Septimus Stephen

Septimus Alfred Stephen (8 May 1842 – 28 August 1901), generally referred to as S. A. Stephen, was an Australian politician, solicitor and founding member of the law firm Stephen, Jaques and Stephen.^[1]

Septimus Alfred Stephen, MLC

The Stephen family is a prominent legal dynasty in Australia.^[2] He was born in Sydney, the seventh son of Sir Alfred Stephen KCMG CB (1802–1894), who would later become Chief Justice of NSW and Lieutenant-Governor of NSW,^[3] and his second wife Eleanor Martha née Bedford. He was educated at Rev. W. H. Savigny's school and in 1858 became a solicitor's clerk, serving his articles with his brother Montagu Consett Stephen. He qualified as a solicitor in 1864 and went into partnership with his brother as Stephen and Stephen, later to become Stephen, Jaques and Stephen.^[4] In 1882 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Canterbury,^[5] serving until his appointment to the Legislative Council in 1887. He was severely affected by the 1890s drought, which damaged many of his investments in Queensland. He resigned from the Legislative Council in 1900^[6] and died at East Woodhay in Hampshire the following year.^[7]

sketch of Stephen in 1887

References

1. Rutledge, Martha. "Stephen, Septimus Alfred (1842–1901)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538.
2. Fox, K (17 February 2015). "Australian Legal Dynasties: The Stephens and the Streets". Australian Dictionary of Biography.
3. Rutledge, M. "Stephen, Sir Alfred (1802–1894)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538.
4. "Death of the Hon. S. A. Stephen". The Australian Star. 30 August 1901. p. 2. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via Trove.
5. Green, Antony. "1882 Canterbury". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
6. "Septimus Alfred Stephen has resigned his seat (954)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 9 October 1900. p. 7932. Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via Trove.
7. "Mr Septimus Alfred Stephen (1842–1901)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 23 June 2019.

 

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by William Henson	Member for Canterbury 1882–1887 With: William Pigott / Mark Hammond Henry Moses / William Henson none / William Judd	Succeeded by Joseph Carruthers William Davis Alexander Hutchison