Author: Stuart, William
Biography:
STUART, William (fl 1827)
In 1827 William Stuart dedicated “Part First” of his Poems and Legendary Ballads to another native of Northumberland, Charles, the second Earl Grey (1764-1845), who at the time was the leader of the opposition in parliament. In the elections of 1830 Grey became Prime Minister and saw the Reform Bill into law as the Reform Act of 1832. Stuart’s dedication praises Grey for his patriotism, his integrity, and his love of liberty. Among the poems are some on political subjects, such as “The Weavers’ Petition on the Corn Laws.” The book does not seem to have attracted any reviews, although Stuart indicates that some of his work had been previously published, perhaps in periodicals. (There may also have been a separate publication earlier of two of the longer poems, “Edward St. Albine” and “Lumley Castle,” but no extant copy has been located.) His “Part First” certainly promises the second collection that is described in an advertisement at the end as “preparing for the press,” but it never materialised. Stuart’s description of himself as “an obscure person” in the dedication is accurate. He might be the “William Stewart” of unspecified age who was buried at Alnwick (where the book was published) in 1839, but the name is too common to be certain. (findmypast.com 12 Dec. 2024; ancestry.com 12 Dec. 2024) HJ