Gerald John Joseph O'Sullivan

Brief description

PER-126

Full description

Gerald John Joseph O'Sullivan was born on 13 October 1891 at Wangaratta, Victoria, the son of George Rollo O'Sullivan and his wife, Theresa Mary nee Willis. He was educated at Wangaratta, Victoria, and the University of Sydney (LLB 1927). As a youth he farmed in Victoria and the Riverina District of New South Wales. (1)

O'Sullivan joined the Commonwealth Public Service on 12 December 1912. He was working as a clerk in the War Pensions Office, in Bligh Street, Sydney when he enlisted in the First Australian Imperial Force at Sydney Showground on 13 June 1916. Originally with the 35th Battalion, he arrived in England on 27 March 1917. On 23 August 1917 he arrived in France, in September was attached to the Anzac Wireless Section and eventually transferred to the 4th Division Signalling Company. He arrived back in Australia on 15 October 1919 and was discharged from the Army on 20 December 1919. He rejoined the Commonwealth Public Service and in 1920 was again working in the Pensions and Maternity Allowances Branch in Sydney. He was at one stage Legal Officer at the Repatriation Department, Sydney, and spent five years on the staff of the Commonwealth Crown Solicitor. From 1922 to 1927 he studied law at the University of Sydney. (2)

O'Sullivan was admitted to New South Wales Bar on 6 June 1928 and to the Queensland Bar. He established his law practice after resigning from the Commonwealth Public Service in 1928. He was a Captain in the Australian Army Legal Corps in 1937 and during World War II served on court martial trials and as a legal officer in the Army. He was Chairman of the Commonwealth's War Pensions Entitlement Appeal Tribunal No.1 from 1 June 1942 to 31 May 1947. He was a member of the Commonwealth's Taxation Board of Review until 1950. (3)

O'Sullivan was appointed a New South Wales District Court Judge and Chairman of Quarter Sessions on 27 February 1950. On 2 January 1952 he was one of five District Court judges appointed as Acting Judges of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. He served from 7 to 25 January. In December 1952, six District Court judges were used as Acting Supreme Court judges during the Supreme Court's Vacation period to reduce the backlog of Common Law cases. O'Sullivan served from 12 January to 1 February 1953. (4)

O'Sullivan's publications included 'The laws of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1901-1931...' (4 volumes) with Brian Joseph McGrath and William John Dignam (Sydney, 1932-33) and 'War pensions entitlement appeals under the Australian Soldiers' Repatriation Act 1920-1943' (Sydney, 1944). (5)

O'Sullivan died in office on 11 September 1960, survived by his wife Angela Winifred Mary nee Moylan, whom he married on 19 November 1927, and one son and three daughters. (6)

Endnotes
1. Who's Who in Australia, Melbourne, Herald and Weekly Times Ltd, 1944, p.643; 1947, p.658; 1950, p.554-5; 1955, p.596; 1959, p.619; University of Sydney Calendar, 1922, p.658; 1923, p.524; 1925, pp.544-5; 1926, p.546; 1927, pp.550-51; 1928, p.849, http://calendararchive.usyd.edu.au/index.php (cited 12 May 2008); HJH Henchman, A Court Rises: the lives and times of the judges of the District Court of New South Wales Supplement No.1. 1959-1982, Judge 58, Syd., Law Foundation of New South Wales, 1982, n.p.
2. Commonwealth Gazette, No.88, 18 October, 1920, pp.1486, 1878, Archive CD Books, (1920) 2004; National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920; 'OSullivan, Gerald John Joseph', http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/ItemDetail.asp?M=0&B=7997790&NS=Y&T=1 (cited 8 May 2008); Henchman, op.cit.; University of Sydney Calendar, op.cit.
3. Who's Who, op.cit.; Barrister and Solicitors Admission Boards; NRS 13665, Roll of Barristers, 17 February 1927-10 June 1955; Reel 2147, p.2; New South Wales Law Almanac for 1929, Sydney, NSW Government Printer, 1929, p.64; Henchman, op.cit.; 'National Archives of Australia - Agency notes for Agency CA 104', Taxation Board of Review No.1 [N.S.W.], http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/AgencyDetail.asp?M=3&B=CA+104 (cited 16 May 2008); National Archives of Australia, Minutes of meeting of full cabinet held at Parliament House, Canberra on Tuesday 5th May 1942 at 2.30pm, 'Digital copy of item with barcode 7500883', http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp (cited 16 May 2008); 'National Archives of Australia - Agency notes for Agency CA 643', War Pensions Entitlement Appeal Tribunal No 1, http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/AgencyDetail.asp?M=3&B=CA+643 (cited 16 May 2008).
4. New South Wales Law Almanac for 1956, Sydney, NSW Government Printer, 1956, p.59; State Reports New South Wales, Sydney, Law Book Company of Australasia Pty Ltd, Vol.52 (1952); Attorney General's Department [III]; NRS 333, Letters received - Special Bundles, 1874-1984; [12/4598.3] Employment of Acting Judges, 1952-1960.
5. Who's Who, op.cit.
6. ibid; Henchman, op.cit.

Notes

Chairman, Commonwealth's War Pensions Entitlement Appeal Tribunal No.1, 01/06/1942 - 31/05/1947
Member, Commonwealth's Taxation Board of Review, - 1950
District Court Judge, New South Wales, 27/02/1950 - 11/09/1960
Chairman of Quarter Sessions, New South Wales, 27/02/1950 - 11/09/1960
Acting Judge, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 07/01/1952 - 25/01/1952, 12/01/1953 - 01/02/1953