Sir Samuel Findlater Stewart (22 December 1879 – 11 April 1960) was a Scottish

civil servant The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...

of the

India Office The India Office was a British government department in London established in 1858 to oversee the administration of the Provinces of India, through the British viceroy and other officials. The administered territories comprised most of the mo ...

. From 1930 to 1941, he served as

Permanent Under-Secretary of State for India This is a list of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State and Permanent Under-Secretary of State, Permanent Under-Secretaries of State at the India Office during the British India, period of British rule be ...

, the most senior civil servant in the India Office.

Early life and education

Stewart was born on 22 December 1879 in Largs, Scotland one of the seven children of Isabel Finlator and her husband, Alexander Stewart, a teacher at Brisbane School, Largs. At the age of 14 he entered the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

, graduating with an MA(Hons) six years later.

Career

In 1903 he passed the civil service examinations and joined the

in 1903, working on miscellaneous assignments until 1920, when he was appointed to the

Royal Commission A royal commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue in some monarchies. They have been held in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Malaysia, Mauritius and Saudi Arabia. In republics an equi ...

on the Supreme Civil Services in India. In 1924, he became Assistant Under-Secretary of State and Clerk to the

Council of India The Council of India (1858 – 1935) was an advisory body to the Secretary of State for India, established in 1858 by the Government of India Act 1858. It was based in London and initially consisted of 15 members. The Council of India was dissolve ...

, while during the period 1927-1930, he also functioned as Secretary to the

Indian Statutory Commission The Indian Statutory Commission, also known as the Simon Commission, was a group of seven members of the British Parliament under the chairmanship of John Simon. The commission arrived in the Indian subcontinent in 1928 to study constitutional ...

, better known as the

Simon Commission The Indian Statutory Commission, also known as the Simon Commission, was a group of seven members of the British Parliament under the chairmanship of John Simon. The commission arrived in the Indian subcontinent in 1928 to study constitutional ...

. In 1930, he became the Permanent

Under-Secretary of State for India This is a list of Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State and Permanent Under-Secretaries of State at the India Office during the period of British rule between 1858 and 1937 for India (and Burma by extension), and for India and Burma from 193 ...

, his most important task here being to deal with the various Round Table Conferences and helping promulgate the '' Government of India Act'' 1935. He remained there, until just after the beginning of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, leaving to join an executive position in Home Defence and was in-charge of the US military buildup in England. At the end of the war, he worked on various councils and with his experience was a

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

of various companies.

Personal life

In 1910 he married Winifred Tomblin (d. 1915) with whom he had 2 daughters. Their daughter Gillian married

Otto Skutsch Otto Skutsch (6 December 1906 – 8 December 1990) was a German-born British classicist and academic, specialising in classical philology. He was Professor of Latin at University College London from 1951 to 1972. Early life Skutsch was born on 6 ...

, a German-British classicist, in 1938. In 1940 he married Stephanie Robinson.

Honours

Stewart was appointed

Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander ( GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) Appoint ...

(CIE) in 1919 and

Companion of the Order of the Star of India The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander (GCSI) # Knight Commander ( KCSI) # Companion ( CSI) No appointments ...

(CSI) in 1924. He was knighted as

Knight Commander Knight Commander (or Dame Commander) is the second most senior grade of seven British orders of chivalry, three of which are dormant (and one of them continues as a German house order). The rank entails admission into knighthood, allowing the rec ...

of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIE) in 1930 and was appointed

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

(KCB) the following year. He was promoted to

Knight Grand Commander Grand Cross is the highest class in many orders, and manifested in its insignia. Exceptionally, the highest class may be referred to as Grand Cordon or equivalent. In other cases, there may exist a rank even higher than Grand Cross, e.g. Grand ...

of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE) in 1935 and to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in 1939.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Findlater Permanent Under-Secretaries of State for India Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Companions of the Order of the Star of India 1879 births 1960 deaths Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Foreign Office personnel of World War II