Discovering the Origins of Stewart Bros (Wools), 135 Constitution Street

On my return to work in January this year, I spent a little time helping clean up an old Hattersly weaving loom which was stored in our coloured wool shed. The loom was gifted to Sandra who works in J & S shop, her aim was to save it by restoring it into working condition. I was made aware of the looms recent history by one of our crofters. The loom had belonged to an old acquaintance of mine the late Annie Mouat, cottage weaver of Levenwick, I found out Annie had worked as an apprentice weaver to the Stewart family formerly from Levenwick.

 This intrigued me as I had a first come into contact in 1967 with a company called Stewart Brothers of 135 Constitution Street Leith & Galashiels who were wool merchants. We had a very close working relationship with them which I will add more detail to in another blog. The late Mark Stewart was the person who was our point of contact and appeared to me to be in charge of the company and would visit us once or twice a year. In 1968 I assisted Mark Stewart in a wool competition held at the wool store, I will talk about this in more detail in my next blog. I last met with Mark in 1978 in Galashiels at their Galashiels premises he had recently retired. I now needed to know if there was in fact a connection with Mark and the Stewart family from Levenwick.

Shetland is a “ peerie”, small place nearly everyone knows one another and if not soon finds out what they need to know. I was out shopping when I met a friend of mine Magnus Shearer who lives in Levenwick he informed me he lives next door to the remains of the Stewart family home North Pund. In fact it was one of the Stewart family who built the house in 1900 where Magnus and his wife now reside. Magnus has provided me with images and information on the Stewart Family who were not only weavers but also wool brokers which confirms both parties are the same.  William Stewart born Levenwick 1832 died Richmond House Edinburgh 1927 was the founder of the wool broking business and his sons Andrew, George & John became wool brokers as well obviously carrying on the family business. I believe John eventually took over the running of the company until his death in 1951. However there was no mention of Mark Stewart in any of the documents, there was no one I knew who could provide the answers I contacted Stewart & Ramsden Galashiels now owned by British Wools sadly no one there could help. I decided to contact the Borders Family History Society Galashiels and provided them with names and dates. In no time at all a researcher from the society provided me with prove that Mark Stewart was a son of Andrew Stewart, who is listed as a weaving manufacturer, wool broker and missionary.

 It was now confirmed Mark Sprot Stewart was born in Musselburgh in 1905 and passed away in 1993 at his home in Melrose. Not only was Mark a highly respected wool broker and business man, I vaguely recall my old boss Eva telling me perhaps played rugby union for Scotland. I have researched this and found that Mark Sproat Stewart played 9 times for Scotland his first cap was against South Africa in 1932 at Murrayfield, he was also president of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1966/67.

The Stewart Dynasty offspring as my friend Magnus aptly called them were not only successful weavers and wool brokers; sportsmen representing their country, wool broker founder William Stewart had an older brother George author of the Shetland book “Shetland Fireside Tales”. After moving from Shetland to Leith William went into business with his brother John Stewart called ‘J & G Stewart Provision Merchants’. Part of this enterprise was the importing of rum, and “Stewarts Rum is still well known today. After some 30 years George immigrated to Canada to be with his sons who had already moved there. In 1902 two of his sons John and Robert joined the gold rush on the border between Canada and Alaska, they were very successful at this perhaps they had been involved in mining in the south of Shetland which was active in the 19^th century so already had prior experience which gave them an early start over the hordes of prospectors. They formed the Stewart Land Company in 1906 which had interest in most of the mines in the area. They were the founders of the fledgling town which was named Stewart after the town’s first post master George. Stewart is situated at the head of the Portland Canal a 90 mile saltwater fjord the longest fjord in the world, a bit longer than some of the voes back in Shetland that the brothers would have known.

I still needed to know if there was anyone around nowadays that could add more local substance to the Stewart Family, with this in mind I talked to Martin Colvin who works the croft close to the former Stewart home. Martin knew a bit about the weaving company but passed me on to his father Jim who I had known all my working life he provided details of his direct contact with the family namely on Andrew Stewart who was known locally as Andy, Jim had actually attended a gospel service in the Levenwick meeting hall held by Andrew.

The Stewart weaving company started in a small building in 1948 then built a large weaving shed further up the village, a community dance was held in the shed to celebrate its opening, weaving seemed to end in the early 1960s. I discussed the Stewart mining operation in Canada and was surprised to learn from Jim that in the cliffs to the north of their home is the site of a former iron ore mine, who knows George Stewart’s sons may have been involved in this!

Shetland for such a small group of remote islands in the North has produced its fair share of entrepreneur’s, preachers, scholars, businessmen, and explorers etc. I have now answers in my quest as to the origins of Stewart Brothers which in my opinion places the Stewart family from the North Punds, Levenwick in this exalted group .

 I am glad I started cleaning the weaving loom from Annie Mouat Cottage Weaver Levenwick it has not only answered my questions regarding my old friend Mark and his company Stewart Brothers it has taken me on a journey which highlights the work ethic and entrepreneurial endeavours of a band of brothers from a small croft in Shetland.

IMAGE FINISHED LOOM

I am very grateful and would like to thank the Borders Family History Society, Jim & Martin Colvin and Magnus Shearer for their help and information. Fairly recently I had all this information confirmed by Shetland archivist Angus Johnson from Levenwick and his father and uncle had worked for the Stewart family as weavers. I also met with one of our crofters Ian Smith from Troswick who informed me that early 1980s he had transported our in loom from Nibbon in Northmavine to Lerwick for Annie Mouat who had purchased the loom from a lady who had in turn taken ownership of it from Adie of Voe. I would like to thank Angus and Ian for helping to add substance to what I think is another valuable part of my journey with sheep and wool.