Randolph Stow showed great ability as a boy and was articled to a firm of lawyers, Messrs. Bartley and Bakewell. Shortly after the completion of his articles Stow became a junior partner in the firm. In 1859 Stow started a business for himself. Later, Stow was a partner with T. B. Bruce and F. Ayers. Stow was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly as member for West Torrens 1861–2, for Victoria 1863–65, East Torrens 1866-68 and Light 1873–75. In October 1861 Stow became Attorney General in the Waterhouse. Stow was Attorney General again in the Henry Ayers and Arthur Blyth ministries from July 1864 to March 1865 and then lost his seat. He was now one of the leaders of the South Australian bar, and became a Queen's Counsel in this year. By 1875 Stow was the unchallenged leader of the bar at Adelaide, and on 15 March 1875 was appointed judge of the Supreme Court, in place of William Alfred Wearing, who died on the wreck of the SS Gothenburg. Stow's health, however, had not been good for some time, and he had a heavy workload; he died age 49 of atrophy of the liver on 17 September 1878. He left a widow, four sons and two daughters. One of his sons, Percival Randolph Stow, later married K. Langloh Parker. As a member of parliament Stow was regarded as a first-rate debater and took a leading part as Attorney-General in putting through legislation of much value. As an advocate he possessed an accurate knowledge of law, but he made his greatest impression as a judge although he was on the bench for less than four years. At the time of his death there was a general feeling that South Australia had lost a great judge, and many years later Sir John Downer who became a Q.C. in the year Stow died, said of him that he was
"one of the greatest judges Australia ever had. A commanding presence, a striking face, an exquisite voice, unusual swiftness in comprehension, with an immense combination of eloquence and power"..
The Stow medal
The Stow Scholarship and medal was awarded to any law student who was most successful at the final examinations in each of three successive years. Early recipients were:
Adelaide Elizabeth Stow OBE married Lieutenant William Rooke Creswell on 29 December 1888
Reginald Marshall Stow married Gertrude Mary Sullivan on 28 April 1915 in York, Western Australia
Ernest Alfred Stow
Francis Leslie Stow LLD married Annie Duxbury on 6 May 1895. He was the first to graduate LLD. from the University of Adelaide, and the first to win the Stow Scholarship and medal, founded in honor of his father. He served as Crown Solicitor and Crown Prosecutor in Perth, Western Australia.
