John Goldney

Sir John Tankerville Goldney (15 June 1846 – 11 April 1920) was a British barrister who rose to be Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago, and was also High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1910. He is also notable for introducing golf to Singapore in 1891.

Goldney was the third son of Sir Gabriel Goldney, 1st Baronet of Beechfield, Corsham and Bradenstoke Abbey (both Wiltshire) and Mary Anne (née Alexander). He was born on 15 June 1846 and baptised at Corsham on 14 July.

He attended Harrow School, studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, and was called to the bar by Inner Temple on 30 April 1869. On 9 February 1875 he married Jane MacGregor Laird, daughter of John Laird, Member of Parliament for Birkenhead, where he lived for a while.

In April 1880 he was appointed Attorney General of the Leeward Islands and translated to acting Chief Justice in 1881; in 1883 he was appointed a judge of the High Court of British Guiana, where he served until 1887.

Goldney served as Chief Justice for the Straits Settlements from 1887 to 1892. It is believed that having brought golf clubs with him, Goldney noticed there was no course in Singapore where he could use them; accordingly, he proposed that part of the Singapore Sporting Club's land be used for golf; this was accepted and a nine-hole course was laid out. Goldney became the first president of the club, which he inaugurated by driving the first ball.

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