Henry John Ball (c. 1820 – August 20, 1874) was a Hong Kong Judge and government official. He was the Judge of the Court of Summary Jurisdiction and had acted on many position including the Chief Justice, Colonial Secretary,

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

and had sat on the

Executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dire ...

and Legislative Councils of Hong Kong.

Career

Judge Ball was born in 1820 to the son of

barrister-at-law A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and givin ...

Henry Ball. Judge Ball went to Hong Kong to take the position of Judge of the Court of Summary Jurisdiction in July 1862. He had acted Chief Justice during the absence of W. H. Adams in 1863–64 and 1865 and during the absence of John Smale in 1872; he acted as

during twelve months' absence of John Smale in 1865–66 and 1868–69 and during

Julian Pauncefote Julian Pauncefote, 1st Baron Pauncefote (13 September 1828 – 24 May 1902), known as Sir Julian Pauncefote between 1874 and 1899, was a British barrister, judge and diplomat. He was Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs between ...

's sick leave in 1871; and acted as Colonial Secretary vice W. T. Mercer's absence in 1867. While he acted as Attorney General he was also provisional member of the Executive Council. He sat on the Legislative Council as acting Chief Justice and as an unofficial member in 1866–73.

Personal life

Judge Ball married Sarah Westle Maria Skelton at the Roman Catholic Cathedral in 1866. Several Hong Kong Government documents listed him as absent from meetings in 1873. It is probable he died in 1874 prior to the typhoon which hit Hong Kong on 22–23 September 1874. Judge Ball's residence, Ball's Court, situated at the Southeast corner at the junction of

High Street High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym fo ...

and

Western Street Western Street is an uphill One-way traffic, one-way street (from north to south) in Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong. It connects Bonham Road in the south and Connaught Road West in the north. There are 337 units in 17 buildings in the street. Add ...

in Saiyingpun, was heavily damaged by the typhoon in 1874.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ball, Henry John British expatriates in Hong Kong British Roman Catholics Government officials of Hong Kong British Hong Kong judges Hong Kong Roman Catholics Members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong Members of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong Year of birth uncertain 1874 deaths