AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
THE BRADDELLS OF SINGAPORE
Sir Thomas Braddell
Sir Thomas Braddell, C. M. G. (b. 30 January 1823, Rahingrany, Ireland – d. 19 September 1891, London, England) was Crown Counsel of the Straits Settlements (1864), and the first Attorney-General of the Straits Settlements (1867–82). Before joining the legal profession, he was Assistant Resident Councillor of Penang. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (C. M. G.) in 1882.
On 10 June 1859, Sir Thomas was called to the English Bar by the Society of Gray’s Inn. Three years later, he left the East India Company service in Penang and moved to Singapore, where he set up law firm Logan & Braddell with Abraham Logan.
Sir Thomas was subsequently appointed Crown Counsel of the Straits Settlements in January 1864 and then Attorney-General of the Straits Settlements in April 1867. He held the latter designation until December 1882. As attorney-general stationed in Singapore, he was tasked with drafting Singapore’s own body of laws as well as remodelling local court procedures. Apart from these appointments, he also served in the Chinese Secret Societies Commission and the Prison Commission.
Sir Thomas took a deep and personal interest in the conditions and customs of the Malay Archipelago. His thoughts and concerns about the region are reflected in the numerous articles that he penned. Many were published in the Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia (also known as “Logan’s Journal”), founded and edited by James Richardson Logan, the younger brother of his law firm partner, Abraham Logan. Sir Thomas’ writings covered a wide variety of topics concerning the Malay Archipelago, ranging from historical events and geography to royal genealogy and social issues such as opium-smoking and gambling.
Apart from producing numerous original articles about the Malay Archipelago, Sir Thomas, who was well-versed in Malay, translated several Malay works into English that were published in Logan’s Journal. His keen interest in and knowledge of Malay culture, fluency in the Malay language as well as his courteous manner, earned him the respect of the Malay populace, including the Malay chiefs who would often approach him for advice.
Sir Thomas was also an ebullient Freemason and reportedly held every single appointment associated with Freemasonry with exception of the position of District Grand Master.
In late 1882, Sir Thomas retired due to injuries sustained in a bad carriage accident. He died at the age of 69 at his home in South Kensington, London, on 19 September 1891.
Braddell Road in Singapore, is named after him.
MORE : National Library Board’s Singapore infopedia page on Sir Thomas Braddell
Sir Thomas de Multon Lee Braddell
Sir Thomas de Multon Lee Braddell (b. 25 November 1856, Province Wellesley, Penang – d. 31 January 1927) was Attorney-General of the Straits Settlements and Chief Judicial Commissioner of the Federated Malay States. His father, Thomas Braddell, was the first Attorney-General of the then newly-created Straits Settlements. Sir Thomas’ eldest son, Roland St John Sir Thomas, was joint editor of the book One Hundred Years of Singapore.
Sir Thomas was educated at Brighton College and Worcester College, Oxford. He was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple on 25 June 1879, and to the Straits Bar on 5 January 1880. Sir Thomas started his legal career by practising at his father’s law firm – Logan & Sir Thomas – before setting up his own law practice in 1883 – Braddell Brothers – with his younger brother Robert Wallace Glen Lee Braddell.
Sir Thomas was appointed Municipal Commissioner and Attorney-General in the late 1890s, and was subsequently appointed Puisne Judge in 1907. He was the only member of the Bar to ever receive the latter designation.
From 1911 to 1913, he served as Attorney-General of Singapore. Sir Thomas went on to become Chief Judicial Commissioner of the Federated Malay States in 1913. He was knighted in the New Year’s Honours List of 1914.
Sir Thomas was an avid player and supporter of sports, notably water sports such as yachting and swimming. He was president of the Singapore Swimming Club and Singapore Golf Club. In addition, he was actively involved in amateur theatricals and was said to devote one evening every week helping senior students of Raffles Girls’ School in their Shakespeare.
Aside from the performing arts and sports, Sir Thomas was, like his father, an enthusiastic Freemason, having served concurrently as Master of Lodge of St George and first Master of Read Lodge, Kuala Lumpur. He was also a one-time district grand senior warden.
Sir Thomas retired to England in 1917, and passed away at home on 31 January 1927 at the age of 71.
MORE : National Library Board’s Singapore infopedia page on Sir Thomas de Multon Lee Braddell
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