John Laskey Woolcock facts for kids
John Laskey Woolcock (born 7 November 1861 – died 18 January 1929) was an important legal figure in Queensland, Australia. He worked as a barrister, which is a type of lawyer, and later became a judge in the Supreme Court.
Early Life and Education
John Woolcock was born in St Clement, Cornwall, England. His father, William Woolcock, was a missionary. In 1866, John moved to Queensland with his family.
He went to school at the Normal School and then Brisbane Grammar School. John was a very good student. He won a special scholarship for Queensland students to attend the University of Sydney. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1883.
At university, John Woolcock won many awards. These included a gold medal for English poetry and a medal for an English essay. He also received scholarships for his studies.
Career Highlights
After university, John Woolcock taught at Brisbane Grammar School. Later, he became the private secretary to Sir Samuel Griffith, who was the Premier of Queensland. In this role, John attended important meetings. These included a colonial convention in Sydney in 1883 and a federal council in Hobart in 1886. He also went to a big conference in London in 1887.
John Woolcock became a barrister on 6 December 1887. This meant he was officially allowed to practice law. In 1899, he was made Queensland's parliamentary counsel. This job involved advising the government on laws. He was also allowed to keep his own private law practice.
He helped publish a large collection of Queensland laws called The Queensland Statutes in 1911. In December 1926, John Woolcock was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court. He started his duties on 1 February 1927. He was known as a skilled and hard-working judge. John Woolcock passed away suddenly on 18 January 1929. He was married twice and had four children.
Lasting Legacy
John Woolcock was a very dedicated and well-read person. He worked hard and had high ideals. He wrote a lot about legal topics, including laws about alcohol and local government. He also wrote detective stories and poems. Some of his poems appeared in Queensland newspapers.
He was very involved in education in Queensland. In 1895, he helped start a movement for a public library in Brisbane. He became a trustee when the library opened. When the government took over the library, he joined its board of advice.
John Woolcock was one of the first members of the University of Queensland senate from 1910 to 1916. He also chaired its education committee for several years. He cared deeply about his old school, Brisbane Grammar School. He became a trustee in 1889 and was chairman of the trustees from 1906 until his death.
In his will, John Woolcock left money to the University of Queensland. This money was used to create the Gertrude-Mary Woolcock memorial prize. This prize is given to students who show great skill in Greek.
