26 Facts About Richard Blackburn

Sir Richard Arthur Blackburn was an Australian judge, prominent legal academic and military officer.

Richard Blackburn became a judge of three courts in Australia, and eventually became chief justice of the Australian Capital Territory.

Richard Blackburn was the son of Brigadier Arthur Blackburn and Rose Ada Blackburn.

Richard Blackburn's father was at that time a prominent legal practitioner in South Australia, and was later to serve as a Commissioner of the now defunct Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration.

Richard Blackburn was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide and was an undergraduate at St Mark's College at the University of Adelaide.

Richard Blackburn graduated with First Class Honours in English Literature from the University of Adelaide.

Richard Blackburn won the John Howard Clark Prize as the candidate who was placed highest in the final examination.

Richard Blackburn was chosen as the Rhodes Scholar for South Australia in 1940, but did not take it up immediately because of the outbreak of the Second World War.

On 14 May 1940, during the Second World War, Richard Blackburn enlisted in the Australian Army at Adelaide.

Richard Blackburn was called to the Bar in the United Kingdom in Inner Temple in 1949.

Richard Blackburn was admitted as a legal practitioner in South Australia in 1951.

Richard Blackburn married his wife Bryony Helen Dutton Curkeet, the daughter of the late Henry Hampden Dutton and Emily Martin Dutton of Anlaby, Kapunda, South Australia, on 1 December 1951 at her brother's home at Anlaby.

Richard Blackburn became the Dean of the Faculty of Law in 1951 and served as Dean there until 1957.

Richard Blackburn's daughter and son were born while he was teaching at the Adelaide University.

Richard Blackburn was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 1 January 1965 in honour of his military service.

Richard Blackburn left academic life and was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory in 1966.

Richard Blackburn was appointed chief judge of Supreme Court on 7 November 1977.

Richard Blackburn was appointed chief justice on 7 May 1982 when that position replaced the former position of chief judge.

Richard Blackburn was the chairperson of the Law Reform Commission of the Australian Capital Territory from 1971 to 1976.

In 1979, Richard Blackburn authored a biographical entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography about his father.

Richard Blackburn was Patron of the St John Council for Australian Capital Territory from 1981 to 1984.

Richard Blackburn was knighted in the New Years Honours of 1983 for his services to the law.

Richard Blackburn became Chancellor of the Australian National University in 1984.

Richard Blackburn retired as Chief Justice due to ill health on 31 March 1985.

Richard Blackburn was invited to give the first Harrison Memorial Lecture at the Royal Military College at Duntroon after the Officer Training School was moved from Portsea.

Richard Blackburn was appointed notwithstanding his ill-health because of his skills and abilities.