The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Stephenson, William Henry
William Henry Stephenson joined the Treasury as a junior clerk on 23 March 1827, serving
until 22 May 1838, when he was promoted to assistant clerk.1 From 8 September 1841 to July 1846, Stephenson served as private secretary to the
first lord; from 15 November 1850 to 12 August 1851 he was private secretary to the
chancellor of the exchequer.2 He was also clerk of parliamentary accounts from 22 March to 15 November 1850. On
25 February 1851, Stephenson was promoted to senior clerk, remaining there to 20 February
1852, when he was made principal clerk assistant.3 From 4 July 1856 to 9 December 1862 he served as principal clerk, resigning in 1862
to accept the appointment of chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue.4
1. Great Britain, Parliament, Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons, (House of Commons, vol.33, 1849), 4.
2. Michael W. Pharand, Benjamin Disraeli Letters: 1865-1867, Volume IX, Volume 9, (University of Toronto Press, 2013).