Adrian Knox

The Right Honourable Sir Adrian Knox KCMGPCKC
Portrait of Sir Adrian Knox, November 1923
Chief Justice of Australia
In office 18 October 1919 – 31 March 1930
Nominated by	Billy Hughes
Appointed by	Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson
Preceded by	Sir Samuel Griffith
Succeeded by	Sir Isaac Isaacs
Personal details
Born	29 November 1863 Sydney,New South Wales, Australia
Died	27 April 1932 (aged 69) Woollahra, New South Wales,Australia
Spouse	Florence Lawson ​ (m.1897)​
Parent	Sir Edward Knox(father)

Sir Adrian KnoxKCMGPCKC(29 November 1863 – 27 April 1932) was an Australian lawyer and judge who served as the secondChief Justice of Australia,in office from 1919 to 1930.

Knox was born inSydney,the son of businessmanSir Edward Knox.He studied law atTrinity College, Cambridge,and after returning to Australia established a successful law firm. He was elected to theNew South Wales Legislative Assemblyin 1894, but retired in 1898 after just two terms in office. Knox eventually became one of the best knownbarristersin New South Wales,taking silkin 1906 and appearing frequently in major constitutional cases. In 1919, he was somewhat unexpectedly nominated byBilly Hughesto succeed the retiringSamuel Griffithas Chief Justice. The most famous decision of his tenure was theEngineers caseof 1920.

Early life

Knox was born inSydneyon 29 November 1863, the son ofSir Edward Knoxand the former Martha Rutledge. His mother was born in Ireland, and was the sister of the Victorian politicianWilliam Rutledge.His father was born in England, and was the founder of theColonial Sugar Refining Company.Knox attended private schools in Sydney and was then sent to England to complete his education. After a period atHarrow School,he went on to study law atTrinity College, Cambridge,graduating in 1885. Shortly after, he was admitted to theInner Temple,allowing him to practise as abarrister.

Legal career

Adrian Knox

Knox caricatured in 1915

Knox returned to Australia in 1886 and joined his brother George in practising law. When George died in 1888, Adrian took over the practice, and soon became one of the most successful lawyers at the Sydney bar. Between 1888 and 1890, he reportedequitycases for the New South Wales Law Reports.

Knox was elected to theNew South Wales Legislative Assemblyat the1894 election for the seat of Woollahra.After being reelected at the1895 election,he retired from the parliament in 1898,to concentrate on his legal career. At this time, he was also a director of theAustralian Mutual Provident Societyand a founding member of theWalter and Eliza Hall Trust.

Knox was made aKing's Counselin 1906, and shortly after was offered a position on the bench of theSupreme Court of New South Wales,which he declined. Also in 1906, Knox became Chairman of theAustralian Jockey Club,indulging his passion forhorse-racing.In 1910, Knox's horse "Vavasor" won theSydney Cup.He remained chairman until 1919. DuringWorld War I,Knox left his practice and traveled toEgypt,where he served as a Commissioner for theRed Cross.He served on the NSW Bar Council from its foundation in 1902 until 1910, and again from 1916 to 1919.

Judicial career

Soon after Knox returned fromEgypt,SirSamuel Griffithretired as the first Chief Justice of theHigh Court of Australia.In October 1919, Prime MinisterBilly Hughesnominated Knox for appointment as the second. His appointment was received somewhat poorly bySir Edmund Barton,who as the senior judge on the court and a former prime minister felt a certain entitlement to the position.Knox sat on a number of judicial committees in this capacity, including one which investigated theBritish Government'sauthority to establish theBoundary CommissionforNorthern Ireland.During his time as Chief Justice, Knox presided over such significant cases as theEngineers' caseof 1920.

Knox was one of six justices of the High Court to have served in theParliament of New South Wales,along withEdmund Barton,Richard O'Connor,Albert Piddington,Edward McTiernanandH. V. Evatt.

In 1930, Knox was left half of the estate of his friend and mining magnateJohn Brown,which was reportedly worth more than a millionpounds,and in March 1930 he retired from the High Court in order to manage this business. Knox died inWoollahraon 27 April 1932 and is interred inWaverley Cemetery.He was survived by his wife and three children.

He was a book collector and his private library was considered one of the best in Sydney.

Honours

In 1918, Knox was made a Companion of theOrder of St Michael and St George(CMG), and in 1921 he was elevated to Knight Commander of that order (KCMG). He was appointed to thePrivy Council of the United Kingdomin 1920, allowing him to use the style "The Right Honourable".Knox was an inaugural inductee of theAustralian Racing Hall of Fame,which was established in 2001. The Adrian Knox Stakes is anAJCGroup 3AustralianThoroughbredquality handicaphorse racenamed in honour of Knox which is held annually atRandwick RacecourseinSydneyin September

References

• Serle, Percival(1949)."Knox, Adrian".Dictionary of Australian Biography.Sydney:Angus & Robertson.
• Australian Racing Hall of Fame –Sir Adrian Knox