Listed in The Age, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on Monday, June 23, 1919, Page 8:

DEATH OF SIR T. A’BECKETT

Notable Career Ended

The death on Saturday night of Sir Thomas a’Beckett removed one of the most notable personalities of the State during a long period and a former member of the judiciary, whose many striking qualities and characteristics made his 31 years’ occupancy of the bench outstanding. The last Sir Thomas a’Beckett had led an active life mentally and physically, but latterly had had failing health, and his death was not unexpected. He was born in London in August, 1836, and had the remarkable experience of sitting on the bench from his 50th to his 82nd year. He had been in retirement only a little less than two years at his death. Upon the attainment of his 80th birthday, the members of the bar met in his chambers to congratulate him, and later presented him with a full length portrait of himself in oils, now upon the walls of the Supreme Court library.

The late Sir Thomas a’Beckett was called to the English bar at Lincoln’s Inn, where he won a studentship, in 1859, and to the Victorian bar in 1860. After 26 years’ practice, in which he was briefed in many equity cases now land marks in the Victorian law annals, he was appointed to the Supreme Court bench in September, 1886. In 1900, he was created K.B. It was typical of the man as he was known that, having been granted leave on account of illness in 1915, heh returned to duty upon the bench, despite his great age and recent illness, before the expiration of the term of the leave. While leader of the equity bar, he held a lectureship at Melbourne University. There he insisted on devotion to principles and fundamentals, and laid firm foundations for the students’ future study and work. At the bar and on the bench, he was remarkable for his clarity of vision, his grip of principles and technicalities. Few men in either capacity have had keener perception and insight in dealing with witnesses, and the confusion of the most alert and astute by a searching cross-examination of a subtle and sudden question after a close scrutiny of the witness’s demeanor, were features of his Honor’s courts. … His consideration towards counsel was proverbial, but his insight was so keen that he frequently delivered what were described as “interim judgements,” where a case was obviously hopeless, and so saved time and expense to litigants. His personality was strong and his tenacity of opinion marked, and judgments dissenting from those of his colleagues in the Full Court were not known. It became generally accepted that fewer of his judments were “upset” on appeal, than those of other members of the judiciary. At his retirement, he was the senior puisne judge in Victoria. In private life, he was a man of great urbanity. For some years, he was a member of the University Council. His favorite exercises, in which he indulged freely till a very advanced age, were cycling, tennis and walking.

For some years, Sir Thomas a’Beckett had resided at “Karbarook,” a house of the mansion type, erected in the earlier days of Melbourne – with spacious grounds, at the corner of Dandenong and Orrong roads, Armadale. He was the son of the late T.T. a’Beckett, M.L.C. In 1875, he married a daughter of the late Sir Archibald Michie, who survives him. The family now consists of two sons and three daughters. The elder son is Mr Thomas a’Beckett, of Messrs a’Beckett and Chomley, solicitors of Melbourne. The younger son, Gilbert a’Beckett, is a lieutenant in the Field Artillery, and has recently returned from France. The eldest daughter, Mrs Walter Travers, is a widow; the second is the wife of Professor Harrison Moore, and the third daughter, Miss a’Beckett, resides at “Karbarook.”