Skip to content ↓

View entry

Back to search results

Name: STEWART, James (Rev. Dr.) (Stewart of Lovedale)

image of individualimage of individual

Birth Date: 14.2.1831 Scotland, Edinburgh

Death Date: 21.12.1905 Lovedale, Eastern Cape, S. Africa

Nationality: British

First Date: 1891

Profession: Appointed by IBEA Co to be the Leader of their Christian Industrial Mission which left Mombasa in 1891. Their intention was to penetrate some 350 miles inland to the Kikuyu country but was frustrated by turbulence of the natives.

Area: Kibwezi

Married: In Monifieth 1 Nov 1866 1866 Williamina 'Mina' Stephen b. 1849 Broughty Ferry, d. 31 Oct 1928 S. Africa

Children: James (1876); William (1879); Ida L. (1880); Catherine (1880); Evangeline M. (1882); John (1882); Rosalina B. (1884); Linda B. (1884); James G. (1885); Duncan (1885); Constance L. (1888)

Book Reference: Gillett, Scotland, Weller, Tucker, North, Playne

School: Royal High School Edin.; Perth Academy; Edin Univ; St Andrews Univ; Glasgow Univ

General Information:

The expedition halted at Kibwezi where a site was purchased and operations began on Oct 16th 1891. Dr Stewart died very soon after that date
Scotland - The aim of the Scottish Industrial Mission was the evangelisation of the Kikuyu, the Kamba and the Masai. ...... Under the leadership of Dr Stewart of Lovedale an expedition of 7 Europeans and 273 African porters left Mombasa for Kikuyu country in mid Sept 1891. .... Halted at Kibwezi, site purchased from local people and work begun on 16th Oct. 1891 under the leadership of Thomas Watson.
Weller - In October 1891 the Scottish Mission started work. It began as the EA Scottish Mission, an independent group. Expedition led by Dr James Stewart of Lovedale, brought 5 other Europeans to Kibwezi, 200 miles from the coast. Stewart went up-country to Machakos, and to Kikuyu, but did not occupy either of these stations. Stewart left Kibwezi in March 1892.
North - 'He is too old …. still he's a decent old card' (Moffat, RH)
Wikipedia Very Rev Dr James Stewart MD DD (14 February 1831 – 21 December 1905)[1] was a physician, and a medical missionary. He was also a highly skilled botanist and linguist. Many people view him as a pioneer in medical missions for his founding of the hospital in Lovedale, starting a medical school, and developing the founding scheme of the South African Native College, now the University of Fort Hare.  
He was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland 1899/1900 and oversaw the Union of 1900. On 13 August 1861, James Stewart traveled to Cape Town with Livingstone's wife.[3] On his first journey there, he became ill with a fever. When he arrived in Africa he teamed up with David Livingstone, a Scottish missionary who was a national hero in Britain for his medical work. Stewart soon returned to Europe to complete his education, then returned to Lovedale in South Africa in 1867 after marrying his wife, Mina Stephen.

Back to search results