Kenneth Street (jurist)

Sir Kenneth Whistler Street, KCMG, KStJ, QC (28 January 1890 – 15 February 1972) was an Australian judge.^[1][2][3] He served as the 10th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales. He was the second generation of the Street family to serve in these viceregal offices, as they were held before him by his father Sir Philip Whistler Street, and after him by his son Colonel Sir Laurence Whistler Street.^[4][5]

Street enlisted in the British Army in the First World War, and he was deployed to France in September 1914 to fight with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. He later rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Citizens Military Force. He was a lecturer at Sydney Law School, and he was the husband of Jessie Mary Grey, Lady Street, who served as Australia's first female delegate to the United Nations, and as the first Vice President of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.^[6][7][8]

Street was born on 28 January 1890 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He was the son of Sir Philip Whistler Street and his Victorian wife Belinda Maud (née Poolman). His father served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and as Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales. He was the grandson of Australian politician John Street. He attended Homebush Grammar School, Sydney Grammar School and Sydney Law School (BA, 1911; LLB, 1914), and he won scholarships in law.^[8][9]

On 29 September 1914, he enlisted to serve in the First World War with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in France.^[8] He was made a lieutenant of the 18th (North Sydney) Infantry Regiment in December 1915, and promoted to captain in September 1917, serving in the Adjutant General's Department at the Australian Army headquarters in Melbourne.^[10] His younger brother Lieutenant Laurence Whistler Street was a fellow Sydney Law School student who enlisted before him, and who was killed in action during the Gallipoli campaign at the age of 21.^[11][10]

From 1921 to 1927, Street lectured part time at Sydney Law School. Meanwhile, he continued his career in the Militia as a legal staff officer (1922–28) and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.^[9] Street enjoyed a wide general practice and would have taken silk, but for his appointment to serve on the reconstituted Industrial Commission of New South Wales from 16 December 1927. He was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales on 7 October 1931. He thus joined the bench of which his father was then Chief Justice, the first and only such case in Australian history.^[12] In 1949, as senior puisne judge, Street acted as Chief Justice when Sir Frederick Jordan died. Confirmed in that office from 6 January 1950, he was sworn in on 7 February.^[12]

Street was a considerable scholar of an authority on the writings of Pepys, and he was an accomplished Latinist.^[6] In 1951, he was made a Knight of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. In 1952, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Sydney. In 1956, he was made Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.^[12] He retired from the bench on his 70th birthday, as did his father.^[13] Sir Kenneth died peacefully on 15 February 1972 and had a state funeral at St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney.^[14] He is the namesake of Street House at Cranbrook School, Sydney.^[15]

Street married Jessie Mary Grey Lillingston, who served as Australia's first female delegate to the United Nations, and as the first Vice President of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and who was the daughter of Charles Alfred Gordon Lillingston, JP, an Imperial Civil Service officer, and Mabel Harriet Ogilvie, who was the daughter of Australian politician Edward David Stuart Ogilvie and Theodosia de Burgh.^[16] Sir Kenneth and Jessie had four children, Belinda, Roger, Philippa, and Laurence. Their daughter Philippa married Australian Test cricketer Jack Fingleton, OBE, who was the son of Australian politician James Fingleton.^[17][18][19] Their son Colonel Sir Laurence Whistler Street married Susan Gai (née Watt; formerly Lady Street), AM, who served as the first female chair of the Eastern Sydney Health Service, and who was the niece of pioneering Australian aviator Lieutenant Colonel Walter "Toby" Oswald Watt, OBE, and the granddaughter of Australian politician John Brown Watt, and the great-granddaughter of Australian politician George Kenyon Holden.^[20][21] Sir Laurence's son Commander Alexander "Sandy" Street, SC, serves as an Australian federal judge, and as an officer of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve. Sir Laurence's daughter Lieutenant Commander Sylvia Emmett (née Street), AM served as an Australian federal judge, and as an officer of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve, and she is married to Australian federal judge Arthur Emmett, AO, KC, who is the Challis Lecturer Professor in Roman Law at Sydney Law School.^[22] Sylvia and Arthur's son James Emmett, SC serves as a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.^[23][24]