Sir Charles Frederic Belcher
(1876-1970)
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Sir Charles Frederic Belcher by Vivian Hill
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Copyright
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Charles Belcher's knowledge of the German language was a decided asset
shortly after his arrival at Entebee in British East Africa in September
1914. Britain and Germany were at war. There were hostilities
with the German forces in neighbouring German East Africa and he was able
to translate seized documents into English, having studied German at Melbourne
University as part of Master of Arts (1901). He had come to Entebee
at the beginning of a distinguished career in the British Judicial Colonial
Service. He served in various posts in East Africa and was Chief
Justice of Cyprus 1927-1930 and of Trinidad and Tobago 1930-1937 and President
of the Court of Appeal of the West Indies. Even so, in 1966 he was
content to end a letter "Still a Victorian". His autobiography, 400
pages, held in this collection gives a description of his life in Geelong,
his schooling at Geelong Grammar School, his articles of clerkship with
Taylor Buckland and Gates, and, Harwood and Pincott, and his partnership
with Charles Birdsey in their office in Yarra Street as well as his life
as a colonial judge. Although he had a somewhat sardonic view of
human behaviour he was an admirer of nature, delighting in its manifestation
in various countries and pursuing his observations of birds. His
books 'Birds of the District of Geelong' and 'Birds of Nyasaland' are highly
regarded. Charles Belcher was the grandson of one of Geelong's early
solicitors, Joseph Belcher.
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Arrangement of material
The list below describes material held in the Sir Charles Frederic Belcher
archive box, which is located at 340.099452 Belche Hil/Cfb on the shelves in
the Geelong Lawyers' Collection within the Special Collection at the Waterfront
campus. The material has been arranged in date order.
| Date |
Title |
Item no. |
| 2/6/1923 |
Entry from London Gazette |
CB4 |
|
1936? |
Photo wearing judicial robes
[Click on image to enlarge it]
|
CB2 |
|
1936? |
Photo wearing judicial robes
[Click on image to enlarge it]
|
CB1 |
|
1944 |
Book "Genealogical notes relating to William Belcher of Kells (1730-1798)
and his descendants" compiled by Charles Belcher
- Compiler's preface
[Click on image to enlarge it]
|
CB12 |
| 1927 |
Photocopy of title page and extract from "Birds of the district of Geelong" by C. Belcher |
CB3 |
| 1970 |
Extract from "Who was who 1961-1970" |
CB5 |
| 3/1970 |
Vale Sir Charles Belcher from "The bird observer" |
CB6 |
| 1992 |
Extract from "Emu" with obituary |
CB7 |
| 1/1995 |
Extract from "The pivot tree" |
CB8 |
| 1996 |
Extract from "Geelong Grammarians" |
CB9 |
| 9/1999 |
"Investigator" magazine |
CB10 |
| 9/1999 |
Article from "Geelong biographical register"
[First page of article. Click on image to enlarge it.} |
CB11 |
|
Autobiography of Charles Frederic Belcher
- First days of Colonial Service pages 76-78 |
CB13 |
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