Dwyer was born on 24 June 1879 at Aberfeldy, Victoria, the elder son of Thomas Dwyer (b.1842 in Tipperary, Ireland) and Elizabeth Donaldson (b. 1855 in Melbourne, Australia). In Aberfeldy, the children were orphaned when their mother died in September 1884 and their father died just over a year later, in December 1885. Both parents are buried in the Aberfeldy Cemetery. Dwyer and his younger brother and sister were taken in by their mother's Scottish parents, David and Annie Donaldson, in nearby Morwell.[1]
Seeing his academic achievements at the Morwell primary school, his grandmother enrolled him at Geelong College in 1890, where he excelled at cricket and football in addition to his academic work.[2] Dwyer graduated as dux of the school in 1893, aged 14.
In 1894 he attended the University of Melbourne gaining a law degree, and became an articled clerk in 1897.[2]
Legal and military careeredit
Dwyer was called to the Victorian Bar in 1902[3] but relocated to Western Australia in 1904 following an offer of employment with Fremantle barrister (and MP) Matthew Moss. He was admitted to the Western Australian Bar in the same year.[3]
In 1908 Dwyer married Emily Louise Munro Irgens at St John's Church in Fremantle.[2] The couple had no children, and their story has been kept alive by the Irving family,[1] since Dwyer's aunt, Mary Edith Donaldson had married George Irving, a grazier, in 1906.
After a brief period with Albany law firm Hayes and Robinson Dwyer returned to Fremantle as junior partner to Moss in 1911.
During World War II, Dwyer enlisted with the Australian Imperial Forces on 30 May 1916 shortly after the ANZAC withdrawal from Gallipoli, and was commissioned as a lieutenant a year later. Arriving in France four months before Armistice Day, Dwyer served with the 44th Battalion during the closing stages of the German counteroffensive and in the immediate aftermath of the war itself. He returned to Australia in early 1919 and was officially demobilised on 23 July.
After the war Dwyer resumed his legal practice as a senior partner of the firm Moss, Dwyer, Unmack and Thomas and was selected by the Barristers Board as a member of the three-person committee to consider the establishment of a law school at the University of Western Australia.[3]
He became a lecturer at the new law school in 1928 and in 1929 was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court.[3]
Dwyer retired from the Court on 28 February 1959 at the age of 79. He continued his support and active involvement in the cultural and sporting life of his community.[1]
He died on 25 August 1966 at his home in Shenton Park. After a state funeral[5] he was buried with his wife, in the Karrakatta Cemetery.[6] Many of his personal papers and photographs were donated to the Old Court House Law Museumn in Perth by Caroline ELizabeth Pummer, a journalist and Dwyer's wife's niece.
^ abcDwyer, Sir John Patrick (1879 - 1966). Australian Dictionary of Biography. 2006. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
^ abcd(PDF). Supreme Court of Western Australia. June 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
^ Mather, K 2019, 'One gene leads to another', Lanarkshire Family History Society Journal, February, Issue 69, pp. 3-8.
^'Leading WA citizen dies', Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Friday 26 August 1966, p.1.
^Mather, K 2020, "Tipperary meets Lanarkshire in Australia: the kith and kin of Sir John Dwyer KCMG", Genealogical Society of Ireland Journal, vol. 21, pp. 5-15.
john, dwyer, australian, judge, other, people, with, similar, names, john, dwyer, john, patrick, jack, dwyer, kcmg, june, 1879, august, 1966, native, aberfeldy, victoria, became, chief, justice, lieutenant, governor, state, western, australia, from, 1945, 1959. For other people with similar names see John Dwyer Sir John Patrick Jack Dwyer KCMG 24 June 1879 25 August 1966 was a native of Aberfeldy Victoria who became Chief Justice and Lieutenant Governor of the State of Western Australia from 1945 to 1959 Contents 1 Early life 2 Legal and military career 3 Retirement 4 References 5 See alsoEarly life editDwyer was born on 24 June 1879 at Aberfeldy Victoria the elder son of Thomas Dwyer b 1842 in Tipperary Ireland and Elizabeth Donaldson b 1855 in Melbourne Australia In Aberfeldy the children were orphaned when their mother died in September 1884 and their father died just over a year later in December 1885 Both parents are buried in the Aberfeldy Cemetery Dwyer and his younger brother and sister were taken in by their mother s Scottish parents David and Annie Donaldson in nearby Morwell 1 Seeing his academic achievements at the Morwell primary school his grandmother enrolled him at Geelong College in 1890 where he excelled at cricket and football in addition to his academic work 2 Dwyer graduated as dux of the school in 1893 aged 14 In 1894 he attended the University of Melbourne gaining a law degree and became an articled clerk in 1897 2 Legal and military career editDwyer was called to the Victorian Bar in 1902 3 but relocated to Western Australia in 1904 following an offer of employment with Fremantle barrister and MP Matthew Moss He was admitted to the Western Australian Bar in the same year 3 In 1908 Dwyer married Emily Louise Munro Irgens at St John s Church in Fremantle 2 The couple had no children and their story has been kept alive by the Irving family 1 since Dwyer s aunt Mary Edith Donaldson had married George Irving a grazier in 1906 After a brief period with Albany law firm Hayes and Robinson Dwyer returned to Fremantle as junior partner to Moss in 1911 During World War II Dwyer enlisted with the Australian Imperial Forces on 30 May 1916 shortly after the ANZAC withdrawal from Gallipoli and was commissioned as a lieutenant a year later Arriving in France four months before Armistice Day Dwyer served with the 44th Battalion during the closing stages of the German counteroffensive and in the immediate aftermath of the war itself He returned to Australia in early 1919 and was officially demobilised on 23 July After the war Dwyer resumed his legal practice as a senior partner of the firm Moss Dwyer Unmack and Thomas and was selected by the Barristers Board as a member of the three person committee to consider the establishment of a law school at the University of Western Australia 3 He became a lecturer at the new law school in 1928 and in 1929 was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court 3 On 1 January 1946 Dwyer was appointed Chief Justice of Western Australia He was knighted in the same year and further honoured with a KCMG in 1949 4 Retirement editDwyer retired from the Court on 28 February 1959 at the age of 79 He continued his support and active involvement in the cultural and sporting life of his community 1 He died on 25 August 1966 at his home in Shenton Park After a state funeral 5 he was buried with his wife in the Karrakatta Cemetery 6 Many of his personal papers and photographs were donated to the Old Court House Law Museumn in Perth by Caroline ELizabeth Pummer a journalist and Dwyer s wife s niece References edit a b c The Morwell Historical Society News 1973 Compiled by IT Maddern accessed 30 Aug 2018 http www morwellhistoricalsociety org au newsletters Vol121973 pdf a b c Dwyer Sir John Patrick 1879 1966 Australian Dictionary of Biography 2006 Retrieved 6 January 2008 a b c d The Supreme Court of Western Australia Centenary of the Completion of Construction and Opening of the Supreme Court Building on 8 June 1903 PDF Supreme Court of Western Australia June 2003 Archived from the original PDF on 29 August 2007 Retrieved 6 January 2008 Mather K 2019 One gene leads to another Lanarkshire Family History Society Journal February Issue 69 pp 3 8 Leading WA citizen dies Canberra Times ACT 1926 1995 Friday 26 August 1966 p 1 Mather K 2020 Tipperary meets Lanarkshire in Australia the kith and kin of Sir John Dwyer KCMG Genealogical Society of Ireland Journal vol 21 pp 5 15 See also editJudiciary of AustraliaLegal officesPreceded bySir John Northmore Chief Justice of Western Australia1945 1959 Succeeded bySir Albert Wolff Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Dwyer Australian judge amp oldid 1035764268, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
