George Barker Hall was born in Brooklyn, New York and later immigrated to Upper Canada. He was a lawyer, MPP, and a judge in Peterborough, Upper Canada and Canada West. He also owned a flour mill in the town of Peterborough in the late 1840's and 1850's.
Judge John de Navarre Kennedy, son of Gilbert and Alice Kennedy, was born on May 31, 1888 in London, England. He graduated from Cambridge University with a B.A. in 1909. In 1914, Kennedy married Elsie Margaret Pinks and they had one daughter, Anne Macomb (Mrs. Dudas). In 1970, after the death of his first wife, Kennedy married Marjorie Helen Troop. Kennedy was called to the Bar in B.C. in 1918, and in Ontario in 1921. He practised with the law firm Manning, Mortimer and Kennedy in Toronto. Judge Kennedy held the position of judge in the Court of Peterborough from 1952-1963. Kennedy was well-known for his work in the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies where he was president, and in the Humane Trap Development Committee where he was chairman. He was also involved in several recreational activities, such as painting in watercolours, exhibiting his works at the Roy Canadian Academy, National Gallery of Canada. Kennedy is author of "In the Shadow of Cheka", "Crime in Reverse", "Aids to Jury Charges", and several other books and publications. He was also the editor of Chitty's Law Journal. In 1978 Kennedy received the Queen's Jubilee Medal. Kennedy died December 3, 1979.
Gilbert L. Murdoch (1917- ) practised law for 25 years in Oshawa before being appointed as a Peterborough County Court Judge. He, and his wife Mary, moved to Peterborough from Oshawa after he was appointed late in January of 1976. While he was in Oshawa he was a former president of the Rotary Club, a city alderman and involved with the Royal Canadian Air Force Association's 420 wing. He was sworn into the Peterborough court 20 March 1976 at age 59. Judge Murdoch retired in 1995.
Judge Joseph Wearing was born 20 August 1879 in Liverpool, England. He practised law in Peterborough from 1913 until 1930 when he was appointed Senior County Court Judge in London, Ontario. In addition to the practise of law, he wrote and gave addresses on many topics, mostly in the area of international relations, law, and imperialism. Judge Wearing died in London, Ontario, 29 March 1947.
