Humphrey O'Leary

Sir Humphrey Francis O'Leary, KCMG, KC (12 February 1886 – 16 October 1953) was the seventh Chief Justice of New Zealand, from 1946 to 1953. Born in Blenheim in 1886, his father was a blacksmith who had migrated to Masterton. His father was a Roman Catholic, but after hearing one of his sons was not doing well at the local Catholic school, he sent Humphrey to state schools, the Masterton School and Wellington College. Humphrey O'Leary attended Victoria College, was awarded an LLB degree in 1908, and from 1908 to 1909 he was a New Zealand University rugby representative. He first worked for Wilford and Levi, a law firm, then went into partnership with a university friend Frank Kelly as O'Leary and Kelly. In 1919 he was invited to join...