John Goldney
Encyclopedia
Sir John Tankerville Goldney (15 June 1846 – 11 April 1920) was a British barrister
who rose to be Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago
, and was also High Sheriff of Wiltshire
in 1910. He is also notable for introducing golf
to Singapore
in 1891.
and Bradenstoke Abbey
(both Wiltshire
) and Mary Anne (née Alexander). He was born on 15 June 1846 and baptised at Corsham on 14 July.
He attended Harrow School
, studied at Trinity College, Cambridge
, and was called to the bar by Inner Temple
on 30 April 1869. On 9 February 1875 he married Jane MacGregor Laird, daughter of John Laird, Member of Parliament
for Birkenhead
, where he lived for a while.
for the Leeward Islands
and translated to acting Chief Justice in 1881; in 1883 he was appointed a judge of the High Court
of British Guiana
, where he served until 1887.
Goldney served as Chief Justice
for the Straits Settlements
from 1887 to 1892. It is believed that having brought golf clubs with him, Goldney noticed there was no course in Singapore
where he could use them; accordingly, he proposed that part of the Singapore Sporting Club
's land be used for golf; this was accepted and a nine-hole course was laid out. Goldney became the first president of the club, which he inaugurated by driving the first ball.
In 1892, he was appointed Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago
and was honoured as a Knight Bachelor
in the following year. He resigned his office in 1899 and returned to England, where he was appointed High Sheriff of Wiltshire
for 1910 and a Justice of the Peace
for the same county.
He died on 11 April 1920 and was buried at St Bartholomew's Church, Corsham alongside other members of his family.
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
who rose to be Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago
Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago
The Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago is the highest judge of the state Trinidad and Tobago and presides its Supreme Court of Judicature. He is appointed by a common decision of the President, the Prime Minister and the leader of the main opposition party....
, and was also High Sheriff of Wiltshire
High Sheriff of Wiltshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Wiltshire.Until the 14th century the shrievalty was held ex officio by the castellans of Old Sarum.-To 1400:*1066: Edric*1067-1070: Philippe de Buckland*1085: Aiulphus the Sheriff*1070–1105: Edward of Salisbury...
in 1910. He is also notable for introducing golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in 1891.
Early life
Goldney was the third son of Sir Gabriel Goldney, 1st Baronet of Beechfield, CorshamCorsham
Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in north west Wiltshire, England. It is at the south western extreme of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 which was formerly the main turnpike road from London to Bristol, between Bath and Chippenham ....
and Bradenstoke Abbey
Bradenstoke Abbey
Bradenstoke Priory is a medieval priory in the village of Bradenstoke, Wiltshire, England. It is noted today for its structures having been used by William Randolph Hearst for the renovation of St Donat's Castle, near Llantwit Major, Wales, in the 1930s....
(both Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
) and Mary Anne (née Alexander). He was born on 15 June 1846 and baptised at Corsham on 14 July.
He attended Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
, studied at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, and was called to the bar by Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
on 30 April 1869. On 9 February 1875 he married Jane MacGregor Laird, daughter of John Laird, Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
, where he lived for a while.
Legal career
In April 1880 he was appointed Attorney GeneralAttorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
for the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
and translated to acting Chief Justice in 1881; in 1883 he was appointed a judge of the High Court
High Court
The term High Court usually refers to the superior court of a country or state. In some countries, it is the highest court . In others, it is positioned lower in the hierarchy of courts The term High Court usually refers to the superior court (or supreme court) of a country or state. In some...
of British Guiana
British Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
, where he served until 1887.
Goldney served as Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
for the Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
from 1887 to 1892. It is believed that having brought golf clubs with him, Goldney noticed there was no course in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
where he could use them; accordingly, he proposed that part of the Singapore Sporting Club
Singapore Turf Club
The Singapore Turf Club was founded in 1842 as the Singapore Sporting Club to operate the Serangoon Road Race Course at Farrer Park.It is today the only horse-racing club in Singapore and is part of the Malayan Racing Association, which also regulates the three Turf Clubs in Malaysia, the Selangor...
's land be used for golf; this was accepted and a nine-hole course was laid out. Goldney became the first president of the club, which he inaugurated by driving the first ball.
In 1892, he was appointed Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago
Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago
The Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago is the highest judge of the state Trinidad and Tobago and presides its Supreme Court of Judicature. He is appointed by a common decision of the President, the Prime Minister and the leader of the main opposition party....
and was honoured as a Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in the following year. He resigned his office in 1899 and returned to England, where he was appointed High Sheriff of Wiltshire
High Sheriff of Wiltshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Wiltshire.Until the 14th century the shrievalty was held ex officio by the castellans of Old Sarum.-To 1400:*1066: Edric*1067-1070: Philippe de Buckland*1085: Aiulphus the Sheriff*1070–1105: Edward of Salisbury...
for 1910 and a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for the same county.
He died on 11 April 1920 and was buried at St Bartholomew's Church, Corsham alongside other members of his family.