John Stephens (editor)

John Stephens (30 September 1806 – 28 November 1850) was a writer, polemicist and editor in England who became an editor and newspaper owner in the early days of South Australia.

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.

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".

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