Occupation Steward ?

[jilly43]

on my great grandfathers marriage cert. in 1880 his father's occupation simply says Steward  what do you think this could mean.
Thanks for any suggestions
J

[stanmapstone]

There are a number of meanings for a Steward.  He could have been a servant of a college who was charged with the duty of catering. The head servant of a club or similar institution, who had control of the other servants. An officer in a ship who, under the direction of the captain or the purser, kept the stores and arranged for the serving of meals; or an attendant who waited upon the passengers,
He could have been employed on a train to serve meals, drinks, etc., to passengers, or have been some one who managed the affairs of an estate on behalf of his employer.
Stan

[behindthefrogs]

In 1880 some Manorial estates still existed in which case he would have been the Lord of the Manor's representative.  This would also apply for Ducal estates and simply for the landowner in Scotland.

[stanmapstone]

A Steward was also another name for a Colliery or Mining  Agent, and in Yorkshire was a name for a manager of a small pit. An Estate Steward was also known as an Estate Bailiff or Agricultural Agent, or an Estate Factor in Scotland.
Stan

[jilly43]

Thank you all for your replies.  We think he came from Ireland as on  my grt grandfather tomb stone it says of County Westmeath Ireland, so we assume his father was Irish but unfortunately I only have his name on the marriage cert obviously no address.  Interesting to have your views.
J.

[Christopher]

Thank you all for your replies.  We think he came from Ireland as on  my grt grandfather tomb stone it says of County Westmeath Ireland, so we assume his father was Irish but unfortunately I only have his name on the marriage cert obviously no address.  Interesting to have your views.
J.

Hiya J,

Many of the Land Agents or Stewards acting on behalf of the absentee landlords in Ireland were extremely unpopular guys who required heavy protection when evicting people from their homes. Once the people were out of their homes the buildings were usually set alight and burnt to the ground.

Christopher

[jilly43]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for reply, nice to know our messages stay 'alive'
as this was quite some time ago.  In a way I sincerely hope my relative was not a steward in this sense. However, who knows?  I just find it so frustrating I just cannot find any reference to any Johnston's from Newtown, Westmeath.    Any suggestions Chris,  I have paid for research on the parish records, but only two Newtowns in Westmeath are recorded, there are four, needless to say there were no Johnstons in the two that did have surviving records.

Jilly.