Individual Details

Eric Ernest ISAACS STEWARD

(2 Jun 1910 - 18 Jul 1991)

Events

Birth	2 Jun 1910	St. George Hanover Sq., London, Middlesex, England
Census	2 Apr 1911	Pepy's House, Rochester Row, Westminster SW, London, England
Alt name	10 Jun 1911	Eric Ernest ISAACS STEWARD
Emigration	10 Jun 1911	Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Census	1 Jun 1921	96 Lydia Street, Sarnia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	1929	John Goodison Threshing Machine Co., Milton Street, Sarnia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada
Marriage	26 Sep 1936	Sarnia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada - Mary MOLYNEUX
Residence	1953	Lake Shore Road, Sarnia, Lambton (West), Ontario, Canada
Occupation	1953	Auto-Lite, Sarnia, Lambton (West), Ontario, Canada
Occupation	1968	Tool & Die maker - Sarnia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada
Retirement	Dec 1972	Prestolite, Point Edward, Lambton, Ontario, Canada
Alt name	8 Aug 1974	Eric Ernest ISAACS STEWARD
Award	27 Oct 1990	SWOSDA Trillium Award, Sarnia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada
Death	18 Jul 1991	Windsor, Eaton, Michigan, USA
Burial	24 Sep 1991	Grandview Memorial Gardens (Resurection) & Crematoria, Sarnia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada
Reference No		11

Families

Spouse	Mary MOLYNEUX (1913 - 2006)
Child	Ernest Thomas STEWARD (1939 - )
Child	Elsie Lois STEWARD (1942 - )
Child	Marion Mary STEWARD (1945 - )

Father	Ernest Augustus "Ernest Augustas Isaacs" ISAACS STEWARD (1880 - 1968)
Mother	Emily Maud "Queenie" READ (1885 - 1954)
Sibling	Vera Elsie STEWARD (1912 - 2001)
Sibling	Irene Maud STEWARD (1913 - 1980)
Sibling	Verona Elaine STEWARD (1917 - 1956)
Sibling	Cyril Read STEWARD (1920 - 1968)
Sibling	Queenie Pearl STEWARD (1923 - 1924)
Sibling	Donald Bruce STEWARD (1926 - 1994)

Notes

Alt name

Assumed. Not legally changed.

"You were asking about the background of the Steward family. I don't know how much you do know but ther is actually very little informaiton on them. YOu may or May not know that the family name was not originally Steward but Isaacs. Eric's grandfather was named Isaac Isaacs and was Jewish. He married Louisa May Simpson. theri son was Ernest Augustus Isaacs, he was Eric's father. He married Emily Maud Read, daughter of William Read and Elsie quartley. Eric was born in England and his birth certificate bears the name Eric Ernist Isaacs. He is listed as the son of Ernest augustus Isaacs. I believe tht Ernest Augustus had tow sisters, one was named Caroline, and I think tow brothers. I understand that hte brothers died when quite yourng. Eric's mother had three sisters Ruby, Olive and Elsie. One of them, I believe it was Elsie, died when quite yourng.

Athough we knewthat Eric's grandfather was Jewish he may have been a Christian Jew. In other workds he was Jewish by race but had become a Christian. When still in England Eric's father was a lay missionary for the Anglican church. He had a portable organ and he used to travel out to the hop fields and hold services for the workers.

At the time Eric's parents started planning to go to Canada there was a great deal of prejudice aginst the Jews in England and I think they feared it might be the same in Canada so they decided (I expect it was mostly his mother's idea) to change their name and the name Steward was picked because Eric's father had been a steward in a men's club. They left England as Isaacs and entered Canada as Steward.

Eric's mother never talked about the family and firmly discouraged anyone from asking questions. It was not until Eric decided to get married this his mother told him about the name change. As the name on his birth certificate was Isaacs I assume his mother hand never let him see it. When he came to Canada in 1911 they all used the name Steward. The rest of the children were born her under the Steward name.

I regret that after Eric's mohter died we did not ask his father about the family as I thin he would have told us. After both his parents died and we were helping clear out the house we discovered another mystery. We found a piece of paper on shich there was a lock of hair from each of the bbies and at the end of the list there was one from a baby named Billy. Neither Eric or any of the others knew anything about this baby. As Eric was sisteen when Don was born and htis baby had apparently been born after Don we can only assume that it was born dead or died soon after birth and the other children were never told, possibly it was very premature. Eric's mother was a very secretive person and got quite annoyed if anyone asked questions about family so htere were a number of things the family did not know. As Cyril once said "Mum was a strange woman."

When Eric and I went to England some years ago we went to St. Catherine House in London where the records were kept to try to find out more about the family. Unfortunately ther are about five people of the name Ernest Isaacs wh had been born in the same are of London at about the same time and we could not spend sufficient time in research to find out which one had become Eric's father.

I will try to find out through the Genealogical Society if it is possible to write to St. Catherine's House for informaiton. I expect ther would be a charge of some kind. It would be nice to know more about the family."

Award

TRILLIUM MERIT AWARD

I have been asked by SWOSDA to present the Trillium Merit Award to Eric and Mary Steward.

I am very happy to present the Trillium Award to Eric and Mary as we have known them and danced with them for many years.

The Ontario Square and Round Dance Federation states that the purpose of the TRILLIUM MERIT AWARD program has been established to inspire excellence, dedication and advancement of the Aquare and Round Dance movement in the Privince of Ontario by officially recognizing the outstanding and valued contributions of individual members or member couples.

Eric and Mary Steward have been chosen by the Ontario Federation to receive th Trillium Award as representative from SWOSDA.

Would Eric and Mary Steward, please come up on the stage.

Eric and Mary were first introduced to Square Dancing at the couples club at ther Chruch in Sarnia, Ontario. The enjoyment of this form of recreation led some of the members to form a Square Dance Club, which ultimately became the Swinging 8's of Sarnia. Now, nearly 35 years later, Eric and Mary are still very active in their Club as well as in SWOSDA.

They came on the SWOSDA Executive in 1978, first as Round Dance Section Leaders, and then they took over looking after the Registration and Door Receipts. In 1980, they became Presidents of SWOSDA, and it was during this time that the SWOSDA Constitution and By-Laws were drawn up. Up until this time, the organization had "Rules of Operation" as their guidelins. Eric was Chairman of this Committee and they worked very hard drawing up the Constitution and By-Laws and them making several revisions until they felt they could present them to the SWOSDA Membership at large.

Following their term of office as Past Presidnets of SWOSDA, they did not just sit back, but instead agreed to be SWOSDA's Representatives on the Ontario Square and Round Dance Federation.

In March, 1982, Mary took over as Historian of SWOSDA, keeping record and pictures of the various activities in SWOSDA. Mary is also a regular contributor the Bugle, the official publication of SWOSDA, recounting what happened over the years at SWOSDA in her column "Flashbacks by Mary Steward".

* At their Home Club - The Swinging 8's of Sarnia, they have held all positions on the executive at leas once - or maybe twice. They always are the first up to help our beginners.

* They are usually the first to arrive, set up chairs, put on the coffee and the last to leave as Eric and Mary set the alarm and lock up the school.

* When the club htinks its time for a certain activity to take place - Eric & Mary have already looked after it. Its a couple like this that make a club ALIVE and ACTIVE.

* Square Dancing is not the only group to benefit from this couple:

ERIC - has been on the City of Sarnia Planning Board and the Committee of Adjustments for over 30 years.

MARY - active in Church many years as Sunday School Superintendent.

BOTH - serve on the Executive of the Sarnia/Lambton Historical Society. Serve on the Executive of the Sarnia/Lambton Genealogy Society.

Mary is now involved in preparing a historcal write up complete with pictures of and old Sarnia company - The John Goodison Trheshing Machine Company. Interestin to note that Eric began working there in 1929.

They also have been recognized by the Sarnia City Council for attending and contributing at council meetings for over 25 years.

* On top of this, they have been married for over 54 years, raised 2 daughters and one son. They also have 12 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

* One daughter, Elsie and her husband Ron Urry are dancers and with us here tonight. Also one granddaughter (Denise) and her husband from Detroit.

* Fellow dancers, this is one VERY ACTIV, INVOLVED couple. On behalf of the Federation, SWOSDA and the dancers gathered here htis evening, it gives me great pleasure to present the Trillium Merit Award to Eric and Mary Steward.

Ted & Sarah Stover
October 27, 1990

Individual Details

Eric Ernest ISAACS STEWARD

Events

Families

Notes

Census

Alt name

Emigration

Census

Marriage

Retirement

Alt name

Award

Burial

Endnotes