WARRANT, ARCHIBALD PAULL BURT APPOINTED COMMISSIONER OF CIVIL COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

1861
Overview

Handwritten warrant on white paper with a faded red seal affixed appointing Archibald Paull Burt as Commissioner of the Civil Court of Western Australia. Single page folded in half vertically with writing on front half only and double red margins to the top, bottom and left hand side. Signed by Governor Kennedy.

Historical information

Arthur Edward Kennedy, who made the appointment, was Governor, Western Australia 1855-1862.

Sir Archibald Paull Burt (1810-1879) was born into a plantation-owning family on St Kitts Island (formerly St Christopher in the West Indies). Burt accepted the position of Civil Commissioner and Chairman of Quarter Sessions in Western Australia in 1860. In January 1861 he arrived in Western Australia with his family. Burt was instrumental in establishing the Supreme Court Australia in 1861 and became the first Chief Justice of Western Australia. Knighted for his contributions in 1873, he maintained a secluded life to ensure impartiality and professional detachment as sole judge in the colony until his death in 1879. Archibald Paull Burt’s impact and lasting legacy in Western Australia continues through his family members who have held governmental and legislative roles in the state for multiple generations.

Details

Details

Registration number
cwa-org-46-2003.51
Item type
Material
Width
260 mm
Height or length
340 mm
Inscriptions and markings

Public seal of the colony of Western Australia

Contextual Information

This document is the warrant from the Governor of Western for Archibald Paull Burt to assume the role of Civil Commissioner in Western Australia. This appointment was one of two promotions offered at the same time to Burt (the other was Chairman of Quarter Sessions) who was born and up until then had been practicing in the West Indies. This is significant to Western Australia's legal history because Burt went on to become a key figure in the development of law in the English tradition in Western Australia.

Year
Primary significance criteria
Historic significance
Scientific or research significance
Comparative significance criteria
Object’s condition or completeness
Rare or representative
Last modified
Saturday, 28 June, 2025
Completeness
100
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Old Court House Law Museum

Old Court House Law Museum

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