LETTER, DUKE OF NEWCASTLE TO ARCHIBALD PAULL BURT, OFFER COMMISSIONER AND CHAIRMAIN OF QUARTER SESSIONS WESTERN AUSTRALIA

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Eyre, Edward John

1860

Overview

Handwritten letter on blue paper, dated 3 April 1860, from the Lieutenant Governor of Antigua / Leeward Islands, Edward John Eyre, to Lieutenant Governor Benjamin Chilley Campbell Pine of St Christopher [St Kitts] communicating the offer received in a despatch from the Secretary of State, Henry Pelham-Clinton, Duke of Newcastle under Lyne (Chief Secretary for Ireland and Secretary of State for War and the Colonies) that Archibald Paul Burt be appointed Civil Commissioner and Chairman of Quarter Sessions, Western Australia.
The text of this letter is an identical copy of paragraph one in the certified copy of the original letter sent from Eyre to Pine. (1976.40)

Historical information

Archibald Paull Burt (born 1810, in St Christopher) was provisionally appointed Chief Justice in St Christopher in 1856 but was disqualified from being permanently instated as Chief Justice as local barristers were not permitted hold or be elevated to this position. This prompted Burt to enquire about similar positions within the British Colonies. Other position enquiries within the British Colonies included Assistant Judge in Jamaica (1857) and Chief Justice of Hong Kong (1859).

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-46-1976.39

Item type

Documents

Material

Ink

Paper

Width

210 mm

Height or length

330 mm

Contextual Information

This document is the offer of appointment to Archibald Paull Burt for Chairman of Quarter Sessions in Western Australia from the Secretary of Colonies, the Duke of Newcastle. This is significant to Western Australia's legal history and the formation of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court Ordinance was passed five months after Burt's arrival in the Colony. Subsequently, Archibald Paull Burt commenced as Western Australia's first Chief Justice in June 1861.

Keywords

Burt, Archibald Paull

Western Australian Legal History

Pelham-Clinton, Henry

Eyre, Edward John

Place made

Antigua & Barbuda

Year

1860

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Scientific or research significance