Zealand justice system. In 1984, Sir Trevor and John made New Zealand legal history as the first father and son to sit together on a High Court bench in New Zealand. Sir Trevor was also a Justice of the Fijian Court of Appeal and served a term as the Chief Justice of Tonga
.
Sir Trevor also continued the Henry family's long history of community involvement, sitting on the 1936 New Zealand Olympic Games Committee, serving three terms on the New Zealand Parole Board and chairing the New Zealand War Pensions Appeal Board.
His career was described by The New Zealand Herald
in his obituary as "meteoric." His inauguration ceremony at the Supreme Court in 1955 saw one of the largest-ever turnouts of Auckland society and Sir Justice Findlay remarked that Sir Trevor possessed a "Wiseness, a sense of duty and an experience of men and affairs which should light his path to the end that justice should truly be done"
In his eulogy, Sir Duncan McMullin described Sir Trevor as a humble man, devoid of pretence, with a meticulous approach to surveying evidence and a sharp mind to analyse issues at the heart of any case. He remained active in New Zealand law well into his 90s, offering opinions and publishing articles on a range of legally related subjects.
Following his death in 2007 at the age of 105, the New Zealand Herald revealed allegations that Sir Trevor had secretly fathered two children with a young Maori princess.
Sir Trevor is survived by his two children Rowan Spackman and John Henry.
Henry Family of New Zealand
The Henry family migrated to New Zealand from Scotland in the 1870s. In New Zealand they played a major role in forestry, industry, law and philanthropy....
.
Henry was born in Thames in 1902 and was the son of John and Edith Henry. He was the eldest of the three sons who include Jack Henry
Jack Henry (New Zealand)
Jack Ewen Henry was a New Zealand industrialist and company director, and a member of the well-known Henry Family.-Early life:Jack Henry was born in Rotorua New Zealand in June 1917 to John and Edith Henry...
and Clive Henry. He studied law at the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
before being admitted as a barrister in 1925.
He was one of the founding partners of the Auckland law firm, Wilson Henry (now Hesketh Henry), and was involved in several high profile cases during the 1930s including the murder trial of Eric Mareo and Dove-Myer Robinson
Dove-Myer Robinson
Sir Dove-Myer Robinson was Mayor of Auckland City from 1959 to 1965 and from 1968 to 1980, the longest tenure of any holder of the office....
's landmark law suit to prevent the Auckland Drainage Board discharging sewerage in Auckland Harbour.
Henry was raised to the bench of the Supreme Court of New Zealand
Supreme Court of New Zealand
The Supreme Court of New Zealand is the highest court and the court of last resort in New Zealand, having formally come into existence on 1 January 2004. The court sat for the first time on 1 July 2004. It replaced the right of appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, based in London...
in 1955, the same year that his son, John Henry
John Henry (New Zealand Justice)
Sir John Steele Henry, KNZM, QC, is a New Zealand jurist and former Court of Appeal judge, and member of the well-known Henry Family.The son of former High Court judge, the Hon...
was raised to the bar. He was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1970 for his services to Her Majesty's New Zealand justice system. In 1984, Sir Trevor and John made New Zealand legal history as the first father and son to sit together on a High Court bench in New Zealand. Sir Trevor was also a Justice of the Fijian Court of Appeal and served a term as the Chief Justice of Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
.
Sir Trevor also continued the Henry family's long history of community involvement, sitting on the 1936 New Zealand Olympic Games Committee, serving three terms on the New Zealand Parole Board and chairing the New Zealand War Pensions Appeal Board.
His career was described by The New Zealand Herald
The New Zealand Herald
- External links :* * *...
in his obituary as "meteoric." His inauguration ceremony at the Supreme Court in 1955 saw one of the largest-ever turnouts of Auckland society and Sir Justice Findlay remarked that Sir Trevor possessed a "Wiseness, a sense of duty and an experience of men and affairs which should light his path to the end that justice should truly be done"
In his eulogy, Sir Duncan McMullin described Sir Trevor as a humble man, devoid of pretence, with a meticulous approach to surveying evidence and a sharp mind to analyse issues at the heart of any case. He remained active in New Zealand law well into his 90s, offering opinions and publishing articles on a range of legally related subjects.
Following his death in 2007 at the age of 105, the New Zealand Herald revealed allegations that Sir Trevor had secretly fathered two children with a young Maori princess.
Sir Trevor is survived by his two children Rowan Spackman and John Henry.