The Border Historical Society invites members of the public to an engaging talk by retired judge Jeremy Pickering, based on his recently published book Raising the Bar – The Making of a Judge.
The talk will take place at East London Museum on Saturday afternoon at 2.30pm.
Pickering’s story is anything but conventional. Born prematurely on a farm in Stutterheim, he spent the early weeks of his life in an improvised incubator, the yeast-proving drawer of a local bakery — due to limited medical facilities at the time.
He went on to study law at the University of Stellenbosch before beginning his legal career in the office of the Attorney-General in then Grahamstown, now Makhanda.
His path, however, included some unexpected detours from working on a pig farm in Gloucestershire to performing as a circus clown, before returning to South Africa to practise as an advocate in Mthatha.
In 1985, Pickering joined the Legal Resources Centre, a pioneering human rights legal practice founded by Arthur Chaskalson, along with Felicia Kentridge and Geoff Budlender.
Despite warnings that the move could harm his prospects of judicial appointment, Pickering continued his work before being appointed to the Eastern Cape Supreme Court in 1992. He went on to serve in both Mthatha and Makhanda until his retirement in 2019.
Reflecting on his unconventional journey, one colleague famously joked: “So now they really are appointing clowns to the bench.”
His book offers a candid and often humorous insight into life on and off the bench, with chapter titles such as “Nipple caps and safari suits” hinting at the colourful anecdotes within.
A limited number of copies will be available for purchase at the event.
The talk is open to all, with an opportunity for questions, followed by tea.
