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THE GAZETTE
OF THE
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Vol. XXXV,
No. 10]
APRIL, 1942
[
FOR CIRCULATION
AMONGST MEMBERS
DEATH OF MR. WAKELY
It is with feelings of deepest sorrow and
regret that we announce the death of the
beloved Secretary of our Society, William
George Wakely, who died at his residence,
" Elmhurst," Temple Gardens, Rathmines,
on the 26th March, 1942.
Mr. Wakely was born on the 20th June,
1865, at Dublin. He was the third son of
John Wakely, M.A., J.P., D.L., High Sheriff,
1853,
of Ballyburley House, Edenderry,
King's County (now Offaly) the family seat
for nearly 500 years, and of Mary Catherine,
daughter of Reverend Richard George,
Rector of Kentstown, Co. Meath. He served
his apprenticeship with Thomas Falls of
Dublin, obtaining first place and silver medal
at his final examination. He was admitted
a Solicitor in Michaelmas Sittings, 1887.
In the autumn of the following year he was
appointed Secretary of
the Incorporated
Law Society.
The history of the Society is his life story.
When he was appointed Secretary,
the
Society was working under its Charters with
very limited powers. The scope and influence
of the Society were considerably extended
during his term of Office, and largely as a
result of his personality and efforts.
It is hard for the younger members of the
profession to realise how vastly matters
have changed since 1889.
During the early years of his Secretaryship,
the arrangements in the Courts and Court
Offices were under review.
These reforms
included the removal of the Probate Office
from Henrietta Street to the Four Courts
and the codification of the rules of procedure
in the Supreme Court.
The Council suc–
ceeded in having a clause inserted in the
Supreme Court of Judicature (Ireland) Act
associating
the Presidents
for
the
time
being of the Society with the Judges as
the rule-making authority. During this first
period the Council were actively engaged for
some years in drafting a Bill governing the
profession which ultimately became law as the
Solicitors (Ireland) Act, 1898. This entailed
considerable work and anxious thought on
the part of the Secretary, necessitating several
visits to London, interviews withjnembers of
the House of Commons, and with the Law
Officers of the crown. Ultimately, however,
the Act was passed in the form approved by
the Council.
From the date of the passing of these Acts
up to the outbreak of the Great War the
history of the Society was not marked by any
feature now of special interest.