William Norris (judge)

Sir William Norris (6 July 1795 – 7 September 1859) was the seventh Chief Justice of Ceylon and seventh Advocate Fiscal of Ceylon.

For other people named William Norris, see William Norris (disambiguation).

Sir
William Norris
7th Chief Justice of Ceylon
In office
27 April 1836 – 1837
Appointed byRobert Wilmot-Horton
Preceded byCharles Marshall
Succeeded byAnthony Oliphant
Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Ceylon
In office
1834 – 27 April 1836
7th Advocate Fiscal of Ceylon
In office
28 February 1829 – 1833
Preceded byHenry Matthews
Succeeded byWilliam Ogle Carr
Personal details
Born7 July 1795[1]
London, England[2]
Died7 September 1859 (aged 64)[3]
Ashurst Lodge, Sunningdale, Berkshire, England
Spouse
Fearne Kinnear
​
(m. 1829)​
Children2, including William Edward Norris

He was born in London, the son of William Norris, who was President of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1824, and his wife, Hannah Phillips. He was baptised in Bray, Berkshire at two weeks old.[1] He studied law at the Middle Temple and was called to the bar in 1827. He moved to India in 1829 to practice there.

He was knighted by letters patent in 1835 and appointed a puisne judge in Ceylon.[4] He was promoted to Chief Justice of Ceylon on 27 April 1836, succeeding Charles Marshall, holding the post until 1837. He was succeeded by Anthony Oliphant.[5][6] Norris was appointed despite William Rough having served on the bench since 1831, as acting puisne justice, senior puisne justice and as acting chief justice.[7]

His son was the author William Edward Norris. His daughter Anne Grace Norris married the future Governor Arthur Havelock.[7]

References
  1. England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
  2. 1851 England Census
  3. "Deaths". The Times. 9 September 1859. p. 1.
  4. Dod, Charles. The Peerage, Baronetage, and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland. p. 418.
  5. "Overview". Judicial Service Commission Secretariat. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  6. John Ferguson (1996) [1887]. Ceylon in the Jubilee Year (Repr. ed.). Asian Educational Services. p. 254. ISBN 978-81-206-0963-1. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  7. Amerasinghe, A. Ranjit B. (1986). The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka : the first 185 years. Ratmalana: Sarvodaya Book Pub. Services. ISBN 955599000X.
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