BIO

Lott Stephens, known as Tom, and his older brother Henry ‘Bush’ Stephens were senior players with Port Adelaide between 1888 and 1894.  They helped Port defeat Norwood in the match which decided the 1890 premiership for the Magentas.

Lott Stephens was selected in the City & Suburban side which defeated Gawler 4.6 to 2.5 at Gawler on 6 July 1895.  Lott was high in the best players for the visitors and capped a splendid ruck game with two goals.

Nine weeks later, just after his 28th birthday, Lott was selected for what appears to have been his only senior game for Norwood. He again kicked two goals, this time against his old team, Port Adelaide, as Norwood romped home 8.9 to 4.4 at Adelaide Oval.

Lott Stephens and Edward Hubble were granted clearances from Norwood on 1 June 1896.  Lott’s movements after Norwood are not known.  Hubble had been a junior at the South United club and apparently moved from the Port Natives to Norwood in 1895.  He was a City & Suburban teammate of Lott in the victory over Gawler in 1895.  He played for Port Adelaide in 1896.

One of the Stephens brothers represented the junior club Port Natives in July 1894.  That may well have been Henry, who played two matches with South Adelaide later that season.  In 1896, when the Port Natives were admitted to the SA Football Association as the Natives, Henry served on the committee of the fledgling club which would become West Torrens with the introduction of electorate football in 1897.

Lott was born at Port Adelaide on 4 September 1867.  He was the second son of Henry Stephens and his wife Jane, née O’Meally.  Their other children were Henry, Ellen, Thama, Lucy and William.  Lott married Ruth Smith and they had three children, Frank, Jean and Thomas.  Lott died on 21 January 1920 and is buried with other family members at the Cheltenham Cemetery.

P. Robins, M. Giles, T. Gyss, D. Cox, G. Adams January 2023