George Elliott Barton facts for kids

George Elliott Barton (born May 20, 1829 – died May 31, 1903) was an important lawyer in the 1800s. He worked as a barrister, which is a type of lawyer who argues cases in court, in many places. These included Dublin in Ireland, Melbourne in Australia, and Dunedin and Wellington in New Zealand. He also became a judge in New Zealand.

Family Life

George Barton married Jane Crichton Campbell on April 8, 1854, in Melbourne, Australia. Jane was the oldest daughter of Reverend Dr. Campbell from London.

Their first child, a son named Elliott L'Estrange Barton, was born on July 13, 1856. He later became a solicitor and was even the Mayor of Hawera in New Zealand. Their second son, Edward Gustavus Campbell Barton, was born on December 11, 1857. He grew up to be an electrical engineer. George Barton also had a daughter named Anna who lived to be an adult.

A Busy Lawyer and Politician

Early Career

George Barton was an Irish Protestant. He was known for being quite energetic and passionate. He was sometimes called "little Barton" to tell him apart from another lawyer, George Burnett Barton, who was called "long Barton" and was not related to him. George Elliott Barton once had a big disagreement with a judge, which led to him being held for a short time. This was a notable event in his career.

Working in Australia

In 1859, George Barton was chosen to represent the 'working classes' in North Melbourne for an election. He won this election. He was very interested in making sure that members of parliament were paid for their work.

His Time in New Zealand

In 1888, George Barton was appointed as a judge for the Native Land Court in New Zealand. However, he resigned and left New Zealand in 1890 after a disagreement with another judge. He passed away in Paris, France, in 1903.

Political Journey

George Barton also had a career in politics. He tried to become a Member of Parliament for the Wakatipu area in 1873 but was not successful.

Running for Mayor

In 1877, he ran for Mayor of Wellington. During his campaign, he decided to stop running. This was because he was involved in many legal cases for the city. If he became mayor, it would have been tricky because he would have been arguing against himself in court.

He later became a Member of Parliament for the City of Wellington area. He served from a special election in 1878 until 1879, when he decided to retire from politics.