John Jefferson Bray
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The Honourable Dr John Jefferson Bray (16 September 1912-26 June 1995) was an Australian poet, lawyer, academic, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia.
Born in Adelaide, South Australia into a family with a history of involvement in South Australian politics and affairs, Bray was grandson of former Premier of South Australia, the Honourable Sir John Cox Bray, and the elder son of Harry Midwinter Bray (1879-1965), an Adelaide stock broker, and his wife, Gertrude Eleanore Stow (member of a family of Congregationalist missionaries in South Australia). On his mother's side, he claimed a collateral relationship to Thomas Jefferson, 3rd U.S. president.
Dr Bray was educated at state school, Seven Hills, St Peter's College, Adelaide, and the University of Adelaide (B.A., 1932; Hons. LL.B, 1933; LL.D., 1937; hon. doctorate, 1983).
He trained as a lawyer, and was admitted to the South Australian Bar in 1933. He was acting lecturer in jurisprudence, University of Adelaide (1941, 1943, 1945, and 1951). He was created a Q.C. (1957). He served as a lecturer in Legal History, University of Adelaide (1957-1958); lecturer in Roman Law there (1959-1966). He was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia (served 1967-1978), and Chancellor of the Univerity of Adelaide (1968). He also served as Deputy to the Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia from 1968 until retirement. He retired from the judiciary on 28 November 1978.
He was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (1979), and is said to have refused a knighthood. He described his views as "æsthetic - traditional; social - emancipated; political - fluctuating" and his philosophies as "sceptical, some tendencies to Platonism".
His publications reflected his interests which he listed as "poetry, history, classics", and were "Poems" (Melbourne, Cheshire Press, 1962); "Poems 1961-1971" (Brisbane, Jacaranda Press, 1972); "Poems 1972-1979" (1979). He was also joint-editor, "No. 7 Friendly Street Poetry Reader" (Adelaide University Press, 1977, and 1978). He also made contributions to "Well and Truly Tried" (festschrift for Sir Richard Eggleston)(1982), "Adelaide Law School Centenary Essays" (Adelaide University Press, 1983), and to the "Australian Law Journal",
Dr Bray never married. His address was 39, Hurtle Square, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia. He died in Adelaide.
Sources
"Australian Who's Who" (see also similar Australia, British, and international biographical publications), and "The Bray Family of England, Canada, and Australia" (1986), deposited in the libraries of the Hampshire Family History Society and the South Australian Society for Genealogy and Heraldry.
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