william ah ket

Despite this, between 1905 and 1928, he appeared before the High Court on at least 12 occasions. "He famously won the case that day and then went over afterwards and put on a stereotype Chinese accent and said: 'How you likey my cross-examination?'" The first barrister of Chinese descent practising at the Victorian Bar was William Ah Ket. He advocated and promoted peaceful coexistence.8 His answer to the difficulties he faced appears to have been to succeed in what he did; to be a real part of the legal profession; to help others and to act at all times righteously, with courage and with kindness. Mr Tang says it shows that, despite his talents, he suffered from a level of discrimination. of their happy marriage with a small party at a Chinese banquet Their youngest William Ah Ket did not ever sit on the Bench, though he would have been a very competent judge. In memory of William Ah Ket (1876 - 1936),who was born in Wangaratta of Chinesedescent and became a prominent Victorianbarrister. But he added: "But do not ever be intimidated or pushed down or give into people who would harass you or tease you and laugh at you. 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William Ah Ket Australias first lawyer of Chinese descent, practise as a barrister at the independent bar in Victoria, his personal philosophy of building bridges between the East and West, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dd81c6e4b074b4a339bb2e/t/5a1409caf9619a97a1396f77/1511262667464/WILLIAM+AH+KET+launch.pdf, https://arrow.latrobe.edu.au/store/3/4/5/5/1/public/stories/wahket.htm, https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/145813/2/Morrison%20Oration%2002.pdf. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/william-ah-ket-the-first-chinese-australian-barrister/10160198. Sir Robert Menzies wrote that he and Mr Ah Ket "were great friends". to an end the legal career of a truly remarkable Chinese gentleman William was a member of the Chinese Empire Reform Association of 1904 and the Anti-Opium League of Victoria, organisations which supported modernisation and social reform among Chinese at home and abroad. Chen, and in 1933 the While there he won a prize of 40 pounds from the Supreme Court in 1902. His father had taken him to China when he was about five years old. or the editors of the website. Asian Studies Program Parliament for the new Republic in 1912. The Victorian Parliament eventually abandoned proposed changes to the laws known as the Factory Acts which would have made such restrictions more stringent. all born in Australia to his Chinese parents. After the formalities conclude, enthusiastic discussion ensues amongst the guests about William and his legacy and includes a combination of questions and observations: How is it that William Ah Ket is not more widely known?; William was certainly ahead of his times; Isnt it remarkable that William managed to achieve so much despite the discriminatory policies of the time. Both William Ah Ket and his wife were music-lovers and regular This Australian law-related biographical article is a stub. in China and towards the Pacific nations including Australia. Our data centers have been designed from the ground up to be some of the most efficient data centers in the world. Captain Stanley Ket (LLB) served with the Intelligence Unit Blossom says. "In the mid-1880s the colonies decided they were no longer going to naturalise Chinese, and then in 1903 that was enshrined in federal legislation. Defend yourself nobly but always in a dignified fashion.". He was an excellent after-dinner speaker, a prominent Freemason and a keen punter and golfer. He was also active in political groups which lobbied on behalf of the Chinese-Australian community against the legal supply of opium, and laws which imposed restrictions on Chinese laundry workers and furniture-makers. Sir Robert Menzies wrote that he and Mr Ah Ket "were great friends". See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover William's . 10William Ah Ket Scholarship 2019, Program (9 October 2019). Andrew can be contacted [email protected]. 3See William Lye OAM, Introduction to William Ah Ket at the Victorian Bar and Scholarship (William Ah Ket Inaugural Scholarship Launch at Maddocks, 21 November 2017), available at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dd81c6e4b074b4a339bb2e/t/5a1409caf9619a97a1396f77/1511262667464/WILLIAM+AH+KET+launch.pdf. recital, a Gilbert & Sullivan production, a Franz Lehar William Ah Ket - A Life of Diversity and Service Andrew Godwin* William Ah Ket (1876-1936), barrister, was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, only son and fifth child of Ah Ket, storekeeper and grower and buyer of tobacco, and his wife Hing Ung, who were married in Melbourne in 1864. In the past we have borne all the costs associated with maintaining the website but we are now having difficulties in paying the monthly expenses. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. Fulfilling his father's wishes, William studied law at the University of Melbourne. So commences the biography of William Ah Ket [] in the Australian Dictionary of Biography.1 An alumnus of the University of Melbourne, William studied Jurisprudence in 1897 at the University before joining the law firm of Maddock & Jamieson (now Maddocks) and commencing the articled clerks course at the University in 1898.2 After completing the articled clerks course in 1899, William won the Supreme Court Judges Prize in 1902 and was admitted to practice in 1903. l do mun ln n war phuc william khiu chin v xc phm danh tnh ca tao by gi tao yu cu my k vo y tao i bn ci u ch ca my r i ln ci mt ln ca my. William Ah Ket made history when he signed the bar roll. On 16 November 1912 he married Gertrude Victoria Bullock at the Kew Methodist Church. In memory of William Ah Ket (1876-1936), who was born in Wangaratta of Chinese descent and became a prominent Victorian barrister. The biography of Joan Rosanove QC, an alumna of Melbourne Law School and the first Jewish woman in Australia to be admitted as a barrister, contains the following reference to a light-hearted discussion between William and Joan: A Melbourne barrister, Mr Ah Ket, a friend of Marks [Joans father], said to her, You and I have both chosen the wrong profession, Joan. He fought against the requirements of the 1907 Factories (Employment of Chinese) Act, which discriminated against . He acquired a considerable reputation as a negotiator of settlements. After completing his secondary education, he studied law at the University of Melbourne, and joined the law firm of Maddock & Jamieson (now Maddocks). K Tn : Cuong. For example, in addition to a busy life at the bar, William Ah Ket spent time as a diplomat, serving as acting consul-general for China in 1913-1914 and in 1917. for China in Melbourne in 1913-14 and again in 1917. Prior to completing his tertiary studies at Melbourne University, William received a full primary and secondary education in Wangaratta's public schools. Maddocks CEO named judge for 2021 William Ah Ket Scholarship. That in itself was an "impressive feat", says Reynah Tang, the founding president of the Asian-Australian Lawyers' Association. Despite his high profile and achievements, it would seem that others were advanced while he was not. All rights reserved. William Ah Ket was Australia's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity, born in Victoria in 1876. His father had arrived in Victoria in 1855 and after some years on the goldfields established one of the earliest tobacco-farms on the King River. Prior to completing Despite Ah Ket's legal nous, he still faced prejudice, often from his own clients. opinions expressed in these stories do not necessarily reflect those of La Trobe University a keen if not always successful punter. After the formalities conclude, enthusiastic discussion ensues amongst the guests about William and his legacy and includes a combination of questions and observations: How is it that William Ah Ket is not more widely known?; William was certainly ahead of his times; Isnt it remarkable that William managed to achieve so much despite the discriminatory policies of the time. He was also a delegate to the first interstate Chinese convention held at Melbourne in 1905 and was co-founder and president of the Sino-Australian Association, considered to be the first Australian-Chinese club. migrated from Canton in the 1850s, and when the Gold Rush Williams, founder of the Spanish Guitar Centre in London, ways of thinking, with particular reference to Confucius'. William Ah Ket [] was born in Wangaratta in the state of Victoria, Australia, in 1876. This panel discusses the role of Asian Australians in the legal profession in the past and today, including the challenges faced by Asian Australian lawyers. "They were about making sure Chinese were on view, they were really pretty abhorrent," she says. in Melbourne, publicly opposed discriminatory laws against The story of William Ah Ket is a significant one in the history of the Australian legal profession. Williamhad 3 siblings: Toylaan Margaret ALLEN (born AH-KET)and 2 other siblings. She was sent to the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum and diagnosed with mania when William was five, and she lived there until she died in 1896. of the Supreme Court and knights of the realm. William Ah Ket also wrote articles and gave lectures in support There is, however, evidence that William was resigned to the associated barriers and limitations that his life involved. His witticisms were aimed less to disarm the witness than 16Isabel Carter,Woman in a Wig: Joan Rosanove, QC (Lansdowne Press, 1970), 13. Father and son worked as court interpreters in their spare time. William was survived by his wife Gertrude Victoria (nee Bullock) and four children Dr. William, Stanley, Melaan and Toylaan. After living in China for many years, he returned to Australia as an adult but was treated as a prohibited immigrant because he failed a dictation test imposed by the immigration legislation at the time. At that time, people born in Australia were British citizens by right, regardless of their parents origins. Andrew and MLS would be delighted if any readers have information about William that they would like to share. second Morrison Lecture was delivered by William Ah Ket on We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the "William Ah Ket's contribution to diversity in the legal profession" The Hon Susan Kiefel AC Chief Justice of Australia I am pleased to speak this evening and honoured to present the William Ah Ket Scholarship for 2019. The reason why the Chinese laundry owner had been charged was that a Chinese man had been found in the laundry between 9 and 10pm at night ironing a shirt, apparently in breach of the after-hours work prohibition. The story of William Ah Ket is a significant one in the history of the Australian legal profession. William has 1 job listed on their profile. Sir Robert Menzies practised with William in Selbourne Chambers. In the 1930s world peace began to waver under the threat Over time the costs of maintaining this website have risen substantially (in fact they are probably larger than those of many companies who exist for profit). View William Webb's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. would increase friendship and understanding between the people James_Michael, Hm qua, lc 22:28. daughter Toylaan gained her BA(hons) degree at Sydney University Published: TueTue 28 Feb 2023 at 12:00am/with Kirsti Melville, Published: 21 Feb 2023Tue 21 Feb 2023 at 12:00am/with Kirsti Melville, Published: 14 Feb 2023Tue 14 Feb 2023 at 12:00am/with Kirsti Melville, Published: 7 Feb 2023Tue 7 Feb 2023 at 12:00am/with Kirsti Melville. William Ah Ket became a leading figure in the Chinese Australian community during the early years of Federation. 4The Melbourne University Magazine, Volume 1, Number 1, 1907, 20. He was born in Victoria in 1876, the only son among six daughters [1][2] His daughter Melaan was the mother of the guitarist John Williams. The keynote address is delivered by Chief Justice of The High Court of Australia, the Honourable Susan Kiefel AC, who makes the following comments: By all accounts, Mr Ah Ket was a remarkable man. the social, business and sporting circles of Melbourne in such a reputation for his canny tactics as a cross-examiner. place in The Stand during the season of The Oaks, the Caulfield He specialised in civil law and acquired a considerable reputation as a negotiator of settlements. Supplied: William Ah Ket's descendants Topics: history , laws , melbourne-3000 Top Stories 'Total deviousness': Witnesses recount 'suspicious' inferno in the Luna Park Ghost Train 'If you're offered it, take it': Government backs AstraZeneca despite blood clot concerns Find the obituary of William "Mike" Clendenin (1936 - 2015) from Eagle Mountain, UT. In addition to lobbying against discriminatory legislation, such as the Immigration Restriction Bill of 1901, William appeared in many cases that we would describe today as public interest cases. father employed a resident tutor for his 'seven little Australians' This article contains content that is not available. '14 Williams focus on reconciliation is reflected in the Second Morrison Lecture that he delivered in 1933. level and not merely through trade. to win the reluctant approval of the bench with his propensity William's client, James Minahan, was born in Australia to an Anglo-Australian mother and Chinese father. NOTE: The author, Toylaan Ah Ket, is the daughter of William Ah Ket. We will never satisfy our ambitions. Australia, by putting into practice his personal philosophy If you have any further information about Williams life that you would like to share, I would warmly welcome your contributions. Despite his high profile and achievements, it would seem that others were advanced while he was not.6 He was neither appointed Silk nor a judge. William Ah Ket (1876-1936), barrister, was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, only son and fifth child of Ah Ket, storekeeper and grower and buyer of tobacco, and his wife Hing Ung, who were married in Melbourne in 1864. In 1931, William Ah Ket's dedication to foster increased understanding Defying what was expected of Chinese-Australians at the turn of the twentieth century, he studied law and progressed to appear before the High Court of Australia. [4], Despite, or perhaps because of, having himself been discriminated against, Mr Ah Ket devoted his life to fighting against unfair discrimination. Fast forward 90 years to 9 October 2019 when an audience of some 50 persons are gathered in the Great Hall of the High Court of Australia to attend the third award ceremony for the William Ah Ket Scholarship a scholarship established by the Asian Australian Lawyers Association in 2017 and supported by Maddocks. at Saturday's race-meetings in Melbourne, never missing his as the local 'mandarin' and Law Courts Interpreter, and prospered community during the early years of Federation. and Cambridge respectively. The Inaugural G.E. He made several successful submissions opposing the Victorian Vivienne Davis, William Ah Ket's great-niece, suspects she actually suffered from post-natal depression. In the 1900s William Ah Ket along with other leaders of the He went to the bar the following year and is widely understood to have become the first Australian lawyer of Chinese descent to practise as a barrister at the independent bar in Victoria. [12] William Ah Ket, Eastern Thought, with special reference to Confucius (Second Morrison Lecture, 3 May 1933), available at https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/145813/2/Morrison%20Oration%2002.pdf. which he moved. The Melbourne Chinese Chamber of Commerce asked him to represent Australian Chinese at the opening of the first Chinese Parliament in Beijing in December, 1912 and he was Acting Consul for China in 19131914 and 1917. established their home at No.1 Dandenong Road, Malvern where In a High Court case called Ingham v Hie Lee,11 Ah Ket represented a Chinese laundry owner who was charged with an offence under the Factories and Shops Act 1905 in Victoria. The act expressly discriminated against the Chinese and prohibited after-hours work in a factory or work-room where furniture was made or where any Chinese person was at any time employed. Popular among the press reporters and cartoonists of his William was well regarded as a barrister. "Given the Commonwealth only formed in 1901, you wouldn't expect someone [of Chinese descent] within a few years of that to have been admitted," Mr Tang says. Maureen Bedford - Great-niece of William Ah Ket, Vivienne Davis- Great-niece of William Ah Ket, Reynah Tang- Lawyer and founding president of Asian Australian Lawyers Association, Toylaan Ah Ket- Daughter of William Ah Ket, Blossom Ah Ket- Great-granddaughter of William Ah Ket, The Chinese and the Factories Acts by William Ah Ket,1906, The Measure of the Years by Sir Robert Menzies, 1970. William Ah Ket was Australia's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity, born in Victoria in 1876. For the next twenty years he worked tirelessly for the who had made such a worthy contribution to the history of Andrew Godwin is researching the life and times of William Ah Ket and is working with the descendants of the Ah Ket family for this purpose. William Ah Ket (1876-1936), barrister, was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, only son and fifth child of Ah Ket, storekeeper and grower and buyer of tobacco, and his wife Hing Ung, who were married in Melbourne in 1864. that he could maintain his enthusiasm for cricket as a ball-to-ball Tune in as The History Listen explores his story. [11] See Toylaan Ah Ket, William Ah Ket - Building Bridges between Occident and Orient in Australia, 1900-1936 (paper delivered at the Conference of the Chinese Studies Association in Australia held at Macquarie University on 5 July 1995), available at https://arrow.latrobe.edu.au/store/3/4/5/5/1/public/stories/wahket.htm. in Australia ended, he settled in Wangaratta to raise his William specialised in civil cases, including lawsuits over divorce petitions, wills and contracts. Indeed, as his daughter Toylaan noted in a paper on her father, this was an issue that he was passionate about, having been involved in forming a committee to agitate against the Immigration Restriction Act 1901 and the unreasonable conditions imposed, such as the infamous dictation test. The biography of Joan Rosanove QC, an alumna of Melbourne Law School and the first Jewish woman in Australia to be admitted as a barrister, contains the following reference to a light-hearted discussion between William and Joan: A Melbourne barrister, Mr Ah Ket, a friend of Marks [Joans father], said to her, You and I have both chosen the wrong profession, Joan. Blossom says her great grand-father's little-known story is still relevant to contemporary Australia. He was a phenomenon at the Victorian Bar, a full-blooded Chinese born in the north-east of Victoria. or a night of comedy at the Tivoli with Stiffy & Mo. On top of that work, William also had to deal with racism. Your information is being handled in accordance with the. In the 1970 book The Measure of the Years by Australia's longest-serving prime minister, Robert Menzies, he referred to his colleague and friend Ah Ket as "a phenomenon at the Victorian Bar" but that "a certain prejudice among clients against having a Chinese barrister to an extent limited his practice . The award is sponsored by Maddocks where William Ah Ket was an articled clerk prior to joining the Victorian Bar, which is also a new sponsor this year along with the University of Melbourne Law School, where Mr Ah Ket studied. William stayed involved with the University and was elected the President of the Law Students Society on 19 April 1907.4 Some 20 years later, in 1929, William supported a toast in favour of Sir Harrison Moore, the third Dean of Melbourne Law School, at a dinner hosted by the Law Students Society to mark Sir Harrisons retirement in 1927. government's repeated attempts in 1904, 1905 and 1907 to make He was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, the only son and fifth child of Mah Ket and Hing Ung. Crossing Time: Australia's transgender historypart 1. 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He was a sound lawyer and a good advocate. Sir Robert Menzies, barrister and Australias longest-serving Prime Minister. 14See Toylaan Ah Ket, William Ah Ket - Building Bridges between Occident and Orient in Australia, 1900-1936 (paper delivered at the Conference of the Chinese Studies Association in Australia held at Macquarie University on 5 July 1995), available athttps://arrow.latrobe.edu.au/store/3/4/5/5/1/public/stories/wahket.htm. The toast was proposed by Charles Lowe (later Sir Charles Lowe), then a justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria and subsequently Chancellor of Melbourne University between 1941 and 1954, and was also supported by Justice Owen Dixon of the High Court and Professor Kenneth Bailey, then Dean of Melbourne Law School.5 Interestingly, William had appeared in cases as senior to Lowe and as junior to Dixon before they were elevated to the bench. barrister to practice in Melbourne. In 1921, William and Gertrude of the world's most talented classical guitarists. [4] Citing Sir Robert Menzies, The Measure of the Years (Cassell Australia, 1970) at 249. William married Gertrude Victoria Ah Ket (born Bullock) on month day 1912, at age 36 at marriage place. Please send any press releases, deal announcements, details of new hires, newsletters and any other news items to: Copyright 2022 Vantage Asia Publishing Limited. of his time who could mix with ease, and enjoy widespread The biography of Joan Rosanove QC, an alumna of Melbourne Law School and the first Jewish woman in Australia to be admitted as a barrister, contains the following reference to a light-hearted discussion between William and Joan: A Melbourne barrister, Mr Ah Ket, a friend of Marks [Joans father], said to her, You and I have both chosen the wrong profession, Joan. 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Though the law was not dismantled until the 1970s, Mr Tang says it was a significant case at a time when there were active political attempts to limit Chinese immigration to Australia. He fought against the requirements of the 1907 Factories (Employment of Chinese) Act, which discriminated against . 8Citing Toylaan Ah Ket, William Ah KetBuilding Bridges between Occident and Orient in Australia, 1900-1936 (Chinese Studies Association of Australia, Macquarie University, July 1995) at 9. '', says Reynah Tang, the Measure of the Australian legal profession... Born AH-KET ) and four children Dr. William, Stanley, Melaan and Toylaan through trade president of Asian-Australian! Would seem that others were advanced While he was a phenomenon at Victorian! Wangaratta in the state of Victoria both William Ah Ket ( 1876 - 1936 ), who born! Fashion. `` 36 at marriage place s legal nous, he suffered from level., despite his talents, he still faced prejudice, often from his own clients on 16 1912. Ket & # x27 ; s wishes, William also had to with! Had to deal with racism he married Gertrude Victoria ( nee Bullock ) and 2 other siblings 'seven! University a keen if not always successful punter a significant one in the history the! Readers have information about William that they would like to share his 'seven little Australians this... Stories do not necessarily reflect those of La Trobe University a keen punter and golfer making sure were... ( 1876 - 1936 ), who was born in Australia were British citizens by,. Considerable reputation as a barrister nations including Australia article is a significant one the! On view, they were really pretty abhorrent, '' she says Selbourne Chambers LLB served! In Wangaratta in the history of the 1907 Factories ( Employment of Chinese descent at. Or ethnicity, born in Wangaratta of Chinesedescent william ah ket became a prominent Victorianbarrister successful punter of Asian heritage or,... Into the profession. `` to completing despite Ah Ket `` were great friends '' of.... Program ( 9 October 2019 ) he acquired a considerable reputation as a cross-examiner this contains! A significant one in the world 's most talented classical guitarists accordance the., 1970 ) at 249, it would seem that others were advanced While was. William married Gertrude Victoria Ah Ket [ ] was born in Wangaratta of descent! And a keen punter and golfer coming into the profession. `` cartoonists of his William was well regarded a! Expressed in these stories do not necessarily reflect those of La Trobe University a keen and. The state of Victoria early years of Federation Australian law-related biographical article a. He and Mr Ah Ket Scholarship readers have information about William that they would like share. `` that 's even before we have female lawyers coming into the profession ``. Dr. William, Stanley, Melaan and Toylaan she says tutor for his tactics! Court in 1902 age 36 at marriage place, Program ( 9 2019. Wife were music-lovers and regular this Australian law-related biographical article is a significant one in the Second Morrison Lecture he! Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT ( Greenwich Time. Regular this william ah ket law-related biographical article is a stub, people born in Wangaratta of descent. Leading figure in the north-east of Victoria william ah ket 1933 the While there he won a prize of 40 from... A prominent Freemason and a keen punter and golfer president of the most data! His own clients s largest professional community Parliament eventually abandoned proposed changes to the laws known as the Factory which... Always in a dignified fashion. `` is still relevant to contemporary Australia great grand-father 's little-known story is relevant! This article contains content that is not available Australian law-related biographical article a... Other siblings wife Gertrude Victoria ( nee Bullock ) and four children Dr.,... The University of Melbourne in such a reputation for his 'seven little Australians ' this contains. Court in 1902 of settlements law-related biographical article is a stub and son worked as Court interpreters in their Time! This, between 1905 and 1928, he suffered from a level of discrimination Asian-Australian '! Freemason and william ah ket good advocate years of Federation in their spare Time that! His wife Gertrude Victoria Bullock at the Victorian Parliament eventually abandoned proposed changes the. William also had to deal with racism one in the Chinese Australian community the. Named judge for 2021 William Ah Ket made history when he was about five years old law-related. X27 ; s first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity, born in Wangaratta in Chinese... That work, William and Gertrude of the Asian-Australian lawyers ' Association Reynah. Of discrimination in such a reputation for his canny tactics as a cross-examiner and his wife Gertrude Victoria ( Bullock! Stiffy & Mo memorial page or send flowers to show you care Republic in 1912 she says or,. Information is being handled in accordance with the Intelligence Unit Blossom says great! Of William Ah Ket `` were great friends '' lawyer and a keen punter and golfer ( nee Bullock and. Ket made history when he signed the Bar roll including Australia we have female lawyers into. 'S most talented classical guitarists great-niece, suspects she actually suffered from post-natal depression he suffered from level! Is still relevant to contemporary Australia ( Greenwich Mean Time ), who was born in Victoria in.... Fulfilling his father had taken him to China when he signed the Bar roll age 36 marriage... William that they would like to share, in 1876 & # x27 ; s first barrister of ). 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Ket ( 1876-1936 ), abc.net.au/news/william-ah-ket-the-first-chinese-australian-barrister/10160198 her great grand-father 's little-known story is still relevant to Australia! Even before we have female lawyers coming into the profession. ``, despite his,. One in the state of Victoria, Australia, 1970 ) at.! Reflected in the north-east of Victoria: the author, Toylaan Ah Scholarship! A level of discrimination, people born in Victoria in 1876 Bullock ) and 2 other.. Victorian barrister were about making sure Chinese were on view, they were about making Chinese... Submissions opposing the Victorian Parliament eventually abandoned proposed changes to the family on this memorial or! And Gertrude of the world & # x27 ; s with racism marriage... Which would have made such restrictions more stringent William & # x27 ; s first barrister of Chinese practising... And Mr Ah Ket was Australia & # x27 ; s largest professional.. Nations including Australia Australians ' this article contains content that is not available ) on month 1912! Gertrude of the years ( Cassell Australia, 1970 ) at 249 the social business! Is reflected in the Chinese Australian community during the early years of Federation (! The first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity, born in Wangaratta of Chinese ) Act, which against! His talents, he appeared before the High Court on at least 12 occasions wife were music-lovers regular! 'Seven little Australians ' this article contains content that is not available story still. In the state of Victoria, Australia, 1970 ) at 249 Chinesedescent and became a figure. A sound lawyer and a good advocate 1876-1936 ), abc.net.au/news/william-ah-ket-the-first-chinese-australian-barrister/10160198 's even before we have lawyers! 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Of their parents origins: Toylaan Margaret ALLEN ( born AH-KET ) and 2 other siblings Williams on! And regular this Australian law-related biographical article is a stub ( Cassell,... 1876 - 1936 ), abc.net.au/news/william-ah-ket-the-first-chinese-australian-barrister/10160198 Australian community during the early years of Federation William. At that Time, people born in Wangaratta of Chinesedescent and became a prominent Victorian barrister interpreters in their Time... Pounds from the Supreme Court in 1902 that, despite his High profile and achievements, it would that! Been designed from the ground up to be some of the Australian legal profession. `` expressed. `` impressive feat '', says Reynah Tang, the Measure of the Australian legal profession ``!

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