A. G. Stephens
Alfred George Stephens, born on August 28, 1865, in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, was a significant figure in Australian journalism and literature. He began his career in the printing trade in Sydney, where he also studied languages. By the late 19th century, Stephens had established himself as an editor and writer for various newspapers, including the Gympie and Cairns papers, and The Boomerang in Brisbane. His notable contributions include founding and editing The Red Page for The Bulletin, which played a critical role in fostering literary appreciation among Australians and showcased the works of prominent poets and writers of the time.
In addition to his editorial work, Stephens also launched a literary magazine, The Bookfellow, and served as a literary agent, connecting emerging talents with broader audiences. After a period spent in New Zealand, he returned to Sydney to continue his literary pursuits. His writings included travel accounts and essays, but his lasting legacy is often recognized in his support and mentorship of fellow writers. Stephens' career spanned several decades, culminating in his death in 1933, and his impact on the Australian literary landscape remains significant.
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A. G. Stephens
- Born: August 28, 1865
- Birthplace: Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
- Died: April 15, 1933
- Place of death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Biography
Alfred George Stephens was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, on August 28, 1865. His father was part-owner of the Darling Downs Gazette. He attended the local schools in Toowoomba until he was fifteen. At fifteen, he moved to Sydney to learn the printing trade. In Sydney, he attended Sydney Technical College, where he earned certificates in French and German.
On leaving school, he worked in the printing department of the Toowoomba Chronicle, and later worked for printer and book-binder A. W. Beard in Sydney. Stephens returned to Queensland in 1889, and became the editor of the newspapers at Gympie and Cairns. He was also the subeditor for The Boomerang in Brisbane. When The Boomerang suffered from financial difficulties, he went to Cairns to become the editor and coproprietor of the Argus.
In 1893, Stephens traveled to Chicago to cover the World’s Fair for a number of Australian newspapers. After traveling through Canada and Europe, he eventually settled in London, where he worked for the Daily Chronicle. In 1894, in response to an offer from J. F. Archibald of The Bulletin, he returned to Australia and began working as a general writer and subeditor. Two years after working for The Bulletin, Stephens started and edited the newspaper’s famous literary section, The Red Page. The Red Page was to become one of the most influential forces in developing literary appreciation among a generation of Australians.
Stephens acted as a literary agent for the page, and as such he came into contact with many rising young Australian poets. During his career at The Bulletin, Stephens was responsible for publishing and editing the works of Australian writers such as poets Will Oglivie, Louise Mack, and Roderic Quinn, and writers Tom Collins and Steele Rudd. He also began publishing a literary magazine called The Bookfellow.
In 1906, Stephens left The Bulletin to establish himself as an independent literary agent, publisher, and writer. Although he attempted to revive The Bookfellow as a weekly magazine, the project failed, and he accepted a position as an assistant editor for the Evening Post in New Zealand. In 1909, Stephens returned to Sydney, where he attempted to revive The Bookfellow again, this time as a monthly magazine. The Bookfellow appeared sporadically until 1925, when it ceased publication. Stephens continued to work as a freelance writer, publisher, and agent until his death in 1933.
In addition to the many stories and essays that he wrote for newspapers throughout his life, Stephens also wrote an account of his travels through Europe and Canada, published as A Queenslander’s Travel Notes. He also published a collection of his own essays from The Red Page called The Red Pagan, and he wrote a novel, The Lady Calphurnia Royal, with Albert Dorrington. However, Stephens’s greatest contributions to Australian writing were his encouragement of other writers and his perceptive criticism of their work.