John Musgrave Harvey

Sir John Musgrave Harvey (22 December 1865 – 13 June 1940) was an EnglishAustralian judge who served on the Supreme Court of New South Wales from 1913 to 1936. He was Chief Judge in Equity from 1925 to 1935 and Acting Chief Justice from 1933 to 1934, as well as chairing multiple New South Wales royal commissions.

Early life and family Harvey was born in Hampstead, London, England, the sixth of eight children born to Frances Harriet (née Brewster) and Charles Musgrave Harvey. His father and grandfather were Anglican priests, and his older brother Richard served as Archdeacon of Halifax. His younger brother Sir Ernest Musgrave Harvey was Chief Cashier of the Bank of England and the first of the Harvey baronets.

Harvey was educated at Marlborough College from 1878 to 1884 on a scholarship. He was a prefect and member of the rugby team. He subsequently won a scholarship to Keble College, Oxford, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1888. Harvey arrived in Australia in 1889, where he had found a position as tutor to the children of a Sydney lawyer. He subsequently developed an interest in the law himself, and was mentored by Langer Owen.

Harvey conducted two further Royal Commissions for the state government during the 1920s. The first was a 1927 inquiry into the administration of the Child Welfare Department, while the second was a 1928 inquiry into the Sydney City Council's contract with Babcock & Wilcox for the construction of the Bunnerong Power Station. In the latter, he found that a bribe had been paid to the acting general manager of the Electricity Department, but that the company's tender should nonetheless still be accepted as it was the best bid available.

Personal life Harvey married Beatrice Ward on 4 January 1895. The couple had one son and three daughters together. He was a warden of St Mark's Church, Darling Point, for 28 years, and from 1934 to 1938 was chancellor of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. He was also the foundation chairman of Cranbrook School from 1918 to 1938; one of the school's houses is named in his honour.

Harvey died at his home in Double Bay on 13 June 1940, at the age of 74. His estate was valued at £22,225.