J. L. King

John Leopold
King

1870-19??

John Leopold King, another of the pre-World War I generation of barristers, was born on March 8, 1870, in Gayle, St Mary, the son of Mr and Mrs J. W. King. He was educated at Mount Angus Day School, and at the Calabar Day School when T. B. Stephenson was the headmaster; he remained there as a Pupil Teacher for two years before entering Mico College. After successfully completing his course at Mico he became the master of Whitefield Boys’ School in Porus. He later taught at Mannings School, Mico College and Titchfield, before deciding to leave the teaching profession. During and between teaching posts he continued his studies locally, obtaining scholarships to the University College at Hope, which functioned between 1889 and 1903. He passed the intermediate and final examinations for the London University B.A. degree, and in 1902 spent several months on leave from Mico, in England, Scotland and France continuing his studies, and observing schools and their work.

Daily Gleaner, December 15, 1896
AMONG THE SCHOOLS
A STEP UP. There is as good mind in Jamaica as anywhere else. This thought is always present to our mind, when we hear of proposals to lower our educational standards, that is to say, our working ideals. Some would lower them in the elementary school and in various other relations, foolishly pleading that Jamaica children are not like others. When, however, these children are tested by Cambridge Local standards, College of Preceptor standards, or Royal Drawing Society or other standards, they do not fail to make a good showing, and yet, the cowardly croakers would beg for lowered tests, to be applied to our children. The London University Standards are not too high for Jamaica as the results of their examinations show. The Gazette of Thursday last contained another proof of this, when it announced that Mr. J. L. King, one of the Assistant Masters in the Mico Training College had passed the Intermediate examination in Arts, at which he sat at midsummer. After serving as a pupil teacher in the practising school of Calabar College, he entered the Mico College. He passed all his examinations there with high credit. Thus he took charge of the Whitfield Boys' School, Porus. While teaching there he gained the "Teachers' Scholarship," offered by the Schools Commission, by which he was enabled to spend a year at University College, preparing to matriculate in London University. His high pass in this examination entitled him under the regulations to return to University College to read for his degree. He did not remain there for the whole of the period to which he was entitled, but accepted at the beginning of the current year an appointment as Assistant Master in the Mico. He continued his studies for the late examination privately; and we are pleased to observe that Mr. King has passed in the first division. We mention these particulars with pleasure, especially as an encouragement to a number of others in different parts of the island who are preparing for the examinations referred to. It is most desirable that they should succeed, as we need all the educated element in the population that can in this way be secured.

In 1907 he went to London to pursue his ambition to become a barrister. He worked for the London University LLB which he passed in 1909, and completed his bar examinations at Gray’s Inn in January 1910. He was called to the bar in London, and admitted to the Jamaican bar when he returned to the island in June 1910.

Although he left teaching, he remained concerned with education. He had been President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association in 1903, and was made an honorary member. He edited the ‘Jamaica Teacher’ and was a member, and later chairman of the Teachers’ Mutual Aid Society. He served on the Cambridge Local Examinations Committee, the Wolmer’s Trust and the Kingston School Board.

In 1910 he made a brief excursion into journalism as the literary editor of the Daily News, which lasted barely a year in 1910-11.

In 1912 King was elected to the City Council of Kingston, and served on that body throughout the 1914-18 war, during which time general elections were suspended. When elections were held once again, in June 1921, he was not a candidate.

Although King built a solid reputation as a defence lawyer, he did on occasions appear for the prosecution, In 1922 he was appointed acting Resident Magistrate for Clarendon, a post which he held until mid-1925.