James Martin

Sir James Martin, QC (14 May 1820 – 4 November 1886) was three times Premier of New South Wales, and Chief Justice of New South Wales from 1873 to 1886. Early career Martin was born in Midleton, County Cork, Ireland but emigrated with his parents to Sydney, Australia at the age of one. He was educated at Dame's School, Parramatta and, despite his family's poverty, the Sydney Academy and Sydney College under the tutelage of William Timothy Cape, and left school at the age of 16 to become a reporter. In 1838, Martin published the Australian Sketch Book, a series of character sketches he dedicated to Sydney barrister Bob Nichols, for whom he was then working as an articled clerk in 1840. Martin qualified as a solicitor in 1845, and combined his legal career with employment as a newspaper editor and publisher. He married Isabella Long on 20 January 1853 and together they produced 15 children.