Henry Cohen (judge)

{{Short description|Judge and politician in New South Wales, Australia}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}

{{Use Australian English|date=July 2021}}

File:Justice H E Cohen.png

Henry Emanuel Cohen (1 December 1840 – 5 January 1912) was a judge and politician in New South Wales, Australia.

{{Australian Dictionary of Biography

|first=G. F. J. |last=Bergman

|title=Cohen, Henry Emanuel (1840–1912)

|id2=cohen-henry-emanuel-3242

|access-date=3 December 2013

}}

Cohen was born in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, the second son of Abraham Cohen of Sydney.{{cite Australasia|Cohen, Hon. Henry Emanuel}} In 1848 his family moved and in 1855 they moved to Goulburn where Cohen attended private schools{{Cite web|title=Henry Emanuel Cohen|url=https://researchdata.edu.au/henry-emanuel-cohen/145455|access-date=2021-03-09|website=Research Data Australia|language=en}} In 1856 at age 16 he started work as a clerk at David Cohen and Company, first in Sydney then moved to West Maitland until 1864, when he resigned. He went into business with his twin brother George operating a store in Bathurst until it was closed in 1867. He then left for London, where he studied Law at the Middle Temple. In June 1871 he was called to the English Bar, returned to Sydney, and on 15 December 1871 he was admitted to the New South Wales Bar.

On 21 December 1874 Cohen was elected for West Maitland in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

{{cite NSW Parliament |title=Mr Henry Emanuel Cohen (1840-1912) |id=771 |former=Yes |access-date=22 May 2019}} He was Colonial Treasurer in the James Farnell Ministry from December 1877 to December 1878. In May 1881 he was appointed District Court Judge for the Sydney Metropolitan and Coast District, but resigned the position, and re-entered politics, being Minister of Justice in the Alexander Stuart Cabinet from January 1883 to October 1885.

Cohen was appointed acting judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales on 19 July 1895, and in 1896 accepted an offer of a permanent position on the bench. Cohen was inaugural president of the Arbitration Court, 1 April 1902 to 3 July 1905.{{cite book |title=Laying the Foundations of Industrial Justice: The Presidents of the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW, 1902-1998 |chapter=Ch 3 Henry Emanuel Cohen (1902–1918) |editor=Patmore, Greg |last=Moore |first=Andrew |publisher=Federation Press |year=2003 |ISBN=9781862874633}}

Fanny, Lady Benjamin (c. 1839 – 18 February 1912), wife of Sir Benjamin Benjamin, MLC and mayor of Melbourne, was a sister.

In December 1910 he requested leave of absence from the Supreme Court. In March 1911 he departed Sydney to visit England, France and Germany. On 5 January 1912 he died on board the SS Friedrich der Grosse. He is buried at Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney.