Stephens, Arthur Veryan (AV)

Arthur Veryan Stephens was born in July 1908 in Epsom in county of Surrey, England. He graduated as Master of Arts from Cambridge University. He was a Fellow of Kings College Cambridge. He married Jane D Lester in December 1938.

At its meeting in April 1939, the University Senate resolved to appoint Stephens to the Chair of Aeronautics "with freedom to act as advisor to the government and industry" (G1/1/23 page 230). Although Stephens formally took up the offer of the Chair of Aeronautics on 1st September 1939, the outbreak of World War II resulting in his accepting duties with the British Air Ministry at the Royal Aircraft Establishment until 30th April 1940 when he resigned to sail to Sydney. In 1951, Stephens became a member of the Defence Research and Development Policy Committee of the Commonwealth Government; this committee advised the Department of Supply on aeronautical research policy in Australia. In July 1956, Stephens resigned to take up the Chair of Aeronautical Engineering at Queen's University, Belfast in Northern Ireland.

Stephens was last listed as a director of St Mary's Garden (Management) Ltd. until 4/9/1992, Ancestry has year of death as 1992.

References used: G3/158: personnel file of AV Stephens; Senate Minutes, 1956, G1/1/32 pages 117, 156.