George Elliott Barton


George Elliott Barton was a 19th-century lawyer and practised as a barrister in Dublin, Melbourne, Dunedin & Wellington, Sydney. He was appointed a judge in Dunedin and Wellington, New Zealand.

Family Life

George Barton married Jane Crichton Campbell, eldest daughter of the Rev. Dr. Campbell of London, on 8 April 1854 at Melbourne, Victoria. Their first child, a son, Elliott L'Estrange Barton, was born 13 July 1856 at South Yarra, Victoria. Their second child, another son, Edward Gustavus Campbell Barton was born 11 December 1857 at South Yarra. He died in Paris, France, on 31 May 1903. There appears to have been a daughter Anna who lived to adulthood.

Professional Life

General

An Irish Protestant, he was described as a hot-tempered and an "exciteable Irishman" and was the subject of the "Barton Affair" of 1876-78 when he was imprisoned for a month for contempt of court by Chief Justice James Prendergast. He was known as "little Barton" to distinguish him from George Burnett Barton or "long Barton" who was also a lawyer and the editor of the Otago Daily Times.

United Kingdom

Australia

New Zealand

He was appointed a judge of the Native Land Court in 1888, but according to Morris resigned and left New Zealand in 1890 following a feud with a fellow judge, dying in Paris in 1903.

United States

Political career

He stood unsuccessfully in the for.
He was a Member of Parliament, representing the City of Wellington electorate from the 1878 City of Wellington by-election to 1879, when he retired.