Stewart was an illegitimate son of former Camelford Tory MP John Stewart (1754/5–1826) and Mary Duncan. Upon his father's death, he took ownership of plantations in Grenada and Demerara, as well as the family home in Albany, London. However, by 1830, he was living in Wellington Street, Westminster, with his wife, Elizabeth, née Vincent, and son William Duncan Stewart (born April 1829). On 14 December 1848, Stewart remarried to Phoebe Rossiter, daughter of Joseph Rossiter.[2]
Business careeredit
After the abolition of slavery in 1833, Stewart was compensated £22,486 for the Demerara plantation in British Guiana, where 433 were enslaved. He retained possession of this estate, as well as Stewartville, also in British Guiana, and purchased a further estate in the region in 1839, importing some labour from Madeira to Annandale. Also, a trustee of the Hope Vale estate in Grenada, in 1836 he claimed to have owned the "largest slave state" in Antigua between 1824 and 1826.[2]
By the 1850s, he was well-established in the City of London, investing at least £16,000 in the British railways. He became a director of the British West India Company in 1846, a member of the provisional committee of the Demerara Railway Company in the same year, a director of the London and Westminster Joint Stock Bank; and deputy chairman of the Universal Life Assurance Society.[2]
Member of Parliamentedit
Stewart became parliament's first mixed-race MP when he was elected Tory MP for Lymington at the 1832 general election. During this election, he defended his record as a slave owner and rebuffed arguments that slaves on his Demerara estates were subject to cruelty. After his election, he presented a petition to the Commons against the abolition of slavery, and often spoke in defence of West Indian plantation owners, sharing concerns over apprenticeships and sugar duties with other MPs with West Indian interests.[2]
Becoming a Conservative MP in 1834, Stewart then went on to oppose Sir George Strickland, 7th Baronet's motion that apprenticeships should be abolished on 1 August 1838, and in 1833 and the 1840s, he opposed the reduction of sugar duties, although this latter position was "a little inconsistent". While a supporter of free trade, the abolition of the Corn Laws, and Robert Peel's government, he voted against the government on some occasions.[2]
However, these positions ultimately led to his downfall at the 1847 general election, when he was defeated.[3][4] While his career was "undistinguished", "the bigoted anti-colour party in the West Indies could never get over his election by an English borough, but he was extremely popular with his constituents".[2]
Referencesedit
^Rayment, Leigh (28 August 2018). . Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page. Archived from the original on 3 December 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ abcdefgMcClelland, Keith (6 October 2016). "Stewart, John (1789–1860)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/109523. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. pp. 127–129. ISBN0-900178-13-2.
External linksedit
Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Mr John Stewart
john, stewart, lymington, john, stewart, 1789, march, 1860, british, conservative, tory, politician, slavery, lobbyist, possibly, second, mixed, race, member, parliament, parliament, united, kingdom, after, james, townsend, john, stewartmember, parliamentfor, . John Stewart 1789 14 March 1860 1 was a British Conservative and Tory politician and pro slavery lobbyist He was possibly the second mixed race Member of Parliament MP of the Parliament of the United Kingdom 2 after James Townsend John StewartMember of Parliamentfor LymingtonIn office 12 December 1832 31 July 1847Serving with William Alexander Mackinnon 1835 1847 Harry Burrard Neale 1832 1835 Preceded byWilliam Alexander MackinnonGeorge BurrardSucceeded byWilliam Alexander MackinnonGeorge KeppelPersonal detailsBorn1789Died14 March 1860 1860 03 14 aged 70 71 London EnglandNationalityBritishPolitical partyConservative TorySpousesElizabeth Vincent Phoebe Rossiter m 1848 wbr ParentJohn Stewart Contents 1 Family 2 Business career 3 Member of Parliament 4 References 5 External linksFamily editStewart was an illegitimate son of former Camelford Tory MP John Stewart 1754 5 1826 and Mary Duncan Upon his father s death he took ownership of plantations in Grenada and Demerara as well as the family home in Albany London However by 1830 he was living in Wellington Street Westminster with his wife Elizabeth nee Vincent and son William Duncan Stewart born April 1829 On 14 December 1848 Stewart remarried to Phoebe Rossiter daughter of Joseph Rossiter 2 Business career editAfter the abolition of slavery in 1833 Stewart was compensated 22 486 for the Demerara plantation in British Guiana where 433 were enslaved He retained possession of this estate as well as Stewartville also in British Guiana and purchased a further estate in the region in 1839 importing some labour from Madeira to Annandale Also a trustee of the Hope Vale estate in Grenada in 1836 he claimed to have owned the largest slave state in Antigua between 1824 and 1826 2 By the 1850s he was well established in the City of London investing at least 16 000 in the British railways He became a director of the British West India Company in 1846 a member of the provisional committee of the Demerara Railway Company in the same year a director of the London and Westminster Joint Stock Bank and deputy chairman of the Universal Life Assurance Society 2 Member of Parliament editStewart became parliament s first mixed race MP when he was elected Tory MP for Lymington at the 1832 general election During this election he defended his record as a slave owner and rebuffed arguments that slaves on his Demerara estates were subject to cruelty After his election he presented a petition to the Commons against the abolition of slavery and often spoke in defence of West Indian plantation owners sharing concerns over apprenticeships and sugar duties with other MPs with West Indian interests 2 Becoming a Conservative MP in 1834 Stewart then went on to oppose Sir George Strickland 7th Baronet s motion that apprenticeships should be abolished on 1 August 1838 and in 1833 and the 1840s he opposed the reduction of sugar duties although this latter position was a little inconsistent While a supporter of free trade the abolition of the Corn Laws and Robert Peel s government he voted against the government on some occasions 2 However these positions ultimately led to his downfall at the 1847 general election when he was defeated 3 4 While his career was undistinguished the bigoted anti colour party in the West Indies could never get over his election by an English borough but he was extremely popular with his constituents 2 References edit Rayment Leigh 28 August 2018 The House of Commons Constituencies beginning with L Leigh Rayment s Peerage Page Archived from the original on 3 December 2011 Retrieved 24 November 2018 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link a b c d e f g McClelland Keith 6 October 2016 Stewart John 1789 1860 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 109523 Subscription or UK public library membership required Craig F W S ed 1977 British Parliamentary Election Results 1832 1885 1st ed London Macmillan Press p 196 ISBN 978 1 349 02349 3 Stooks Smith Henry 1973 1844 1850 Craig F W S ed The Parliaments of England 2nd ed Chichester Parliamentary Research Services pp 127 129 ISBN 0 900178 13 2 External links editHansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by Mr John Stewart John Stewart at Legacies of British Slavery Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byWilliam Alexander MackinnonGeorge Burrard Member of Parliament for Lymington1832 1847 With William Alexander Mackinnon 1835 1847 Harry Burrard Neale 1832 1835 Succeeded byWilliam Alexander MackinnonGeorge Keppel Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Stewart Lymington MP amp oldid 1201434120, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
