Obituaries Australia

Samuel Milford, by Dalton's Royal Photographic Gallery, n.d.

State Library of New South Wales, P1 / 1155

This melancholy event, by which the colony has been deprived of one of the most painstaking and upright judges that ever graced the colonial bench, took place at Maitland on the 19th [sic] ult.  The deceased was suffering from an attack of bronchitis when he left Sydney to preside at the Maitland Assizes, and while discharging his duties the disease became so threatening, that he was compelled to adjourn the court for a few days, hoping that rest and medical aid would enable him then to resume his functions, but unfortunately the malady was too deeply seated for human-skill to avail, and proved fatal after an illness of five weeks.

Mr. Justice Milford was born at Exeter, Devonshire, England, in 1797. He came to this colony in 1843, bearing the appointment of Master in Equity, and discharged the duties of that office until appointed resident Judge of Queensland in 1856.

He returned to Sydney in 1859, and from that time until his death he presided as Judge of the Supreme Court, and during a portion of the time as Primary Judge in Equity, and Judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court. The funeral took place in this city on the 22nd, attended by the members of the Executive, the Judges of the several Courts, the principal religious dignitaries, the foreign Consuls, Members of both Houses of Parliament, and nearly all the leading inhabitants of the city. The Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Wise, Sir William Manning, and Mr. Martin, acted as pall bearers.