Steward in Wells next the Sea

[Murray]

I am researching the Steward family of Great Yarmouth who were shareholders in the Steward & Patteson Brewery . Timothy Steward arrived in Great Yarmouth from Wells Next The Sea in the early 1700s and is supposedly descended from Nicholas Steward who died in Wells in 1520.

Nicholas was the GGGrandfather of Oliver Cromwell.

I believe that there is a Steward family history which may document this missing link, but I am unable to trace it.

Is anyone else researching this family?

Murray
Christchurch
New Zealand

[Geoffers]

I am researching the Steward family of Great Yarmouth who were shareholders in the Steward & Patteson Brewery......Is anyone else researching this family?

Try the Norfolk Surnames list at:
http://freespace.virgin.net/isabel.easter/Norfolk/Surnames.htm

The NFHS also has a list of members interests, you may try contacting them via their web-site http://www.norfolkfhs.org.uk/

Geoffers

[Murray]

Thanks Geoffers, I'll follow that up. I saw this list before I traced the family and now that I have an accurate picture (at least from the 1700s on) it will be worthwhile contacting some of the researchers!

Murray

[Geoffers]

If looking for a specific genealogy, you might try the NFHS library/The NRO or the Society of Genealogists. You need to find a series of books published by the NFHS (this was when it was under its earlier title of the NNGS), called 'Norfolk Genealogy'. 3 or 4 of these books just consist of pedigrees and you may well find reference to STEWARD in them. That said, STEWARD is a fairly widespread name throughout the county.

I appreciate the difficulties in checking these sources from t'other side of the world. If you are a member of the NFHS, you can request assistance from a help team at the NFHS library - you might for instacne, ask them to check the Norfolk Genealogy Series for you.

Geoffers

[Murray]

Hi Geoffers
Thanks very much, I'll try that approach but I think the family history is a 'limited edition' and is only in the hands of the family. I have a copy of a book written on the Steward brewery which refers to this history. I've contacted the author, but the owner of the Steward history has since died and the author doesn't have any other contacts apart from the chap who commissioned the book. He was another shareholder in the brewery called Morse - Morse the detective was named after him - but I suspect he is ex-directory as I can't trace him.

Due to the Cromwell link, and as they were well known in their own right, there is a lot of info on the Wells Steward family in the 1500s, but the link to the GY family is missing.

Like many of these old families there is a lot of poorly researched, contradictory info on the web, but I have found some early histories which have allowed me to clarify some details.

As well as Oliver Cromwell, this family were supposedly linked to the Stuart Royals (who were originally Stewards). However the family were apparently obsessed with this connection to the Stuarts and so may have manufactured this history to some extent. I also suspect that Cromwell may have manipulated the family history to show that he had royal blood - to provide him some justification in chopping off the kings head!

My guess is that many of the Norfolk Stewards descend from this one family.

If the history is correct the first Steward in this line in England was John Steward, a second cousin to Robert II of Scotland. John was accompanying Prince James Stuart (later James 1 of Scotland) to France and they were shipwrecked (or captured by the English Navy or Pirates) off Flamborough Head on 30 Mar 1406. John apparently decided to stay in England. A good story even if not true!!

From John the family is documented to Nicholas of Wells and his family was well known, one son being the last Prior of Ely Monastry and first Dean of Ely Cathedral (he supported Henry VIII) and another being grandfather of Cromwell. Cromwell's wealth came largely from the Dean.

Murray