Lancia Motor Club

A while ago the Viva-Lancia Editor made a plea for help with finding information about WL Stewart, the early London Lancia Concessionaire.

As an International subscriber to Ancestry.com I’ve made some progress, but believe that a collective, collaborative effort is needed to pull it all together, verify the details, and maybe solve some mysteries.  Jack Romano has agreed that I publish my findings so far on the LMC Forum to see if we can make some more progress.

Placing the events in chronological order to make a timeline, here’s what I’ve uncovered so far:

Walter Leonard Stewart’s mother Frances Caroline Southwell was born sometime between October and December in 1845 in Stepney, Middlesex.  According to 1871 census records, she was the daughter of Edward J. Southwell (born circa 1821, Hants, Winchester), “Clerk to the Board of Guardians, and Superintendant Registrar at Mile End Old Town”.

1881 census records show that WL Stewart’s father was Alex Stewart  (born circa 1827 Barnet, Herts), a retired Schoolmaster, and that his mother, older brother Alex Leslie Stewart (born circa 1878), and twin sisters Hilda and Estella were living at “16 Vanburgh Park Greenwich".  (WL Stewart wasn’t born yet.)

According to the 1891 census records, Walter Leonard Stewart was born in 1883 in Blackheath Kent, and shows that he was living with his widowed mother Frances C Stewart and his two sisters at “52 Vanbrugh [sic] Park, Greenwich”.

On the 21st of April 1906, WL Stewart married Constance May Spalding at St. Judes Church Kensington.  His address at the time is given as “2 Cedar House, Cheniston Gardens”, and her address as “50 Harrington Gardens”.

1911 census records show that Walter Leonard Stewart, “Director, Automobile Coy” was living at 25 Holland Park Gardens, Kensington (a property owned by his father-in-law Walter Spalding), together with his wife, sons, Peter Graham Stewart (4 years) and Francis Ian Walter Stewart (2 years), and brother-in-law, Cuthbert Guy Spalding (28 years).

British Army WWI medal roll index cards list a Private Walter L Stewart of the Y. & L.R. regiment Regtl. No. 34016 that received the British & Victory Medals (page 2114), but I’ve not yet been able to confirm that this is our Walter Leonard Stewart.

The 1930 Electoral Rolls for London Kensington show:
3106    R    –    Stewart, Peter Graham and
3107    R    O    Stewart, Walter Leonard

both of Prince of Wales Terrace, Abode 21, Knightsbridge. S.W.

The London Gazette of 21st March 1941 (1666) states:
The undermentioned Pilot Officers are granted the war substantive rank of Flying Officer: —
Walter Leonard STEWART (75322).

The next time WL Stewart surfaces is in the 1948 Electoral Roll for Holland Ward, Holland Park Avenue:
2519   Stewart, Walter L.    141

Searches through England Wales Death Index for 1916 to 2005 don’t seem to turn up our WL Stewart, although a Francis I.W. Stewart (most probably his son) is listed as having died during April to June 1949, aged 40 in Hailsham, Vol 5h page 258.

A Peter G. Stewart (probably his other son) is listed as having died during April to June 1968, aged 61 in St. Albans, Vol 4B page 230.

I have copies of all the sources I’m quoting, but believe that posting them all here right now, might lead to brain fade!

Diana Williamson has also done some sterling work on the subject, and I’ve let her know about this thread too.

Regards,

Guy

Re the war records you have found I can't see either of these being our man. Walter was 31 at the outbreak of WWI and a company director. I can't see someone of that age and profession being recruited as a private in a Northern counties infantry/cavalry (?) regiment.
By 1940 he would have been 57, definitely a bit old for pilot training! Hope this helps if only as elimination.

Of course, I had no sooner made my first post on this thread when I realised that I'd omitted WL Stewart's birth information:

Nonconformist Registers show that Walter Leonard Stewart (son of Alaxander Stewart and Frances Caroline Stewart nee' Southwell) was baptised on August 12th 1883.

Neil, thanks for confirming that - it's what I think too - I'm only posting the info I've found for LMC members to check.

However, there are rumours that 'our' WL Stewart was a Captain somewhere, sometime...  ::)

I'm hoping that some UK members may be able to actually take a look at some of the Army and Air Force records, many of which are not on-line.

I've just done another search of Ancestry and come up with information which is in some records which have not long been on Ancestry and could explain why we haven’t found a death for WL as Scottish records are inaccessible.

Some of this just repeats some of Guy's finds but does seem to give a date of death which is what Jack wanted to know.

I have found an English Probate notice (new records to Ancestry) which shows a Walter Leonard Stewart dying in Scotland on 21st November 1960 with his executor named as Peter Graham Stewart- a Lloyds underwriter.   The 1911 census shows his sons as being  Peter Graham Stewart and Francis Ian Walter Stewart.  

Francis died in Hertfordshire in 1949 and one of his executors is Peter Graham Stewart ex RAF Group Captain and the other a Mrs. Lynette Bingham.

Constance May Stewart, WL’s wife, died in 1956 and her executors were Peter Graham Stewart (ex RAAF)and Mrs. Lynette Bingham.    
 
Peter Graham Stewart's only record for the U.K. apart from Electoral Rolls is obtaining his aviation license in 1927 from Royal Aero Club this states his date of birth as 12th Jan 1907 and ties in with the 1968 death record.  

Lynette E. Stewart was born in 1912 and married John Bingham in 1941 and had a daughter in 1943. Her daughter married in 1970 and had two children as far as I can see – Because they may still be alive I can’t put their names on any site without their permission.  

The other night when I was looking while on the phone to Jack, I came across a Walter Leonard Stewart junior but I can't find it now and I can't remember which category it was in - I think it was a Worldwide record and I've only got U.K. access.  This is probably more likely to be the WWII name.

There were also some passenger lists into New York which I couldn’t access but perhaps Guy can do this - I can look at return trips but not outward.

WL may have done some war work in the First World War for which he was given the rank of Captain or not.
 

Diana

I have managed to track down one of WL Stewart's granddaughters and Jack has made contact and arranged to see one or both of them in the next couple of weeks.

Diana

Great work Diana, hoping it all works out and significant nuggets and memories are brought back to life


P

Well done Diana - that's good news!

I think I'll suspend further digging until we have some more personal information.  ;D

Great work Guy and Diana and also of course Jack, in having the patience of Job to scour the records for these gems. I just wish I had that mindset to help!!!

Good luck Jack with the meeting(s) with the grand-daughters, maybe their late grandfather was a hoarder and many gaps may be filled.

                 Andy

I found this WWI record for a WL Stewart who was a horse 'wrangler', but at the time Jack pooh-poohed it because of it's Scottish connection.  ;D

Interesting how the birth year is a match...  ???

I also found this rather nice portrait of Peter Graham Stewart (WL's son) who was an aviator.

Perhaps this may be of interest to his descendants too.

I would pooh-pooh the WW1 Scottish record on the description of trade or occupation before anything else which had nothing to do with Walter Leonard Stewart.

Diana

Diana, don't you know what  ;D means?

Many a Scot has been associated with 'horse trading and 'wrangling' over  the centuries (my own clan excluded, of course), and is where the term 'blackmail' originated from.

Just a gentle jest intended.

My grandmother used to tell me that we were descended from a rather famous Scot who was definitely described as a cattle thief but I can't find any proof that we are!

Diana

Diana, that wouldn't be Rob Roy McCattlethief would it?  ;)

How did you guess!  I don't know where she got that idea from - her Scottish roots were in the Dumfries/Wigtown area. - she did have red hair though!

Diana

Jack Romano has asked me to post to say that as he has now made contact with WL Stewart's granddaughters he will probably be able to get all the information that he needs and to thank anyone who has contributed on this thread.

Diana

Wonderful!