Stephen Family (Sir Alfred Stephen) - Papers, being mainly diaries and correspondence, 1802-1961

MLMSS 777

series

1802 - 1961

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Ephemera

422161

Microfilm : CY 2954 (MLMSS 777/5); CY 3338 (MLMSS 777/11); CY 3339 (MLMSS 777/12).

11 vols., 4 boxes
Textual Records - (manuscript)
Ephemera

Sir Alfred Stephen (1802-1894), judge and parliamentarian, was born at Basseterre, St. Christopher, West Indies, son of John and Mary Anne Stephen. He returned to England in 1804 and was educated at various schools before he entered Lincoln's Inn in 1818 to read for the English Bar to which he was admitted in 1823. Stephen and his first wife Virginia, nee Consett, arrived at Hobart in 1825 and he was appointed Solicitor-General. After the death of his first wife in 1837 Stephen remarried to Eleanor Martha Pickard, daughter of Rev. W. Bedford. He transferred his family to Sydney in 1839 accepting a temporary position as judge and was appointed puisne judge in 1841. In 1845 Stephen was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW. He was appointed a member of the NSW Legislative Council in the first parliament after responsible government in 1856 and as President of the Council from 1856 to 1857 prepared the rules and forms of the House and those respecting communication between both houses. He introduced law reform bills to the House. Stephen was a member of the Legislative Council on four separate occasions from 1856 to 1858, 1875 to 1879, 1879 to 1885, and 1885 to 1890. Stephen retired as Chief Justice in 1873 but remained active in public life until his death in 1894. [ref:ADB 6]

I. Family trees, documents etc., 1803-1952. (Call No.: MLMSS 777/1)
II. Diaries, notebooks etc., 1837-1893
1837-1893; A. Sir Alfred Stephen, diaries and notebooks, 1837-1893 (Call No.: MLMSS 777/2)
1838-1886; B. Lady Stephen's diaries (Call No.: MLMSS 777/3)
1854-1915; C. Various diaries, writings etc. of members of the Stephen and Bedford families (Call No.: MLMSS 777/4)
III. Correspondence, 1826-1961
1826-1894; A. Correspondence of Sir Alfred Stephen includes letters from James Stephen, Robert Lowe, Sir J. Young, Lord Belmore, Henry Parkes, Lord Loftus, Lord Carrington, Lord Carnarvon, P. Sydney Jones, Sir R. W. Duff and Sir H. Norman. (Call No.: CY 2954 [MLMSS 777/5])
1837-1882; B. Letters sent by Lady Stephen include letters to her family in Tasmania, 1837-1886; to her daughter Virginia in England, 1853-1882 (Call No.: MLMSS 777/6-7)
1812-1872; C. Bedford family letters (Call No.: MLMSS 777/8)
1855-1910; D. Letters by Agnes Bedford (nee Stephen), 1855-1910 and A. Percival Bedford, ca.1870-1874 (Call No.: MLMSS 777/9)
1839-1943; E. Letters by other members of the Stephen and Bedford families (Call No.: MLMSS 777/10)
1821-1924; F. Letters to members of the Stephen and Bedford families (Call No.: CY 3338 [MLMSS 777/11])
1892-1961; G. Correspondence of Ruth Bedford includes letters received from Gabriel Toyne, Hugh McCrae, Archbishop O'Brien, Morris Miller, Gilbert Murray and Patrick White (Call No.: CY 3339 [MLMSS 777/12])
IV. Miscellany
Date unknown; A. Notes and poems written mainly by Sir Alfred Stephen and Ruth Bedford (Call No.: MLMSS 777/13)
Date unknown; Papers include rhymes and letters by Ruth Bedford (Call No.: MLMSS 777/14)
1872,1879,1885; Lady Stephen's visitors book (Call No.: MLMSS 777/15)
V. Photographic material (Call No.: PXA 1024)

This collection was listed in 2004 as part of the Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government in NSW 1856-2006 Project.

Guide compiled in Mitchell Library is located in MLMSS 777/2
Photographic material, comprising four family photograph albums and family photographs was transferred in 2005 from MLMSS 777/16-18 to PXA 1024