Nigel Hubert Bowen AC KBE (1911-1994) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Sir Nigel Hubert Bowen AC KBE

Born 26 May 1911 in Summerland, Okanagan-Similkameen, British Columbia, Canada

Ancestors

Son of Otway Percival Bowen and Dorothy Joan (King) Bowen

Brother of Bryan Otway Bowen and John King Bowen

Husband of Eileen Cecily (Mullens) Bowen — married 21 Feb 1947 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

[children unknown]

Died 27 Sep 1994 at age 83 [location unknown]

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Biography

Nigel Bowen AC KBE is Notable.

Sir Nigel Bowen AC KBE QC was a Canadian-born Australian solicitor and barrister, politician and judge. He served in the House of Representatives for 11 years, representing Parramatta and holding ministerial office as Attorney-General. After leaving parliament he served as Chief Judge in Equity in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and then the inaugural Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia for 14 years.

Nigel Bowen AC KBE has English ancestors.

Nigel Bowen AC KBE has Welsh ancestors.

Nigel Hubert Bowen was born on 26th May 1911 in a log cabin in Summerland, Okanagan-Similkameen, British Columbia, Canada. He was the second of four sons of Otway Bowen, a Welsh-born apple farmer, and Dorothy King, from England.

The family moved to Australia soon afterward, settling near Gunnedah, in northern New South Wales, where Otway ran a sheep farm (a brother, Bryan, was born there). When drought bit too harshly the Bowens moved into Sydney's inner eastern suburbs about 1915-16 (another brother, John, was born there), with Otway becoming an accountant. With financial assistance from an English aunt, Nigel was educated in London for two years (1919-21) before returning home to attend The King’s School, Parramatta (1922-27). He studied law at the University of Sydney as a resident of St Paul's College.

Nigel was a Solicitor, Barrister and Judge; including inaugural Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia

Upon graduation with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 1931 and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) three years later, he practised as a solicitor. He was admitted as a barrister in New South Wales in 1936 and later in Victoria.

Nigel Bowen AC KBE is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Military Force 1941-1946
3rd Armoured Regiment CMF; HQ Allied Land Forces 1st Army AIF; 43rd Landing Craft Company AIF; 45th Port Landing Craft Company AIF

Following the outbreak of the Second World War Nigel enlisted in the Citizen Military Forces, part-time, in May 1941 and began full-time duty on 1st October that year, before transferring to the Second Australian Imperial Force as a Lieutenant on 3rd August 1942 at Greta, in New South Wales' Hunter Valley. Being yet single, he listed his father as next-of-kin. He trained in Australia with the 3rd Armoured Regiment, and in August 1943 became a member of the staff of Headquarters Allied Land Forces 1st Australian Army, in Brisbane. In December 1943 he was promoted to Captain, and made adjutant and quartermaster of the 43rd Water Transport Operating Company (Landing Craft) (later second-in-command of the re-named 43rd Landing Craft Company), Royal Australian Engineers. From April 1944 this unit transported personnel and supplies along the New Guinea coast and took part in the seaborne assault on Dove Bay near Wewak in May 1945. Its ranks also included the Sydney newspaper baron (Sir) Frank Packer, and a future governor-general, (Sir) Ninian Stephen. Nigel commanded the 45th Port Landing Craft Company, also in New Guinea, from December 1945. ^[1]

Demobilised on 8th March 1946, ^[1]

He took silk in 1953 in New South Wales and Victoria in 1954, so becoming a Queen's Counsel (QC).

As a member of the Liberal Party Nigel was elected to the House of Representatives in 1964 in a by-election, representing the New South Wales seat of Parramatta. The Liberal-Country (now National) Coalition held government and Nigel served as Attorney General (1966-69 and 1971), Minister for Education and Science (1969-71), and Minister for Foreign Affairs (1971-72). In 1968 he introduced a bill for the establishment of a federal court, junior to the High Court of Australia. Although that bill was withdrawn, it provided the basis of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976. He also introduced the Privy Council (Limitation of Appeals) Act 1968, which began the process of abolishing appeals from the High Court to the Privy Council in London, culminating in the Australia Act 1986. After the Coalition lost the December 1972 election he was an unsuccessful candidate to replace (Sir) William McMahon as Liberal leader, losing to Billy Snedden by a single vote.

Opting to leave parliament in 1973, Nigel was appointed Chief Judge in Equity in the Supreme Court of New South Wales. In 1976, he was appointed the inaugural Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, a position he held until 1990.

In the Queen's Birthday Honours 1976, Nigel was created Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire 'in recognition of service to political services'. ^[2]

Following Eileen's death in early 1983, Nigel married a second time, to Ermyn Krippner, a former secondary school principal, on 9th June 1984.

In the Australia Day Honours 1988, Nigel was appointed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) 'in recognition of service to the law'. ^[3] The same year, the Law Council of Australia conferred on him a rarely awarded honorary membership.

When Nigel retired in February 1990, the Federal Court had thirty-two judges and exercised jurisdiction over almost a hundred Federal statutes. In May that year the University of Sydney conferred on him an honorary doctorate of laws.

Aged 83 years, he passed away on 27th September 1994 in Wahroonga, in Sydney's northern suburbs. ^[4] He was granted a state funeral.

"Former Federal Court Chief Justice and federal Liberal minister Sir Nigel Bowen died in Melbourne yesterday, aged 83, the Attorney-General, Michael Lavarch, said.

"Sir Nigel was Liberal MP for the western Sydney seat of Parramatta from 1964-73 and held the portfolios of education, science, attorney-general, and foreign affairs in the Gorton and McMahon governments. During his political career, he led many overseas delegations and was head of the Australian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in 1972.

"He resumed his legal career in 1973 and was a judge in NSW. He later became Chief Judge in Equity in the Supreme Court of NSW before becoming Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, where he served from 1976-1980.

"Canadian-born Sir Nigel was knighted in 1976 and awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 1988. Mr Lavarch said: 'Sir Nigel made a significant contribution to the law, to politics and to Australia'.

"The president of the Law Council of Australia, John Mansfield, QC, said members of the Australian legal profession were saddened by Sif Nigel's death. "Sir Nigel was a lawyer of great learning, yet a modest man of the utmost courtesy, spoken of fondly by all who knew him," Mr Mansfield said. The Federal Opposition Leader, Alexander Downer, said last night that Sir Nigel was a fine Australian who served his country in both peace and war with great honour. "Sir Nigel Bowen's life and career reflect his strong commitment to serving the national in terest, to improving the lives of his fellow Australians and to promoting the Liberal values in which he believed so strongly," Mr Downer said in a statement. "On behalf of the Coalition parties, I send my deep sympathy to his family in their loss."

"Sir Nigel is survived by his second wife, Ermyn, and three daughters from his first marriage. Funeral arrangements have not been announced."

Nigel was survived by Ermyn and his three daughters, Pamela, Vivian and Diane, of his first marriage and their families.

The Nigel Bowen Commonwealth Law Courts Building in Canberra are named in his honour.

Nigel Hubert Bowen AC KBE (1911 - 1994)

Biography

Sources