Kenneth Street (jurist)

Street was born on 28 January 1890 in Woollahra, the eldest son of Sir Philip Whistler Street and his Melburnian wife Belinda Maud (née Poolman). He attended Sydney Grammar School and Sydney Law School (B.A., 1911; LL.B., 1914), winning scholarships in law.[4] On 29 September 1914, he enlisted to serve in the First World War with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in France.[2] He was appointed lieutenant of the 18th (North Sydney) Infantry Regiment in December 1915, and promoted to captain in September 1917, serving in the Adjutant General's Department, Army Headquarters, Melbourne.[5] His elder brother Lieutenant Lawrence Whistler Street was a fellow Sydney Law School student who enlisted before him and was killed in action during the Gallipoli campaign at age 21.[6] Street named his son Laurence in his brother's honour.[5]

Between 1921 and 1927, Street lectured part time at Sydney Law School. Meanwhile, he continued his career in the Militia as a legal staff officer (1922–28) and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.[4] Street enjoyed a wide general practice and would have taken silk but for his appointment to serve on the reconstituted Industrial Commission of New South Wales from 16 December 1927. He was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on 7 October 1931. He thus joined the bench of which his father was then Chief Justice, the first and only such case in Australian history.[7] In 1949, as senior puisne judge, Street acted as Chief Justice when Sir Frederick Jordan died. Confirmed in that office from 6 January 1950, he was sworn in on 7 February, thus becoming the second of three consecutive generations of the Street family to serve as Chief Justice and Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales.[7]

Street family grave.

As well as being a jurist, he was a considerable scholar outside the law, being an authority on the writings of Pepys and an accomplished Latinist.[3] In 1951, he was made a Knight of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. In 1952, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Sydney. In 1956, he was made Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.[7] He retired from the bench on his 70th birthday, as did his father.[8] Sir Kenneth died peacefully on 15 February 1972 and had a state funeral at St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney.[9] Street House at Cranbrook School, Sydney was named in his honour.[10]

Street married Jessie Mary Grey Lillingston, daughter of Charles Alfred Gordon Lillingston and Mabel Harriet Ogilvie, who was in turn the daughter of Australian politician Edward David Stuart Ogilvie and Theodosia Isabella Ogilvie (née de Burgh).[11] His wife was a prominent diplomat who served as Australia's first female delegate to the United Nations. They had four children, including Sir Laurence Whistler Street and Phillippa Whistler Street, who married the Australian Test cricketer and journalist Jack Fingleton.[12]