Erima Northcroft facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Erima Northcroft
DSO VD
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| Born |
Erima Harvey Northcroft
2 December 1884 Hokitika, New Zealand
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| Died | 10 October 1953 (aged 68) Christchurch, New Zealand
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| Alma mater | Auckland University College |
| Spouse(s) |
Violet Constance Mitchell
(m. 1908) |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Relatives | Nancy Northcroft (daughter) |
Sir Erima Harvey Northcroft (born December 2, 1884 – died October 10, 1953) was an important New Zealander. He was a lawyer, a judge, and a leader in the military. His special papers from the Tokyo War Crimes Trial are kept at the University of Canterbury.
Contents
About Erima Northcroft
Erima Harvey Northcroft was born in Hokitika, New Zealand. He studied law at Auckland University College. After finishing his studies, he started working as a lawyer in Hamilton. He helped start the Hamilton District Law Society in 1912 and later became its leader.
Military Service
During World War I, Erima Northcroft was an officer in the artillery. He served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. For his bravery, he received the Distinguished Service Order in 1919.
After the war, he returned to New Zealand. He continued his work as a lawyer. In 1923, he joined a law firm in Auckland. From 1927 to 1935, he held important roles in the New Zealand Army. He was a deputy judge advocate general and then a Judge Advocate General. These roles involved giving legal advice to the army.
Becoming a Judge
In 1935, Northcroft received the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal. This medal celebrated the 25th year of King George V's rule. Also in 1935, he was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand in Christchurch. This was a very important court. As a judge, he was known as "The Honourable Mr Justice Northcroft".
Tokyo War Crimes Trial
After Second World War, Sir Erima Northcroft was chosen for a very special job. He became the New Zealand judge on the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in Tokyo, Japan. This court was set up to try people for war crimes after the war.
For his important work at this trial, he was made a Knight Bachelor in 1949. This meant he could use "Sir" before his name.
Later Life and Legacy
After returning from Japan, he continued to serve as a Supreme Court judge. Sometimes, he also worked as a judge for the New Zealand Court of Appeal. In 1953, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. This medal celebrated Queen Elizabeth II becoming queen.
Sir Erima Northcroft passed away in Christchurch on October 10, 1953. He had married Violet Constance Mitchell in 1908. They had two daughters. One of their daughters, Nancy Northcroft, became a well-known town planner.
After his death, his important papers were given to the Justice Erima Harvey Northcroft Tokyo War Crimes Trial Collection at the University of Canterbury. In 2010, this collection was added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. This means the papers are considered very important historical documents for the world.
