19 Facts About Keith Stewart

Vice-Admiral Keith Stewart was a Scottish Royal Navy officer and politician who sat in the House of Commons on two occasions.

Keith Stewart commanded HMS Berwick at the Battle of Ushant in 1778 and in 1781 was appointed Commander-in-Chief, North Sea only to be superseded by Hyde Parker soon afterwards.

Apart from a very brief command of HMS Formidable Keith Stewart saw no further service after 1783, but was promoted to rear-admiral in 1790 and vice-admiral in 1794.

An active politician when not at sea, Keith Stewart served as member of parliament for Wigtownshire from 1768 to 1784, generally as a supporter of the government.

Keith Stewart resigned to take up post as receiver general of land tax in Scotland, a position he held for the remainder of his life.

Keith Stewart was born in 1739, the fourth son of Alexander Stewart, 6th Earl of Galloway and Lady Catherine Cochrane, who was the youngest daughter of John Cochrane, 4th Earl of Dundonald.

Keith Stewart subsequently served at the invasion of Guadeloupe later in the year.

Keith Stewart was appointed to the 20-gun post ship HMS Lively.

Keith Stewart commanded the ship on the West Indies Station until the end of the Seven Years' War.

Keith Stewart then sailed to the North America Station before returning to Britain.

Around this time Keith Stewart became the first patron of William Bligh, who would occasionally serve under him throughout his career.

Keith Stewart was not given another command for a considerable period of time after this, choosing instead to focus on his political career.

Captain Keith Stewart behaved exceedingly well in the action, is a very good officer and has kept himself clear of disputes of every kind, and shown no particular attachments.

Keith Stewart's ship had four men killed during the engagement, after which the fleet returned to England.

In return for acceding to this Keith Stewart received his promotion to post-captain.

Later returning to his political career and having settled in Glasserton, in 1768 Keith Stewart became MP for Wigtownshire.

Keith Stewart was given the salary of the receiver general of land tax in Scotland in 1773; this position could not be held by an MP and so another man officially held it while Keith Stewart collected the salary.

Keith Stewart continued to support government when William Pitt the Younger came to power, but in 1784 he learned that he would again be appointed to the salary of the receiver general.

Keith Stewart continued as receiver general until his death, using the income to make loans to expanding industrialists.