255:, the final push by European settlers to destroy the resistance of the Tasmanian Aboriginal People. Following an incident where four company servants under the supervision of Alexander Goldie shot one Aboriginal woman and executed another with an axe on 21 August 1829, the case came before Stephens. Despite the proclamation of martial law clearly stating "that defenceless women and children be invariably spared", Stephen ruled that the natives were "open enemies to the King, in a state of actual warfare against him", and thus "the Pursuit of the Natives by Mr Goldie and his party, was lawful". At a meeting of 400 of Hobart's most notable inhabitants discussing the establishment of a town guard on 22 September 1830, once discussion had turned to the broader question of the object of the operation, Stephens was reported as saying "If you cannot … I say boldly and broadly, exterminate!".
282:, and on 7 October 1844, he was appointed acting chief justice. His appointment as chief justice was confirmed in a dispatch from Lord Stanley dated 30 April 1845. He was to hold the position until 1873 and during that period not only carried out his judicial duties but advised the government on many complicated questions which arose in the legislature. In August 1852 he recommended that the second chamber under the new constitution should be partly nominated and partly elected. In May 1856 he was appointed
43:
258:
In 1829 Stephen discovered a fatal error in land titles throughout the
Australian colonies. The matter was rectified by royal warrant and the issuing of fresh titles in 1830. In January 1833 Stephen was gazetted attorney-general and showed great industry and ability in the position. He was forced to
290:
In
February 1860 he obtained 12 months leave of absence and visited Europe. On his return, he gave much consideration to the question of criminal law and was principally responsible for a criminal law amendment bill which although first brought before parliament in 1872, did not actually become law
286:
and held the position until
January 1857. He was able to give the council the benefit of his experience by framing legislation dealing with land titles, the legal profession, and the administration of justice. He continued to hold his seat until November 1858 when judges were precluded from sitting
380:
Stephen resigned from the legislative council in 1890 and lived in retirement. He was still comparatively vigorous when he passed his ninetieth birthday in August 1892 and never completely took to his bed. He faded quietly out of life on 15 October 1894, his intellect bright and clear to the last.
439:
Other sons held prominent positions in Sydney. Of his grandsons, Edward Milner
Stephen was appointed a supreme court judge at Sydney in 1929, and Brigadier-General Robert Campbell Stephen, served with distinction in the 1914-18 war. A great-grandson, Lieutenant
344:
in June. He was appointed lieutenant-governor in 1875 and several times administered the government. He was a member of the legislative council from 1875 until 1890, taking an active part in the debates, and from 1880 he was president of the trustees of the
248:. Stephen's resignation of his position in August 1825, and his charges against his brother officer's professional and public conduct brought the matter to a head. Stephen always took an extremely high-minded attitude about his own conduct in this matter.
327:
is named). Despite this, Sir Alfred
Stephen found Pritchard and Dagget innocent on the grounds that the British Slave Trade Act 1839 did not apply to the South Pacific Ocean. In addition to this, Sir Stephen found that Captain Palmer had illegally seized
332:
and ordered him to pay reparations to
Daggett and Pritchard. No evidence or statements were taken from the Islanders. This decision, which overrode the obvious humanitarian actions of a senior officer of the
1020:
1030:
1000:
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He resigned his chief justiceship in 1873. He had administered the government between the departure of the Earl of
Belmore in February 1872 and the arrival of Sir
197:
995:
311:
in Fiji fitted out like an "African slaver", and filled with
Islanders on board looking emaciated and having little knowledge of why they were on the ship. The
472:
189:. On 13 March 1826, his appointment as judge was confirmed. He resigned his position at the end of 1832 on account of ill-health and died on 21 December 1833.
884:
283:
350:
1065:
990:
303:, the illegal recruitment (including enslavement) of the indigenous populations of nearby Pacific islands or northern Queensland. Palmer found the
267:
On 30 April 1839, he was appointed as acting-judge of the
Supreme Court of New South Wales and he arrived in Sydney on 7 May. In 1841, when judge
1040:
361:, and towards the end of his life interested himself in the amending of the law of divorce. Among his writings on the subject was an article in
1050:
1005:
985:
1045:
393:
is a prominent legal dynasty in
Australia. Sir Alfred was the son of John Stephen, a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
259:
resign in 1837, his health having suffered much from overwork, but after a holiday he took up private practice with great success.
706:
1060:
1055:
921:
609:
551:
1035:
400:, who died in 1886. There were nine children of each marriage and at the time of Stephen's death, he had 66 grandchildren.
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771:
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538:
510:
178:
145:
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843:
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As Solicitor-General of Van Diemen's Land during the late 1820s–early 1830s, Stephen's career intersected with the
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154:
57:
424:
Of Stephen's sons, Alfred Hewlett Stephen, born in 1826, entered religious life, and, in 1869, became a canon of
947:
601:
543:
237:
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233:
204:. He returned to St Christopher for some years and then went to London to study law. In November 1823 he was
185:
in January 1824. He arrived at Sydney on 7 August 1824 and in September 1825 was made an acting judge of the
914:
505:
346:
245:
463:. Another brother, John Stephen, (died 1854) was the earliest created alderman for the City of Melbourne.
432:(1828–1920), became a puisne judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1887, and a third son, Hon.
396:
Stephen married Virginia, daughter of Matthew Consett, who died in 1837, and Eleanor daughter of the Rev.
397:
931:
337:, gave further legitimacy to the blackbirding trade out of Queensland and allowed it to flourish.
957:
433:
363:
853:
441:
241:
92:
752:
Kidnapping in the South Seas. Being a narrative of a three months' cruise of H.M. ship Rosario
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373:
181:, became a barrister, and was Solicitor-General at St Christopher before his appointment as
980:
975:
515:
460:
213:
591:
8:
268:
193:
459:(1812–1894), was a barrister with a significant political career in South Australia and
750:
292:
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brought by Commander George Palmer against Thomas Pritchard and Captain Dagget of the
870:
735:
683:
665:
Friendly mission : the Tasmanian journals and papers of George Augustus Robinson
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565:
557:
547:
404:
341:
205:
533:
316:
209:
409:
368:
299:. Commander Palmer had been sent by the Royal Navy to investigate allegations of
20:
501:
153:(20 August 1802 – 15 October 1894) was an Australian judge and
969:
894:
836:
800:
619:
561:
80:
627:
569:
320:
300:
272:
319:, a long time blackbirder who had been commissioned to import slaves for
170:
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113:
436:(1842–1901) was a distinguished lawyer and New South Wales politician.
334:
324:
275:
and from 1839 to 1844 he was also a judge of the administrative court.
252:
280:
Introduction to the Practice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
217:
767:
667:. Hobart: Tasmanian Historical Research Association. p. 399.
42:
308:
229:
1021:
Directors and Presidents of the Art Gallery of New South Wales
1031:
Australian members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
736:"Slaving in Australian Courts: Blackbirding cases, 1869-1871"
236:, and 10 days later, crown solicitor. He allied himself with
201:
1001:
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
755:. New York Public Library. Edinburgh, Edmonston and Douglas.
500:
414:
768:"Australian Legal Dynasties: The Stephens and the Streets"
444:, killed in the same war, showed promise as a writer. His
682:(1 ed.). Australia: University of Queensland Press.
789:. No. 36552. London. 5 September 1901. p. 4.
473:
List of judges of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
1016:
Presidents of the New South Wales Legislative Council
680:
The Black War: Fear, Sex and Resistance in Tasmania
19:For the Australian writer and literary critic, see
1011:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council
496:
494:
492:
490:
488:
323:' sugar plantations (the entrepreneur after whom
967:
877:as Speaker of the unicameral Legislative Council
996:Judges of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
485:
291:until 1883. In 1869 he also presided over the
785:"Obituaries - Hon. Septimus Alfred Stephen".
707:"Sir Alfred Stephen, KCMG, CB (1802-1894)"
701:
699:
600:. Canberra: National Centre of Biography,
542:. Canberra: National Centre of Biography,
527:
525:
41:
945:President of the Board of Trustees of the
733:
403:He was knighted in 1846 and was a made a
232:on 24 January 1825 and on 9 May was made
677:
662:
589:
1066:English emigrants to colonial Australia
991:Lieutenant-governors of New South Wales
696:
522:
271:went to Port Phillip, Stephen became a
1041:People educated at Charterhouse School
968:
922:Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales
801:"Funeral of the late John Stephen Esq"
748:
452:were published posthumously in 1918.
885:President of the Legislative Council
807:. Hobart. 1 November 1854. p. 2
284:President of the Legislative Council
223:
212:, and the following year sailed for
183:Solicitor-General of New South Wales
1051:19th-century Australian politicians
1006:Companions of the Order of the Bath
862:New South Wales Legislative Council
765:
13:
772:Australian Dictionary of Biography
663:Robinson, George Augustus (1966).
647:
597:Australian Dictionary of Biography
583:
539:Australian Dictionary of Biography
531:
511:Dictionary of Australian Biography
359:Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1883
262:
14:
1077:
986:Chief justices of New South Wales
652:. Vol. II. pp. 467–478.
592:"Stephen, Sir Alfred (1802–1894)"
367:for June 1891 in reply to one by
1046:Colony of New South Wales judges
844:Chief Justice of New South Wales
155:Chief Justice of New South Wales
58:Chief Justice of New South Wales
793:
778:
759:
192:Alfred Stephen was educated at
1061:19th-century Australian judges
1056:Solicitors-general of Tasmania
948:Art Gallery of New South Wales
742:
727:
671:
656:
641:
602:Australian National University
544:Australian National University
1:
713:Parliament of New South Wales
478:
426:St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney
160:
177:(1771–1833), was related to
7:
952:1874 – 1889
926:1872 – 1891
889:1856 – 1857
848:1844 – 1873
766:Fox, K (17 February 2015).
678:Clements, Nicholas (2014).
534:"Stephen, John (1771–1833)"
466:
450:An Australian in the R.F.A.
10:
1082:
18:
954:
943:
938:
928:
919:
906:
901:
891:
882:
867:
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833:
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650:Early History of Tasmania
590:Rutledge, Martha (1976).
384:
278:He published in 1843 his
131:
119:
107:
102:
98:
86:
74:
63:
56:
52:
40:
30:
1036:Members of Lincoln's Inn
734:Mortensen, Reid (2000).
1026:People from Saint Kitts
958:Eliezer Levi Montefiore
749:Palmer, George (1871).
434:Septimus Alfred Stephen
364:The Contemporary Review
711:Former members of the
442:Adrian Consett Stephen
242:Joseph Tice Gellibrand
198:Honiton grammar school
915:Sir Maurice O'Connell
516:Angus & Robertson
457:George Milner Stephen
430:Matthew Henry Stephen
374:North American Review
240:who had clashed with
16:Australian politician
932:Sir Frederick Darley
165:Stephen was born at
902:Government offices
355:Criminal Law Manual
228:Stephen arrived at
194:Charterhouse School
911:Title last held by
815:– via Trove.
455:Alfred's brother,
138:Sir Alfred Stephen
47:Sir Alfred Stephen
964:
963:
955:Succeeded by
929:Succeeded by
892:Succeeded by
880:
871:Charles Nicholson
851:Succeeded by
837:Sir James Dowling
611:978-0-522-84459-7
553:978-0-522-84459-7
506:"Stephen, Alfred"
357:, comprising the
342:Hercules Robinson
234:solicitor-general
224:Van Diemen's Land
214:Van Diemen's Land
206:called to the bar
135:
134:
1073:
874:
868:Preceded by
854:Sir James Martin
834:Preceded by
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529:
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419:privy councillor
411:
349:. In 1883, with
347:national gallery
317:Henry Ross Lewin
246:attorney-general
152:
126:
103:Personal details
93:Sir James Martin
89:
77:
68:
45:
28:
27:
1081:
1080:
1076:
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951:
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856:
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839:
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661:
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646:
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632:
630:
612:
588:
584:
574:
572:
554:
530:
523:
502:Serle, Percival
499:
486:
481:
469:
428:. Another, Sir
398:William Bedford
387:
369:W. E. Gladstone
353:, he published
287:in parliament.
265:
263:New South Wales
238:Governor Arthur
226:
163:
140:
124:
123:15 October 1894
112:
87:
75:
69:
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36:
33:
24:
21:Alfred Stephens
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5:
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829:Legal offices
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582:
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391:Stephen family
386:
383:
307:in harbour at
293:prominent case
264:
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225:
222:
173:. His father,
167:St Christopher
162:
159:
133:
132:
129:
128:
127:(aged 92)
121:
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114:St Christopher
111:20 August 1802
109:
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38:
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35:Alfred Stephen
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15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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895:John Plunkett
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689:9780702250064
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648:Giblin, R W.
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541:
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532:Currey, C H.
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417:in 1884, and
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215:
211:
210:Lincoln's Inn
207:
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187:Supreme Court
184:
180:
179:James Stephen
176:
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110:
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101:
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81:James Dowling
79:
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67:
62:
59:
55:
51:
44:
39:
29:
26:
22:
944:
939:
920:
913:
907:
883:
876:
875:
842:
822:
809:. Retrieved
804:
795:
786:
780:
761:
751:
744:
729:
717:. Retrieved
710:
679:
673:
664:
658:
649:
643:
631:. Retrieved
595:
585:
573:. Retrieved
537:
509:
454:
449:
445:
438:
423:
402:
395:
388:
379:
372:
362:
358:
354:
339:
329:
321:Robert Towns
312:
304:
301:blackbirding
296:
289:
279:
277:
273:puisne judge
266:
257:
250:
227:
191:
175:John Stephen
164:
137:
136:
125:(1894-10-15)
88:Succeeded by
65:
25:
981:1894 deaths
976:1802 births
805:The Courier
171:West Indies
76:Preceded by
970:Categories
633:30 October
575:30 October
514:. Sydney:
479:References
446:Four Plays
335:Royal Navy
325:Townsville
161:Early life
940:New title
787:The Times
620:1833-7538
562:1833-7538
421:in 1893.
413:in 1874,
407:in 1862,
351:A. Oliver
253:Black War
70:1845–1873
66:In office
719:16 April
628:70677943
570:70677943
504:(1949).
467:See also
461:Victoria
218:Tasmania
823:
811:10 June
371:in the
169:in the
908:Vacant
686:
626:
618:
608:
568:
560:
550:
385:Family
330:Daphne
313:Daphne
309:Levuka
305:Daphne
297:Daphne
269:Willis
244:, the
230:Hobart
202:Devon
148:
144:
813:2014
721:2019
684:ISBN
635:2021
624:OCLC
616:ISSN
606:ISBN
577:2021
566:OCLC
558:ISSN
548:ISBN
448:and
415:GCMG
410:KCMG
389:The
196:and
142:GCMG
120:Died
108:Born
220:).
208:at
200:in
32:Sir
972::
803:.
770:.
709:.
698:^
622:.
614:.
604:.
594:.
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556:.
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524:^
508:.
487:^
405:CB
377:.
157:.
150:PC
146:CB
774:.
738:.
723:.
692:.
637:.
579:.
518:.
216:(
23:.
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