James Stephen (Australian politician)

James Wilberforce "Wilber" Stephen, M.A., (10 April 1822 – 14 August 1881) was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, Attorney-General of Victoria and Supreme Court judge.

[3] Wilber Stephen was born in London and educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated Fourth Wrangler in 1846 and subsequently became M.A.

[4] There he practised his profession and took a part in politics, being returned to the Legislative Assembly for St. Kilda in October 1870.

On behalf of the Cabinet, Stephen framed and carried through Parliament the Act for establishing the present free, secular, and compulsory system of State education, with which his name will be always linked.

He held that post, in addition to the Attorney-Generalship, from January 1873 to May 1874, when he was appointed to a Supreme Court of Victoria judgeship.