Charles Blakeney (politician)

Charles William Blakeney (1802-1876) was a judge and politician in Queensland, Australia.

Early life

Charles William Blakeney was born in Cooltigue Castle, County Roscommon, Ireland in 1802. He was the eldest son of Rev. Thomas Blakeney and his wife Alicia (née Newcome), daughter of Archbishop William Newcome, primate of Ireland.

He went to study at Trinity College, Dublin in January 1820 but never completed a degree.

In 1826 he married Ellen Frances, the daughter of John Jeffries of Blarney Castle, County Cork. They had three children:

• Charles John Blakeney (1830-1892)
• William Theophilus Blakeney (1832-1898)
• Alicia Honoria Blakeney (1833- )

In 1831 he became a barrister in London and in Ireland in 1836.

Decision to immigrate

Following the death of his father in 1845, he inherited the family property, Holywell, in Roscommon from which he derived a rental income of £1500 per annum. However, he led an extravagant life and eventually lost his assets through his gambling debts. An obituary published at the time of his death suggested that he had lost his estates due to the effects of the Irish Famine, as landholders were required to provide relief for their tenants. His son William Theophilus Blakeney had already immigrated to New South Wales so Charles Blakeney decided to immigrate too, where he became a barrister in the Northern Circuit Court of Moreton Bay, moving to Brisbane in 1859.

Public life

He was elected a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for the seat of Town of Brisbane from 11 May 1860 to 25 November 1865. He was Chairman of Committees from 12 June 1861 to 22 May 1863.

He resigned in order to take up appointment as the first judge of the Western District Court, which covered Condamine, Dalby and Roma.

Trial of Harry Redford

As the judge, Charles Blakeney presided over the 1873 trial of Harry Redford (sometimes spelled Readford) at Roma Courthouse. Redford was a cattle rustler, who is believed to be the inspiration for the fictional character Captain Starlight in the novel Robbery Under Arms. In 1870, Redford was working as a stockman on Bowen Downs Station near Longreach in Queensland, where, with two associates, George Dewdney and William Rooke, he stole about 1,000 cattle. Knowing the cattle would be easily identified by their cattle brands in Queensland, he drovethe cattle through the inhospitable terrain of the Channel Country and the Strzelecki Desert to South Australia where he sold the cattle for £5,000.

Redford was apprehended in Sydney in 1872, and faced trial in Roma, Queensland; Redford's solicitor was Charles William Blakeney's son, Charles John Blakeney. Despite the compelling evidence presented by the prosecutor, the jury members were so impressed by Redford's achievements in taking the cattle to South Australia that they found him not guilty, whereupon Charles Blakeney remarked, "Thank God, gentlemen, that verdict is yours and not mine!" In response to the apparent disregard for justice shown by the verdict, in July 1873, the Government shut down the Roma District Criminal Court for two years but rescinded the order in January 1874.

Later life

Around 1874, he suffered a paralytical stroke. This eventually affected his mind and he was unable to continue as a judge and retired from public life in September 1875. On 12 January 1876, he left his home to take a morning walk, but failed to return. He was later found drowned in the Brisbane River believed to have been caused by his mental affliction. On 14 January 1876, he was buried in South Brisbane Cemetery at Dutton Park.