John Frederick Giffening (4 February 1787 - 25 September 1851) was a Ceylonese proctor, public notary and politician.
John Frederick Giffening | |
|---|---|
| Burgher member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon | |
| In office 1843–1851 | |
| Preceded by | J. G. Hillebrand |
| Succeeded by | Richard Morgan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Johan Frederick Giffening 4 February 1787 Colombo, Ceylon |
| Died | 25 September 1851 (aged 64) Colombo, Ceylon |
| Spouse | Henrietta Matilda Toussaint |
| Children | seven |
Early life and education
editJohn Frederick Geffening was born on 4 February 1787 in Colombo, Ceylon, the son of Reverend Bernhard Abraham Giffening (1762-1812), the head of the Dutch Reformed Church in Ceylon, and Maria Sophia née Francius (1754-1812). In 1796 the British formally took control of the Dutch colonies in Ceylon, with all the Dutch colonists who agreed to stay signing a treaty of capitulation, which guaranteed they would remain loyal and not defect if the Dutch attempted to re-conquer Ceylon. In 1807 Giffening was appointed as a proctor (a position similar to a solicitor) of the District Court and in 1811 a proctor of the Supreme Court.[1][2]
Professional career
editHe was subsequently appointed as one of the three proctors sitting on the bench of the Supreme Court of Ceylon (known as the Vice Admiralty Court).[3] He also served on the Board of Examiners for many years, who James de Alwis described as being an old, narrow-minded austere but clever Dutch lawyer.[4] In 1843 he was appointed as the second unofficial member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon, representing the Burgher community, replacing J. G. Hillebrand, following the later's appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court.[5][6]
Personal life
editGiffening married Henrietta Matilda Toussaint (1837-?) on 15 September 1858 at Wolvendaal Church.[7] They had seven children: John Frederick (1859-1929); Edwin Arnold (b.1861); Dorothy Henrietta (b.1863); Peter Bernard Toussaint (1864-1925); Frederica Anna (1866-1938); Julian Theodore Louis (1870-1944); and Georgiana Matilda (c.1877-1944).
He died on 25 September 1851 in Colombo, at the age of 64. Richard Morgan was subsequently appointed to his seat on the Legislative Council.[5][8]
References
edit- ^ The Ceylon Directory: Calendar and Compendium of Useful Information" (1866). LII
- ^ "Ceylon Almanac and Compendium of useful information". Colombo: Govt. Press. 1833. nla.obj-24678246. Retrieved 16 November 2022 – via Trove.
- ^ "The Ceylon Almanac and Compendium" (PDF). Colombo: A. De Krester. 1850. p. 133.
- ^ Amerasinghe, A. R. B. (1986) The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka: The First 185 Years. Sri Lanka Sarvodaya Book Publishing Services
- ^ a b Toussaint, J. R. (July 1945). "Journal of the Dutch Burger Union of Ceylon" (PDF). Burgher Members in Council. XXV. Dutch Burgher Union of Ceylon: 2-3.
- ^ Muller, J. B. "A Burgher perspective on politics in Sri Lanka today". The Daily News. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ Journal of the Dutch Burgher Union of Ceylon (1909) Dutch Burgher Union of Ceylon: 33
- ^ Digby, William. Forty Years of Official and Unofficial Life in an Oriental Crown Colony: Being the Life of Sir Richard F. Morgan, Kt., Queen's Advocate and Acting Chief Justice of Ceylon. Sri Lanka: Higginbotham (1879)