Leonard Knowles

Who was Leonard Knowles?

Sir Leonard Joseph Knowles, CBE was the first Chief Justice of The Bahamas

Knowles was born in Nassau, and was educated at Queen's College, Nassau before going to King's College London where he took an LLB in law in 1937. In 1935 he joined Gray's Inn in London, and was called to the bar in 1939. In 1973 he became the first Chief Justice in the newly independent Bahamas, a position he held until 1978. He had to be sworn in before the Bahamian Independence Day because it was his duty to swear in the first prime minister. He was made CBE in 1963, and Knight Bachelor in 1974.