Stephenson, Henry Frederick

Epithet: Commissioner of Excise

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000471.0x0001d9

Epithet: Admiral; GCVO

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000362.0x00016e

Epithet: Admiral Equerry to the Prince of Wales

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000757.0x0003c2

Henry Frederick Stephenson was born on 7 June 1842. He joined the Royal Navy in 1855, serving during the Crimean War, the China Expedition and the Indian Mutiny. Advancing to lieutenant in 1861, he commanded a gunboat on the lakes of Canada between 1866 and 1867, and between 1871 and 1874, was commander of the Royal Yacht. Promoted captain in 1875, he served as captain of HMS Discovery on the British Arctic Expedition, 1875-1876 (leader George Strong Nares), sent by the Admiralty to attempt to reach the North Pole by way of Smith Sound and to explore the coasts of Greenland and adjacent lands. Although the attempt to reach the North Pole was unsuccessful, the expedition made some geographical discoveries and returned with a large quantity of scientific data.

After the expedition, he served in the Egyptian Campaign, and in 1888 was appointed Naval ADC to Queen Victoria. He served as equerry to the Prince of Wales from 1878 until 1893, when he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Pacific Station, a post he held until 1896. Rising to the rank of vice admiral in 1896, he was placed in command of the Channel Squadron the following year. Between 1903 and 1904, he served as first and principal ADC to King Edward VII. He was knighted in 1897 and, in addition to the Arctic Medal, received numerous campaign medals. Retiring from the Navy as admiral in 1904, he died on 16 December 1919.

From the guide to the Henry Stephenson collection, 1875-1901, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)