Charles John Lowe (1880 - 1969)

Born 4 Oct 1880 in Panmure, Colony of Victoria

Ancestors

Husband of Clara Rhoda Dickason — married 15 Jan 1908 in Richmond, Victoria, Australia

Died 20 Mar 1969 at age 88 in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Charles Lowe is Notable.

This profile is part of the Lowe Name Study.

Charles Lowe was born in the Colony of Victoria (1851-1900)

Charles John LOWE was born on 4 October 1880 in Panmure, Colony of Victoria. ^[1] His parents were Thomas LOWE and Mary Ann Amelia BARNETT.

An eye injury led to his father's total blindness that year. The Lowes ran a few cows and a small store to supplement Thomas's meagre pension; although life was hard, especially after the store was destroyed by fire, the family was happy and the children well educated. ^[2]

Too poor to attend lectures, Charles studied his friend (Sir) Owen Dixon's lecture notes. Nevertheless, undaunted he graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA Hons) in 1900, Master of Arts (MA) in 1902 and, two years later, a Bachelor of Laws with Honours (LLB Hons). He received an honorary doctorate of law (LLD) in 1956. ^[2]

Charles was a Barrister and Judge

After graduating, Charles borrowed £100 ($200) from an uncle to pay to take articles with W R Rylah. Admitted to the Bar on 1 August 1905, he supplemented his modest initial earnings by teaching at Bradshaw's Business College and publishing a handbook on commercial law (1911). He also learned shorthand—a skill which was to prove useful on the bench—and worked as a court reporter. ^[2]

Clara Rhoda DICKASON and Charles John LOWE were married on 15 January 1908 at St Stephen's Church of England, Richmond, Victoria^[3] The couple lived first in modest comfort at Westgarth, and later moved to Malvern and finally Toorak.

Their children included:

• Thomas Edward LOWE 1908-1990
• Edna LOWE 1912-?

In 1926 a vacancy occurred on the Supreme Court bench. Though at first reluctant, he was urged to accept by his fried (Sir) Owen Dixon, and was duly sworn in on 28 January 1927 to acclamation he did not expect. 'No Judge has commenced his duties with such an assurance of sympathetic and appreciative assistance from the Bar', wrote (Sir) Robert Menzies. Panmure celebrated for a week. In the same year Charles joined the council of the University of Melbourne, emerging immediately as a strong advocate of a 'permanent' vice-chancellor, a reform achieved in 1933. ^[2]

During a record (for Victoria) thirty-seven years on the bench, Charles won a reputation as 'one of the notable judges of the twentieth century' by meticulous application of the law. On the morning of 13 August 1940 a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Hudson approaching Canberra airport crashed with three members of the Commonwealth cabinet and the chief of the general staff on board. Lowe was asked to chair an RAAF court of inquiry. The resentment of the professionals was eased by his thoroughness, which included a familiarisation trip—his first flight—in a Hudson. His report decided the aircraft had stalled, and found no evidence of sabotage, poor maintenance, inadequate pilot training, or that a passenger was at the controls. On 3 March 1942 Charles was appointed to inquire into 'all the circumstances' of the Japanese air-raids on Darwin on 19 February which had shocked Australia into an unprecedented sense of vulnerability. The day after his arrival in Darwin he telegraphed the minister for defence co-ordination: 'absolutely imperative Darwin be strengthened; vulnerable to any major attack'. His report concentrated on poor co-ordination between civilian and military authorities, on the delay in giving warning of the impending raids, and on lack of leadership in the panic which followed. ^[2]

In the New Year Honours 1948 Charles was created Knight Bachelor in recognition of his service as Chancellor of the University of Melbourne. ^[4] in December 1953 he was called to the bar of the Victorian Legislative Assembly to be thanked for his services to the State and to parliament, especially as administrator of Victoria, a role in which he later made an official visit to Warrnambool, and spectacularly to Panmure. In the New Year Honours 1956 he was further created Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) for his service as Senior Judge of the Victorian Supreme Court. ^[5]

In 1959 Charles broke the former record of thirty-two years as a judge of the Victorian Supreme Court. He did not formally retire until 1964, but presided over his last case on 17 December 1962, at the age of 82. Every one of the forty-three judges gathered in the court for his official farewell had appeared before him as a barrister. ^[2]

He passed away on 20 March 1969 in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria Online Registry. Event: births; Registration number 24242 / 1880; Family name: LOWE; Given name(s) Charles John; Place of event: PANMURE, Australia; Mother's name Mary Ann BARNETT; Father's Name: Thos. https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Poynter, J R. 'Lowe, Sir Charles John (1880–1969)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 2000; accessed online 20 May 2024
3. ↑ Birth, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria Online Registry. Event: marriages; Registration number 448 / 1908; Family name: LOWE; Given name(s) Chas Jno; Spouse's family name: DICKASON; Spouse's given name(s) Clara Rhoda. https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history
4. ↑ Australian Honours: Knight Bachelor (listed as Charles John Lowe); accessed 20 May 2024
5. ↑ Australian Honours: KCMG (listed as James John Lowe); accessed 20 May 2024
6. ↑ Birth, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria Online Registry. Event: deaths; Registration number 6410 / 1969; Family name: LOWE; Given name(s) Charles John; Place of event: Melbourne East, Australia; Mother's name Mary Anne BARNETT; Father's Name: Thomas LOWE. https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/search-your-family-history

See also:

• Poynter, J R. 'Lowe, Sir Charles John (1880–1969)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 2000; accessed online 20 May 2024.
• Wikipedia: Charles Lowe; accessed 20 May 2024.