Sir Augustus Frederick William Keppel Stephenson, (18 October 1827 in London – 26 September 1904)Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing was a Treasury Solicitor and the second person to hold the office of Director of Public Prosecutions in England and Wales.The history of the Crown Prosecution Service : The CPS at www.cps.gov.uk

Early life and family Stephenson was born in London on 18 October 1827, the eldest child of Henry Frederick Stephenson, MP, and Lady Mary Keppel.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing His mother was one of eleven children born to William Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle.The Times, 28 September 1904.Fisher, D. R. (2009). The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820–1832 Cambridge: Cambridge Press His father, Henry Frederick Stephenson, was the illegitimate son of Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk.Fisher, D. R. (2009). The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820–1832 Cambridge: Cambridge Press Henry Frederick Stephenson was a barrister-at-law and served as M.P. for Westbury (1831–49).Fisher, D. R. (2009). The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820–1832 Cambridge: Cambridge Press

His younger brother, Admiral Sir Henry Frederick Stephenson, was a Royal Navy officer, courtier and Arctic explorer.

Education Stephenson was educated privately, and later attended Caius College, Cambridge, taking his MA in 1819.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing He was called to the Bar as barrister-at-law of Lincoln's Inn in 1852.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing

Career For two years (1852–1854) he was Marshal and Associate in the Court of the Queen's Bench to the Lord Chief Justice.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing Stephenson then went to the Norfolk Circuit and was appointed a Revising Barrister and a Recorder of Bedford.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing He was appointed Assistant Solicitor of the Treasury by Lord Russell in 1865.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Lowe, made him interim Registrar of Friendly Societies that same year.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing

In 1876 Stephenson was appointed Solicitor to the Treasury.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing The following year, the First Lord of the Treasury appointed him to serve as Her Majesty's Procurator General.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing

Stephenson was created a CB on the recommendation of Mr. Gladstone in 1883, and a KCB, in 1886.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing He was made Director of Public Prosecutions in 1884.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing

In 1889, he was made Queen's Counsel on the recommendation of Lord Chancellor Halsbury.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing

Marriage Stephenson married Eglantine Pleydell-Bouverie, second daughter of Rt. Hon. Edward Pleydell-Bouverie and Elizabeth Anne Balfour, on 5 December 1864.Moon, George Washington (1891). Men and Women of the Time: A Dictionary of Contemporaries p. 849 London: Sutton Publishing Their children included Guy Stephenson.

Cleveland street scandal One notable case occurred in 1889 when Stephenson was given the Cleveland Street scandal to prosecute. It involved various members of the aristocracy (such as Lord Arthur Somerset and the Earl of Euston), but these people were "allowed" (in the words of the radical journal the North London Press) to escape prosecution, something which attracted Stephenson a lot of criticism from the press.Googlebooks, pages 122,123

Arms

References