William Martin (judge)

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The Honourable
Sir William Martin
1st Chief Justice of New Zealand
In office
5 February 1841 – 12 June 1857
Appointed byWilliam Hobson
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byGeorge Arney
Personal details
Born1807
Birmingham, England
Died18 November 1880(1880-11-18) (aged 72–73)
Torquay, England
SpouseMary Ann, Lady Martin (née Parker)

Sir William Martin (1807 – 18 November 1880) was the first Chief Justice of New Zealand, from 1841 until he resigned in 1857.

Biography

Originally from the family of the Martins of Long Melford, Suffolk, Martin was born in Birmingham. He was born in 1807 and baptised on 22 May 1807.[1] He was educated at King Edward VI Grammar School, Eton, and St John's College, Cambridge.[2] On 3 April 1841, he married Mary Ann Parker at St Ethelburga's Bishopsgate where her father was rector.[3] He was appointed Chief Justice of the Colony of New Zealand by the Colonial Office in January 1841 (warrant under Royal sign manual 5 February 1841; sworn 10 January 1842), and arrived in New Zealand in August 1841.[1]

Caroline Abraham, Mary Ann Martin and Sarah Selwyn

He worked in New Zealand with

Thomas Outhwaite
, the first Registrar of the Supreme Court, were responsible for setting up the New Zealand judicial system.

Martin, a friend of

St John’s College in 1850; and acted as a co-examiner with Bishop Selwyn of candidates for ordination in the Anglican church.[1]

He wrote protests against the Crown's disregard of its moral obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi and the invasion of Taranaki.[1]

He resigned on 12 June 1857, and was

George and Sarah Selwyn, Charles Abraham and his wife Caroline. This book was distributed privately after being printed in London in 1861.[4] He returned to England in 1874, dying at Torquay
in 1880.

As a judge, Sir William Martin was courteous and patient, but firm, impartial, and of unimpeachable integrity.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Barton, G. P. "Martin, William - Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  2. ^ "Martin, William (MRTN824W)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  3. ^ Dalziel, Raewyn. "Mary Ann Martin". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  4. ^ Kirker, Anne. "Caroline Harriet Abraham". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  5. ISBN 0-7233-0625-7
    .

External links

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William Martin
Legal offices
New office Chief Justice of New Zealand
1841–1857 		Succeeded by

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