Rose served in the Colonial Legal Service from 1929 to 1942 in Fiji, Rhodesia and Palestine.[1] After serving as Solicitor General of British Palestine, Rose became Commissioner in charge of investigating corruption in the Customs Department in 1942 before serving in Ceylon until 1955. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ceylon in 1945, served as Legal Secretary in 1946–47 and Attorney General of Ceylon from 1947 to 1951,[3] before being appointed the 30th Chief Justice of Ceylon. He was appointed in 1952 succeeding Edward Jayetileke and was Chief Justice until 1956. He was succeeded by Hema Henry Basnayake.[4]
He initially retired following his appointment in Ceylon, but stayed active. In 1956, he chaired the Commission of Enquiry into the affairs of Nairobi City Council. In 1958, on the strength of his service in Ceylon, he was chosen as Chief Justice of Singapore and served during the period of time in which the colony achieved self governance.[2][5][6][7]