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AU0052 ISBN: 978 1 74222 473 2 This book was kindly loaned to Archive Digital Books Australasia by Library of Australian History, PO Box 795, North Sydney, NSW 2059. Navigating this CD To view the contents of this CD use the bookmarks and Adobe Reader’s forward and back buttons to browse through the pages. Alternatively use any table of contents or book index to look for specific information and then use Adobe Reader’s page navigation controls in the status bar at the bottom of the window to go to the relevant page. Searching this CD This CD is searchable using Adobe Acrobat Reader 4 or later. It is also FASTFIND enabled, giving very fast searches of all files on the CD at once! The FASTFIND search enhancement only works with Adobe Reader 6 or later. Use the Binoculars/Search icon in Adobe Reader or “Search” under the Edit menu to initiate all searches. 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Copyright © 2009 Archive Digital Books Australasia All Rights Reserved DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALIAN BIOGRAPHY BY PERCIVAL SERLE Volume I ANGUS AND ROBERTSON SYDNEY LONDON First published 1949 Obtainable Overseas- GREAT BRITAIN: Angus & Robertson Ltd., 48 Bloomsbury Street, London, W.C.i. U.S.A.: P.D. and lone Perkins, 16o3 Hope Street, South Pasadena, California, U.S.A. SOUTH AFRICA: Frank Meekin, 43 Church Street, Capetown, South Africa. SET UP , PRINTLD AND BOUND IN AUSTRALIA BY HALSTEAD IRESS I'TY LCD, 9-19 NICKSON STREET, SYDNEY REGISTERED IN AUSTRALIA FOR TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE POST AS A BOOK t Beckett a Beckett a BECKETT, SIR THOMAS (1836-1919), and the opportunity was taken to ex- judge, was born in London on 31 August press the affection in which a Beckett 1836. His father, Thomas Turner a was held. He died at Melbourne on 21 Beckett (1808-92), brother of Sir William June '919. He married in 1875 Isabella, a Beckett (q.v.), was educated at West- daughter of Sir Archibald Michie (q.v.), minster School. He came to Australia who survived him with two sons and on a visit to his brother, arrived at Mel- three daughters. He was knighted in bourne in January 1851, and, deciding 1909. A younger brother, Edward a to stay, practised as a solicitor. He was Beckett (1844-1932), was a portrait nominated to the legislative council in painter. Examples of his work are at 1852, and after responsible government the supreme court, Melbourne. came in was elected for the Central Pro- a Beckett was an active man and con- vince in 1858. He held this seat for tinued to play tennis until an advanced 20 years, was a minister without age. Like other members of his family portfolio in the Heales (q.v.) ministry he had a keen sense of humour, and from November 186o to November 1861, many stories are told of him and his say- and commissioner of trades and cus- ings, both on and off the bench. He was toms from April 1870 to June 1871 in the very popular with the bar, though third McCulloch (q.v.) ministry. He was counsel did not always appreciate his the author of several pamphlets on legal direct methods, which were aimed at and other subjects, and was registrar of preventing the unnecessary prolongation the diocese of Melbourne from 1854 to of cases. Occasionally he would deliver 1887, a member of the council of the what he called an "interim judgment" university, and a trustee of the public when he considered one party had a library. hopeless case. Though good-tempered, His eldest son, Thomas, came to obliging and courteous, he could be Australia with his father in 1851, re- called a strong judge, and he was never turned to London in 1856, and entered afraid to dissent from his colleagues in as a student at Lincoln's Inn. He won a the full court. It was found that studentship and was called to the bar no judge of the period had his decisions in November 1859. Returning to Vic- less often upset by the high court or toria in 186o he quickly established a the privy council, and he ranks as one practice, specializing in equity. He was of the finest equity judges Australia has lecturer in the law of procedure for known. several years at the university of Mel- The Age, Melbourne, 23 June igig; The Argus, bourne from 1874 onwards, and had Melbourne, 23 June igig; P. Mennell, The been leader of the equity bar for some Dictionary of Australasian Biography; Burke's time when he was appointed a supreme Colonial Gentry, 18gi. court judge in September 1886. He was just 50 years of age and did not a BECKETT, SIR WILLIAM (18o6-1869), retire until 31 July 1917, nearly 31 first chief justice of Victoria, son of Wil- years later. In 1916 the bar of Vic- liam a Beckett and brother of Gilbert A. toria presented his portrait by Max a Beckett of Punch, was born in London Meldrum to the supreme court library, on 28 July 18o6, and educated at 1 Adams Adams Westminster School. He was called to land, on 6 June 1872. He was educated the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1829 and for at the Otago high school and Otago some years was much engaged in literary university, where he graduated B.A. and work. He was responsible for A Universal began to study law. He, however, aban- Biography, a substantial work in three doned this, took up journalism at Wel- large volumes, published about 1835, lington, and began contributing verse to which, however, seems to be largely based the Sydney Bulletin. In 1888 he came to on previous compilations. He also wrote Australia as literary secretary to J. C. many of the biographies in The Georgian Williamson (q.v.), and wrote a panto- Era, published in four volumes in 1832- mime, The Forty Thieves, which was 4. He went to New South Wales in produced in Melbourne at the end of 1837, in March 1841 was appointed act- that year. In 1899 his Maoriland and ing solicitor-general, and in March 1843 Other Verses was published at Sydney. solicitor-general. He became an acting- In the following year he went to judge in July 1844, in 1846 was appointed China as representative of a group of a judge of the supreme court at Port New Zealand papers during the Boxer Phillip, and in January 1851 chief justice uprising. Invalided home to New Zea- of the newly formed colony of Victoria. land he shortly afterwards went to Lon- His health had not been good for many don and published in 1902 The Naza- years, and he retired on this account rene, A Study of a Man, written mostly early in 1857. He returned to England in blank verse, which was followed in in 1863 and died at London on 27 June 1904 by Tussock Land, issued in Unwin's 1869. He was knighted in 1851. He was first novel library and reprinted in the married twice and was survived by four same year. London Streets, published in sons by the first marriage. His eldest 19o6, though only a slender volume, con- son, W. A. C. a Beckett, was a member tains some of his best verse. of the legislative council of Victoria Adams returned to Australia and then from 1868 to 1876.