British educationist and politician, founder of the university extension movement, born at Balgonie, Fife, on the 2nd of January 1843, the son of Joseph Gordon Stuart, a manufacturer. He was educated at St. Andrews and, at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was third wrangler in 1866. In 1867 he was elected a fellow of Trinity, and became a mathematical tutor. The same year he lectured in astronomy to women teachers at Liverpool, and such was the success of these lectures that he was invited to repeat them at other centres. From this small beginning arose the university extension movement, which, though undertaken at first merely as an experiment, has now attained a very great success. In 1875 Stuart became first professor of mechanism and applied mechanics at Cambridge, and in this capacity was responsible for the organization of the university workshops and the teaching of engineering generally. In 1882 he unsuccessfully contested Cambridge University as a Liberal, but in 1884 was elected for Hackney. He held this seat till 1885. From 1885 to 1900 he was member for Hoxton and from 1906 to 1910 member for Sunderland. He was created a privy councillor in 1909. For many years he was a Progressive member of the London County Council, and was also interested in the management of the Star and the Morning Leader. Stuart married in 1890 Laura Elizabeth, the daughter of J. J. Colman, head of the great firm of mustard manufacturers, and became a director of the firm in 1898. He died at Norwich on the 13th of October 1913.
