William Henry Solomon Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Right Honourable
Sir William Henry Solomon
Order:3rd
Office:Chief Justice of South Africa
Term Start:1927
Term End:1929
Predecessor:James Rose Innes
Successor:Jacob de Villiers
Office2:Judge of the Appellate Division
Term Start2:1910
Term End2:1929
Office3:Judge of the Griqualand West High Court
Term Start3:1900
Term End3:1910
Birth Date:25 September 1852
Birth Place:Philippolis, Orange Free State
Death Place:London, England
Restingplace:Brookwood Cemetery, London
Nationality:South African
Relations:Richard Solomon (brother)
Edward Solomon (brother)
Saul Solomon (uncle)
Alma Mater:Lovedale
Cape University
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Profession:Barrister

Sir William Henry Solomon (25 September 1852 – 3 June 1930)[1] was a judge of the Appellate Division from 1910 to 1929 and Chief Justice of South Africa from 1927 to 1929.

Early life and family

Born in 1852, he was the son of the missionary Edward Solomon and his wife, Jessie Matthews. He was also the nephew of the great liberal politician and founder of the Cape Argus, Saul Solomon.

Career

From the age of 35, he served for 10 years as a judge for the Griqualand West supreme court.

After the end of the Second Boer War, the government of the newly created British Colony of Transvaal established a Supreme Court of Transvaal in April 1902. The governor, Lord Milner, appointed Wessels as one of three puisne judges, with Sir James Rose Innes as Chief Justice. Solomon was transferred to this Supreme Court too, and he was appointed to the first Appeal Court for the new Union of South Africa when it was formed in 1910.

He was appointed Chief Justice of South Africa in 1927. At the end of his career he also sat on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.[2]

He is buried in the Solomon family plot in Brookwood Cemetery.

Notes and References

  1. Book: De Kock, W. J.. Dictionary of South African biography: Vol II. Human Sciences Research Council. 1972. 0-624-00856-8. Pretoria. 683–685. 20937.
  2. The Transvaal . 17 April 1902 . 5 . 36744.