Richard Windeyer

Brief description

PER-128

Full description

Richard Windeyer was born at Darlinghurst, Sydney, New South Wales, on 9 September 1868, the eldest son of Sir William Charles Windeyer and his wife Mary Elizabeth nee Bolton. He was educated at Sydney Grammar School and at St Paul's College, the University of Sydney (BA 1891). He was an active student, involved with the Sydney University Union (executive committee member 1889-1890), the University Boat Club (committee member 1889, Honorary Secretary 1890), the University Tennis Club (committee member 1889), and the Sydney University Sports Union (committee member 1890). (1)

On 19 September 1891, Windeyer became Associate to his father who was then Senior Puisne Judge and Judge in Divorce and Matrimonial Causes at the Supreme Court of New South Wales. On 1 January 1893, Richard Windeyer was also appointed Clerk Associate at the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Court. He held these positions until 12 August 1894. Called to the New South Wales Bar on 10 August 1894, he practised primarily in common law, criminal jurisdiction and divorce, out of Denman Chambers and on the Northern Circuit. He was a member of the Council of the Bar of New South Wales in 1910/11. His appointment as a King's Counsel was approved by the Executive Council on 11 July 1917. He retired from his law practise in 1946. (2)

Between 23 November 1936 and 15 February 1937 Richard Windeyer was an Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. (3)

Richard Windeyer was an active supporter of Australian Federation and had a life long interest in the reform of the Constitution. He served on the Senate of the University of Sydney from December 1934 and November 1944 and helped establish the University of Sydney Archives. He was also a councillor for the Prisoners' Aid Association, and stood in 1929 for the Federal seat of Warringah as the Australian Peoples' Party candidate. He was Patron of the Repertory Movement and by 1947 president of the Players Club. By 1941 he was a Fellow of the Royal Economic Society. (4)

Richard Windeyer died at Gordon, New South Wales, on 8 November 1959, survived by four sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Charles, died in World War I in 1917, at Passchendaele. (5)

Endnotes
1. Cyclopedia of New South Wales, Syd., McCarron, Stewart and Co., 1907, Modbury, SA, Archive CD Book Australia Pty Ltd, 2007, p.319; Who's Who in Australia, Herald and Weekly Times, Melbourne, 1933-34, p.326; 1935, p.496; 1938, p.535; 1941, p.700; 1944, p.858; 1947, pp.881-2; 1950, p.765; 1955, p 818; 1959, p.860; J. M. Bennett, 'Windeyer, Richard (1868 - 1959)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12, Melbourne University Press, 1990, pp 539-540; University of Sydney Calendar, 1888, pp.162, 215; 1889, pp.225-6, 343-4, 347; 1890, pp.260-61; 356-8; 1891, pp.278-9, 314, 327; 1892, p.386, http://calendararchive.usyd.edu.au/index.php (cited 4 January 2010).
2. New South Wales Blue Book for the year 1894, Syd., NSW Govt Printer, 1895, pp.157-8; Barristers Admission Board; NRS 13665, Roll of Barristers, 15 June 1876 - 1 December 1926; Reel 2147, p.9; New South Wales Law Almanac, Syd., NSW Govt Printer, 1892, p.25; 1894, p.25; 1895, p.38; 1897, p.39; 1911, pp.43, 59-60; 1917, pp.64-5; 1918, p.65; 1925, p.69; 1948, p.76; 1959, p.95; Attorney General's Department [III]; NRS 333, Letters received - Special Bundles, 1874-1984; [10/42918] Correspondence re appointment of King's Counsels, 1898-1941; ADB, op.cit.
3. NSW Government Gazette, No.189, 20 November 1936, p.4801.
4. ADB, op.cit.; Who's Who in Australia, op.cit.
5. ibid.

Notes

Acting Judge, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 23/11/1936 - 15/02/1937