| Notes |
- Alexander Stewart was footman to Queen Carolina Matilda of Denmark, sister to King George III of Great Britain.
Research on Alexander Stewart and his descendants was conducted by Barbara Neal:
https://geneal4real.wordpress.com/2019/07/06/alexander-stewart-of-balquhidder-footman-to-the-queen-of-denmark/
Alexander Stewart was born 1742 at Tomnasai, Kirkton, Balquhidder, Perth, Scotland, to Duncan Stewart, tacksman of Tomnasai and Jean Campbell of the Campbells of Breadalbane.
Alexander is mentioned in Stewarts of the South as follows:
"Alexr was a servant to the Queen of Denmark daughter to George II - and had a pension, left one son."
Alexander came from a family of Jacobites, yet as a young man, he was a footman to Queen Caroline Matilda of Denmark, sister to the Hanovarian King George III of Great Britain. This must have made for some interesting political dynamics in Alexander's family.
"1766 - Princess Caroline Matilda, age 15, grand-daughter of King George II (and sister of George III) marries her cousin, King Christian VII of Denmark. The late Queen was her aunt. Following tradition, when she arrived in Denmark, her British servants were dismissed and replaced by Danish ones. Later, when her husband is suffering from mental decline, she is running the country, and presumably has her own servants, who would be loyal to her - including (probably) our Alexander Stewart." (Neal)
"1772 - Queen Carolina Matilda exiled to Celle (Zell) Hanover, Germany. Brown’s Memoir book (Original Memoirs of the sovereigns of Sweden and Denmark, Vol I, Brown, 11th ed. 1895, H. S. Nichols, London. Originally published in 1818) has stories about the Danish court, as well as the court at Celle, told through a valet named Ernestus. There is mention of a “running footman” named Alexander Stuart, who is later presented as a close servant to the Queen. Problematically, this Stuart is said to have died of the same illness that took the Queen. I don’t know if the author is mistaken, has combined characters, as happens when condensing a long novel into a shorter work, or if there was more than one Alexander Stewart/Stuart at court." (Neal)
"May 10,1775 - Death of Queen Caroline Matilda in Celle, Germany. From the various sources, primarily Brown’s “Memoirs,” it seems that “running footmen” were often young Scots Highlanders, who ran ahead of the carriages to check for obstacles and road conditions, and seldom were allowed to ride on the coach. They could receive a pension after seven years. A “footman” was tasked with duties such as serving food and other jobs of a closer nature. Again, it is not clear which job our Alexander Stewart had and when, but he indicates he was in the Queen’s suites, which points to the more intimate assignment." (Neal)
"1776 or 1777 - Alexander Stewart returns to Britain from Germany, about age 33, and according to (his brother) John, joins the Royal Navy. Alex mentions that he served 5 years." (Neal)
"1779-1783 Siege of Gibraltar. (Alexander's brother) John says that Alexander served on the ship “Royal George,” which sank during a storm in port of Spithead in 1782. All those aboard were lost, so he must have been ashore or under a different assignment at that time. At the end of the 1817 book, is an Erratum statement that says, “Royal George,” should read “Ganges,” a similar ship that also saw service at Gibraltar." (Neal)
"April 12, 1782 - Battle of Dominica in which the British fleet under Admiral Rodney, had a resounding victory over the French fleet. John says that Alexander was aboard the “Pearl,” which saw service in the West Indies." (Neal)
"1783 - I do not know when Alex was discharged from the Navy. John said he lived in London for “a twelvemonth” before returning to Scotland. Alexander Stewart would have received a pension from his service to the late Danish queen, as well as for his military service." (Neal)
Alexander then disappears from records for the next ten years.
"1793 - Alexander Stewart of Balfron, Stirlingshire married Ann Stuart of Callander, Perthshire. Alex would be about age 50. Ann is probably much younger." (Neal) They had three children.
"December, 1798 - Alexander Stewart published Observations on Occurrences from 1794 to 1797 by Alex. Stewart, Many Years in the Suite of Carolina Matilda, Queen of Denmark in Glasgow. The book consists of editorial essays against the still-smoldering Reform movement, Thomas Paine and any sort of Revolutionary sentiment against King George III. Alexander Stewart spent his entire adult life defending the House of Hanover, even in retirement with his blistering missives against Reformers who would do away with monarchy. " (Neal)
According to Alexander's brother John's memoirs, Alexander died in 1809, preceded in 1808 by the death of his wie, Ann. John wrote in Jan, 1817, "Ann died 8 years ago, with Alex following her about 6 months later." Their son, Duncan John Stewart, would be only about 12 years old.
|
Abt 1743 - 1809 (~ 65 years)
