John Henry Steward

Major - Norfolk Regiment

John Henry Steward was born in 1863 in Barkingside, Essex, the son of John Steward and his wife Ellen. He was the fifth of their six children, Thomas (1847), Ellen (1851), Harriet (1858), Alice (1861) and John Carleton Steward (1867). It has proven impossible to determine when and where John and Ellen married or, indeed, Ellen's maiden name but their children were born in Islington, Hackney, Barkingside and, lastly, East Carleton. John Steward moved into East Carleton Manor with his family shortly after his father, John Henry Steward Snr (1799-1863) died, as John was the eldest of his thirteen children. John Henry Steward Snr had been vicar of Swardeston, immediately before the appointment of Frederick Cavell.

It appears that the younger children were educated at home, by their live-in governess, for a time before John Henry, and younger brother John Carleton, were taken under the wing of a tutor, Owen Tudor Bulkeley, living at 24 High Street, Lowestoft. Here they lodged, with two other boys and a number of servants. Having completed his education John Henry tried his hand at brewing, entering into partnership with Frederick Holmes in Greys Brewery, Henley on Thames, for a number of years. In 1886 he was granted a commission as Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion Norfolk Regiment.

In 1899 both of John Henry's parents died at East Carleton and the manor house was occupied by nobody but estate staff and servants at the time of the 1901 census. At this time John Henry was living in Colchester with his wife, Eleanor (Daubney), who he had married in 1891, and was serving as a captain in the Norfolk Regiment. By 1911 John Henry and Eleanor had moved into Gowthorpe Manor, previously known as Swardeston Hall, and had two children, John Geoffrey (1901) and Mary Barbara Seymour (1905). They had also lost a third child in infancy.

At the outbreak of war John Henry Steward, being a member of the Norfolk National Reserves, moved to take up his post in the Norfolk Regiment, by now, as a major. Despite having a heart condition, and against medical advice, he resumed duty at Landguard Fort in Felixstowe with the 3rd Battalion Norfolk Regiment where, on 10th May 1915, he died as a result of his heart problems. Having not served overseas in WW1 he was not awarded any medals from this conflict. He was, however, buried with full military honours at East Carleton.

The newspapers at the time carried a full account of the funeral which began at Swardeston church where the coffin had been resting since its arrival from Felixstowe. Being placed on a gun carriage and covered with a union flag the coffin set off in procession led by the boy scouts of East Carleton, Swardeston and Mulbarton. They were followed by the band of the Depot Norfolk Regiment and a firing party of 200 men of the 1/4th Battalion Northampton Regiment. The coffin was followed by private family mourners and public mourners too numerous to mention. The service was conducted by clergy from East Carleton (Rev C Ramsay), Swardeston (Rev H Green), Mulbarton (Rev E Ward) and Hethel (Rev H Steward). There was one hymn, after the committal the firing party fired three volleys and the Last Post was sounded.

In 1920 Eleanor Steward sold the bulk of the East Carleton Manor Estate at auction. She died in 1952.John Henry's great-grandson now (2020) lives in Gowthorpe Manor.

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