Hiram Parkes Wilkinson

Wilkinson was born on 9 June 1866 in a bungalow at the British Legation on the Bluff in Yokohama, Japan while his father was a student interpreter in the British Japan Consular Service.[1] He was called Harrie by his family. He was presumably named after Harry Parkes who was then British Minister in Japan.

He was brought up in Japan before attending school at the Methodist College Belfast and Exeter College, Oxford.[2]

After qualifying as a barrister in 1890, he practiced briefly on the Western Circuit before he went to Shanghai to join his father who was then in practice as the British Crown Advocate in Shanghai.

During his time in Asia he served as:

• Acting Crown Advocate of the British Supreme Court for China and Japan (1894-1895)
• Crown Advocate of the British Supreme Court for China and Japan (renamed the Supreme Court for China and Corea between 1900 and 1910 and the Supreme Court for China from 1910 onwards) (1897–1925)
• Acting Chief Justice of the British Supreme Court for China and Japan (1898)
• Acting Assistant Judge of the British Supreme Court for China and Japan (1898)
• British Claims Commissioner under the Boxer Protocol (1901)
• Acting Assistant Judge of the British Court for Siam (1903–1905)
• British Claims Commissioner following the 1905 Mixed Court riots in Shanghai (1907)
• Judge of the British High Court of Weihaiwei (1916–1925)

From 1900 to 1905 while his father served as Chief Justice of the British Supreme Court for China and Corea, Wilkinson was required to take leave from his post as Crown Advocate of that court. WC Platt and Duncan McNeill acted in his place during this time.

In 1925 he retired from his position as Crown Advocate and Judge and returned to Ireland and moved to Moneyshanere, Tobermore. Allan Mossop succeeded him as Crown Advocate and Peter Grain succeeded him as Judge in Weihaiwei. On his retirement, the North China Herald, published a long article of Wilkinson's reminiscences that recounted his career in the Far East.[3]

Wilkinson was admitted to the bar of Northern Ireland in 1926 and he was appointed a King's Counsel in 1928. In 1930, he was appointed High Sheriff of Londonderry.[4]

He founded the Tobermore Unionist Club, which later became a branch of the Ulster Volunteers, which itself became part of the 36th Ulster Division in World War I.

Wilkinson returned to Asia in 1932 spending his time between Hong Kong and Shanghai. He resumed legal practice in both cities. He died of pneumonia in Shanghai in 1935 and was buried in Bubbling Well Road Cemetery (now Jingan Park).

• Clark, Douglas (2015). Gunboat Justice: British and American Law Courts in China and Japan (1842-1943). Hong Kong: Earnshaw Books., Vol. 1: ISBN 978-988-82730-8-9; Vol. 2: ISBN 978-988-82730-9-6; Vol. 3: ISBN 978-988-82731-9-5