Alexander Stewart

27.5.1790-3.11.1874
Alexander was born in Scotland. Both his parents came from farming backgrounds, his father from the Grampion Hills and his mother from Perthshire. At the age of 15, on a spur of the moment decision, Alexander followed his older brothers example and left to go to sea. Sadly off the coast of Brighton his ship came under attack, and the crew were taken to France as prisoners.

Ten years Alexander spent as a prisoner of war in France. He had left Scotland a boy but was to return in 1815, having lived through conditions and horrors few could understand.

On his return to Scotland, he was to follow a career in education, teaching French, and then Latin, Greek, English Composition and Geometry.
In 1820 his thoughts turned to the ministry and was in 1823 be invited to become minister in Barnet being ordained in October of that year.

His thirst for knowledge, and his love of reading, were to earn him great respect in both the academic field and within the church. He was a learned man of great conviction and strength and it was into this environment that Halley Stewart was born.
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