James Stratford

James Stratford, PC (19 July 1869 – 17 January 1952) was a South African judge who briefly served as the Chief Justice of the Union of South Africa between 1938 and 1939.[1][2]:6


James Stratford

7th Chief Justice of South Africa
In office
1938–1939
Preceded byJohn Stephen Curlewis
Succeeded byNicolaas Jacobus de Wet
Judge of the Appellate Division
In office
1927–1938
Judge of the Transvaal Supreme Court and Transvaal Provincial Division
In office
1921–1927
Personal details
Born19 July 1869
Port Elizabeth, Cape Colony
Died17 January 1952 (aged 83)
NationalitySouth African
Alma materExeter College, Oxford
ProfessionKing's Counsel

Background

Born in Port Elizabeth, Stratford was educated at St Aiden's College, Grahamstown, then qualified as a surveyor before proceeding to Exeter College, Oxford, where he obtained a BA in Jurisprudence in 1897 and a BCL in 1898.[1] He was called to the English bar by the Inner Temple in 1898 and read in the chambers of George Cave (later the Viscount Cave), who was then a junior barrister at the Chancery bar. He returned to South Africa in 1901 and was admitted to the Cape bar, but transferred to Johannesburg in 1902. He was made King's Counsel in 1912.[1]

In 1921, Stratford was appointed a judge of the Transvaal Provincial Division of the Supreme Court of South Africa.[2]:6 In 1927 he was elevated to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.[1] In 1938 he was appointed Chief Justice of the Union of South Africa and sworn of the Privy Council, and retired the following year upon reaching the age of seventy.[1]

References

  1. Zimmermann, Reinhard (1996). Southern Cross: Civil Law and Common Law in South Africa. Clarendon Press. p. 124.
  2. "Mr. James Stratford". The Times (London). 18 January 1952 via Gale.
Legal offices
Preceded by
John Curlewis
Chief Justice of South Africa
1938–1939
Succeeded by
Nicolaas Jacobus de Wet
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