Researching Charles Stewart

As premier, Stewart tried to hold together his Liberal Party, which was divided by the Conscription Crisis of 1917. He endeavoured to enforce prohibition of alcoholic beverages, which had been enshrined in law by a referendum during Sifton's premiership, but found that the law was not widely enough supported to be effectively policed. His government took over several of the province's financially troubled railroads, and guaranteed bonds sold to fund irrigation projects. Several of these policies were the result of lobbying by the United Farmers of Alberta (UFA), with which Stewart enjoyed good relations; even so, the UFA was politicized during Stewart's premiership and ran candidates in the 1921 election. Unable to match the UFA's appeal to rural voters, Stewart's government was defeated at the polls and he was succeeded as premier by Herbert Greenfield.

After leaving provincial politics, Stewart was invited to join the federal cabinet of William Lyon Mackenzie King, in which he served as Minister of the Interior and Mines. In this capacity he signed, on behalf of the federal government, an agreement that transferred control of Alberta's natural resources from Ottawa to the provincial government—a concession he had been criticized for being unable to negotiate as Premier. He served in King's cabinet until 1930, when the King government was defeated, but remained a member of Parliament until he lost his seat in 1935. He died in December 1946 in Ottawa.

Born in London, England, the third surviving son of John Stewart, 7th Earl of Galloway, and his second wife, Anne Dashwood, Stewart was a member of Corpus Christi College, Oxford when he graduated Bachelor of Arts in 1795 and a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford when this matured to an M.A. in 1799. He was ordained to the Anglican ministry in the diaconate in December 1798 and to the priesthood in May 1799. From 1799 to 1826, he was Rector of Orton Longueville in Cambridgeshire. In 1807, he arrived in Lower Canada as a missionary, settling in Montreal. He soon moved to Saint-Armand and helped to build Trinity Church, Frelighsburg, the first regular place of Anglican worship in the Eastern Townships. In 1826, he was appointed Bishop of Quebec. He died in London in 1837, and is buried there in Kensal Green Cemetery.

Some have claimed that Stewart is either the designer of the flag or drew the image used by the Third Congress when enacting the legislation adopting the flag. "Accompanying the original Act ... is a drawing by Peter Krag of the national flag and seal ... although in the original President Lamar's approval and signature are at the top and upside down[.]" However, Stewart's drawing "looks suspiciously like a tracing of the Peter Krag art, including the upside down signature of President Lamar."

On April 21, 2011, a bust of Dr. Charles B. Stewart was unveiled at the ceremony dedicating the Lone Star Monument and Historical Flag Park in Conroe, Montgomery County, Texas.

The son of Stephen W.L Stewart and Sarah Pattenden, Stewart was educated in Brandon, Manitoba and Winnipeg. In 1911, he married Frances H. Singer. He was elected to Parliament at the Humboldt riding in the 1921 general election. After serving his only federal term, the 14th Canadian Parliament, Stewart was defeated in the 1925 federal election by Albert Frederick Totzke of the Liberal party. He died of liver and colon cancer in 1950.

Stewart was born into the nobility, raised the younger son of a viscount. He entered the navy at an early age, but suffered a severe wound at the beginning of his career, losing his right hand. He recovered, and prospered in the service, rising to command several ships in the frequent wars of the early eighteenth century. He also had an interest in politics, representing Tyrone from 1715. By 1720 he had risen high enough in the navy to be entrusted with a squadron to take action against Mediterranean piracy, particularly the dangerous Salé Rovers. He had the dual commission of acting as minister plenipotentiary to Morocco, and managed to successfully negotiate a treaty and the release of 296 British prisoners.

Rewarded with an increased pension and further commands, Stewart was raised to flag rank and served for a time as commander in chief in the West Indies, and held junior commands in the Channel Fleet. He also sat for the British parliament, representing Malmesbury from 1723 until 1727, and Portsmouth from 1737 until his death in 1741.

Stewart was educated at Strathclyde University and ordained a Church of Scotland Minister in 1976. In that year he became a naval chaplain: his service included* HMS Sea Hawk, RNAS Culdrose, 1976–1978 * Clyde Submarine Base, 1978–1980; * Staff of Flag Officer 3rd Flotilla, 1980;* HMS Hermes, Falklands War, 1981-1982 * HMS Neptune, 1982–1985;* HMS Drake, 1985–1987;* HMS Raleigh, 1987–1990* BRNC, Dartmouth, 1990–1993;* Assistant Director, Royal Navy Chaplaincy Service, 1992–1994;* HMS Invincible, Bosnia, 1994–1996;* Director-general Royal Navy Chaplaincy Service, 1996–1997;* Chaplain of the Fleet, 1998–2000* QHC 1996–2000. * Chaplain, Royal Hospital School, 2000–10

He was awarded the South Atlantic Medal in 1982; and the NATO Medal in 1995.