Richard Martin Meredith
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Chief Justice The Hon. Richard Martin Meredith Q.C. (March 27, 1847-May 20, 1934) was a founder of The University of Western Ontario; vice-chancellor of Ontario; President of the High Court of the Supreme Court of Ontario and Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas.
Background
Born on Talbot Street, London, Ontario, he was one of the eight distinguished sons of John Walsingham Cooke Meredith. His brothers included Sir William Ralph Meredith, Sir Vincent Meredith, Thomas Graves Meredith Q.C., and Charles Meredith. He was a first cousin of The Rt. Hon. Richard Edmund Meredith, Master of the Rolls of Ireland. He shared the same name as one of his father's uncles (the grandfather of James Creed Meredith), who was named after Richard Martin (M.P.), a contemporary of Richard's great grandfather, a Justice of the peace for Co. Dublin.
Career
Educated at Hellmuth Boy's College, London, he then proceeded to the London Royal Military School, passing out in 1865. He served as an officer at Windsor, Ontario during the Fenian raids, earning a medal. Following this he entered his brother William's legal offices and was called to the Bar in 1869. Specializing in chancery and equity law, he went into practice with another brother, Edmund, forming the London-based firm of Meredith & Meredith, subsequently Meredith, Judd & Meredith. He continued his career in London, during which time he took silk as a Queen's Counsel, until the Prime Minister, Sir John A. MacDonald appointed him a Judge of the Chancery Division of the High Court of Ontario in 1890, at Toronto. In this position he frequently came up across his brothers Edmund and William, and of the three he was known as 'the dissenting judge'. In the same year (1890), he was also elected to the vice chancellorship of Ontario, a position he held until 1905. From 1905 to 1912, he was President of the High Court of the Supreme Court of Ontario. In 1912, he succeeded his elder brother, William, as Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, his final judicial post, retiring in 1930.