title: John Stephen Curlewis
text: # John Stephen Curlewis
  
  John Stephen Curlewis, PC (31 March 1863 – 24 August 1940) was a South African lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Union of South Africa between 1936 and $1938.^{:7}$
  
  ## Background
  
  Curlewis was born in Paarl, Cape Colony, the son of Rev. J.F. Curlewis the local rector at the Dutch Reformed $Church.^{:7}$ He was educated at the Diocesan College, Rondebosch, before joining the Cape Civil $Service.^{:7}$ He then took the LL.B at Cape University, and was called to the Bar of the Cape Supreme Court in $1887.^{:7}$ He began to practice in Pretoria in 1888, before being appointed as a judge of the Transvaal High Court in $1903.^{:7}$ In 1924 he became the Judge President of the Transvaal Provincial Division and in 1927 he was made a Judge of $Appeal.^{:7}$
  
  Curlewis became Chief Justice of the Union of South Africa in 1936, and was made a Privy Counsellor the following $year.^{:7}$ He resigned from the bench in $1938.^{:7}$ He was also acting Governor-General of South Africa in 1933 from June until December under a dormant commission that was $invoked.^{:7}$
  
  