Edward Albert Stone

Sir Edward Albert Stone KCMG (9 March 1844 – 2 April 1920) was an Australian lawyer, lieutenant governor, politician and the fourth Chief Justice of Western Australia.^[1]

Stone was born in Perth, Western Australia, the second son^[2] and third of nine children of^[1] George Frederick Stone, an early attorney-general of the colony of Western Australia.^[2] Edward Stone was educated at Chigwell School, Essex, England and then joined his father's Perth law firm^[1] in 1860 and was called to the bar in 1865. Stone was clerk of the Legislative Council 1870-74, and acting attorney-general, and acting judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia 1879-1883.^[1]

Stone was appointed a puisne judge of the Supreme Court in 1883 and succeeded Sir Alexander Onslow as Chief Justice in 1901, a position he held until 1906 when health problems forved his retirement.^[1] Stone once addressed a man appearing in his own defence: 'You may be poor, but you are still entitled to justice'.^[1] Stone was made a knight bachelor in 1902.^[3] In 1912 he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG).^[4]

In addition to his career as a lawyer and judge, Stone was a member of the Church of England and was involved in various philanthropic, educational and cultural movements in Western Australia.

Stone died in Perth, aged 76, on 2 April 1920 and was survived by his wife, Susannah Shenton.^[1]

References

1. F. M. Robinson, 'Stone, Sir Edward Albert (1844 - 1920)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12, MUP, 1990, p. 98. Retrieved 28 March 2010
2. Alfred H. Chate, 'Stone, George Frederick (1812 - 1875)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 2, MUP, 1967, p. 489. Retrieved 28 March 2010
3. It's an Honour: Knight Bachelor
4. It's an Honour: KCMG

• Serle, Percival (1949). "Stone, Edward Albert". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus and Robertson.

See also

• Judiciary of Australia