Fred Kirkham
{{Short description|Australian judge (1937-2007)}}
{{for|the English football manager and referee|Fred Kirkham (football manager)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name= Fred Kirkham
| image_size=
| caption=
| birth_name= Frederick Angus Benfield
| birth_date= {{Birth date|df=yes|1937|4|5}}
| birth_place= Leichhardt, New South Wales
| death_date= {{Death date and age|df=yes|2007|10|25|1937|4|5}}
| death_place= Pretty Beach, New South Wales
| education= Newington College
| occupation= NSW Police Officer
Barrister
NSW District Court Judge
| title= His Honour Judge Fred Kirkham
| spouse= Janet Anne (Jan)
| parents=
| children= 2 sons, 2 daughters
| nationality= Australian
| website=
}}
{{MedalTableTop | name = no | medals =
{{MedalSport | Men's rowing}}
{{MedalCountry | {{AUS}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | Olympic Games }}
{{MedalBronze| 1956 Melbourne | Eight}}
}}
Fred Kirkham (born Frederick Angus Benfield; 5 April 1937 – 25 October 2007){{Cite web |url=http://notices.smh.com.au/death/36994/notice.aspx |title=SMH Death Notice |access-date=16 September 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711214944/http://notices.smh.com.au/death/36994/notice.aspx |archive-date=11 July 2012 |url-status=dead }} was an Australian Olympic medal winning rower, songwriter and judge.[http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/NSWBarAssocNews/2007/70.pdf His Honour Judge Kirkham (1937 2007)] Retrieved 9 March 2019.
Early life
Kirkham was born in Leichhardt, New South Wales and attended Newington College (1945–1953).Newington College Register of Past Students 1863-1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 13 During his adolescence he was known as Fred Benfield but reverted to his mother's maiden name as an adult.
Rowing career
Kirkham took up rowing at Newington College in Sydney. His senior rowing was with the Sydney Rowing Club.[https://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/rower-profiles/benfield-a-fred#gsc.tab=0 Benfield Profile at Austn Rowing History] His first and only state appearance for New South Wales was in the three seat of the senior men's eight which contested and were runners-up for the King's Cup at the 1956 Australian Interstate Regatta.[https://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/interstate-championships/1956#M8 1956 Interstate Regatta]
In 1956 for the Melbourne Olympics the winning King's Cup Victorian eight was selected as the Australian men's eight excepting for Kirkham in the three seat from New South Wales. Kirkham rowed in the Australian eight in their Olympic campaign to a thrilling final where the Australian eight took it to the US and Canadian crews and came away with a bronze medal.[https://worldrowing.com/athlete/angus-benfield?id=26180 Benfield at World Rowing][http://www.abc.net.au/olympics/2008/results/historical/athletes/1501.htm ABC - Olympics]
Police and legal career
For twenty years Kirkham served as a member of the New South Wales Police Force. Kirkham served as a uniformed officer for several years before training to join the NSW Police Drug Squad.
After completing his HSC at the age of 30, Kirkham attended night school to complete his law degree. He was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1974 and practiced mainly in the area of personal injury. After 14 years at the Bar he was appointed a Judge of the District Court of New South Wales in 1988 where he served until his retirement.[http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/NSWBarAssocNews/2007/70.pdf Bar News/The Journal of the NSW Bar Association (Syd, 2008) pp 78] Retrieved 12 February 2023.
Music career
In 1963, Kirkham co-wrote The Delltones' hit song Hangin' Five with Ben Acton.[http://www.poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=926 Pop Archives]
Community activities
He served as President of the Old Newingtonians' Union at the time of its Centenary (1995–1996).Newington Across the Years, A History of Newington College 1863 - 1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 347
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/be/fred-benfield-1.html |title=Fred Benfield (full name: Frederick Angus Benfield-Kirkham) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022144223/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/be/fred-benfield-1.html |archive-date=2012-10-22 |url-status=dead}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirkham, Fred}}
Category:Australian male rowers
Category:Australian police officers
Category:People educated at Newington College
Category:Old Newingtonians' Union presidents
Category:Olympic rowers for Australia
Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Australia
Category:Rowers at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic medalists in rowing
Category:Medalists at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Category:20th-century Australian judges
Category:21st-century Australian judges