The Gibbs Scholarship - The Right Honourable Sir Harry Talbot Gibbs PC GCMG AC KBE (1939)

Sir Harry Gibbs is one of the Law School’s most notable graduates. He was the first graduate to serve as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland (1961-67), as a Justice of the High Court of Australia (1970-87), and as the Chief Justice of the High Court (1981-87). He was awarded a Doctorate of Laws honoris causa by the University in 1980.

Harry Talbot (Bill) Gibbs was born in Sydney in 1917. His family lived in Ipswich, where his father, Harry Victor Foote Gibbs, was a partner of a local law firm (Walker & Walker). Shortly after his son’s birth, HVF Gibbs left for military service in the First World War - returning to Ipswich, and legal practice, in 1919. HT Gibbs received his schooling at Ipswich, at the Boys’ Central State School and Ipswich Grammar School. In 1934, he went into residence at Emmanuel College, then located on Wickham Terrace, to commence his tertiary studies at the University of Queensland. In 1937, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, with first class honours in English literature. He then completed his legal studies in the newly established Law School, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws, with first class honours, in 1939. Gibbs was an active and influential member of the student community, being elected the inaugural President of the Law Students Society, President of the University of Queensland Students' Union, and editor of the student magazine Galmahra. During his student years, Gibbs was introduced to the Dunn family – including fellow law students, Lex Dunn (LLB, 1938) and his cousin Muriel Dunn (LLB, 1942). Bill Gibbs and Muriel Dunn were married in 1944. They had four children.

On 30 May 1939, Gibbs was admitted as a barrister of the Supreme Court of Queensland: re Matthews and Gibbs [1939] QWN 32. After only a brief period in practice, he enlisted for war service in December 1939. During the Second World War, he served in a number of staff positions, in Australia and New Guinea, rising to the rank of Major. Towards the end of the war, he served with a group responsible for planning the future government of a unified Papua New Guinea. This work provided the inspiration for a thesis concerning the legal system of New Guinea, for which he was awarded the University’s fifth Master of Laws degree (1946).

After his war service, Gibbs returned to practice at the Queensland Bar. His chambers were located on the second floor of the original Inns of Court in Adelaide Street. He quickly demonstrated his remarkable abilities, developing a busy practice with numerous appearances in the High Court in the 1950s. During this period, Gibbs maintained his connection with the Law School. He was the inaugural editor of the University of Queensland Law Journal (1948).

He also served as a part-time lecturer in a range of subjects (1948-59), with his students including a future colleague on the High Court, Sir Gerard Brennan. On 7 February 1957, Gibbs was appointed to the rank of Queen’s Counsel. He practised as a silk for only four years, before accepting judicial office.

On 8 June 1961, at the age of 44, Gibbs QC was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland. During this period of his career, Gibbs J delivered a series of notable judgments, which continue to be influential. He also chaired the Rules Revision Committee, which undertook the first major review of the Rules of the Supreme Court since 1900. Apart from his judicial duties, he undertook two major inquiries – the Commission of Inquiry into the Expansion of the Australian Sugar Industry (1963) and the National Hotel Inquiry (1964). In 1967, Gibbs J resigned from the Supreme Court and moved to Sydney, to take up an appointment as a Judge of the Federal Court of Bankruptcy and of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory.

On 4 August 1970, Gibbs J was appointed a Justice of the High Court of Australia. He was also appointed a Knight of the British Empire (1970) and a Privy Councillor (1972), with Gibbs J serving three short terms on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. On 12 February 1981, Gibbs J was appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia. He was subsequently appointed a Knight Grand Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (1983) and a Companion of the Order of Australia (1987). His long service to the University was also recognised with a Doctorate of Laws honoris causa (1980) – with Griffith University also awarding the degree of Doctor of the University (1987). It has been observed that Gibbs “brought to the High Court great strength of intellect, wide knowledge and experience, a swift grasp of complex issues, a strong underlying sense of fairness and justice, and outstanding clarity of expression”.

He retired from the High Court, at the age of 70, in 1987. Sir Harry Gibbs’ service to the community continued after retirement from the High Court, serving in a number of official roles, including as Chairman of a committee reviewing the Commonwealth’s criminal laws (1987-91). His interest in the Asia-Pacific region also continued, serving as President of the Kiribati Court of Appeal (1988-99).

Sir Harry Gibbs died in Sydney in 2005. His service to the law and the University has been honoured in many ways, including by the naming of the Harry Gibbs Commonwealth Law Courts Building in Brisbane, the Sir Harry Gibbs Legal Heritage Centre in the Supreme and District Courts Building in Brisbane, and the Sir Harry Gibbs Law Scholarship at Emmanuel College.

Gibbs Scholarship Recipients

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