For the first two years of his life, Kerr and his parents lived with his paternal grandparents in a weatherboard cottage in Balmain. They later rented cottages in Rozelle and Dulwich Hill, buying the latter outright only in 1949. Kerr began his education at the Birchgrove Public School. He won a scholarship to attend the prestigious Fort Street Boys' High School, where he excelled academically. He topped the school in English, history, and chemistry in his final year. His contemporaries remembered him as quite aloof; one of his few close friends was Francis James.Hall (1978), pp. 9–14. In deciding to pursue law as a career, Kerr found a role model in H. V. Evatt, a fellow Fortian who in 1930 became the youngest-ever High Court judge; in the same year, Evatt completed a doctoral thesis on the royal prerogative. Kerr's father knew Evatt through his membership of the Labor Party, which Evatt would eventually lead, and had helped him on his successful campaign for the state seat of Balmain in 1925. Evatt became the first in a series of patrons who helped Kerr progress in his career despite a relatively humble background.Hall (1978), pp. 15–19.
For the first two years of his life Kerr and his parents lived with his paternal grandparents in a weatherboard cottage in Balmain They later rented cottages in Rozelle and Dulwich Hill buying the latter outright only in 1949 Kerr began his education at the Birchgrove Public School He won a scholarship to attend the prestigious Fort Street Boys' High School where he excelled academically He topped the school in English history and chemistry in his final year His contemporaries remembered him as quite aloof; one of his few close friends was Francis JamesHall (1978) pp 9–14 In deciding to pursue law as a career Kerr found a role model in H V Evatt a fellow Fortian who in 1930 became the youngest-ever High Court judge; in the same year Evatt completed a doctoral thesis on the royal prerogative Kerr's father knew Evatt through his membership of the Labor Party which Evatt would eventually lead and had helped him on his successful campaign for the state seat of Balmain in 1925 Evatt became the first in a series of patrons who helped Kerr progress in his career despite a relatively humble backgroundHall (1978) pp 15–19