The Burne & Burne Legacy
The Burne’s arrived in South Africa when patriarch John Burne emigrated from Ireland in 1845.
The first to enter the profession as an attorney was William Burne, a son of John Burne, in 1880. Two of his brothers, George Murray and John jnr were also admitted as attorneys. Their sister, Mary Robbins, did not become an attorney, but her son, Colin John James Robbins, was admitted in 1929.
William established the W Burne law firm, and when his sons, Gerald Ray Burne and William Lawrence Burne, joined him in 1912, they established the name Burne and Burne.
It is from this branch of the family that most of the Burne attorneys were descended, Garth being the latest.
Admitted in 1947 was Conrad Ormond Burne, the son of J O Burne, a non-lawyer brother of Gerald Ray and William Lawrence. Gerald Ray had two sons, Ralph William and Keith Ray, who were admitted as attorneys in 1931 and 1939 respectively.
William Lawence’s son, Brian Douglas, who became a judge in 1964, was admitted in 1934. Ralph William’s son, Warren, became an attorney in 1980 while Gerald, the son of Keith Ray and Garth’s father, was admitted in 1966.
Today the family firm, which 137 years later still uses the name Burne and Burne, is run by Gerald Burne in partnership with his son Garth, who specialises in Conveyancing. They are assisted by Natalie Burne (Office Manager) who is the wife of Garth.
