Alexander Stedward

[agnieszka]

Hello everyone.
I have been researching Alexander Stedward for an elderly friend. I found out that he died at the Dardanelles during WW1 and that he is buried in Turkey at the Lone Pine Memorial Cemetery. The inscription says that he was part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
How would a young Glasgow lad have become part of this force?
We would also welcome any further info about the NZEF
Thanks
Agnes

[Montrose Budie]

Alexander STEDWARD was born in 1890 to John STEDWARD and Agnes YOUNG in Glasgow.

As to how he ended up as part of the WWI New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F., is a matter for speculation.

But most likely he emigrated to NZ ..................

mb

[AndrewP]

Hi Agnes,

The following STEDWARDs departed from Liverpool on the S/S Essex on 09-Jun-1905 heading for Port Chalmers, New Zealand.

John (34), Annie (31), Alexander (14), Agnes (11), Hannah (9), and John (4). All were listed in the column marked 'Scotch'.

All the best,

AndrewP

[momat]

Hello Agnes,
Here's a link to the Auckland Cenotaph Memorial where he is mentioned with some relevant information.
http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com

[Currie]

Hello Maureen,

Your Cenotaph link may be being temperamental, if so, try this one http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/database ... dinal=7431

There’s a notice in the Evening Post. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bi ... stedward--

A search for Stedward here will show what is held by NZ Archives. Note that you can request digitisation of the WW1 file. http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/Sim ... Results.do

All the best,
Alan

[Montrose Budie]

A couple of anomalies ?

The 1905 emigration record shows John STEDWARD's wife's name as Annie ?

The Auckland Cenotaph record for Alexander shows his next of kin as his father John, with a Glasgow address ?


The first is explained by the fact that Alexander's mother Agnes died, and John remarried before the family emigrated in 1905.


The second by the fact that it looks like the emigration to NZ wasn't successful, as John, wife Annie, and kids, Agnes, Annie and John returned on a ship to London in late 1906.

It's wrongly believed that emigration was a permanent move. Many families, however, came back to the UK (or re-emigrated to a third country) when things didn't work out. That could be due personal reasons, or due to the economic situation in the country of emigration.


Both John and his second wife Annie died in Scotland.


In other words, it looks like the 15 year old Alexander remained behind in NZ, and was later caught up in WWI.


As for Hannah, she isn't shown in the 1906 incoming passenger list as far as I can see, but she appears several times in the UK 1930s passenger lists, travelling back and forth to the USA ! She died in Scotland, a widow.


For the moment I can't see the STEWARD family in the 1901 census, Scotland or England, but I suspect they're 'hiding' behind a mis-indexing.


The BT26 Incoming Passenger Lists for 1878 - 1960 are on Ancestry, with the BT27 Outgoing Passenger Lists at FindMyPast.

mb

[agnieszka]

Thank you so much everyone. We have learned a bit more about the Stedward family
No one in the family seems to have known about the move to New Zealand which explains how Alexander got into the NZEF
John Stedward did remarry after Agnes died. His second wife was called Annie Smart Bissett.
The whereabouts of Hannah Stedward were also a mystery for a time.
Thanks again on Effie's behalf. She is doing her family history at the age of 83
Agnes

[AndrewP]

Hi Heidi,

The Scotsman of Saturday 11th November 1915 listed an A Stedward (no. 1643) of the Otago Infantry Battalion died of wounds.

The SNWM website shows his service number as 8/1643, his date of death as 12-Aug-1915, and his birthplace as Glasgow.

The CWGC website gives the above information with some more details: Rank - Private; Son of John Stedward, of 1, Royal Terrace, Springburn, Glasgow, Scotland.

All the best,

AndrewP

[Montrose Budie]

Hi Heidi,

.....snipped...........

The CWGC website gives the above information with some more details: Rank - Private; Son of John Stedward, of 1, Royal Terrace, Springburn, Glasgow, Scotland.

All the best,

AndrewP

The Auckland Cenotaph record gives J. Stedward (father), 452 Springburn Road, Springburn, Glasgow, Scotland.

But this address may be taken from the info provided when Alexander enlisted.

The different CWGC address in Springburn is probably based on a later record.

mb

[cjl]

Dear Agnes
I am interested in finding out if your friend is a member of the Stedward family. My mother is the daughter of John- the 4 year old boy on the outward sailing. The family story is that Annie was homesick and they returned to Glasgow but I know nothing of Alexander and why he remained- presumably he had better prospects in New Zealand
Regards
CL