Kenneth Bailey (lawyer)

Australian public servant, lawyer and diplomat From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir Kenneth Hamilton Bailey CBE QC (3 November 1898  3 May 1972) was a senior Australian public servant and lawyer, best known for his time as Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department between 1946 and 1964.

Quick Facts Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department, Preceded by ...
Kenneth Bailey
Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department
In office
9 May 1946  2 February 1964
Preceded bySir George Knowles
Succeeded byTed Hook
Personal details
Born
Kenneth Hamilton Bailey

(1898-11-03)3 November 1898
Canterbury, Victoria, Australia
Died3 May 1972(1972-05-03) (aged 73)
Canberra, Australia
Spouse
(m. 1925)
ChildrenPeter Bailey
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
OccupationPublic servant, lawyer
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Life and career

Kenneth Bailey was born on 3 November 1898 in Canterbury, Victoria.[1] He was dux of his high school, Wesley College, in 1916.[2] He was Victoria's Rhodes Scholar for 1918, a feat later emulated by his son. Both attended Corpus Christi College, Oxford.[3]

In 1927, Bailey was appointed professor of jurisprudence at the University of Melbourne; the following year becoming the first Australia-born dean of the law school.[4]

Between 1946 and 1964, Bailey was Solicitor-General of Australia and Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department.[1] During his time as Solicitor-General, Bailey officially opened the Australian Police College in Barton on 25 October 1960.[5]

Bailey died on 3 May 1972 in Canberra and was cremated. His son, Peter Hamilton Bailey, was also a public servant, as well as a human rights academic.[1]

Awards and honours

Bailey was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1953 whilst Permanent Head of the Attorney-General's Department.[6] He was knighted in 1958.[7]

In 1972, the University of Melbourne awarded Bailey an honorary doctorate at a special conferring ceremony at Canberra Hospital.[2] The degree was conferred to recognize his distinguished service to the university.[8]

References

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