William STEWARD [12315]

  General Notes:

William was first and foremost a merchant, but from the turn of the century built up an extensive investment in brewing and public houses which by 1830 extended over the whole of East Anglia and as far as Kent.

He was also a solicitor, in practice in Great Yarmouth with Nathaniel Palmer, who was almost certainly a cousin.

A captain in the Yarmouth militia during the wars, he also helped to establish the town's hospital in 1838.

At the time of the Pockthorpe brewery partnership, http://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norwich/snorwich/ncstap.htm William had ceased to be active as a merchant: the Rate-Book for October 1820 shows him without either stock or warehouses. (ref 1, pp 23-24)

The house (Row 111 in Great Yarmouth) passed through the Spurgeon family, and then by purchase to William Steward, who modernised the front, but retained the original rich oak panelling in some of the rooms, all of which has since disappeared. He was the eldest son of Timothy Steward, already mentioned For some years he practice as a solicitor in conjunction with Mr.Nathaniel Palmer, under the style of Steward and Palmer, but becoming possessed of an ample fortune, he quitted the profession of the law, and devoted much of his time and energies to promote the interests of his native town. He was for many years a leading member of the paving commission, and greatly assisted in promoting the establishment of the town hospital, and was the first chairman of the Victoria Building Company. He was a Magistrate for the county of Norfolk. He died at the house in 1841, aged 80. On the death of Mr.Steward, the house became the property of Rear Admiral Sir Eaton Stannard Travers, K.H., who had married Ann Palmer, the eldest daughter of Mr.Steward. Sir Eaton Travers was born in 1782, and was at the capture of the Cape of Good Hope, which has ever since remained one of Britain's most important possessions. He was much noticed by William IV, who gave him the "Guelph", an order then recently established, and the honour of knighthood. He also made him an honorary member of the Royal Household. He was a deputy Lieutenant for Norfolk, and left numerous family.
Ref : 8 Palmers Perlustration. http://family.kiwicelts.com/16_Steward/FT_Steward_06.html#Notes

William married Anne BROWNE [12316] [MRIN: 4124] in 1785.