William John Stephens, teacher and scholar, was the eldest son of the Reverend William Stephens, vicar of Levens, Cumbria and his wife, Alicia nee Daniell. Stephens was educated at Heversham Grammar School and Marlborough College where he was school captain and won many prizes. He was a scholar at Queen's College, Oxford, gaining a B.A. in 1852 and an M.A. in 1855 with first class honours in Classics. In 1853-60 Stephens was a fellow of his college; a lecturer in 1854 and a tutor in 1855-1856.
In 1856 Stephens was appointed foundation headmaster of Sydney Grammar School and he organised the curriculum on progressive lines with Professor Woolley but enrolments failed to grow mainly due to high fees. Differences with his mathematics master over corporal punishment led to his resignation. In 1867 Stephens opened his own private school, The New School, at Darlinghurst with fifty of his old pupils and it was a success with students doing well in public examinations. Stephens was a prominent organiser in colonial scientific circles, active in the Philosophical Society of New South Wales, the Entomological Society of New South Wales, the Linnean Society of New South Wales and the Zoological Society of New South Wales. Stephens was also examiner in classics and English language and literature for the Board of National Education in 1864-1866 and trustee of the Public Library of New South Wales from 1870 and its president 1885-1890.
Stephens was appointed to the new chair of natural history at the University of Sydney and the W. H. Hovell lectureship in geology and physical goegraphy in March 1882. During his term he largely planned and developed the Macleay Museum. He worked with Professor Liversidge for the institution of a bachelor of science. Stephens published several textbooks, two long articles in the Sydney University Review (1881-1883) and a pamphlet, Literae Humaniores: a Letter to the Chancellor of the Sydney University Concerning the Literary Side of the Arts Course (1887).
Stephens married Anna Louise nee Daniell in 1859. They had a son and a daughter.
(Source: Adapted from Cliff Turney, 'Stephens, William John (1829 - 1890)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6, MUP, (1976): 197-198)
