Francis Burt (judge)

The Honourable Sir Francis Burt AC KCMG QC
27th Governor of Western Australia
In office 20 March 1990 – 31 October 1993
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Premier	Carmen Lawrence Richard Court
Preceded by	Gordon Reid
Succeeded by	Michael Jeffery
11th Chief Justice of Western Australia
In office 1977–1988
Preceded by	Sir Lawrence Jackson
Succeeded by	David Malcolm
Personal details
Born	Francis Theodore Page Burt (1918-06-14)14 June 1918 Mosman Park, Western Australia
Died	8 September 2004(2004-09-08) (aged 86) Perth, Western Australia
Alma mater	University of Western Australia
Nickname	"Red"
Military service
Allegiance	Australia
Branch/service	Royal Australian Navy Royal Australian Air Force
Years of service	1940–1942 (RAN) 1943–1946 (RAAF)
Rank	Flight Lieutenant
Unit	HMAS Leeuwin No. 10 Squadron RAAF
Battles/wars	Second World War

The Old Courthouse adjoining the Supreme Court Buildings in Stirling Gardens which house the Francis Burt Law Education Centre and Museum.

Sir Francis Theodore Page Burt AC KCMG QC (14 June 1918 – 8 September 2004) was an Australian jurist who served as the 11th Chief Justice of Western Australia, from 1977 to 1988, and the 27th Governor of Western Australia, from 1990 to 1993.

Burt was born in Cottesloe, a suburb of Perth Western Australia, and educated at Guildford Grammar School. He studied law at the University of Western Australia, and also served in the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force during the Second World War. Burt was made a justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 1969, and was promoted to Chief Justice in 1977. As Chief Justice, he served as lieutenant-governor. When the Governor of Western Australia, Gordon Reid, resigned in 1989, Burt was appointed to succeed him and served as governor until 1993.

Biography

Born in Mosman Park, Western Australia,^[1] Burt's great-grandfather, Sir Archibald Burt, was Chief Justice of Western Australia from 1861 to 1879, while his grandfather, Septimus Burt, was Attorney-General and Agent-General when responsible government was granted to Western Australia in December 1890. Archibald Burt had been a slaveholder in the West Indies. Burt was educated at Guildford Grammar School and later studied law at the University of Western Australia.^[2] During the Second World War he served in the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force.^[3][4]

After being admitted to the Bar in 1941, Burt gained his skills as a Queen's Counsel in 1959, and in 1961 founded the independent Bar in Western Australia.^[5] With others, he established Bar Chambers in 1962. He was appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 1969, a position he held until 1977 when he was promoted to Chief Justice of Western Australia. He retired in 1988.

Burt was afforded a state funeral on his death in 2004. He is buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.^[6] The Francis Burt Chambers located in Allendale Square, Perth, and the Francis Burt Law Education Centre and Museum in Stirling Gardens are both named in his honour.

References

1. "Births". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 17 June 1918. p. 1. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
2. "Sir Francis Theodore Page Burt 1990–1993". Constitutional Centre of Western Australia. July 2005.
3. BURT, FRANCIS THEODORE PAGE (RAN) Archived 4 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine – World War II Nominal Roll. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
4. BURT, FRANCIS THEODORE PAGE (RAAF) – World War II Nominal Roll. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
5. "Western Australian Bar Association". March 2006.
6. "Summary Of Record Information, Francis Theodore Page Burt". Metropolitan Cemeteries Board. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2010.

Legal offices
Preceded by Sir Lawrence Jackson	Chief Justice of Western Australia 1977–1988	Succeeded by David Malcolm
Government offices
Preceded by Gordon Reid	Governor of Western Australia 1990–1993	Succeeded by Major General Michael Jeffery