The Golden Needle: The Biography of Frederick Stewart (1836-1889)

Frederick Stewart became the first headmaster of what is now called Queen's College in Hong Kong. (Then it was called, the Hong Kong Government Central School for Boys; the first school to be founded and fully funded by the Hong Kong Government.) Born in the small village of Rathen, near Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK, Stewart was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School in the time of the famous Rector, James Melvin, and then at the University of Aberdeen. After graduating with first class honours in Moral Philosophy, he began to train to be a minister at Divinity Hall, also at the University of Aberdeen. However, seeing an advertisement seeking applications to become the first head of a new school in Hong Kong and at the same time Inspector of all Government Schools, he applied, and was chosen among a very large field of applicants.Stewart arrived in Hong Kong in 1862 and died there in 1889, having only one period of home leave during the period.In time he was promoted to become Police Magistrate, Registrar General and finally Colonial Secretary (i.e. head of the permanent Hong Kong Government administration), at times acting as governor.This book has gathered the facts from around the world as testified by the long list of acknowledgements and has been called the definitive biography of Frederick Stewart. The Golden Needle demonstrates the degree to which Stewart's background and experience in Scotland (and briefly in England) made him an ideal person for the Hong Kong career that he pursued, giving him an understanding for the situation of those who sought education within the Hong Kong education system at the time. He came to be valued as successfully working towards creating a mutual understanding between the different groups within Hong Kong society. Queen's College is still a premier school in Hong Kong and Stewart is still remembered for his personality and achievements. The Old Boys are in recent years very active in building up an impressive archive for the school. // "Dr Bickley's life of Frederick Stewart is beautifully written, eminently readable, and at times moving." - Lady Saltoun. //"To all intents and purposes, Stewart's life and work was lost to posterity until the publication of this biography - the product of some eight years of devoted research which spanned the globe. The end product is certainly worth the effort. We need more studies of this type if we are to understand fully the complexities of colonial rule. The life stories of men like Stewart highlight both the high and low points of colonial service, the personal sacrifices that were often made and the legacies left behind.[I] thoroughly enjoyed this book." - Clive Whitehead, University of Western Australia, Int. J. of Lifelong Education.//"Bickley tells the story with unswerving admiration and many vivid touches." - Douglas Hurd, The Scotsman.