Septimus Stephen

{{Short description|Australian politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}

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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.{{cite AuDB |last=Rutledge |first=Martha |title=Stephen, Septimus Alfred (1842–1901) |id2=stephen-septimus-alfred-1284}}

The Stephen family is a prominent legal dynasty in Australia.{{cite web |last=Fox |first=K |date=17 February 2015 |title=Australian Legal Dynasties: The Stephens and the Streets |publisher=Australian Dictionary of Biography |url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/essay/10}} He was born in Sydney, the seventh son of Sir Alfred Stephen {{post-nominals|country=AUS|KCMG|CB}} (1802–1894), who would later become Chief Justice of NSW and Lieutenant-Governor of NSW,{{cite AuDB |last=Rutledge |first=M. |title=Stephen, Sir Alfred (1802–1894) |id2=stephen-sir-alfred-1291}} and his second wife Eleanor Martha {{nee|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.{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article228277961 |title=Death of the Hon. S. A. Stephen |newspaper=The Australian Star |date=30 August 1901 |access-date=2 March 2021 |page=2 |via=Trove}} In 1882 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Canterbury,{{Cite NSW election |year=1882 |district=Canterbury |access-date=17 July 2020}} 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{{Gazette NSW |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224603961 |title=Septimus Alfred Stephen has resigned his seat |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=954 |date=9 October 1900 |access-date=26 October 2022 |page=7932 |via=Trove}} and died at East Woodhay in Hampshire the following year.{{cite NSW Parliament |title=Mr Septimus Alfred Stephen (1842–1901) |id=792 |former=Yes |access-date=23 June 2019}}

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