Introduction

Biography

Stephenson was edu­cat­ed at Wes­ley Col­lege, Shef­field, and sub­se­quent­ly gra­du­at­ed at the Uni­ver­si­ty of Lon­don.

In 1860, he en­tered the Wes­ley­an min­is­try, and served in Nor­wich, Man­ches­ter, Bol­ton and London.

He found­ed the Child­ren’s Home at Num­ber 8 Church Street, near Wa­ter­loo Sta­tion in Lon­don, on July 9, 1869. The home moved to larg­er pre­mis­es at Bon­ner Road, Beth­nal Green, in 1871 and was then able to ac­com­mo­date girls as well as boys.

In 1907, the or­gan­i­za­tion be­came known as the Na­tion­al Child­ren’s Home and Or­phan­age, re­flect­ing its na­tion­wide growth and ex­pan­sion.

Stephenson re­tired as Prin­ci­pal in 1900, re­tir­ing ful­ly in 1907.