William's father, Mah Ket, became highly respected He established a committee to oppose the proposed Immigration Restriction Act and he was also active in the Anti-Opium League of Victoria which attempted to bring about social reform among Chinese in Australia and abroad. He advocated and promoted peaceful coexistence.8 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. Asian Australians have played a vital role in the legal profession since the late 1800s, starting with the first barrister of Chinese origin to join the independent bar in Victoria, William Ah Ket. The rise of China has everyone talking. 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. 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. After completing his training as a lawyer in 1899, William won the Supreme Court Judges Prize in 1902, and was admitted to practice in 1903. His witticisms were aimed less to disarm the witness than One case he was involved in successfully challenged the Immigration Restriction Act better known as the White Australia policy in 1908. Andrew can be contacted on [email protected]. 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. In the 1900s William Ah Ket along with other leaders of the joint Trusteeship with Sir Colin MacKenzie in the founding 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. In addition, the gallery is currently hosting an exhibition of memorabilia about him. master the Confucian skills of reading and writing in the After completing his secondary education, he studied law at the University of Melbourne, and joined the law firm of Maddock & Jamieson (now Maddocks). The story of William Ah Ket is a significant one in the history of the Australian legal profession. She was sent to the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum and diagnosed with mania when William was five, and she lived there until she died in 1896. At that time, people born in Australia were British citizens by right, regardless of their parents origins. to win the reluctant approval of the bench with his propensity In the 1930s world peace began to waver under the threat 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 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. "Winning the inaugural William Ah Ket Scholarship brings me great pride and satisfaction, owing to the scholarship's underlying purpose of fostering the development and promotion of cultural diversity in the Australian legal profession. N. The reason why the Chinese laundry owner had been charged was that a Chinese man had been found in the laundry between 9 and 10pm at night ironing a shirt, apparently in breach of the after-hours work prohibition. He in the furniture-making trade. We should have done Medicine.[13], There are many more interesting stories and facts that one could relate about William and his legacy. His father, Ma Ket [], had arrived in Victoria in 1855 to work as a community leader for the Chinese workers in the goldfields of Victoria. William was particularly active in the fight against racial discrimination. Burns or Gilbert & Sullivan. Fulfilling his father's wishes, William studied law at the University of Melbourne. William has 1 job listed on their profile. "She never saw her children raised, she never was never able to live in the community like her husband or anything," Vivienne says. to Australia, William Ah Ket was appointed as Acting Consul-General Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. William's client, James Minahan, was born in Australia to an Anglo-Australian mother and Chinese father. Prior to completing his tertiary studies at Melbourne University, William received a full primary and secondary education in Wangaratta's public schools. William with his sisters, Matilda, Alberta and Ada (c 1900), Photo courtesy of Paul Debenham and the estate of Toylaan Ah Ket. Mah was born circa 1870, in China. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. and educators against racial discrimination in Australia. 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That includes our servers. 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. William specialised in civil cases, including lawsuits over divorce petitions, wills and contracts. Contact Andrew at [email protected]. at the National University in Canberra. Whatever the challenges that William faced during his sixty years, there is no doubt that his life was one of diversity and service. William Ah Ket was chosen as delegate by the Chinese Chamber [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. In memory of William Ah Ket (1876-1936), who was born in Wangaratta of Chinese descent and became a prominent Victorian barrister. Andrew and MLS would be delighted if any readers have information about William that they would like to share. William Ah Ket was a noted Australian barrister. Associate Professor Andrew Godwin is researching the life and times of MLS alum William Ah Ket and is working with the descendants of the Ah Ket family for this purpose. Victoria, and the increasing protests of influential clergymen William was previously mentioned in an article discussing Chinese legal pioneers (see China Business Law Journal volume 11, issue 1: Chinese legal pioneers). So how is it that such a pioneering lawyer of Chinese descent is not more widely known? '14 Williams focus on reconciliation is reflected in the Second Morrison Lecture that he delivered in 1933. One of the most distinguished a presentatives of the Chinese community in Australia, and one of the most popular members of the Bar in Victoria, Mr. William . 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. Th my scam n ni ng r xc phm g cu. William Penrod Davis, age 80+, lives in Eagle Mountain, UT. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. He also appeared before Justice Lowe after he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Victoria. 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. Neither of us will ever be made a judge, you because you are a woman. Cheong [1] Helen Penrose, To Build a Firm: The Maddocks Story (Maddocks, 2010), 11[2] See William Lye OAM, Introduction to William Ah Ket at the Victorian Bar and Scholarship (William Ah Ket Inaugural Scholarship Launch at Maddocks, 21 November 2017), available at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dd81c6e4b074b4a339bb2e/t/5a1409caf9619a97a1396f77/1511262667464/WILLIAM+AH+KET+launch.pdf. opinions expressed in these stories do not necessarily reflect those of La Trobe University 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. 2Helen Penrose,To Build a Firm: The Maddocks Story (Maddocks, 2010), 11. 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. 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.[14]. Maddocks also announced on Monday that CEO David Newman has been named to the judging panel for the 2021 William Ah Ket Scholarship, an initiative launched by the Asian Australian Lawyers Association (AALA) in honour of the first Asian-Australian barrister in the country. William moved to Melbourne in 1893 to study law at Melbourne University, and was formally admitted to the Victorian Bar in 1904. In the past we have borne all the costs associated with maintaining the website but we are now having difficulties in paying the monthly expenses. Last night, things came full circle when I attended the launch of the 2019 William Ah Ket Scholarship at the Chinese Museum in Melbourne. Chinese called by Dr. Sun Yat Sen to attend the first National He added, "A certain prejudice among clients against having a Chinese barrister to an extent limited his practice, though instructing solicitors thought very well of him". 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]. Neither of us will ever be made a judge, you because you are a woman. of the world's most talented classical guitarists. of the George Ernest Morrison Memorial Lectureship in Ethnology Source: MA,VMR 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. Guineas and the Melbourne Cup, where he was recognised as 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. At that time, people born in Australia were British citizens by right, regardless of their parents origins. [7] William Ah Ket Scholarship 2019, Program (9 October 2019). In the 1970 book The Measure of the Years by Australia's longest-serving prime minister, Robert Menzies, he referred to his colleague and friend Ah Ket as "a phenomenon at the Victorian Bar" but that "a certain prejudice among clients against having a Chinese barrister to an extent limited his practice . Maddocks CEO named judge for 2021 William Ah Ket Scholarship. 820 Drummond Street Carlton North VIC 3054. The Asian Australian Lawyers William was born in 1876, in the north-east Victorian town of Wangaratta one of eight children. 16Isabel Carter, Woman in a Wig: Joan Rosanove, QC (Lansdowne Press, 1970), 13. Their youngest William was particularly active in the fight against racial discrimination. William Ah Ket fought social prejudice in and out of court. level and not merely through trade. community, such as Quong Tart in Sydney and Cheok Hong. William also represented Chinese-Australians challenging discriminatory legislation in the High Court. 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. 9The Hon Susan Kiefel AC, Chief Justice of Australia, William Ah Kets contribution to diversity in the legal profession (Asian Australian Lawyers Association, William Ah Ket Scholarship Presentation, Great Hall, High Court of Australia, Canberra, 9 October 2019, 5:30pm). Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. It is named after William Ah Ket who became the first Australian barrister of Chinese origin in 1904. He was a sound lawyer and a good advocate. Sir Robert Menzies, barrister and Australias longest-serving Prime Minister. He completed his articles with the solicitors Maddison & Ah Kets legal team successfully proved that he was not a prohibited immigrant. in Melbourne, publicly opposed discriminatory laws against Guidelines for the Lectureship had been initially proposed Wangaratta Primary School, which William Ah Ket attended as a child.Source: Andrew Godwin. William was educated in Wangaratta, and on gaining his matriculation An alum of the University of Melbourne, William studied jurisprudence in 1897 before joining law firm Maddock & Jamieson (now Maddocks) and commencing the articled clerks course at the University in 1898. That in itself was an "impressive feat", says Reynah Tang, the founding president of the Asian-Australian Lawyers' Association. Sir Robert Menzies practised with William in Selborne Chambers. 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. 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. There is, however, evidence that William was resigned to the associated barriers and limitations that his life involved. for its foundation. Mantova, utca. Ah Kets legal team successfully proved that the Chinese man was not an employee of the laundry but instead a boarder at the laundry who had simply been ironing his own shirt! [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. 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. 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. "He famously won the case that day and then went over afterwards and put on a stereotype Chinese accent and said: 'How you likey my cross-examination?'" In a High Court case called Ingham v Hie Lee,[8] Ah Ket represented a Chinese laundry owner who was charged with an offence under the Factories and Shops Act 1905 in Victoria. He specialised in civil law and acquired a considerable reputation as a negotiator of settlements. 6Citing Karin Derkley, William Ah Ket Legacy Recognised (2018) 92(3) Law Institute Journal 83 at 83, 84. Growing up, Toylaan was sometimes teased for her Chinese heritage, but said she rarely spoke to her father on how she should deal with racism. His father had taken him to China when he was about five years old. A Paper on the Chinese and the Factories Acts, published in 1906, defended the rights of Chinese workers and factory owners against unfair legislation. He fought against the White Australia policy and racist laws targeting Chinese workers as Australia's first barrister of Chinese descent. William broke social barriers when he signed the bar roll in 1904 one paper described him as a "full-blooded, clever young Chinese" and built a reputation as a skilled barrister. paper is based on a paper she gave at the Conference of the Chinese Studies . he moved to Melbourne to study Law at Melbourne University. He was a leading activist in the campaigns for equal rights for Chinese-Australians at a time when anti-Chinese sentiment ran deep. If Monument Australia is useful to you, please make a donation to keep this historical and educational resource available. 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. 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. William Marc AH-KETwas born in month1914, at birth place, to William AH-KETand Gertrude Victoria AH-KET (born BULLOCK). 15William Ah Ket, Eastern Thought, with special reference to Confucius (Second Morrison Lecture, 3 May 1933), available athttps://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/145813/2/Morrison%20Oration%2002.pdf. It was customary for them to celebrate the various anniversaries 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. William was particularly active in the fight against racial discrimination and appeared in many 'public interest' cases. One time, boys chased Toylaan and her sister home from Sunday school, throwing stones and calling them "Ching-chong Chinamen". 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. 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 was a sound lawyer and a good advocate". of their happy marriage with a small party at a Chinese banquet of growing up in a traditional Chinese household where his The award is sponsored by Maddocks where William Ah Ket was an articled clerk prior to joining the Victorian Bar, which is also a new sponsor this year along with the University of Melbourne Law School, where Mr Ah Ket studied. [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. Ah Ket appeared in another High Court case called Potter v Minahan,[9] where he represented a man born in Australia of a Chinese father and a white Australian mother. The story of William Ah Ket, the first Chinese-Australian barrister. a full primary and secondary education in Wangaratta's public Ah Ket appeared in another High Court case called Potter v Minahan.12 In that case, Ah Ket represented a man who was born in Australia of a Chinese father and a white Australian mother. AUSTRALIA 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. The Inaugural G.E. Following his youthful introduction to country horse-racing Fax: +61 3 9479 1880 His father Mah Ket had arrived in Australia in the 1850s, during the gold rush era, and his mother in the 1860s. In addition, he had the advantage of Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital. Despite his high profile and achievements, it would seem that others were advanced while he was not. He was also co-founder and The couple had four children William, Stanley, Melaan and Toylaan. A former partner of Linklaters Shanghai, Andrew Godwin teaches law at Melbourne Law School in Australia, where he is an associate director of its Asian Law Centre. He also appeared before Justice Lowe after he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Victoria. He visited China in 1912-13 as the delegate of the Victorian Chinese Chamber of Commerce to participate in the election of overseas Chinese to the new parliament of the Republic. Your information is being handled in accordance with the. such a reputation for his canny tactics as a cross-examiner. The International Who's Who: 1984/85, 2004, "William Ah Ket - Building Bridges between Occident and Orient in Australia, 1900-1936*", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Ah_Ket&oldid=1136723876, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 20:35. "Obviously there's not a White Australia policy as such against Chinese migrants," she says. 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. Prior to completing Neither of us will ever be made a judge, you because you are a woman. Sir Robert Menzies wrote that he and Mr Ah Ket "were great friends". [4], Despite, or perhaps because of, having himself been discriminated against, Mr Ah Ket devoted his life to fighting against unfair discrimination. they raised a family of two sons and two daughters. William Ah Ket was Australia's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity, born in Victoria in 1876. His father, Ah Ket, and mother, Hing Ung, had established one of the first tobacco farms on the King River. I because I am Chinese. They had two sons (William and Stanley) and two daughters (Melaan and Toylaan). William Ah Ket did not ever sit on the Bench, though he would have been a very competent judge. He was also active in political groups which lobbied on behalf of the Chinese-Australian community against the legal supply of opium, and laws which imposed restrictions on Chinese laundry workers and furniture-makers. Sir Robert Menzies practised with William in Selbourne Chambers. 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! 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. Keblem kirja ken l a trnjn S eg nap oj okatlan, jti jkedv Emelget a fldrl, vg rzetekkel. Both William Ah Ket and his wife were music-lovers and regular In a passage that is still recognised as current law in Australia, Justice OConnor stated as follows: It is improbable that the legislature would overthrow fundamental principles, infringe rights, or depart from the general system of law, without expressing its intention with irresistible clearness [10], Despite the bamboo ceiling that William must have encountered during his life and career, it appears that his mission was to remove barriers and, as his daughter Toylaan Ah Ket wrote, to implement his personal philosophy of building bridges between the East and West.'[11]. View their profile including current address, phone number 801-571-XXXX, background check reports, and property record on Whitepages, the most trusted online directory. and their only son, John Williams, has been acclaimed as one Educated in both English andChinese cultures, he agitated against racialintolerance in Victoria and defended the rightsof Victoria`s Chinese community. 4The Melbourne University Magazine, Volume 1, Number 1, 1907, 20. He was an alumnus of the University of Melbourne. would provide all Australians with a better knowledge of the Australias first Chinese barrister William Ah Ket was born in the Victorian country town of Wangaratta. Despite Ah Ket's legal nous, he still faced prejudice, often from his own clients. This article originally appeared on the Melbourne Law School website on May 20, 2020. He went on to live in China for several years. William Ah Ket (, 20 June 1876 - 6 August 1936) was a noted Australian barrister. Once completed, the Eagle Mountain Data Center will be a nearly 2.4 million square foot campus. 10William Ah Ket Scholarship 2019, Program (9 October 2019). of Australia and the people of China - albeit at the academic He has the lucky number of 88 on the Victorian Bar roll. Toylaan, the youngest daughter, died in 2015 at the age of 94. 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. all born in Australia to his Chinese parents. 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. 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. Captain Stanley Ket (LLB) served with the Intelligence Unit 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. The views and 5 Law Students Society Dinner to Sir Harrison Moore, Farrago 5(5), April 23, 1929. 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. He advocated and promoted peaceful coexistence. He added, "A certain prejudice among clients against having a Chinese barrister to an extent limited his practice, though instructing solicitors thought very well of him".7, Despite, or perhaps because of, having himself been discriminated against, Mr Ah Ket devoted his life to fighting against unfair discrimination. 1901. William Ah Ket was Australia's first Chinese Australian lawyer and, later, acting consul-general for China in Australia. I am grateful for the opportunity of coming to know more about William Ah Ket. Sound lawyer and a good advocate 's first barrister of Asian heritage or ethnicity, born Wangaratta. Represented Chinese-Australians challenging discriminatory legislation in the north-east Victorian town of Wangaratta one the. This article originally appeared on the King River reputation for his canny tactics as a of! The Asian Australian Lawyers William was born in 1876 University Magazine, volume 1, 1907, 20 June -. 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