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Portrait of Sir Archibald Paull Burt, First Chief Justice of Western Australia. C1860s
Old Court House Law Museum > Records
LORGNETTE, GOLD, ARCHIBALD PAULL BURT
1810 - 1879Overview
A pair of spectacles with a handle, used to hold them in place, rather than fitting over the ears or nose. Gold-plated brass rim with handle affixed. The single cylindrical handle is affixed to the outer edge of one rim at a 45-degree angle. Where the handle joins the frame there is a decorative flower design and at the other end a ring is affixed. The bridge which rests on the nose includes screws on both ends to hold the lens into the frame.
Historical information
Lorgnette owned and used by Archibald Paull Burt.
An optical which resembles this item is captured in a photographic portrait of Archibald Paull Burt that is part of the collection of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society (RWAHS P1999.1193unc).
This is a personal effect of Western Australia's first Chief Justice 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-46-2024.2
Item type
Width
150 mm
Height or length
105 mm
Depth
6 mm
Contextual information
The photograph in the Royal Western Australian Historical Society collection was taken by the Elliott and Fry photography studio (established 1863), 55 Baker Street London. Archibald Paull Burt only left Western Australia once in his eighteen years as Chief Justice - in November 1873 when he was knighted by Queen Victoria and then briefly visited St Christopher [St Kitts] in early 1874 before returning to Perth.
Letters written during his time in London state "I arrived in London last month but have hitherto been in constant attendance on my oculist & unable to leave London" (Letter November, 1873 to Crum Ewing).
The photograph of Archibald Paull Burt with a lorgnette demonstrates how the Lorgnette would have been worn; with a clip and string securing the lorgnette by the loop at the end of the handle for security and ease of access
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Year
Primary significance criteria
Historic significance
Last modified
Sunday, 13 July, 2025
Completeness
