STEWART, Hon. Edward Richard (1782-1851).

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1806 - 20 Jan. 1809

Family and Education

b. 5 May 1782, 5th surv. s. of John Stewart, 7th Earl of Galloway [S], by 2nd w. Anne, da. of Sir James Dashwood, 2nd Bt., of Kirtlington Park, Oxon.; bro. of George Stewart, Visct. Garlies*, Hons. James Henry Keith Stewart*, Montgomery Granville John Stewart* and William Stewart*. educ. Charterhouse 1796-8. m. 19 Nov. 1805, Hon. Katherine Charteris, da. of Francis Charteris, Lord Elcho, h. of Francis, 7th Earl of Wemyss [S], 3s. 3da.

Offices Held

Lt. and capt. 3 Ft. Gds. 1800; capt. 7 Drag. 1804, 97 Ft. 1807, ret. 1807; brigade maj. [S].

Commr. for victualling the navy Jan. 1809-June 1813; paymaster of marines 1812-13; commr. of navy board June 1813-Feb. 1819, of customs 1819-21, of audit 1821-7; dep. chairman, board of customs c.1833-46.

Biography

Stewart was returned for the family burghs in 1806: his father-in-law had ‘made a strong push for the Dunbar burghs’ for him, but unavailingly. His brother the 8th Earl was advised to put him up for Wigtownshire in 1807 as a seat-warmer for his absent brother William, but declined. Their father had supported the Grenville ministry, but his brother leaned to opposition and on 13 Feb. 1807 Stewart joined the minority on the Hampshire petition. Like his brother he supported the Portland ministry, but there is no evidence of activity in the House after a speech of 22 Apr. 1807 critical of the bribery disclosed by the report of the Penryn election committee. In October 1808 Portland applied for him to be placed at the victualling or navy board; there were doubts as to his fitness, but in January following he vacated his seat on being appointed to the former board. He subsequently obtained further places. In 1812 he stood proxy for his brother William in the contest for Wigtownshire. His eldest brother suggested to Lord Melville (then at the Admiralty) that as his nominee for Ayr Burghs, their brother James, was absent on military service, he might bring in Edward who was ‘on the spot and to whom you have been so kind’, provided James was guaranteed promotion. Nothing came of the suggestion. Stewart died 27 Aug. 1851.

Blair Adam mss, Gibson to Adam, 26 Nov. 1806; SRO GD51/1/198/28/13, 14, 17; Perceval (Holland) mss 14, f. 4.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes