George Weston (lawyer)

George Thorngate Weston (21 October 1876 – 19 September 1957) was a New Zealand lawyer and cricketer.

George Weston
Personal information
Full name
George Thorngate Weston
Born(1876-10-21)21 October 1876
Hokitika, New Zealand
Died19 September 1957(1957-09-19) (aged 80)
Christchurch, New Zealand
BattingRight-handed
RoleWicket-keeper
RelationsThomas S. Weston (father)
Thomas Shailer Weston Jr. (brother)
Claude Weston (brother)
Agnes Weston (sister-in-law)
Tom Weston (great-nephew)
William C. Weston (cousin)
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1903/04–1904/05Canterbury
First-class debut25 December 1903 Canterbury v Otago
Last First-class31 December 1904 Canterbury v Otago
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 4
Runs scored 74
Batting average 9.25
100s/50s 0/0
Top score 42
Catches/stumpings 6/0
Source: CricketArchive, 25 January 2022

Weston was born on 21 October 1876 in Hokitika.[1][2] The publisher Walter Weston was his twin brother. The judge Thomas S. Weston was their father.[3] Thomas Shailer Weston Jr. and Claude Weston were brothers, and Agnes Weston was his sister-in-law.[4][5] Weston received his education in Christchurch at Christ's College and Canterbury College. He graduated from the university with a bachelor of art in 1897 and a bachelor of laws in 1898.[6] In the same year, he was admitted to the bar by Justice Edward Conolly.[3]

Weston played in four first-class matches for Canterbury from 1903 to 1905.[1]

Weston was a lecturer in law at his alma mater from 1902 to 1906. He served on the board of governors of Canterbury College from 1907 to 1916. In 1919, he was elected fellow of Christ's College. In 1917 and 1918, he was lieutenant in World War I.[6] He was a prominent lawyer in Christchurch, where he founded the firm Weston Ward & Lascelles (which, as of 2022, is still operating). Later in his career, he had the rank of major in the New Zealand Army and worked in their legal department. For a time, he served as president of the Canterbury District Law Society.[3]

A Freemason, Weston served as grand registrar of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand Freemasons from 1930 to 1932.[3][7]

Weston engaged architect Cecil Wood to design a stately house. It took two years to build, located on Park Terrace and looking out over North Hagley Park. Completed in 1924, the building became known as Weston House and was later registered as a Category I heritage building by Heritage New Zealand. It was demolished after irreparable damage from the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.[8]

Weston House in May 2011 after the earthquake

On 14 November 1923 at St Luke's Church, he married Maude Cargill.[9] In 1953, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.[10] Weston died on 19 September 1957 aged 80 at his home in Park Terrace, and was survived by his wife, two sons, and one daughter.[3][11] His wife died in 1976.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "George Weston". CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Weston, George Thorngate – WWI 15443, WWII N/N – Army". National Library of New Zealand. p. 22. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Obituary". The Press. Vol. XCVI, no. 28388. 21 September 1957. p. 2. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  4. ^ Scholefield, Guy, ed. (1940). A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : M–Addenda (PDF). Vol. II. Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs. p. 484.
  5. ^ Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. p. 389. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
  6. ^ a b Scholefield, Guy (1941). Who's Who in New Zealand and the Western Pacific, 1941 (4th ed.). Masterton. p. 349.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^ Who's Who N.Z. Wellington: National Magazines. 1938. pp. 530–531.
  8. ^ "The Weston House". Westonhouse.co.nz. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Women's corner". The Press. Vol. LIX, no. 17921. 15 November 1923. p. 2. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Coronation Medal" (PDF). Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette. No. 37. 3 July 1953. pp. 1021–1035. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  11. ^ "Deaths". The Press. Vol. XCVI, no. 28388. 21 September 1957. p. 1. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Deaths". The Press. Vol. 116, no. 34069. 5 February 1976. p. 25. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
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