George John Stevenson (1818–1888) was an English bookseller, editor, headmaster, author, historian and hymnologist.
Born in Princes Yard, Chesterfield[1] on 7 July 1818 and baptised at Saltergate Methodist Chapel 26 July 1818 as 'George Stephenson', then later at St Mary and All Saints Anglican Church, 20 Feb 1824, as 'John Stevenson', eldest child of Jane Aldred, (1794–1855) and John Stevenson, Cordwainer (1792–1866) of Chesterfield.
Stevenson was employed in the printing and bookselling business until 1844 [2] when he entered St John's College, Battersea to be trained for an organising mastership under the National Society.
In 1846 a reformatory school was established in the Philanthropic Institute, Southwark, to take selected criminals from prisons, and Stevenson was appointed as its first headmaster.
Stevenson resigned his school post in 1855, and established himself in Paternoster Row as bookseller and publisher, a business which he continued until a few years before his death.