Miscellaneous

Lot 3903    SESSION 19 (4.30PM FRIDAY 1ST APRIL)    Miscellaneous

Estimate $500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $300

CONGRATULATIONS BOOK, of Mr G.Coloquhoun on his appointment as Crown Solicitor in NSW in 1894, includes a very large quantity of letters from members of the legal fraternity, government department heads, prominent businessmen, police and one being for an appointment with His Excellency The Governor at Government House, Sydney, all dated in 1894, also various business cards from the similar occupations, some with congratulatory remarks, all items glued into the book (approx L37.0cm x W28.5cm x D7.0cm), which has a leather cover, gold blocked on edges and with 'Congratulations' gold blocked on the cover. Fine - very fine.

Together with a Scottish newspaper article on Sir Iain Colquhoun of Luss, Bt., the chief of Clan Colquhoun, Lord high Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The following was published in The Sydney Morning Herald on Monday 23 September 1901, page 8.

'DEATH OF MR. G. COLQUHOUN, CROWN SOLICITOR.
On Saturday last Mr George Colquhoun, Crown Solicitor, died at his residence, Braeside, Kogarah, after a somewhat protracted illness, and thus passed away one of the most prominent and respected members of the legal profession. Mr Colquhoun was in his 72nd year at the time of his death, and several phases of his career in New South Wales are of peculiar interest. Deceased was born on April 23, 1835 at Woolwich, county of Kent (England), and was the eldest son of the late James Colquhoun, solicitor, of the same town. Mr Colquhoun was educated at Dr Smithers' College, at Greenwich (England), and at the age of 16 he was articled to his father, and passed his final examination at the age of 21, being the youngest solicitor on the English roll when he was admitted.

After working in his father's office for two years longer, he decided to try his fortune in Australia. He left England in 1853, and after one of the prolonged voyages of those days, lasting 153 days, he arrived in Sydney, and entered the service of the Bank of Australasia. Here he remained for two years, and was then admitted to the roll of solicitors of New South Wales. In the same year he went up to Bathurst where he managed the business of Mr. S. P. Sargeant, solicitor, of that city, for two years, when he started practice on his own account; but about 1801, when Forbes came into prominence as the centre of a gold bearing district, he removed his business to that town. A very large population had assembled on the headland; and, as may be remembered, bushranging was rife. On one occasion Mr. Colquhoun successfully defended Ben Hall from a charge of cattle-stealing preferred against him at the instance of Sir Frederick Pottinger, and while he was still a resident of Forbes an attack was made upon Mr Campbell's residence by bushrangers, and O'Malley, a well-known member of the gang, was shot. During the encounter Mr. Campbell displayed so much heroism that a public testimonial was decided upon, and Mr. Colquhoun took an active part in the movement for collecting the necessary funds. While driving about Forbes on this mission he met with an accident which resulted in a fracture of the left ankle. This necessitated a tedious and painful journey to Sydney by coach, lasting five days, and when he arrived here it was found necessary to amputate the foot.

This untoward incident compelled him to give up a lucrative practice at Forbes, and after carrying on his profession in the metropolis for a short time he went up to Maitland and started business. He remained there until 1876, and then returned to Sydney as managing clerk for Messrs. Want, Johnson and Want (now Messrs. Minter, Simpson and Co.). After some years in that office deceased, at the instance of the late Sir George Wigram Allen, accepted the appointment of manager of the business of Messrs. Allen and Allen (now Messrs. Allen, Allen and Hemsley) and on the death of Sir George, Mr. Colquhoun was taken into partnership. He continued an active member of that firm until 1861, when the position of Crown Solicitor was offered to and accepted by him, in succession to Mr. E. A. Smith, who had resigned. This responsible and onerous post Mr Colquhoun held until a short time prior to his death, when at his own request, he was retired on the ground of ill-health.

Deceased was well known as a sound lawyer and a deep student of literature. At the time of his death his general library consisted of between 2000 and 3000 volumes, and he had one of the best private law libraries in Sydney. He was of a genial and generous disposition, and he readily gave the assistance of his long experience and knowledge to the younger members of his profession in any matters where they required advice. Mr Colquhoun was a gentleman of musical tastes, his favourite instruments being the cello and flute, on which latter instrument he once performed before the late Queen at Exeter Hall. Mr. Colquhoun leaves a widow, three sons, and two daughters. The funeral will leave the Redfern railway station (A platform) for the Waverley Cemetery at 2.35 p.m. to-day, on the arrival of the train from Kogarah.'