Richard Morgan (Ceylonese judge)
Ceylonese lawyer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sir Richard Francis Morgan (21 February 1821 – 27 January 1876)[1] was a Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) lawyer, who served as the 13th Queen's Advocate of Ceylon and acting Chief Justice of Ceylon. He was the first Asian in the British Empire to receive a Knighthood and first Ceylonese to be a member of the Governor's Executive Council and was an unofficial (Burgher) member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon. He was the Crown Advocate who prosecuted famed bandit Saradiel.[2]
Richard Morgan | |
|---|---|
| |
| Acting Chief Justice of Ceylon | |
| In office 1874–1874 | |
| 13th Queen's Advocate of Ceylon | |
| In office 1 January 1863 – 1876 | |
| Governor | Charles Justin MacCarthy |
| Preceded by | Henry Byerley Thomson |
| Succeeded by | Richard Cayley |
| Acting Deputy Queen's Advocate of Ceylon | |
| In office 1 May 1862 – 1 January 1863 | |
| Acting Queen's Advocate of Ceylon | |
| In office 16 April 1861 – 1 May 1862 | |
| In office 19 November 1857 – 1858 | |
| Judge of the District Court of Colombo | |
| In office 6 November 1860 – 16 April 1861 | |
| In office 1858 – 21 May 1859 | |
| In office 1 October 1856 – 1 January 1857 | |
| Acting Senior Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Ceylon | |
| In office 1 January 1860 – 6 November 1860 | |
| Acting Second Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Ceylon | |
| In office 1 January 1857 – 19 November 1857 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 February 1821 |
| Died | 27 January 1876 (aged 54) Colombo, Ceylon |
Sir Richard was the 11th and youngest child of Owen Richard Morgan, port magistrate of Colombo, and Behrana Lucretea Lourensz. He was educated at the Colombo Academy.[3][4]
Morgan was knighted in 1874, while serving as Crown Advocate of Ceylon.[5] He was made acting Chief Justice of Ceylon, after E. S. Creasy had returned to England on sick leave.[6] His son was Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hillebrand Morgan.
