William Steward (British politician)
Sir William Arthur Steward (20 April 1901 – May 1987) was a British
Steward was educated at
The Veeraswamy restaurant in Regent Street, which had originated as the Indian Pavilion restaurant at the 1924-5 British Empire Exhibition in Wembley Park, was taken over by Steward in 1930. He was married to a singer and artist of the time Greta Gaye. Throughout the 1930s trade was very difficult but the couple used great resourcefulness and came through the challenging times. In the 1940s and 1950s the restaurant became a great success. The first ever curry in a can was introduce under Veeraswarmy Food Products brand in the early 1950s. The restaurant was sold by Sir William in 1967. The food products business under the Veeraswarmy name continued in to be owned by the couple until his death.
Steward stood in Southwark Central at the 1945 general election without success, and was elected at the 1950 general election for Woolwich West. Continuing his interest in catering, he was chairman of the House of Commons Catering Committee from 1951. He was elected chairman of the London Conservative Union in 1953. He was knighted in 1955.
References
- "Sir William Steward". The Times. 18 May 1987. p. 14.
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