Richard Meares Sly

Brief description

PER-17

Full description

Richard Meares Sly was born on 17 December 1849 at Sydney, son of Joseph Sly and his first wife Jane nee Meares. He was educated at Sydney Grammar School (1864-1867), the University of Sydney (BA First Class Honours 1871, MA 1876, LLD 1877) and the University College, London (LLB 1875). (1)

Sly was an award winning student. He won a University Scholarship in 1868, the 1869 Lithgow Scholarship, a University Scholarship in 1870 and the 1870 Barker Scholarship for mathematics. He graduated in 1871 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with double First Class Honours: in Classics and in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, winning the University Prize of twenty-five pounds in each. As well he won G Allen's medal for Greek Iambics twice (1869 and 1870) and Professor Pell's prize for Mathematics (1871). In April 1872 he won the Gilchrist Scholarship, enabling him to study for three years at the University College, London, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Letters in 1875.(2)

Sly was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple, London, on 7 June 1875 and obtained a studentship in Jurisprudence and Roman Law. He returned to Sydney on board the 'Zealandia' on 19 June 1876 and was admitted to the New South Wales Bar on 21 June 1876. (3) As well as setting up his law practice, he studied at University of Sydney for his Master of Arts (1876) and his Doctorate of Law (1877). (4)

Sly practised out of Wentworth Court (from at least 1882 to 1894) and Wigram Chambers (1895 to 1908). He specialised in Common Law. His appointment as a Kings Counsel was approved by the Executive Council on 6 January 1904 and gazetted on 1 February. (5)

Sly was active in legal education. An examiner in law and equity for the Barristers' Admission Board in 1888, he was a member of the Board in 1890, 1894 and 1896. He was also a member of the Solicitors' Admission Board in 1889 and 1890. He was one of the foundation members of the original New South Wales Bar Association, begun in July 1896. Later he was a member of its successor, the Council of the Bar of New South Wales (1902-03 and 1905-06). (6)

Sly was an Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1898, 1899, 1901, 1906 and 1907-08. He was an Acting Judge of the Supreme Court at the Court of Gaol Delivery in Sydney on 30 May 1898 and at Circuit Courts held at Broken Hill (3 October 1898), Grafton (18 October 1898 and 19 April 1899), Maitland (from 2 April 1901) and again at the Court of Gaol Delivery in Sydney (Darlinghurst) by 19 April 1901. From 12 to 31 March 1906 he was an Acting Judge in civil issues. In 1907 he was an Acting Judge in every jurisdiction of the Court from 1 June till 20 October. He was also an Acting Judge at the Central Criminal Court, Darlinghurst, from 25 November 1907 till the end of its sittings. (7)

Sly was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court from 11 February 1908, sitting primarily in the Common Law. He retired on 16 December 1920, although he appears to have gone on retiring leave from 17 December 1919. (8)

Sly died on 11 October 1929 at Burradoo, survived by his wife Constance Adelaide nee Mullens whom he married on 21 December 1886 at Burwood, and their four daughters. (9)

Endnotes
1. Fred Johns, Johns's Notable Australians, various, 1906, pp. 156-7; 1908, pp.281-2, 335; Fred Johns, Fred Johns's Annual, various, 1912, p.25; 1913, p.117; 1914, p.188, Who's Who in the Commonwealth of Australia, 1922, p.249, Syd., Angus and Robertson, 1922; Cyclopedia of New South Wales, Syd., McCarron, Stewart and Company, 1907, Modbury, SA, Archive CD Book Australia Pty Ltd, 2007, p.306; John Kennedy McLaughlin, 'Sly, Richard Meares (1848-1929)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol.11, p.636, Carlton, Melbourne Uni Press, 1988.
2. University of Sydney Calendar, 1876-77, pp.29, 30, 33, 38, 42, 45, 50, Addenda; 1878-79, pp.98, 100, 102, 172, http://calendararchive.usyd.edu.au/index.php cited 10 March 2009.
3. Who's Who in Australia, op.cit.; Shipping Master's Office; NRS13278, Passengers arriving 1855-1922; [X135 Zealandia 19 June 1876] Reel 434.
4. Barristers Admission Board; NRS 13665, Roll of Barristers, 15 June 1876 - 1 December 1926; Reel 2147, p.1; University of Sydney Calendar, 1878-79, op.cit.
5. New South Wales Law Almanac, Syd., NSW Government Printer, 1882, p.25; 1885, p.25; 1887, p.29; 1895, p.38; 1905, p.47; 1908, p.51; Attorney General's Department [III]; NRS 333, Letters received - Special Bundles, 1874-1984; [10/42918] Correspondence re appointment of King's Counsels, 1898-1941; NSW Government Gazette, No.93, 16 February 1904, p.1375.
6. New South Wales Law Almanac, op.cit., 1888, p.24; 1889, p.24; 1890, p.30; 1894, p.31; 1896, p.32; 1903, p.37, 1906, p.41; JM Bennett (ed.), A History of the New South Wales Bar, Sydney, Law Book Company Ltd and NSW Bar Association, 1969, pp.140-145.
7. NSW Government Gazette, No.453, 27 May 1898, p.4081; No.837, 27 September 1898, p.7667; No.318, 15 April 1899, p.3027; No.276, 30 March 1901, p.2729; No.338, 23 April 1901, p.3262; No.125, 14 March 1906, p.1744; No.68, 5 June 1907, p.3063; No.116, 18 September 1907, p.5237; No.148, 27 November 1907, p.6439.
8. NSW Government Gazette, No.19, 12 February 1908, p.925; State Reports New South Wales, 1907, Vol.7, Syd., Law Book Company of Australasia Ltd; New South Wales Law Almanac for 1947, Syd., NSW Government Printer, 1947, p.38; John Kennedy McLaughlin, 'Sly, Richard Meares (1848-1929)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, op.cit.
9. ibid.

Notes

Acting Judge, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 30/05/1898, 03/10/1898, 18/10/1898, 19/04/1899, 02/04/1901, 19/04/1901, 12/03/1906 - 31/03/1906, 10/06/1907 - 20/10/1907, 25/11/1907 - 31/12/1907
Judge, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 11/02/1908 - 16/12/1920.