Peter Ayton Leslie

Brief description

PER-192

Full description

Peter Ayton Leslie was born on 17 September 1916 at Longreach, Queensland, the son of Walter Cyril Landsborough Leslie and Louise Gertrude nee Ayton. He was educated at Coogee Preparatory School, Scots College, Sydney, and the University of Sydney (BA 1938, LLB 1st Class Honours 1946). At Scots College, he represented the school in debating, athletics and football, and was head prefect in 1934. At University he took part in athletics from 1935 to 1937, football, and was a member of the reserve grade hockey team in 1938 and 1939. He was a committee member of the Sydney University Sports Union in 1937/38 representing the Athletics Club. He was in his Fourth Year at the Faculty of Law when he enlisted in the Australian Army in 1940. He completed his Fourth Year exams in December 1944 and December 1945. (1)

Leslie enlisted in the Australian Army on 31 May 1940 as a gunner, a position he had held in the Sydney University Regiment in 1939-1940. At the time of his discharge on 1 February 1945, he was a Lieutenant with the 2/4th Field Regiment. He served in the Middle East, New Guinea and Australia and was a gunnery instructor at the Second Australian Army School of Artillery and Land Headquarters School of Artillery as an acting Captain. (2)

From 1937 to 1940, Leslie was employed in the offices of Clayton, Utz and Company, Solicitors. In 1945 he was Associate to Justice Ernest David Roper and in 1946 read with BP Macfarlan. Leslie was admitted to the New South Wales Bar on 8 March 1946, initially setting up practice in Lanark House, 148 Phillip Street, Sydney, and from 1958 on the ninth floor of Wentworth Chambers. He was a Council member of the New South Wales Bar Association from 1966/67 to 1970/71, and of its Reading Committee and Ethics Committee. (3)

Leslie was active in legal education. He was a Tutor and Part-time Teaching Fellow at the University of Sydney from 1947 to 1958. He was a reporter for NSW Weekly Notes and State Reports New South Wales from 1948 to 1958. He co-authored 'Motor Vehicle Law in New South Wales', with Malcolm MG Britts. Leslie was involved with the first three editions (1st 1955, 2nd 1960 and 3rd 1969). (4) 

On 2 February 1971, Leslie was appointed a Judge of the District Court and Chairman of Quarter Sessions in the Central District Circuit, including Parramatta, Penrith, Campbelltown and Gosford. He retired on 25 July 1982 due to ill health from a heart condition. (5)

Leslie was active in the community. He was president of the Lane Cove Parents and Citizens Association from 1954 to 1955, president of the North Sydney Boys High School Parents and Citizens Association from 1959 to 1963, and president of the Northern Suburbs District Council of Parents and Citizens Associations from 1960 to 1963. He was Commodore of the Lane Cove 12ft Sailing Skiff Club from 1966 to 1971 and by 1971 was a Life Member of the Club. He took part in several Sydney to Hobart races. (6)

Leslie died at the Mater Hospital, Sydney, on 4 March 1993, survived by his wife Marion Ida nee Johns, whom he married on 19 July 1940, and two sons. (7)

Endnotes
1. Who's Who in Australia, Melbourne, The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd, 1971, p.586; 1974, p.631; 1977, p.660; 1980, p.517; 1983, p.518; 1985, p.514; 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 95, Syd., Law Foundation of New South Wales, 1982, n.p.; Australian Law Journal, Vol.67, p.484 (June 1993); 'Peter Ayton Leslie', Clan Leslie Society of Australia and New Zealand, http://www.clanleslie.org/peter%20ayton%20leslie.html (cited 25 July 2008); University of Sydney Calendar, 1935, p.774; 1936, pp.539-40, 544, 608, 811; 1937, pp.430, 436, 440, 502, 680, 684, 786; 1938, pp.466, 709; 1939, pp.367, 482, 584, 740, 1077; 1940, pp.258, 323; 1943-47 Exam results, pp.90, 164, http://calendararchive.usyd.edu.au/index.php (cited 27 May 2008).
2. 'Leslie, Peter Ayton', Department of Veterans Affairs World War 2 Nominal Roll, http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/script/veteran.asp?ServiceID=A&VeteranID=137968 (cited 25 July 2008); HJH Henchman, op.cit..
3. HJH Henchman, ibid; Barrister and Solicitors Admission Boards; NRS 13665, Roll of Barristers, 17 February 1927 - 10 June 1955; Reel 2147, p.23; New South Wales Law Almanac, Sydney, NSW Government Printer, 1946, p.40; 1950, p.62; 1967, p.80; 1968; p.80; 1969, p.80; 1970, p.80; 1971, p.80.
4. University of Sydney Calendar, op.cit., 1952, p.49; HJH Henchman, op.cit.; State Report New South Wales, Sydney, Law Book Company Ltd, 1948-1958; Vol.48-58; Libraries Australia, http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au/apps/kss (cited 25 July 2008).
5. New South Wales Law Almanac for 1972, Sydney, NSW Government Printer, 1972, p.73; Australian Law Journal, Vol.45, p.52, January 1971; HJH Henchman, op,cit.
6. Who's Who in Australia, op.cit.; HJH Henchman, op.cit; Australian Law Journal, Vol.67, p.484, June 1993.
7. 'Peter Ayton Leslie', Clan Leslie Society of Australia and New Zealand, op.cit.; Australian Law Journal, Vol.67, p.484, June 1993; Who's Who in Australia, op.cit..

Notes

Tutor and part-time Teaching Fellow, University of Sydney, 1947 - 1958.
Judge of the District Court of New South Wales, 02/02/1971 - 30/06/1973
Chairman of Quarter Sessions, New South Wales, 02/02/1971 - 30/06/1973
Judge of the District Court of New South Wales Civil Jurisdiction, 01/07/1973 - 25/07/1982
Judge of the District Court of New South Wales Criminal Jurisdiction, 01/07/1973 - 25/07/1982