Joseph Stephenson

STEPHENSON, Joseph. b. Poole, Dorset, 1723 (baptized 17 October). d. Poole, 19 July 1810. Joseph Stephenson was an English composer of West Gallery music*. He had a lifelong association with the dissenting congregation at Hill Street in Poole, where he was baptized on 17 October 1723, and where his father was clerk (NU2/MS/1). The younger Stephenson became clerk in 1766 (NU2/CW/1, inside rear cover). During his lifetime, the congregation became Unitarian: the date of the separation of a Trinitarian group is variously given as ‘the beginning of the year 1758’ (Murch, 1835, p. 292), and ‘the beginning of the year 1760’ (Sydenham, 1839, p. 341). A memorial in the meeting-house described his...