Charles William Stewart
During the Second World War, he was a conscientious
objector, and served as a stretcher-bearer in Air-Raid Precautions
in a unit based at Battersea. By this time he had realised that his
talents lay in book illustration rather than stage design, and in
1943/44 he undertook his first commission. A further commission for
32 illustrations from publishers Bodley Head for Uncle Silas,
prompted him to undertake historical costume research in depth
since the story was set in the 1840s. Further costume acquisitions
followed as well as fashion plates. In 1950 he returned to Byam
Shaw School to teach and became a co-Principal in
1955.
In 1954 he purchased a 19th century artist's lay figure - a
life-size articulated dummy. Her name was Rosie! That same year he
lent Rosie to Pietro Annigoni for his portrait of the Queen. It was
easier for Annigoni to paint the folded drapery of the Queen's
robes when worn by the ever still Rosie, than by the
Queen!
By now, Charles Stewart was collecting costume for itself
rather than simply to aid his book illustration. However in 1958,
the collection proved invaluable once again for a prestigious
commission from the American Limited Editions Club, for
illustrations to an edition of Thackeray's Pendennis, set in the
period 1815-1835.
In 1960, Charles Stewart left London for Shambellie, to look
after his invalid father, and in 1962 inherited the estate on his
father's death. He continued his costume collecting, and also
undertook several book illustration commissions, working from his
home at Glenharvie, New Abbey, where he later created a studio in
an out-building.
In 1967 he visited Greece for the first time, returning
there each summer for 8 years. An interest in collection Greek
costume developed, and he began to collect this as well. His
interest extended to Turkish costume after a visit to Istanbul in
1976.
Concern about the future of both Shambellie House and his
costume collection, prompted Charles Stewart to offer the house to
the nation to act as a home for his costume collection. After first
approaching the then Royal Scottish Museum in 1967 (now the
National Museums of Scotland), his offer was eventually accepted by
the Secretary of State for Scotland in 1977. The last of his
collection was transferred from Glenharvie to Shambellie in 1979.
His collection secured for the future, in1990 Charles Stewart
decided to retire south to Oxford where he could be nearer the
cultural life of London. He died there in 2001.
