John Madden (judge) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John Madden
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Madden in 1893
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| Chief Justice of Victoria | |
| In office 9 January 1893 – 10 March 1918 |
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| Preceded by | George Higinbotham |
| Succeeded by | William Irvine |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 May 1844 Cloyne, County Cork, Ireland |
| Died | 10 March 1918 (aged 73) South Yarra, Victoria, Australia |
| Spouse |
Gertrude Stephen
(m. 1872) |
| Profession | Politician, judge |
Sir John Madden (born 16 May 1844 – died 10 March 1918) was an important Australian judge and politician. He served as the fourth and longest-serving Chief Justice of Victoria, which is the top judge in the state of Victoria, Australia. He held this important role from 1893 until he passed away. Sir John also stepped in as the acting Governor of Victoria several times.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Madden was born in 1844 in a small village called Cloyne, near Cork, in Ireland. He was the second of seven sons. His father, also named John Madden, was a lawyer.
In 1852, when John was eight, his family moved to London, UK. His father started a new job managing an insurance company there. John went to a private school in London and also spent some time studying in Beauchamp, France.
In January 1857, his family moved again, this time to Melbourne, Australia. His father became a lawyer there. The family lived in a suburb called Flemington. John continued his education at St Patrick's College in East Melbourne. He later went to the University of Melbourne, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1864 and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1865.
Becoming a Lawyer and Politician
John Madden officially became a lawyer in Victoria on 14 September 1865. He quickly became known for being very good at his job, especially with cases about fairness in law (called equity) and criminal law. In 1869, he earned a higher law degree, a Doctorate of Laws, from the University of Melbourne.
In 1871, he tried to become a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, which is like the state parliament, for the area of West Bourke. He didn't win that time. In 1872, he married Gertrude Stephen, and they later had one son and five daughters.
Madden was elected to represent West Bourke in the next election. In October 1875, he became the Minister for Justice in the government led by James McCulloch. He lost his seat in the next election but stayed as Minister for Justice for a short time. In 1876, he was elected to the Assembly again, this time for the area of Sandridge.
After James McCulloch left his role in May 1877, Madden also left the government. But he returned in March 1880 as Minister for Justice in the government led by James Service. This government only lasted five months.
Focusing on Law and Becoming Chief Justice
In 1883, John Madden decided to leave politics to focus on his successful law career. His legal work grew a lot during the 1880s, a time when land in Victoria was very valuable. He was considered one of the best lawyers in Victoria. By 1890, he was involved in about 30% of all cases that went to the Supreme Court of Victoria.
In 1887, he had a large, 30-room house built for his family in Chapel Street in St Kilda East. He named it Cloyne, after his birthplace in Ireland. Today, this property is owned by the Salvation Army.
John Madden was offered judge positions several times but turned them down. However, when the Chief Justice, George Higinbotham, passed away in late 1892, Madden was offered the top job. He accepted and became the new Chief Justice on 9 January 1893. He was given the title of 'Sir' later that same year.
A Car Accident Case
One interesting case Sir John Madden oversaw was Bloomfield v Dunlop Tyre Co Ltd in 1902. This is believed to be the first court case in Victoria involving a car accident. A car from the Australasian Dunlop Tyre company was being driven near the Flemington Racecourse. The car startled some horses and hit one, injuring its leg. The horse's owner sued Dunlop Tyres.
Sir John Madden admitted he didn't know anything about cars. So, he asked for the car to be demonstrated outside the court building. After seeing how the car worked and how the drivers handled it, he decided in favor of the horse owner. He awarded the owner £250 for damages.
Even though he ruled against the car company, Sir John quickly grew to like automobiles. He became the first president of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria in 1903. He also became President of The Melbourne Savage Club in 1911 and held that role until his death.
Other Important Roles
Besides his work as a politician and judge, Sir John Madden held many other important leadership roles. He was the vice-chancellor of the University of Melbourne from 1889 to 1897, and then he became the chancellor (the head of the university) until he died in 1918.
In 1899, he was appointed as Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria. This meant he could act as the Governor when the actual Governor was away. He was also given a special honor, becoming a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG).
In 1913, when the Governor of Victoria, Sir John Fuller, was in the United Kingdom, Sir John Madden stepped in as acting Governor. There was a political disagreement at the time, and the Premier (the head of the government) William Watt lost the support of the parliament. Sir John Madden caused some discussion when he chose Labor leader George Elmslie to be the new Premier, instead of someone from the other party. Elmslie's time as Premier lasted only thirteen days before parliament rejected his appointment.
In 1905, lawyers in Victoria raised money to honor Sir John Madden's contributions to the university and community. This money now funds the John Madden Exhibitions, which are awards given to law students at the University of Melbourne. In 1906, he received an even higher honor, becoming a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG). When the Historical Society of Victoria was created in 1909, Sir John Madden became its first supporter and leader (patron).
Death
Sir John Madden passed away suddenly in 1918. He was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery. His wife and six children survived him.
See also
- Judiciary of Australia
- List of Judges of the Supreme Court of Victoria
