John Goldney

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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.[1]

Early life[edit]

Goldney was the third son of Sir Gabriel Goldney, 1st Baronet of Beechfield, Corsham and Bradenstoke Abbey (both Wiltshire) and Mary Anne (née Alexander). He was born on 15 June 1846 and baptised at Corsham on 14 July.[2]

He attended Harrow School,[3] studied at Trinity College, Cambridge,[4] and was called to the bar by Inner Temple on 30 April 1869.[5][6] On 9 February 1875 he married Jane MacGregor Laird, daughter of John Laird, Member of Parliament for Birkenhead, where he lived for a while.[2]

Legal career[edit]

In April 1880 he was appointed Attorney General of the Leeward Islands[7] 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.[2]

Goldney served as Chief Justice for the Straits Settlements from 1887 to 1892.[2] It is believed that having brought golf clubs with him,[8] 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.[9]

In 1892, he was appointed Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago[10][11] and was honoured as a Knight Bachelor in the following year.[12] 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.[3]

He died on 11 April 1920 and was buried at St Bartholomew's Church, Corsham alongside other members of his family.[13]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Wood, David (2008). Around the World in 80 Rounds: Chasing a Golf Ball from Tierra Del Fuego to the Land of the Midnight Sun. Macmillan. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-312-37577-5.
  2. ^ a b c d Howard, Joseph Jackson; Frederick Arthur Crisp (1997) [1st. pub. 1896]. Visitation of England and Wales. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, Inc. p. 59. ISBN 0-7884-0622-1. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  3. ^ a b "Full text of "One hundred years of Singapore : being some account of the capital of the Straits Settlements from its foundation by Sir Stamford Raffles on the 6th February 1819 to the 6th February 1919"". Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  4. ^ "Goldney, John Tankerville (GLDY864JT)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  5. ^ "John Tankerville GOLDNEY". genealogy.links.org. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  6. ^ Cases heard and determined in Her Majesty's Supreme court of the Straits Settlements, 1808–1884
  7. ^ "No. 24834". The London Gazette. 16 April 1880. p. 2554.
  8. ^ Josey, Alex (1969). Golf in Singapore. Asia Pacific Press. p. 12. LCCN 74018775.
  9. ^ "Singapore Island Country Club : The Club – Club History". www.sicc.org.sg. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  10. ^ "Welcome to the Judiciary of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago". www.ttlawcourts.org. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  11. ^ "No. 26317". The London Gazette. 16 August 1892. p. 4657.
  12. ^ "No. 26359". The London Gazette. 2 January 1893. p. 2.
  13. ^ "Churchyard Inscriptions – Corsham and Lacock Churches". Corsham & Lacock Churches. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
Legal offices
Preceded by Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago
1892–1899 		Succeeded by
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