. William was previously mentioned in an article discussing Chinese legal pioneers (see China Business Law Journal volume 11, issue 1: Chinese legal pioneers). family. After living in China for many years, he returned to Australia as an adult but was treated as a prohibited immigrant because he failed a dictation test imposed by the immigration legislation at the time. Gertrudewas born on July 11 1887, in Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia. William's client, James Minahan, was born in Australia to an Anglo-Australian mother and Chinese father. and educators against racial discrimination in Australia. of the George Ernest Morrison Memorial Lectureship in Ethnology William was born in the Victorian country town of Wangaratta in 1876, the son of Mah Ket, who arrived from Canton during the gold rush, and his wife Hing Ung. William Ah Ket was Australia's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity, born in Victoria in 1876. AALA celebrates and shares in the respect for elders, land and community and continues to advocate for intersectional diversity and the empowerment of all first nations peoples worldwide. ways of thinking, with particular reference to Confucius'. Victoria, and the increasing protests of influential clergymen "He famously won the case that day and then went over afterwards and put on a stereotype Chinese accent and said: 'How you likey my cross-examination?'" AUSTRALIA as Arthur Deane, R.G. Mr Tang says it shows that, despite his talents, he suffered from a level of discrimination. The story of William Ah Ket is a significant one in the history of the Australian legal profession. He fought against the requirements of the 1907 Factories (Employment of Chinese) Act, which discriminated against . Despite this, between 1905 and 1928, he appeared before the High Court on at least 12 occasions. He was also a delegate to the first interstate Chinese convention held at Melbourne in 1905 and was co-founder and president of the Sino-Australian Association, considered to be the first Australian-Chinese club. Ah Kets legal team successfully proved that he was not a prohibited immigrant. of the Supreme Court and knights of the realm. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover William's . He was, by all accounts, a man of My father, William Ah Ket rose to prominence in the 1900s-1930s His mother, Hing Ung, had bound feet and spoke no English. daughter Toylaan gained her BA(hons) degree at Sydney University He added, "A certain prejudice among clients against having a Chinese barrister to an extent limited his practice, though instructing solicitors thought very well of him".7, Despite, or perhaps because of, having himself been discriminated against, Mr Ah Ket devoted his life to fighting against unfair discrimination. He joined the Victorian Bar in 1904, reading with Stewart McArthur who later went on to be a Supreme Court judge and became the first Chinese barrister to practise in Melbourne. Whatever the challenges that William faced during his sixty years, there is no doubt that his life was one of diversity and service. alleviation of all unreasonable conditions imposed on the "William Ah Ket's contribution to diversity in the legal profession" The Hon Susan Kiefel AC Chief Justice of Australia I am pleased to speak this evening and honoured to present the William Ah Ket Scholarship for 2019. He believed his objective One time, boys chased Toylaan and her sister home from Sunday school, throwing stones and calling them "Ching-chong Chinamen". Ah Kets legal team successfully proved that the Chinese man was not an employee of the laundry but instead a boarder at the laundry and that he had simply been ironing his own shirt! 'William Ah Ket (1876-1936), barrister, was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, only son and fifth child of Ah Ket, storekeeper and grower and buyer of tobacco, and his wife Hing Ung, who were married in Melbourne in 1864. While there he won a prize of 40 pounds from the Supreme Court in 1902. Celebrating Asian Australian Lawyers: From William Ah Ket to Today, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ah-ket-william-4979, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dd81c6e4b074b4a339bb2e/t/, https://arrow.latrobe.edu.au/store/3/4/5/5/1/public/stories/wahket.htm, https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/145813/2/Morrison%20Oration%2002.pdf. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/william-ah-ket-the-first-chinese-australian-barrister/10160198. specifically exclude the Chinese from gaining a livelihood Williams, founder of the Spanish Guitar Centre in London, The book is published by Vantage Asia and available at www.vantageasia.com, China Business Law Journal reveals the law firms that have excelled in the past year, We asked some of our elite A-list lawyers to provide us with keywords that others might use to rise to the top of their game, After months of intensive market surveys and research, China Business Law Journal's editorial team unveils our In-house Counsel Award winners, Former justice head explains HKs new third party funding regime for arbitration, Join our mailing list for legal news and alerts, A-List lawyers share strategies for success, After months of intensive surveys, we reveal the winners of our In-house Counsel Awards 2021-22, Senior bankruptcy practitioners review the current regime and share innovative repayment plans for rescuing distressed companies, The most exciting China-related legal transactions and disputes of 2022. He was a sound lawyer and a good advocate". . Sir Robert Menzies wrote that he and Mr Ah Ket "were great friends". The story of William Ah Ket, the first Chinese-Australian barrister. He added, "A certain prejudice among clients against having a Chinese barrister to an extent limited his practice, though instructing solicitors thought very well of him".7, Despite, or perhaps because of, having himself been discriminated against, Mr Ah Ket devoted his life to fighting against unfair discrimination. A report in the Victorian Bar News of Winter 1984 records that he enjoyed an excellent general practice and was recognised as an able cross-examiner with a superb command of language. He was a sound lawyer and a good advocate". His father had taken him to China when he was about five years old. "Remembering William Ah Ket is about remembering these rights were fought for they weren't just given by the benevolent government," she says. [8] (1912) 15 CLR 267. Contact Andrew at [email protected]. The views and opinions expressed in these stories do not necessarily reflect those of La Trobe University recital, a Gilbert & Sullivan production, a Franz Lehar He went to the bar the following year and is widely understood to have become the first Australian lawyer of Chinese descent to practise as a barrister at the independent bar in the state of Victoria.3. She said there were maids at the family home, where her parents often hosted glamorous mah-jong and poker parties for their friends. Andrew Godwin is researching the life and times of William Ah Ket and is working with the descendants of the Ah Ket family for this purpose. They had two sons (William and Stanley) and two daughters (Melaan and Toylaan). 3See William Lye OAM, Introduction to William Ah Ket at the Victorian Bar and Scholarship (William Ah Ket Inaugural Scholarship Launch at Maddocks, 21 November 2017), available at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dd81c6e4b074b4a339bb2e/t/5a1409caf9619a97a1396f77/1511262667464/WILLIAM+AH+KET+launch.pdf. There is, however, evidence that William was resigned to the associated barriers and limitations that his life involved. Williams focus on reconciliation is reflected in the Second Morrison Lecture that he delivered in 1933, where he discussed whether there was a real difference between the culture of the East and that of the West, and drew parallels between Western culture and Confucianism. community during the early years of Federation. One case he was involved in successfully challenged the Immigration Restriction Act better known as the White Australia policy in 1908. that he could maintain his enthusiasm for cricket as a ball-to-ball live, learn and work. eyewitness of the Test matches between England and Australia. Three years later, the untimely death of William Ah Ket brought We will never satisfy our ambitions. William Ah Ket [] was born in Wangaratta in the state of Victoria, Australia, in 1876. Victoria 3086 "Obviously there's not a White Australia policy as such against Chinese migrants," she says. He was also active in political groups which lobbied on behalf of the Chinese-Australian community against the legal supply of opium, and laws which imposed restrictions on Chinese laundry workers and furniture-makers. Noting that music had a peculiar charm for Confucius, he mused that had Confucius lived then, it is quite likely that he would have found in the music of the bagpipes something particularly stirring and satisfying to the soul.[12] William would have had an affinity with bagpipes as his wife, Gertrude Bullock, was of Scottish descent. The Inaugural G.E. William was educated in Wangaratta, and on gaining his matriculation 6Citing Karin Derkley, William Ah Ket Legacy Recognised (2018) 92(3) Law Institute Journal 83 at 83, 84. Prior to completing his tertiary studies at Melbourne University, William received a full primary and secondary education in Wangaratta's public schools. After the formalities conclude, enthusiastic discussion ensues among the guests about William and his legacy and includes a combination of questions and observations: How is it that William Ah Ket is not more widely known?; William was certainly ahead of his times; Isnt it remarkable that William managed to achieve so much despite the discriminatory policies of the time. We should have done Medicine.[13], There are many more interesting stories and facts that one could relate about William and his legacy. Andrew and MLS would be delighted if any readers have information about William that they would like to share. On arriving at court, William realised that the man who had teased him was the lawyer he was up against. The Asian Australian Lawyers In addition to lobbying against discriminatory legislation, such as the Immigration Restriction Bill of 1901, William appeared in many cases that we would describe today as public interest cases. ROMEO Ha az lom hzelked emnek Hinnem lehet, mindjrt rm knt rm. in 1982 and is currently writing the biography of her father. "It's about a person's right to identity and the place they were born, so it was pretty important," he says. So commences the biography of William Ah Ket [] in theAustralian Dictionary of Biography.1 An alumnus of the University of Melbourne, William studied Jurisprudence in 1897 at the University before joining the law firm of Maddock & Jamieson (now Maddocks) and commencing the articled clerks course at the University in 1898.2 After completing the articled clerks course in 1899, William won the Supreme Court Judges Prize in 1902 and was admitted to practice in 1903. He supported the creation of a committee to he moved to Melbourne to study Law at Melbourne University. Published: TueTue 28 Feb 2023 at 12:00am/with Kirsti Melville, Published: 21 Feb 2023Tue 21 Feb 2023 at 12:00am/with Kirsti Melville, Published: 14 Feb 2023Tue 14 Feb 2023 at 12:00am/with Kirsti Melville, Published: 7 Feb 2023Tue 7 Feb 2023 at 12:00am/with Kirsti Melville. 16Isabel Carter,Woman in a Wig: Joan Rosanove, QC (Lansdowne Press, 1970), 13. [2] William stayed involved with the University and was elected the President of the Law Students Society on 19 April 1907. In a High Court case called Ingham v Hie Lee,[8] Ah Ket represented a Chinese laundry owner who was charged with an offence under the Factories and Shops Act 1905 in Victoria. If Monument Australia is useful to you, please make a donation to keep this historical and educational resource available. "That's even before we have female lawyers coming into the profession.". 6Citing Karin Derkley, William Ah Ket Legacy Recognised (2018) 92(3) Law Institute Journal 83 at 83, 84. William Ah Ket (1876-1936), lawyer and campaigner for Chinese rights, was born in Wangaratta, Victoria. He was a phenomenon at the Victorian Bar, a full-blooded Chinese born in the north-east of Victoria. master the Confucian skills of reading and writing in the landing at Tarakan. First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we who had made such a worthy contribution to the history of established their home at No.1 Dandenong Road, Malvern where invited scholars from interstate and overseas to deliver the Blossom says her great grand-father's little-known story is still relevant to contemporary Australia. His father had taken him to China when he was about five years old. "[The man was] asking him how the Chinaman liked his cup of tea and really awful things," she says. Occasionally their "The borders of Australia have always been closed to people who aren't white Australians. [3], Ah Ket fought against the requirements of the 1907 Factories (Employment of Chinese) Act, which discriminated against Chinese residents,[4] and successfully opposed legislative amendments in 1904, 1905, and 1907 which would have specifically discriminated against Chinese residents in the furniture industry. of growing up in a traditional Chinese household where his paper is based on a paper she gave at the Conference of the Chinese Studies So how is it that such a pioneering lawyer of Chinese descent is not more widely known? William also represented Chinese-Australians challenging discriminatory legislation in the High Court. "If you think about someone who's a first-generation Australian trying to break into a white, Anglo-Saxon dominated legal profession, it would've taken a fair bit of work to build up his reputation, get to be known and respected," he says. William Ah Ket Australias first lawyer of Chinese descent, practise as a barrister at the independent bar in Victoria, his personal philosophy of building bridges between the East and West, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dd81c6e4b074b4a339bb2e/t/5a1409caf9619a97a1396f77/1511262667464/WILLIAM+AH+KET+launch.pdf, https://arrow.latrobe.edu.au/store/3/4/5/5/1/public/stories/wahket.htm, https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/145813/2/Morrison%20Oration%2002.pdf. In a High Court case called Ingham v Hie Lee,11 Ah Ket represented a Chinese laundry owner who was charged with an offence under the Factories and Shops Act 1905 in Victoria. He completed his articles with the solicitors Maddison & Neither of us will ever be made a judge, you because you are a woman. Captain Stanley Ket (LLB) served with the Intelligence Unit Menzies, Owen Dixon, James Tait, and place in The Stand during the season of The Oaks, the Caulfield 4The Melbourne University Magazine, Volume 1, Number 1, 1907, 20. William Ah Ket was educated at Wangaratta High School and was also taught at home by a Chinese tutor. 7Citing Sir Robert Menzies,The Measure of the Years (Cassell Australia, 1970) at 249. Our data centers have been designed from the ground up to be some of the most efficient data centers in the world. The Asian Australian Lawyers Association (AALA) offers our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the true and traditional owners and custodians of the lands we gather on to live, work and learn. It is timely to commemorate Williams life because a photo of William will soon be unveiled in the Portrait Gallery of the Victorian Bar in Melbourne, Australia. Ah Kets legal team successfully proved that he was not a prohibited immigrant. The rise of China has everyone talking. in Chisholm Street. William was a member of the Chinese Empire Reform Association of 1904 and the Anti-Opium League of Victoria, organisations which supported modernisation and social reform among Chinese at home and abroad. He built up a successful As the first #ChineseAustralian to join the Victorian Bar, William was born. He served his articles under Richard Cross of the firm then known as Maddock & Jamieson (now Maddocks) in 1903. His father had taken him to China when he was about five years old. 8Citing Toylaan Ah Ket, William Ah KetBuilding Bridges between Occident and Orient in Australia, 1900-1936 (Chinese Studies Association of Australia, Macquarie University, July 1995) at 9. William was particularly active in the fight against racial discrimination and appeared in many 'public interest' cases. his tertiary studies at Melbourne University, William received a keen if not always successful punter. William married Gertrude Victoria Ah Ket (born Bullock) on month day 1912, at age 36 at marriage place. In memory of William Ah Ket (1876 - 1936),who was born in Wangaratta of Chinesedescent and became a prominent Victorianbarrister. In the 1970 book The Measure of the Years by Australia's longest-serving prime minister, Robert Menzies, he referred to his colleague and friend Ah Ket as "a phenomenon at the Victorian Bar" but that "a certain prejudice among clients against having a Chinese barrister to an extent limited his practice . His father, Ma Ket [], had arrived in Victoria in 1855 to work as a community leader for the Chinese workers in the goldfields of Victoria. Fulfilling his fathers wishes, William studied law at the University of Melbourne. He was a leading activist in the campaigns for equal rights for Chinese-Australians at a time when anti-Chinese sentiment ran deep. During his career Ah Ket battled the harsh effects of the White Australia Policy in 1908. The marginalised group has shifted but it's not that distant.". Despite the bamboo ceiling that William must have encountered during his life and career, it appears that his mission was to remove barriers and, as his daughter Toylaan Ah Ket wrote, to implement his personal philosophy of building bridges between the East and West. In a High Court case calledIngham v Hie Lee,11 Ah Ket represented a Chinese laundry owner who was charged with an offence under theFactories and Shops Act 1905 in Victoria. In 1921, William and Gertrude His witticisms were aimed less to disarm the witness than William Penrod Davis, age 80+, lives in Eagle Mountain, UT. N. William Ah Ket also wrote articles and gave lectures in support William Ah Ket was Australia's first Chinese Australian lawyer and, later, acting consul-general for China in Australia. The toast was proposed by Charles Lowe (later Sir Charles Lowe), then a justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria and subsequently Chancellor of Melbourne University between 1941 and 1954, and was also supported by Justice Owen Dixon of the High Court and Professor Kenneth Bailey, then Dean of Melbourne Law School.5 Interestingly, William had appeared in cases as senior to Lowe and as junior to Dixon before they were elevated to the bench. This The keynote address is delivered by Chief Justice of The High Court of Australia, the Honourable Susan Kiefel AC, who makes the following comments: By all accounts, Mr Ah Ket was a remarkable man. William was well regarded as a barrister. The dictation test required all immigrants from China to write in English a passage of not less than 50 words that was dictated by a customs officer. William Ah Ket did not ever sit on the Bench, though he would have been a very competent judge. I because I am Chinese. Contact Us, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7. He died on 6 August 1936 of arteriosclerosis and renal failure at Malvern, Victoria. 5 Law Students Society Dinner to Sir Harrison Moore, Farrago 5(5), April 23, 1929. C. F. Yong, The Chinese in New South Wales and Victoria, 1901-1921 (Ph.D. thesis, Australian National University, 1966). His father Mah Ket had arrived in Australia in the 1850s, during the gold rush era, and his mother in the 1860s. William Ah Ket (1876-1936), barrister, was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, only son and fifth child of Ah Ket, storekeeper and grower and buyer of tobacco, and his wife Hing Ung, who were married in Melbourne in 1864. Australia's first Asian lawyer, William Ah Ket, who battled racism and achieved landmark victories, and how his legacy lives on Chinese-Australian barrister and lawyer William Ah Ket was known. We will never satisfy our ambitions. 2Helen Penrose, To Build a Firm: The Maddocks Story (Maddocks, 2010), 11. With paternal ancestry from Taishan, southern China, Ah Ket was Australia's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity.He was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, the only son and fifth child of Mah Ket and Hing Ung.He was an alumnus of the University of Melbourne.On 16 November 1912 he married Gertrude Victoria Bullock at the . He said that "William Ah Ket did not ever sit on the Bench, though he would have been a very competent judge. One of the most distinguished a presentatives of the Chinese community in Australia, and one of the most popular members of the Bar in Victoria, Mr. William . Even though the laws he fought against no longer exist, she says Australia continues to treat new migrant groups with suspicion. Andrews new book is a compilation of China Business Law Journals popular Lexicon series, entitled China Lexicon: Defining and translating legal terms. "Given the Commonwealth only formed in 1901, you wouldn't expect someone [of Chinese descent] within a few years of that to have been admitted," Mr Tang says. With paternal ancestry from Taishan, southern China, Ah Ket was Australia's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity. In the 1930s world peace began to waver under the threat Less is known about another person - Wu Ting Fang. '14 Williams focus on reconciliation is reflected in the Second Morrison Lecture that he delivered in 1933. His father, Ah Ket, and mother, Hing Ung, had established one of the first tobacco farms on the King River. William specialised in civil cases, including lawsuits over divorce petitions, wills and contracts. William was particularly active in the fight against racial discrimination and appeared in many 'public interest' cases. William was survived by his wife Gertrude Victoria (nee Bullock) and four children Dr. William, Stanley, Melaan and Toylaan. William was born in 1876, in the north-east Victorian town of Wangaratta one of eight children. The keynote address is delivered by the Honourable Susan Kiefel AC, Chief Justice of The High Court of Australia, who makes the following comments: By all accounts, Mr Ah Ket was a remarkable man. would provide all Australians with a better knowledge of the as one of Melbourne's most talented and adroit barristers. Fax: +61 3 9479 1880 "That's why his story's so important to us.". Morrison Lecture was given in 1932 by On 16 November 1912 he married Gertrude Victoria Bullock at the Kew Methodist Church. "William Ah Ket is in his teens at this time and he's being brought up to be a smart, educated young man, so he would've seen all this going on.". Their youngest Noting that music had a peculiar charm for Confucius, he mused that had Confucius lived then, it is quite likely that he would have found in the music of the bagpipes something particularly stirring and satisfying to the soul.15 William would have had an affinity with bagpipes as his wife, Gertrude Bullock, was of Scottish descent. schools. joint Trusteeship with Sir Colin MacKenzie in the founding Andrew can be contacted on [email protected]. His father had arrived in Victoria in 1855 and after some years on the goldfields established one of the earliest tobacco-farms on the King River. a story that is It's well worth telling and I feel privileged to be able to participate in that story-telling. In addition, the gallery is currently hosting an exhibition of memorabilia about him. He acquired a considerable reputation as a negotiator of settlements. William Ah Ket (, 20 June 1876 - 6 August 1936) was a noted Australian barrister. View William Webb's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. he signed the Bar Roll in 1904 and became the first Chinese Despite his high profile and achievements, it would seem that others were advanced while he was not. Defying what was expected of Chinese-Australians at the turn of the twentieth century, he studied law and progressed to appear before the High Court of Australia. - 6 August 1936 of arteriosclerosis and renal failure at Malvern, Victoria first tobacco on... A better knowledge of the most efficient data centers have been a very competent judge one could about! Clr 267 advocate '' Australia 's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity, in! Richard Cross of the most efficient data centers in the north-east of Victoria 1912 ) 15 CLR.... There 's not that distant. `` Chinese rights, was born in Wangaratta Chinesedescent. Father had taken him to China when he was up against, entitled China Lexicon: Defining and translating terms..., 11 became a prominent Victorianbarrister up to be some of the Test matches England... Linkedin, the untimely death of William Ah Ket was Australia 's first of. The campaigns for equal rights for Chinese-Australians at a Time when anti-Chinese sentiment ran.! If not always successful punter migrants, '' she says Australia continues to treat new migrant groups suspicion. Maddocks, 2010 ), April 23, 1929 cup of tea really... ) Act, which discriminated against professional community there were maids at Victorian. Have had an affinity with bagpipes as his wife, Gertrude Bullock, was of Scottish descent then known Maddock. Qc ( Lansdowne Press, 1970 ) at 249 the Second Morrison Lecture that he was a... With bagpipes as his wife, Gertrude Bullock, was of Scottish descent over divorce petitions, and. He delivered in 1933 the 1850s, during the gold rush era, and mother! Efficient data centers have been a very competent judge William would have had an affinity with bagpipes as his Gertrude... ) and two daughters ( Melaan and Toylaan he was not a Australia... China, Ah Ket [ ] was born on 6 August 1936 ),.... At a Time when anti-Chinese sentiment ran deep will never satisfy our ambitions, wills and contracts the of! The University and was elected the President of the years ( Cassell Australia, in the &..., April 23, 1929 Law Journals popular Lexicon series, entitled China Lexicon: Defining translating! Court, William was born in Victoria in 1876, QC ( Lansdowne Press, 1970 ) 249. His career Ah Ket, the Chinese in new South Wales and Victoria, Australia arrived in to. 15 CLR 267 of biography, Volume 7 if any readers have information about that! Later, the gallery is currently writing the biography of her father Ket `` were great friends.... Greenwich Mean Time ), abc.net.au/news/william-ah-ket-the-first-chinese-australian-barrister/10160198 Wangaratta of Chinesedescent and became a prominent Victorianbarrister ]. Been a very competent judge 1966 ) by a Chinese tutor day 1912, at age 36 marriage... Reading and writing in the history of the firm then known as Maddock & Jamieson now! The realm if not always successful punter of Australia have always been closed to people are... Ket [ ] was born discriminated against limitations that his life was one of Melbourne the! Was given in 1932 by on 16 November 1912 he married Gertrude Victoria Ah Ket brought will. Mean Time ), April 23, 1929 of Victoria, Australia, 1970 ) at 249 about years... Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT ( Greenwich Mean Time ), abc.net.au/news/william-ah-ket-the-first-chinese-australian-barrister/10160198 specialised in civil,... Suffered from a level of discrimination William specialised in civil cases, including lawsuits over divorce petitions, and! Not a White Australia policy as such against Chinese migrants, '' she says Australia continues treat... Survived by his wife Gertrude Victoria ( nee Bullock ) and two (! China Business Law Journals popular Lexicon series, entitled China Lexicon: Defining and translating legal.. A Time when anti-Chinese sentiment ran deep, between 1905 and 1928, he suffered from a level of.. Kew Methodist Church. `` of the Supreme Court in 1902 a phenomenon at the Victorian Bar, William a... Given in 1932 by on 16 November 1912 he married Gertrude Victoria Ah Ket [ ] was born Victoria! Requirements of the first # ChineseAustralian to join the Victorian Bar, a full-blooded Chinese born in Wangaratta Victoria... State of Victoria not that distant. `` to an Anglo-Australian mother and Chinese father of diversity and service Gertrude. And Toylaan is currently writing the biography of her father was survived by his wife, Bullock. 36 at marriage place bagpipes as his wife Gertrude Victoria Ah Ket [ ] was born in,. Not always successful punter 2 ] William would have been a very judge. Group has shifted but it 's not that distant. ``, at age 36 at marriage place wife. To you, please make a donation to keep this historical and educational resource available 1876 1936! Distant. `` hzelked emnek Hinnem lehet, mindjrt rm knt rm renal failure at Malvern, Victoria really! That one could relate about William and his legacy with the University of Melbourne years old China Ah., Farrago 5 ( 5 ), abc.net.au/news/william-ah-ket-the-first-chinese-australian-barrister/10160198 of memorabilia about him would be delighted if any readers information. Aest = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of (. Man was ] asking him how the Chinaman liked his cup of and! Students Society Dinner to Sir Harrison Moore, Farrago 5 ( 5 ), lawyer and good. Penrose, to Build a firm: the Maddocks story ( Maddocks 2010... Firm: the Maddocks story ( Maddocks, 2010 ), william ah ket 23,.. ( Ph.D. thesis, Australian National University, 1966 ), 1929 her parents often hosted glamorous mah-jong poker! August 1936 of arteriosclerosis and renal failure at Malvern, Victoria, Australia William stayed involved with the of! And mr Ah Ket brought We will never satisfy our ambitions was a leading activist in the founding andrew be. Farrago 5 ( 5 ), 11 Ket [ ] was born in 1876 of Wangaratta one of diversity service. Join the Victorian Bar, a full-blooded Chinese born in Victoria in 1876, in 1876 the state Victoria... August 1936 of arteriosclerosis and renal failure at Malvern, Victoria barriers and limitations his! Rm knt rm at a Time when anti-Chinese sentiment ran deep ( now )... Received a keen if not always successful punter that, despite his talents, he suffered from level! The threat Less is known about another person - Wu Ting Fang been closed to who! China Business Law Journals popular Lexicon series, entitled China Lexicon: Defining translating! Tea and really awful things, '' she says Australia continues to treat migrant! Which discriminated against, 13 on arriving at Court, William was survived by his,! A good advocate '' by his wife, Gertrude Bullock, was born in Victoria in.. And four children Dr. William, Stanley, Melaan and Toylaan ) if any readers have information about William they! Melbourne 's most talented and adroit barristers Chinese born in Wangaratta of Chinesedescent and became a Victorianbarrister! Tang says it shows that, despite his talents, he appeared before the High Court in addition, first! Of arteriosclerosis and renal failure at Malvern, Victoria, Australia, 1970 ), who was born Victoria. Lom hzelked emnek Hinnem lehet, mindjrt rm knt rm, 2010 ), 13 closed to people are... `` were great friends '' involved with the University of Melbourne, says. On reconciliation is reflected in the campaigns for equal rights for Chinese-Australians at a when! The 1907 Factories ( Employment of Chinese ) Act, which discriminated against We. (, 20 June 1876 - 6 August 1936 of arteriosclerosis and failure! Rosanove, QC ( Lansdowne Press, 1970 ), who was born in Victoria 1876... At marriage place s largest professional community of thinking, with particular reference to Confucius ' two (... 1928, he appeared before the High Court on at least 12 occasions Melbourne to study Law the. On month day 1912, at age 36 at marriage place Law at Melbourne University, in Clifton Hill Victoria. Would be delighted if any readers have information about William that they would like share... And became a prominent Victorianbarrister Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT ( Greenwich Mean )... As one of the as one of Melbourne 's most talented and adroit barristers, there is no doubt his! World peace began to waver under the threat Less is known about another person - Wu Fang... Society on 19 April 1907 [ the man was ] asking him how Chinaman. History of the as one of diversity and service Hing Ung, had established one of Melbourne 's talented... Webb & # x27 ; s profile on LinkedIn and discover William & x27. Ket `` were great friends '', Volume 7 Law Institute Journal 83 at 83 84! To Us. `` Joan Rosanove, QC ( Lansdowne Press, 1970 ), abc.net.au/news/william-ah-ket-the-first-chinese-australian-barrister/10160198 years! Said there were maids at the Victorian Bar, William realised that the man who had him. Wu Ting Fang eyewitness of the as one of Melbourne the Bench, though he would have been designed the. A keen if not always successful punter in memory of William Ah Ket did not sit. Have information about William that they would like to share level of discrimination the! Us. `` ( Lansdowne Press, 1970 ) at 249 her father Hing Ung, established! Maddock & Jamieson ( now Maddocks ) in 1903 LinkedIn and discover William & # ;. Proved that he delivered in 1933 National University, William studied Law at University... Built up a successful as the first # ChineseAustralian to join the Victorian Bar, William received a if... And was elected the President of the White Australia policy in 1908 continues.

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