William Stuart

William Stuart (15 March 1755 – 6 May 1822) was an Anglican ecclesiastic who held prominent positions within the church hierarchy in Great Britain and Ireland during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Family Background:

William Stuart was the son of John Stuart, the 3rd Earl of Bute, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1762 to 1763, and Mary Wortley-Montagu. His family had notable standing in British aristocracy. An artistic depiction of him at age 12, engaging in the act of stealing eggs and chicks from a bird's nest, is housed in the Tate Gallery in London.

Education:

Stuart received his early education at Winchester College, a prestigious boarding school. He further pursued higher education at St John's College, Cambridge.

Marriage and Children:

On 3 May 1796, William Stuart married Sophia Penn, daughter of Thomas Penn. The marriage produced three children:

- Mary Juliana Stuart (died 11 July 1866), who married Thomas Knox, the 2nd Earl of Ranfurly.

- Sir William Stuart (31 October 1798 – 7 July 1874), who was married twice; first to Henrietta Mariah Sarah, daughter of Admiral Sir Charles Pole, 1st Baronet, and subsequently to Georgiana, daughter of General Frederick Nathaniel Walker.

- Henry Stuart (5 April 1804 – 26 October 1854), who became Member of Parliament.

Ecclesiastical Career:

William Stuart's ecclesiastical appointments began with his appointment as Canon of the fourth stall at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, a position he held from 1793 until 1800. He was consecrated as Bishop of St David's on 12 January 1794.

In 1800, he was nominated to the position of Archbishop of Armagh, the senior ecclesiastical position in Ireland, on 30 October of that year, and was officially appointed by letters patent on 22 November 1800. He served as Archbishop of Armagh from 1800 until his death.

Death and Memorial:

William Stuart died in London on 6 May 1822 at the age of 67, reportedly due to accidental ingestion of an improper medicine. He was buried at his family estate, Luton Hoo, located in Bedfordshire.

A life-size marble bas-relief sculpture depicting Stuart in a prayerful pose is installed in St Patrick's Anglican Cathedral in Armagh. The sculpture was created by Sir Francis Chantrey. An inscription beneath the monument commemorates his 22-year tenure as archbishop of the church and notes his death in 1822 at the age of 68. The inscription indicates the clergy of Armagh dedicated this monument as a pious remembrance of the "most reverend father in Christ, William Stuart," highlighting his significant ecclesiastical service.