GEELONG LAWYERS
FRANCIS PELHAM JUST
1898-1976
PARTNER IN WHYTE JUST & MOORE
Copyright
Vivian Hill 2055 Portarlington Road
Drysdale Victoria 3222.
This publication is copyright.
Apart from any use permitted under the
Copyright Act of 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part may be reproduced by any means
without written permission. Enquiries should be made of the author.
Francis Pelham Just 1898-1976
When Frank Just come to Geelong to work for
his uncle Aurel Victor Jung Just in his firm of Whyte Just and Moore in Malop Street his
brother Carl( Herrmann Carl Just) was already working for him.
Frank was admitted to legal practice by the
Supreme Court of Victoria on 1st June 1920. Carl was older and had already been admitted
to legal practice and was living at Drumcondra Geelong. They were the males in Herman
Charles Just's family of two boys and five girls. The family had been been brought up in
their father's places of employment. He was a member of the Victorian Public Service in
what would later be called the Mental Health Department serving in administration and
progressing in that role in Asylums at Sunbury, Ballarat and at Kew, Melbourne, where he
was the Secretary or Administrative Superintendent. Before the development of behaviour
controlling drugs in the 1950s those asylums contained patients with a great variety and
degree of mental ill health. Some patients considered so affected as to be a danger to
others were restricted in activities but many suffered from milder conditions such as
periodic depression. These patients engaged in social life and work in the asylums forming
friendships with staff and the families of staff. The medical and administrative staff
lived on the premises. With patients kept occupied in developing and maintaining
attractive grounds and providing supplies of vegetables the asylums had something in
common with large family estates. Dances where patients, staff and local townspeople
attended were a frequent occurrence as were sporting events. Cricket matches were a
feature. When Carl and Frank were students they received help in their Latin studies from
well educated patients.
Aurel Just commenced his legal practice in
Geelong in 1893. At that time he was 21 years old. He formed a partnership with F.W.D.
Moore in 1894. This continued until 1915 when Mr Moore retired. They had acquired the
practice of T.N.Whyte in 1904 either just before or after his death in that year. At the
time his nephews came to be with him Aurel Just had been the sole proprietor since 1915.
When Carl and Frank were being educated it was assumed they would join their uncle in
Geelong. Both had been fortunate in serving articles with Arthur Phillips a very good
commercial lawyer in Melbourne. They had each obtained legal qualifications while serving
their articles and attended lectures at Melbourne University Law School. The Dean was
Willam Harrison Moore. He was the sole full time lecturer. It was not surprising that
during Frank Just's period of study, in 1919, Moore complained that it was "totally
impossible for one man to do justice to the subjects of Jurisprudence, Roman Law, Legal
History, Constitutional History, Constitutional Law(English and Australian) Public
International Law, Private International Law and Administrative Law. " Members of the
legal profession acted as part-time lecturers in other subjects. At that time 200 students
were enrolled.
Geelong had been known as "Sleepy
Hollow"" after its initial burst of activity in the Goldrush period. The
population grew by a mere five thousand, from 23, 000 to 28, 000, in the fifty
three years
between 1857 and 1910. It was the fourth town in Victoria after Melbourne, Bendigo and
Ballarat, but at the time of Frank Just's arrival in 1920 the basis of its future
development as an industrial city was being developed. The Australian Portland Cement
company at Fyansford was being enlarged. The Federal Woollen Mill at North Geelong was
expanding as were the several woollen mills on the banks of the Barwon River. The Ford
Motor Company announced in March 1925 that Geelong would be the headquarters for the
manufacture, assembly and distribution of motor vehicles in Australia. Geelong's good
port had attracted this development. In the 1920s Geelong's population grew from 36, 000
to 43, 000 by then exceeding Ballarat (41, 750) and Bendigo(33, 500).
Aurel Just kept his nephews working quite
hard. He saw his role as dealing with the clients, taking instructions and keeping the
practice going. With three members of the Just family now working in the firm of Whyte
Just and Moore, Carl Just came to the conclusion that there would not be sufficent work to
keep all of them. He accepted an offer to join Mr Arthur Phillips to become a partner with
him in Melbourne. The firm was known as Arthur Phillips and Just. Two of Carl's sons also
became lawyers. Jack became a member of, and, eventually, proprietor of his father's firm.
Gordon went to the Victorian Bar in 1948 and after a successful career there was appointed
a County Court Judge in 1965.
Frank Just had married Leila Annie Lawson
when he was 22 years. Having come to Geelong he settled down to work in his uncle's firm
and in 1928 he was admitted to partnership.
Aurel Just had built up a legal practice
with emphasis on property and mortgage transactions, probate and business matters. Frank
Just continued the practice in similar style. The notion of developing a practice based on
defending in court those charged with breaches of the criminal law did not appeal to him.
There were not a great number of court actions under his control although, at times, there
were some cases including a large one concerning the testamentary capacity of one of his
clients at the time his will was made. Although the severe economic depression of the
1930s affected Geelong, on a personal level, the Just family seemed to manage dally life
quite well. Domestic help was available. There were three young children, a son and two
daughters, to keep and educate. It was a time when unemployed persons called looking for
work and Mrs Just did what she could to assist by providing work or meals. Apart from his
work in the legal firm of Whyte Just and Moore, Frank Just was making a name for himself
as a cricketer.
The Second World War (1939-1945) brought
changes to Whyte Just and Moore. The firm had employed a number of male clerks. With
enlistment the numbers dropped. Aurel Just was elderly and the bulk of the work fell upon
Frank Just. He often worked to the early hours of the morning. He walked from his home in
Skene Street Newtown to his office in Malop Street Geelong and returned the same way for a
midday meal. When he was working long hours he developed the European habit of a sleep
after the mid-day meal before returning to his office for the hours ahead.
Frank Just had firm views as to how a legal
practice should be conducted. He has been described as being "straight down the line.
" When he was looking for a partner he was seeking someone who was not only capable
and honest but who would have an interest in life generally and in culture. He did not see
the practice of law as merely a means of making money and had poor regard for lawyers he
regarded as "go getters". He had a friendly approach to clients and spent time
chatting to them. If they were hard up he would either not charge full costs or not charge
them at all. This may have been easier when wages paid to staff and other overhead
expenses were lower than they were in later times. He was also firm as to what sort of
person would be suitable as an employee. While he was in practice the firm was extended to
admit J.W. Stubbs, N.L.Davidson and G.S.Fielding as members. He encouraged a friendship
between the partners with annual dinners for them and their wives.
There was a life outside the law. From
boyhood Frank Just had been a keen cricketer, He attended Trinity Grammar School at Kew
and while there made very good scores as a batsman. At Geelong he continued to play,
joining the South Geelong team in 1920. He was captain and a topline batsman for many
years and was most influential in the reestablishment of a turf competition. At the time
he was treasurer of the Geelong Cricket Asociation. In later years he served as its
President.
Newtown & Chilwell Cricket Club
believed it had achieved a major coup when they recruited him in 1930. He continued his
good form winning the batting average in his first three seasons with his new club. In
1921 Frank Just had played in a Victorian country team against the visiting English test
team at Corio Oval. He was captain of the Victorian Country Team in matches against
England at Corio Oval in 1929, against West Indies in January 1931 and South Africa in
December 1931. These events were not only sporting events but social ones with mayoral
welcomes to the visitors, official luncheons and the like. Geelong Woollen Mills were
manufacturing fine quality products and Frank Just brought the visiting teams to one of
the mills where each member was presented with a locally produced travelling rug as a
memento of his visit to Geelong. He and the other members of his teams were able to meet
the top international cricket players of the time, including Leary Constantine of the West
Indies, Jack Hobbs and Walter Hammond of England. In the 1929 match one of the English
bowlers was Douglas Jardine. His captaincy of the visiting English team in 1932-33, when
Don Bradman was the best batsman in international cricket, his sporting achievements
providing a bright spot in gloomy economic times, became famous ( or infamous, according
to point of view ) because of the "bodyline controversy".
The Geelong Cricket Association showed its
recognition of Frank Just's contribution as player and administrator by naming its premier
junior section "The Under 16 Frank Just Shield. "
Apart from interest in good food and wine,
music and sport Frank Just sought to stimulate in his family an interest in the wonders of
nature and life. A gregarious man he belonged to a number of social clubs. Family
gatherings and parties were common.
In business he served as chairman of the
Geelong Gas Company and Charles Cole Pty Ltd, wine and spirit merchants. He was a director
of Winter & Taylor, vendors and repairers of motor vehicles, TransOtway Ltd a
transport company and Fyansford Quarries. He was also on the board of Geelong Medical and
Hospital Benefit Association.
In his early sixties he retired from legal
practice but kept up with fellow lawyers, attending the Geelong Law Association social
functions. One has recorded him as being as a great kerbside conversationalist and a
friend of all generations of the legal profession.
Frank Just died on the 31st day of August
1976 survived by his wife and two daughters. His son, also Frank, spent one year in the
office of Whyte Just and Moore. He told his father a life in the law was not for him. He
had served in the Second World War by enlisting in the R.A.A.F and being seconded with the
rest of his air crew to the R.A.F in Britain. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying
Cross. As a student at Melbourne University he excelled at languages. On winning the
Mollison scholarship he attended the Sorbonne in Paris, graduating there with a doctorate.
He returned to Melbourne University where he was a lecturer. His death on 31st May 1974
was a matter of deep sorrow to his parents.
References
VICTORIA A HISTORY. Don Garden. Published
by Nelson 1984
A HISTORY OF THE MELBOURNE LAW SCHOOL. Ruth
Campbell. Published University of Melbourne 1977
SO FINE A COUNTRY. Ian Wynd. Published by Shire of Corio 1977
THE ASHBY STORY. G. Seaton. Published by Geelong West City Council
1978
MODEL BOROUGH. G, Seaton. Published by City of Newtown 1983
JUDGES THROUGH THE YEARS. E. E. Hewitt Published by Hyland House 1984.
GEELOONG'S LEGAL PROFESSION. R. Annnois.
1995
BRADMAN. Charles Williams. Published by
Abacus 1996.
INTERNATIONAL CRICKET IN GEELONG. Geelong
Cricket Association
HISTORY OF NEWTOWN AND CHILWELL CRICKET
CLUB. Published by N. C. C. C. INC. 1988.
GEELONG'S BLAZING CENTURY RUNS AND WICKETS
SINCE 1862. K, O'Dowd 1989
INTERVIEWS 1997
Mr Jack Just.
Mrs Marie Hocking and Miss Rosalind Just,
daughters of F. P. Just
Mr G.S.. Fielding
Mrs Jennifer Davidson
Mr. Peter Free President of Sunbury
Historical Society,
Vivian Hill