Lawyer. Chief Justice of New South Wales 1844 - 1873. Educated at village school Shefford, Bedfordshire, England, then Charterhouse, Reverend West Valentine's school and Honiton Grammar. Clerk to father at Basseterre 1815; returned England in 1818; entered Lincoln's Inn where read for Bar under cousins Henry and (Sir) James Stephen, the latter being future under secretary at Colonial Office; called to Bar 1823. Arrival at Van Diemen's Land with £3,000 and recommendations from James Stephen to his friend Governor Arthur 1825; Solicitor General 1825 from 1832; Attorney General from 1832 from 1837; Crown Prosecutor from 1825 until 1861. Established the colony's most lucrative private practice as a barrister, made financial speculations and invested in land. Journeyed to Sydney as a temporary judge, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 1839; puisne judge from 1841 until 1844; Chief Justice 1873. Lieutenant Governor from 1875 until 1891; acted as Governor from March until August in 1879 and from November until December 1885, and from November 1890 until January 1891; administrator of government 1872. In Van Diemen's Land was founding vice-president of Hobart Town Mechanics' Institute 1827, churchwarden St David's from 1827 until 1831, Registrar Archdeacon's Court from 1828 until 1831. In New South Wales helped found St Paul's College, University of Sydney, and was founding fellow of its Council from 1856 until 1870; Fellow of Senate of the University of Sydney from 1878 until 1887; Trustee of National Art Gallery of New South Wales from 1876; President of New South Wales Academy of Art from 1873, of Civil Service Building Society from 1875 until 1882, of Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, of City Night Refuge and Soup Kitchen, of Charity Organization Society, and of Industrial Blind Institution; life director of (Royal) Prince Alfred Hospital; left some organizations in 1880s but joined Primrose League. Trustee Hyde, Phillip and Cook Parks from 1878; Crown trustee of Australia Museum from 1880 until 1889; Chairman of Captain Cook Statue Committee 1873. President of Commission for Paris Universal Exhibition 1855; Vice-president for exhibitions at Paris 1878, Sydney 1879; President of New South Wales Commission for Cell and Indian Exhibition, London 1886. A frustrated legislator when judge; active Member of Legislative Council; in later life became an ardent campaigner for divorce law reform. Wrote many letters to Sydney Morning Herald, often under such pseudonyms as 'Respublica', 'Justitia', 'Nominus Umbra'. Author of Constitution, Rules, Practice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales from 1843 until 1845; Thoughts on the Constitution of a Second Legislative Chamber for New South Wales, 1853; Address on Intemperance and the Licensing System, 1870. Lived expensively; estate valued at almost 9:12,000. Father of Sir Matthew Henry Stephen, M.C. Stephen, S.A. Stephen, and uncle of H.W.H. Stephen (qq.v.)