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Top 10 Incredible Facts about Henry Higgins Australian

Portrait of Henry Bournes Higgins by John Hubert/

Henry Bournes Higgins was an Australian lawyer, politician, and judge. He served on the High Court of Australia from 1906 until he died in 1929.

His years at university introduced him to the great intellectual issues of the day and acclimatized him to colonial society.

He was elected to the 1897–98 Federal Convention, he worked with Charles Kingston to give the Commonwealth power over overstrikes.

Subsequently matriculating and attaining a teaching certificate, Higgins worked as a teacher and private tutor to support himself while studying at the University of Melbourne.

1. Astonishingly Henry gained a school teacher’s certificate 

Henry Bournes Higgins, Australian judge and politician by unknown Arthur/

Henry gained his common school’s teacher’s certificate and also matriculated. Working his way through the University of Melbourne.

He taught at various schools and undertook private tutoring, his pupils including sons of Andrew Chirnside and David Syme.

Higgins had an outstanding record at university in languages, logic, history, political economy, and in Shakespeare, being several times exhibitioner.

Bournes was committed to the law, reasoning that it would force him to cure his stammer to speak in court.

2. Henry Higgins interestingly achieved first-class honors and graduated with a Bachelor of law

Graduate by Himal Rana

Henry Higgins achieved first-class honors and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in 1874 and a Master of Laws in 1876.

Having overcome a debilitating childhood stammer to be able to speak in court, he chose the equity jurisdiction where there would be no requirement for him to address juries.

He began practicing as a barrister in 1876, after his admission to the Victorian Bar, though he went to the Victorian Bar he chose equity because it would not require him to address juries.

Higgins began to prosper at the equity Bar. In 1883 he bought land on Glenferrie Road, Malvern, on which he built the mansion Doona.

Once his success at the Bar was established, Higgins turned to public affairs. Perhaps his first appearance on a public platform was in 1883.

3. Amazingly Henry Higgins was elected as a member of the Legislative assembly led by George Tuner

He was elected to it two years later and was a member of the Legislative Assembly until the end of the century.

In the government led by Sir George Turner, Higgins supported progressive philosophies such as votes for women, greater protection for workers, and a more positive role for government.

Elected as a Victorian delegate to the Australasian Federal Convention held in Adelaide, Sydney, and Melbourne, Higgins was involved in framing the Australian Constitution.

Regarded as increasingly radical in his views, Higgins was unopposed by the Australian Labor Party when he stood as a Protectionist in the federal seat of North Melbourne.

Made a King’s Counsel in 1903 Higgins left politics for the High Court of Australia, Isaacs and Higgins were two of only eight judges ever appointed to the Court.

4. Interestingly Henry’s Relationship with Billy Hughes was trouble

His relationship with Prime Minister Billy Hughes was troubled, believing that Hughes was undermining the arbitration system.

First under cover of War Precautions legislation in the tumultuous employment situation during the First World War.

Then by the creation of special tribunals to deal with certain industrial matters Higgins resigned as President of the arbitration court in 1920.

In 1922 he published a defense of his views and record on arbitration, A New Province for Law and Order.

He continued to sit on the High Court for the rest of his life and was party to the 1920 Engineers’ decision which marked a new, broader interpretation of Commonwealth power.

5. The exquisite Henry served as a council at Melbourne University 

Higgins maintained a broad range of cultural interests. He served on the Council of the University of Melbourne from 1887-1923.

Supporting the admission of female graduates to all privileges and advocating a university extension system.

He was privately generous in financial support of students and 1904 donated £1000 for a poetry scholarship.

As early as 1885 he lectured to the Melbourne University Union on The Muses in Australia, and he was quick to recognize the contribution of the Bulletin to Australian literature.

6. Higgins interestingly took up the lifelong regime of strenuous exercise to maintain his health

man jogging by Arek Adeoye

Higgins also took up a lifelong regime of strenuous exercise walking, riding, and swimming to maintain his health.

Always conscious of his childhood ‘delicacy’ Higgins was in his adult years devoted to health and fitness.

In his early days at Doona he used to ride to St Kilda for a swim before breakfast he was well known as a rigorous walker and was a member of the Wallaby Club.

In his mature years, he presented a deceptively stern image, with his balding pate, serious mustache, and direct gaze.

7. Amazingly Higgins President of the commonwealth court was influential on the Harvester case

He served as president of the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration from 1907 to 1921.

In that capacity, he wrote the decision in the influential Harvester case, holding that a legislative provision for a fair and reasonable wage effectively required a living wage.

In his first case late in 1907, he had to decide whether manufacturer Hugh McKay was paying the fair and reasonable wages to his employees required by the New Protection legislation.

As the Harvester minimum was considerably higher than that allowed by most State tribunals.

He proposed that the Commonwealth Parliament should have the power to make laws concerning conciliation and arbitration for the prevention and settlement of industrial disputes.

The trade unions sought to bring their disputes within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Court, Higgins’s distress and employer organizations vilified the court and its president.

8. The amazing Henry Higgins was not a catholic he was an Irishman a protestant

Higgins was not a Catholic.  He was a Northern Irishman, a Protestant whose father was a clergyman in the Church of Ireland. 

Henry was 19 years old when the family migrated to Australia, he was one of our Founding Fathers. 

He remained a strong advocate for Home Rule in Ireland, it was probably that advocacy that commended him to some of the Catholic leaders.

9. Higgins astonishingly married Mary Alice Morrison their only son was killed in action in Egypt

H. B. and Mary Higgins by Unknown Arthur/

Higgins married Mary Alice Morrison, the daughter of George Morrison, headmaster of Geelong College, and the sister of the journalist George Ernest Morrison.

Their only child, Mervyn Bournes Higgins, was born in 1887 and was killed in action in Egypt

He and Anne Higgins have devoted parents to their six sons and two daughters, who grew up in an atmosphere of evangelical piety and genteel frugality.

After his son Mervyn’s death, Higgins effectively adopted his nephew Esmonde Higgins and his niece Nettie Palmer paying for their education at universities in Europe.

10. The famous Henry Higgins collapsed and died 

On January 1929 at Heronswood, Higgins went for his regular morning walk to Arthur’s Seat, after which he relaxed on the porch with his books.

Early in the evening he collapsed and died, he was buried in Dromana cemetery, with Anglican rites, under the Celtic cross which he had built to commemorate his son.

He was survived by Mary Alice, and his estate was valued for probate in Victoria at £69,187, the conservative Argus described him as a jurist and statesman.