Membership / Join Us
Benefits of joining The Stewart Society
Membership is open to all Stewarts (in any form of spelling) or who are Stewarts by birth or descent. Associate Membership is open to those having a special connection with the Stewarts or a special interest in their history.
WHY SHOULD I JOIN?
- You will be able to attend the Annual Gathering, where you will have the opportunity to meet old friends, make new friends among the members and often have the chance to see a Stewart home or shrine, which may not be open to the general public.
- There are also often other social events - each year the London members have a dinner and across the world our commissioners organise other events
- You will receive the annual magazine plus two newsletters per year.
- A member of your family may be able to take advantage of the Stewart - St Andrews's Scholarship.
- You will have access to a worldwide network of Stewarts with whom you will have the bond not only of membership of the Society, but also of common ancestry and a shared heritage.
- You will have access to our unique library and archive
What does membership include?
The Annual Gathering
The Society holds a gathering of members in August or September each year usually in Scotland - at a Stewart house or other place of Stewart interest or connections. A typical Gathering will start on a Friday with a buffet supper, followed by the annual General Meeting. On Saturday there will be visits to places of Stewart interest or an event for the members such as a re-enactment or Highland Games. In the evening there will be an informal dinner.
The Magazine
This appears annually and contains articles of an historical or topical nature on matters of general or specific Stewart interest, book reviews, an account of the previous year's Gatherings, etc. An index is available which enables readers to refer to articles written between 1899 and 1975. (Work is in hand to update the index to the present day.) To anyone with an historical bent, the Magazine alone is worth the membership subscription.
The Newsletter
“Stewart News”, the Newsletter of The Stewart Society, is issued to members once a year in December with a short update issued along with the Magazine in June. . This is packed full of information about Stewart Society events, publications etc and is an essential companion to the Magazine.
The Website
Has a great deal of information about the history of Stewarts, tartans and other items linked to the Stewarts as well as specific information about Stewart families. It is the best place to keep up to date with Stewart news and Society events. We also have a facebook page and a twitter account.The Library and Portraits
Through the generosity of members past and present, The Society has formed a unique collection of books, pictures and memorabilia relating to Stewart history. These are housed at The Society's offices in Edinburgh, which are open to members by arrangement with the Secretary: email the Secretary or call 44(0)131 220 4512. Work is currently in hand to produce an online index of the Stewarts.
Benevolent Fund
The Society's Benevolent Fund each year gives bursaries at St. Andrew's University to students who are Stewarts (or with mothers who were Stewarts.) Up to thirty bursaries, worth up to £250 per student, are awarded each year. Student Educational grants my also be available for Stewarts pursuing particular interests or studies - usually overseas.
How Can I Join?
Go to our secure online membership form. Select the type of membership (ordinary, family, life, etc.) which suits you best. Send the form and we will contact you to let you know about your membership application as soon as possible. Alternatively, you can print off the online form and send it via post with a cheque (in Sterling or US dollars only) or credit card payment, if you would prefer to pay offline.
- “without the inexplicable personal fascination of the Stewarts, the long tragedy of their lives and reigns, and the poetry and romance to which it all gave birth, the world would unquestionably be poorer today” - anon
