STEWART SOCIETY

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 17, 21 January 1936, Page 18

STEWART SOCIETY

PURPOSES AND PROGRESS

RACE AND ITS HISTORY

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, December 21. When Lieutenant-Colonel W. Burton Stewart was in Auckland'*in 1934 he was greatly struck by the beauty of the Auckland War Memorial and by the fact that so many "Stewarts" or "Stuarts" are named upon it. Colonel Stewart has many interests, but one of his chief hobbies is in connection with the Stewart Society, which was founded in 1899. One of the youngest of the Scottish family societies, it has already achieved a measure of success not unworthy of its great name. The membership consists chiefly of those of the name of Stewart (in any form of spelling) by birth and marriage, but an associate and honorary membership is open to anyone descended from, or interested in, the race and its. history. The Earl of Galloway, as heir male of the Stewarts, is honorary president, while honorary vice-presidents include such historic names as the Duke of Atholl, the Marquesses of Bute and Londonderry, the Earls of Moray, Buchan, Cassillis, and Darnley, the Stewart Baronets of Ardgowan, Ford Stewart, Athenry, Ardwell ,and Closeburn, Stewart of Appin, Stewart ol Ardvorlich, Stewart of Achnacone, Fasnacloich, Physgill, etc., etc. The society's objects are patriotic, genealogical, historical, and philanthropic; it is a non-political body. It publishes an annual magazine, and each four years these issues are bound as a volume. The magazine is sent gratis to each member, whose annual subscription is 10s. The society is hoping to establish in Edinburgh the headquarters, where its library and other properties could be suitably housed, and where members, especially those from overseas, could meet and acquire information about the family and could possibly be helped, if they so desired, to trace their ancestry, and to register appropriate arms. Colonel Stewart loft today for India, on business. He will journey thence to Australia and New Zealand, accompanied by Mrs. Stewart. In both countries he hopes to hold a series of meetings of members of the family of Stewart, or Stuart, in various centres. He would like also to give informal addresses on the history of the family, and on the work and objects of the society. It is desired to get many new members, or, if thought more desirable, to organise district councils. New Zealand should be reached about the end of March. The Stewart Society possesses a valuable library and collection of engravings—mostly the gifts of enthusiastic members. It lent material help in; preserving the graves and memorials to the Clans of Culloden, and has erected a series of memorials in Appin to preserve the history of the race in that district. A monument in memory of General David Stewart of Garth, the historian of the Highlands and Highland Regiments, has been erected at Fortingal, while the society also acquired and presented to the Scottish Naval and Military Museum in Edinburgh Castle, the banner under which the Stewarts of Appin fought at Culloden, and the colours of Barrels Blues," one of the English regiments opposed to them on that fatal day. The formation of a benevolent fund is another development of the society s energies, while, during the Great War, the patriotic and philanthropical aspirations of the members found outlet in <v, e endowment of "The Stewart f Society Beds" in the military hospitals ,it Rouen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Perth. .