THE STEWART SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22778, 14 January 1936, Page 13

THE STEWART SOCIETY

EXPECTED NEW ZEALAND INTEREST (From Odr Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) 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 ” arc 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 hon. 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 the hon. president, while the hon. 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, Fort Stewart, Athenry, Ardwell, and Closeburn, Stewart of Appin, Stewart of Ardvorlich, Stewart of Achnacone, Fasnaeloich, 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 hound as a volume. The magazine is sent gratis to each member, whose annual subscription is 10s. The, society is hoping to establish in Edinburgh a 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 left to-day 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, and any who are interested in his arrival may like to communicate with him care of the Union Bank of Australia at Wellington. The first time Colonel Stewart was in New Zealand was over 20 years ago. Colonel Stewart is very enthusiastic concerning the Society and Scottish history, and he will no doubt be accorded a cordial welcome. He has an interesting personality. He was educated at Loretto School and Brascnose, Oxford, and was called to the Scottish Bar in 1898. At the university he played in the Rugby fifteen against Cambridge, and he twice rowed for Oxford against Cambridge (1894 and 1895); he won the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley in Leander Eight, 1893 and 1894. Two years after being called to the Bar, he took part in the South African War, gaining medal and three clasps. During the last war he commanded the 10th Battalion, Yorkshire Light Infantry and was mentioned in despatches. Scotsmen in the Dominion will be interested to know that he is a member of the King’s Bodyguard, Scotland (the Royal Company of Archers) —a companion body to the Honourable Corps of Gentle-men-at-Arms, England. The uniform of the Royal Company of Archers is not worn outside of Scotland. After a year as private secretary to the Marquis of Linlithgow (Seci-etary of State for Scotland) Colonel Stewart stood for Parliament in 1906. but he was not successful. In 1907 he was elected to the L.C.C., where he had three very useful years. Then he travelled round the world to study tariff reforms and labour programmes. New Zealand was included in the itinerary, and Colonel Stewart remembers meeting many of the country s leading politicians and bankers. SOME ACTIVITIES OF THE SOCIETY.

The Stewart Society possesses a valuable library and collection of engi'avings —mostly the gifts of enthusiastic members. It lent material help in preserving the graves and memorials to the Clans at 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 xn Edinburgh Castle, the banner under winch the Stewarts of Appin fought at Culloden, and the colours of “ BarrelTs 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 the endowment of “ The Stewart Society Beds ” in the military hospitals at Rouen, Edinburgn. Glasgow, and Perth. It lias of late begun to be recognised that the well of history was for long contaminated and poisoned by dynastic and religious jealousies and that the character and actions of the Stewarts were vilified and misrepresented thei-eby. Those days, fortunately, are past, and historians have recently shown a truer perspective and appreciation of their responsibilities. The religious bitterness of two centuries ago fastened on the shortcomings of the two last Stewart monarchs to hold the whole race up to obloquy; but even the pleasure-loving Charles II is now recognised to have been a statesman and diplomatist par excellence; while the socalled bigot, Janies 11, was the admiral to whom we owe the definite formation of a British Navy, and the first clear conception of the necessity of a navy for Britain and the British Empire. Behind those two monarchs stretches a long lino of soldiers, statesmen, educationists, and philanthropists, such as no other family can point to.