John Stephens (editor)

Early life

Stephens was born in North Shields, Northumberland, the seventh child of Rev. John Stephens (1772–1841), a Wesleyan Methodist, and brother of Edward and Samuel, both to achieve prominence in South Australia. Other brothers remained in Europe and achieved notability in their own way: James was 'J. R. Stephens' - a Wesleyan minister imprisoned for 18 months on charges of sedition and unlawful assembly as a result of his association with the Chartist movement; George was a noted philologist, and for many years Professor of English Literature at Copenhagen University .

Stephens was educated in Leeds at Woodhouse Grove Academy (a boarding school for the sons of Methodist ministers) and subsequently at Leeds Grammar School, but he failed to display any great academic aptitude.

Career in England

After a period assisting the Rev. Thomas Blanshard in the Book-Room of the Wesleyan Methodists, he set up as a bookseller and publisher at 16 City Road, London, publishing from January 1830 onwards the Christian Advocate, aiming to report the proceedings of all Christian societies, bestowing particular attention to "facts which relate more immediately to the interests of Wesleyan Methodism".

An irreparable breach with the Old Connection Wesleyan Methodist Conference occurred after Lord Sandon, the Earl of Harrowby, became Member of Parliament for Liverpool with the support of Jabez Bunting, a prominent Methodist. Since Methodism deprecated political activity in general, but was strongly abolitionist, Bunting's support of a candidate not committed to abolition was strongly criticised by Liverpudlian Methodists. The Conference objected to the Christian Advocate airing this criticism and withdrew all co-operation. Matters worsened when the Christian Advocate campaigned for disestablishment of the Church of England, a policy opposed by the Wesleyan Conference; the ramifications of this included the resignation of Stephens' brother Joseph from the Wesleyan Ministry. The Advocate ceased publication in 1840, merging with the Champion, but Stephens remained active as a publisher; presumably with radical sympathies - The Book of the Bastilles was published in 1841 by "J Stephens, Warwick-Lane , London".

Stephens was impressed with Wakefield's proposals for the colonisation of South Australia, which he eulogised in his Land of Promise, followed by An Exposure of the absurd, unfounded, and contradictory Statements in James's Six Months in Australia, a response to criticisms by T. Horton James in his 1838 book Six Months in South Australia (the second edition of Land of Promise included the rebuttal of James and had the more neutral title History of South Australia but: 'Mr Stephens writes not so much as a historian of South Australia as its encomiast'). He edited the short-lived South Australian Colonist for George Fife Angas and the South Australian News, a monthly first published in 1841.

While running his bookshop, he married Sophia, the only daughter of William Fleming of the Methodist Missionary Committee, and had one daughter. His wife died in 1836 and he remarried (Fidelia Jenkins) a few years later (1839).

Career in South Australia

Following the emigration of his brothers to South Australia, he, his daughter and his wife followed on the Arab, arriving on 23 January 1843: he commenced working as editor of the South Australian Register almost immediately. In July 1843 he founded The Adelaide Observer and acquired the South Australian Register in June 1845.

Stephens gave public lectures on comets (on the occasion of the Great Comet of 1843), Total Abstinence and hydropathy treatment, and "sanatory reform"

He was a champion of free press, small business, and good writing, and although a teetotaller, was broadminded and generous in his views. His newspaper was vigorous in exposing hypocrisy and injustices.

In 1848 his presses were seized for debt and a rival obligingly printed two issues.

His eldest daughter died on 31 March 1850. His health deteriorated, perhaps under the strain of libel actions and criticisms from people of influence, and he died at "Seacombe", the Brighton residence of his brother Edward, manager of the Bank of South Australia, on 28 November 1850.

Controversies

In most of these proceedings, Stephens was represented by barristers George Milner Stephen and Richard Davies Hanson, both of whom had illustrious later careers.

In 1850 a number of influential people signed a petition calling for prosecution of Stephens and closing of his newspapers. A declaration of support was published in the Register and appended to in successive issues. A public meeting held at Mount Barker, chaired by John Dunn showed popular support among farmers for his independence and opposition to taxation without representation.

A tribute

LINES OCCASIONED BY THE DEATH OF THE LATE JOHN STEPHENS, ESQ.

NOTE.-It will be observed that these lines are from the pen of a gentleman attached to the literary staff of the SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. They cannot be published in that journal in consequence of the expressed wish of the deceased that no notice of his death should appear beyond the usual obituary paragraph. We have much pleasure, at the writer's request, in inserting them in our columns.

Family

He had two brothers who arrived in South Australia on 27 July 1836 on the Duke of York: banker Edward Stephens (1811–1861) who survived him and Samuel (1808–1840), who was the first Colonial Manager and died in a horse-riding accident.

He married Miss Fleming, a fellow Methodist, who died in 1836. Sophie (ca. April 1832 – 31 March 1850), daughter by his first wife, died of scarlet fever

He married again, to Fidelia Jenkins in 1839 Fidelia died 8 November 1891. Three children died in infancy (one on board the Arab).