Peter Benson Maxwell

Peter Benson Maxwell was born on 31 January 1817,[1] the fourth son of Reverend Peter Benson Maxwell of Birdstown, County Donegal, Ireland.

[3] Maxwell was the recorder of Penang (then called Prince of Wales Island) from 1856 to 1866 and of Singapore from 1866 to 1871.

[3] He became the chief justice of the Straits Settlements in 1867, remaining in office until 1871.

[3] His legal treatise, On the Interpretation of Statutes,[4] was first published in 1875 and was in its 12th edition as of 1976.

[1] He also wrote a book titled The Duties of Police Magistrates (1871).