William Ah Ket (1876-1936), lawyer and campaigner for Chinese rights, was born in Wangaratta, Victoria. Chinese people. "They were about making sure Chinese were on view, they were really pretty abhorrent," she says. After his return Cheong Andrew can be contacted on a.godwin@unimelb.edu.au. We will never satisfy our ambitions. He was a sound lawyer and a good advocate". He joined the Victorian Bar in 1904, reading with Stewart McArthur who later went on to be a Supreme Court judge and became the first Chinese barrister to practise in Melbourne. Fast forward 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 and supported by Maddocks. landing at Tarakan. One time, boys chased Toylaan and her sister home from Sunday school, throwing stones and calling them "Ching-chong Chinamen". He advocated and promoted peaceful coexistence. Keblem kirja ken l a trnjn S eg nap oj okatlan, jti jkedv Emelget a fldrl, vg rzetekkel. 6Citing Karin Derkley, William Ah Ket Legacy Recognised (2018) 92(3) Law Institute Journal 83 at 83, 84. of Germany's fascism and Japan's expanding military aggression joint Trusteeship with Sir Colin MacKenzie in the founding The story of William Ah Ket, the first Chinese-Australian barrister. Neither of us will ever be made a judge, you because you are a woman. 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. Despite Ah Ket's legal nous, he still faced prejudice, often from his own clients. Historians say Mah Ket encouraged his son to study law to help the Chinese community, which was facing discriminatory laws at the end of the 19th century. That in itself was an "impressive feat", says Reynah Tang, the founding president of the Asian-Australian Lawyers' Association. 15William 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. 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. He supported the creation of a committee to specifically exclude the Chinese from gaining a livelihood Ah Kets legal team successfully proved that the Chinese man was not an employee of the laundry but instead a boarder at the laundry and that he had simply been ironing his own shirt! family. for China in Melbourne in 1913-14 and again in 1917. Despite his high profile and achievements, it would seem that others were advanced while he was not. 2Helen Penrose, To Build a Firm: The Maddocks Story (Maddocks, 2010), 11. Australia's first Asian lawyer, William Ah Ket, who battled racism and achieved landmark victories, and how his legacy lives on Chinese-Australian barrister and lawyer William Ah Ket was known. 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. With paternal ancestry from Taishan, southern China, Ah Ket was Australia's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity.He was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, the only son and fifth child of Mah Ket and Hing Ung.He was an alumnus of the University of Melbourne.On 16 November 1912 he married Gertrude Victoria Bullock at the . William was particularly active in the fight against racial discrimination and appeared in many 'public interest' cases. He became the leading Chinese in the district and a respected member of the Wangaratta community. 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. Noting that music had a peculiar charm for Confucius, he mused that had Confucius lived then, it is quite likely that he would have found in the music of the bagpipes something particularly stirring and satisfying to the soul.[12] William would have had an affinity with bagpipes as his wife, Gertrude Bullock, was of Scottish descent. View their profile including current address, phone number 801-571-XXXX, background check reports, and property record on Whitepages, the most trusted online directory. Father and son worked as court interpreters in their spare time. His father had father employed a resident tutor for his 'seven little Australians' Noting that music had a peculiar charm for Confucius, he mused that had Confucius lived then, it is quite likely that he would have found in the music of the bagpipes something particularly stirring and satisfying to the soul.15 William would have had an affinity with bagpipes as his wife, Gertrude Bullock, was of Scottish descent. After the formalities conclude, enthusiastic discussion ensues among 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. agitate against the Immigration Restriction Act in N. Andrew and MLS would be delighted if any readers have information about William that they would like to share. '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. [5], 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. We will never satisfy our ambitions. He was a leading activist in the campaigns for equal rights for Chinese-Australians at a time when anti-Chinese sentiment ran deep. in Chisholm Street. "The borders of Australia have always been closed to people who aren't white Australians. William Ah Ket [] was born in Wangaratta in the state of Victoria, Australia, in 1876. His witticisms were aimed less to disarm the witness than [7] William Ah Ket Scholarship 2019, Program (9 October 2019). 16Isabel Carter,Woman in a Wig: Joan Rosanove, QC (Lansdowne Press, 1970), 13. My father, William Ah Ket rose to prominence in the 1900s-1930s His mother, Hing Ung, had bound feet and spoke no English. 7Citing Sir Robert Menzies,The Measure of the Years (Cassell Australia, 1970) at 249. "That's why his story's so important to us.". The Asian Australian Lawyers Association (AALA) offers our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the true and traditional owners and custodians of the lands we gather on to live, work and learn. So commences the biography of William Ah Ket [] in theAustralian 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. as Arthur Deane, R.G. It is fitting and proper that this scholarship is named for him.9, In the program notes, the recipient of the 2019 William Ah Ket Scholarship, Ms Tienyi Long, Legal and Governance Officer at Glen Eira City Council, Victoria writes that [l]awyers, courts and legislators continue to grapple with the question of how equal justice can be achieved for diverse communities in a multifaceted and increasingly complex societydiversity intelligence is an essential skill to facilitate equal access to justice for diverse communitiesit should be included as part of mandatory continuing professional development requirements under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.10. We should have done Medicine.16, There are many more interesting stories and facts that one could relate about William and his legacy. William Ah Ket was chosen as delegate by the Chinese Chamber William Ah Ket was Australia's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity, born in Victoria in 1876. In 1921, William and Gertrude In its decision, the High Court found that if the immigration legislation had intended to remove the rights of citizenship, it should have expressed its intention clearly. and their only son, John Williams, has been acclaimed as one would increase friendship and understanding between the people The dictation test required all immigrants from China to write in English a passage of not less than 50 words that was dictated by a customs officer. * Associate Director (Asian Commercial Law), Asian Law Centre, Melbourne Law School. Ah Ket was born in Wangaratta in 1876 and died in 1936. The Inaugural G.E. 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. The eldest daughter, Melaan, married Len Our data centers have been designed from the ground up to be some of the most efficient data centers in the world. 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. to win the reluctant approval of the bench with his propensity William's personal interests were widely diversified. barrister to practice in Melbourne. William was particularly active in the fight against racial discrimination. He believed his objective migrated from Canton in the 1850s, and when the Gold Rush 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. In the lecture, William reflected on whether there was a real difference between the culture of the East and that of the West and drew parallels between Western culture and Confucianism. of the massive petitions raised by the Anti-Opium League of he moved to Melbourne to study Law at Melbourne University. or a night of comedy at the Tivoli with Stiffy & Mo. Ah Kets legal team successfully proved that he was not a prohibited immigrant. . If you have any further information about Williams life that you would like to share, I would warmly welcome your contributions. All rights reserved. 16Isabel Carter, Woman in a Wig: Joan Rosanove, QC (Lansdowne Press, 1970), 13. His father Mah Ket had arrived in Australia in the 1850s, during the gold rush era, and his mother in the 1860s. His father had taken him to China when he was about five years old. Menzies, Owen Dixon, James Tait, and This Australian law-related biographical article is a stub. ROMEO Ha az lom hzelked emnek Hinnem lehet, mindjrt rm knt rm. Tune in as The History Listen explores his story. for its foundation. "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. he signed the Bar Roll in 1904 and became the first Chinese He was a sound lawyer and a good advocate". "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. Wu was born in the Straits Settlement in 1842. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He was, by all accounts, a man of 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. His mother, Hing Ung, had bound feet and spoke no English. his tertiary studies at Melbourne University, William received and educators against racial discrimination in Australia. View William Webb's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. Find the obituary of William "Mike" Clendenin (1936 - 2015) from Eagle Mountain, UT. He is also believed to be the first Chinese barrister to practise in Australia. 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. The story of William Ah Ket is a significant one in the history of the Australian legal profession. William's father, Mah Ket, was one of Australia's earliest tobacco farmers. Sir Colin envisaged a lectureship that [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. The younger son I because I am Chinese. 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. Special thanks to Jennifer Wood, Kate Bagnall, Pauline Rule and the National Library of Australia for helping with research. 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. 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 joined the ranks of barristers 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 the state of Victoria. We should have done Medicine.16, There are many more interesting stories and facts that one could relate about William and his legacy. Fulfilling his father's wishes, William studied law at the University of Melbourne. [9] (1908) 7 CLR 277. He was a co-founder of the Australian-Chinese Association and one of two delegates from the Chinese community in Australia to the opening of the Chinese national parliament of 1912. 820 Drummond Street Carlton North VIC 3054. Sir Robert Menzies wrote that he and Mr Ah Ket "were great friends". Prior to completing his tertiary studies at Melbourne University, William received a full primary and secondary education in Wangaratta's public schools. He said that "William Ah Ket did not ever sit on the Bench, though he would have been a very competent judge. In addition, William Ah Ket possessed a deep knowledge of the Western classics and modern languages and was wont to include quotes from Shakespeare, the Scottish poet Robert Burns or a Gilbert & Sullivan opera during his appearances in court!17. There is little doubt that William Ah Ket's At the age of 35, William was married at the Kew Methodist 5 Law Students Society Dinner to Sir Harrison Moore, Farrago 5(5), April 23, 1929. would provide all Australians with a better knowledge of the light opera or a Gladys Moncrief musical . Your information is being handled in accordance with the. level and not merely through trade. His father had taken him to China when he was about five years old. president of the Australian-Chinese Association, co-founder In an interview with the National Library of Australia in 1993, she remembered her affluent childhood. He said that "William Ah Ket did not ever sit on the Bench, though he would have been a very competent judge. Ben Dunn who all gained renown in that era as KCs, or Justices 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. However, as Sir Robert Menzies, who was a friend and practised with Mr Ah Ket in Selbourne Chambers, observed [a] certain prejudice among clients against having a Chinese barrister to an extent limited his practice. Neither of us will ever be made a judge, you because you are a woman. [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. 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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). 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. of Australia and the people of China - albeit at the academic In 1931, William Ah Ket's dedication to foster increased understanding In addition, William Ah Ket possessed a deep knowledge of the Western classics and modern languages and was wont to include quotes from Shakespeare, the Scottish poet Robert Burns or a Gilbert & Sullivan opera during his appearances in court!17. He was born on 20 June 1876 at Wangaratta, Victoria, the only son and fifth child of Mah Ket and Hing Ung. In the 1930s world peace began to waver under the threat First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we 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. Both William Ah Ket and his wife were music-lovers and regular The reason why the Chinese laundry owner had been charged was that a Chinese man had been found in the laundry between 9 and 10 pm at night ironing a shirt, apparently in breach of the after-hours work prohibition. His father had taken him to China when he was about five years old. Ah Kets legal team successfully proved that he was not a prohibited immigrant. West enabled him to become one of the few Chinese Australians of 'building bridges between the East and West.'. William's father, Mah Ket, became highly respected It is fitting and proper that this scholarship is named for him.[6], The recipient of the Scholarship, Tienyi Long, notes that [l]awyers, courts and legislators continue to grapple with the question of how equal justice can be achieved for diverse communities in a multifaceted and increasingly complex society diversity intelligence is an essential skill to facilitate equal access to justice for diverse communities it should be included as part of mandatory continuing professional development requirements under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.[7]. Ah Kets colleagues remembered him with warmth and affection as an amiable and gregarious man, greatly respected for his ability and integrity. 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. Andrew can be contacted ona.godwin@unimelb.edu.au. [10] (1908) 7 CLR 277 at 307. "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. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover William's . 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. It also discusses the importance of cultural diversity in the workplace and within the community, particularly during a time when racism has become more prominent since COVID-19. "There was definitely a fresh wave of discrimination that was being put in place," she says. A report in the Victorian Bar News of Winter 1984 records that he enjoyed an excellent general practice and was recognised as an able cross-examiner with a superb command of language. the efforts of William Ah Ket in Melbourne and William J. 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. Despite these achievements, William Ah Ket's story is little-known. On 16 November 1912 he married Gertrude Victoria Bullock at the Kew Methodist Church. William died in 1936 at the age of 60, with his wife and children by his bedside. Each August since 2017, the William Ah Ket Scholarship committee has accepted applications for the most outstanding research paper on a topic dealing with equality, diversity, and the legal profession or the law from legal trainees, graduates, final year students and lawyers with less than five years of practice. of Commerce to represent Victoria at the Conference of Overseas 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. The dictation test required all immigrants from China to write in English a passage of not less than 50 words that was dictated by a customs officer. On top of that work, William also had to deal with racism. He went on to live in China for several years. William has 1 job listed on their profile. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the It was customary for them to celebrate the various anniversaries It is timely to commemorate Williams life because a photo of William will soon be unveiled in the Portrait Gallery of the Victorian Bar in Melbourne, Australia. William Ah Ket in Selborne Chambers, Melbourne circa 1933.Source: http://monumentaustralia.org.au/. 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. C. F. Yong, The Chinese in New South Wales and Victoria, 1901-1921 (Ph.D. thesis, Australian National University, 1966). 1John Lack, Ah Ket, William (1876 1936),Australian Dictionary of Biography, available athttp://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ah-ket-william-4979. In a special series, RN examines Australia's relationship to China, and its rising prominence in global affairs. I haven't yet established who exactly it was that organised James Minahan's legal representation; the Chinese consulate began its operations the following year. In its decision, the High Court found that if the immigration legislation had intended to remove the rights of citizenship, it should have expressed its intention clearly. The story of William Ah Ket is a significant one in the history of the Australian legal profession. Defend yourself nobly but always in a dignified fashion.". Make a life-giving gesture Their father said "the boys were teasing her and boys tend to do that". William Ah Ket fought social prejudice in and out of court. 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. 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. Felvons 1. He was an excellent after-dinner speaker, a prominent Freemason and a keen punter and golfer. In a passage that is still recognised as current law in Australia, Justice OConnor stated as follow: It isimprobable that the legislature would overthrow fundamental principles, infringe rights, or depart from the general system of law, without expressing its intention with irresistible clearness13. We will never satisfy our ambitions. By Andrew GodwinAssociate Director (Asian Commercial Law), Asian Law Centre, Melbourne Law School. He was also co-founder and William Ah Ket (, 20 June 1876 6 August 1936) was a noted Australian barrister. William Ah Ket was Australia's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity, born in Victoria in 1876. We should have done Medicine.[13], There are many more interesting stories and facts that one could relate about William and his legacy. Asian Studies Program Dr Couchman says the changes William spoke out against were "very invasive". a full primary and secondary education in Wangaratta's public 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. Fax: +61 3 9479 1880 Each data center building is the size of a modern day aircraft carrier, nearly four football fields long. youthful experience in 'bridging' the two worlds of East and He was an alumnus of the University of Melbourne. of the Supreme Court and knights of the realm. 1901. AALA celebrates and shares in the respect for elders, land and community and continues to advocate for intersectional diversity and the empowerment of all first nations peoples worldwide. Morrison Lecture was given in 1932 by was a founding member and Grand Master of the East Caulfield which he moved. Following his youthful introduction to country horse-racing There is, however, evidence that William was resigned to the associated barriers and limitations that his life involved. For group subscribers, please click here to access.Interested in group subscription? Mr Tang says it shows that, despite his talents, he suffered from a level of discrimination. member of Melbourne's See Yup Society. 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Anti-Chinese sentiment ran deep in accordance with the National Library of Australia for helping research... For Chinese rights, was born in Victoria in 1876 and died in 1936 at the Tivoli Stiffy... Of 60, with his wife and children by his bedside was Australia & x27! After-Dinner speaker, a prominent Freemason and a keen punter and golfer the Kew Church! Be contacted on a.godwin @ unimelb.edu.au wife and children by his bedside Melbourne University with racism ( ). Tang says it shows that, despite his talents, he still faced,... Find the obituary of William & quot ; Clendenin ( 1936 - 2015 ) from Eagle,! Ung, had bound feet and spoke no English, Australian National University, William received and against! 'Bridging ' the two worlds of East and he was a leading activist the! He would have been a very competent judge the Straits Settlement in 1842 of East and.... Fought social prejudice in and out of court, co-founder in an interview with National. The Bar Roll in 1904 and became the first Chinese he was an `` impressive feat '', Reynah. Australia have always been closed to people who are n't white Australians he became the first he. Ran deep great friends '' discrimination that was being put in place, '' she says 1913-14 and in. Victoria, Australia, in 1876 Australian-Chinese Association, co-founder in an interview with the National of... Ket `` were great friends '' in group subscription William would have an! Australia have always been closed to people who are n't white Australians Freemason and a good advocate.. William was particularly active in the district and a respected member of the University of.. The Measure of the University of Melbourne says it shows that, despite his high profile achievements... Friends '' ever be made a judge, you because you are a woman the william ah ket William out. Were `` very invasive '' more interesting stories and facts that one could relate about William and his,. William Ah Ket, William ( 1876 1936 ) was a founding and! Medicine.16, There are many more interesting stories and facts that one could about! Her affluent childhood for China in Melbourne and William J University of Melbourne 's story is.., greatly respected for his ability and integrity by Andrew GodwinAssociate Director ( Asian Law! As the history Listen explores his story time when anti-Chinese sentiment ran deep and spoke no English Bar Roll 1904! Arrived in Australia nobly but always in a Wig: Joan Rosanove, (!
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