Top Hat and Case

William Stewart Bovell was born at his parent’s home, the Residency, 37-41 Queen Street, Busselton, on December 19th 1906. Long before Stewart’s birth, Alexander Bovell, Stewart’s father, had purchased ‘The Residency’, built in 1850 of handmade bricks, and formerly been the home of Mr Joseph Strelley Harris, the Busselton and district magistrate between 1860 and 1889.
In 1906 The Residency, which was directly opposite the Vasse Hotel, was also the office for the Bovell family business started by Stewart’s grandfather, Joseph Bovell. Joseph Bovell and his wife Jane, along with two of Joseph’s bachelor brothers, sailed from Belfast to Fremantle in 1859 to start a new life. By 1873 Joseph purchased the lease of Busselton’s ‘Ship Inn’ and had a steadily growing family business now encompassing shipping, insurance and taxation agency. It was this family business that Stewart was born into, and which greatly influenced his childhood.
In 1911 Stewart commenced school at the Busselton Central Primary School, which was then situated on the corner of Kent Street and West Street.
After a short time as a postal clerk at the Busselton Post Office, Stewart was invited to sit the Entrance Examination to a banking career with the ‘Western Australian Bank’ in 1924. After passing with comparative ease, Stewart served with the bank, later to become the Bank of New South Wales. He served in the Great Southern wheatbelt from 1924 until 1930, and in the Victoria district and eastern wheatbelt from 1931 until 1939. By 1941 Stewart had been promoted to that of Branch Manager. When World War Two intervened, he was ordered to close his branch and take a position at head office in Perth.
Stewart enlisted into the Royal Australian Air Force in July 1941 and was sent to RAAF Laverton, Victoria, for initial training, where he held the rank of Pilot Officer. Posted to Pearce RAAF Base north of Perth as an Administration Officer in the No 5 Air Crew Initial Training School, he remained there until Japan entered the war. During this time Stewart reached the rank of Flight Lieutenant Officer, commanding training. Between April 1945 and April 1946 when he was discharged, Stewart was stationed at Madang in New Guinea, at the RAAF Northern Command Headquarters.
Returning to civilian life Stewart took his place as manager of the Bovell family business, now designated A.R.Bovell & Son, Shipping Agents, Taxation Consultants, and Land and Insurance Agents. Working there for a relatively short post-war period, Stewart entered politics, to subsequently embark on 24 years of unbroken parliamentary service. The family business was then taken over by Stewart’s brother Reg Bovell.
Stewart Bovell was first elected to office at a by-election in the then seat of Sussex, on June 7th 1947, to become the local MLA. Sussex was abolished in a redistribution in 1950 when the current seat of Vasse was formed. Stewart won Vasse at the next election and held it until he retired in February 1971. During his time, Stewart was Chief Government Whip and Secretary Government Parties 1949-1953; Opposition Whip and Secretary Parliamentary Liberal Party 1953-1957; Opposition front bencher 1957-1959; and Minister for Lands, Forests, Immigration and Labour.
From March 1971 to March 1974, Stewart Bovell was Agent General for Western Australia, his office at Western Australia House on The Strand, in London, and his home The Waldorf Hotel.
For service to Western Australia and to the community, William Stewart Bovell was published in the Queen’s Birthday honours’ list of 1976 and awarded a Knighthood. The physical part of receiving his knighthood came on March 9th 1977, when it was bestowed by Her Majesty the Queen, at Government House, Canberra.
In retirement at Busselton, Sir Stewart was a very active and hard-working. It was his pride and pleasure to continue as patron and life member of some 30 or more sporting and civil concerns, and as a Lay Canon to the Bunbury Cathedral School. He was a familiar sight throughout his retirement years, driving the beloved ‘Silver Shadow’ Rolls Royce or doffing his hat to friends during daily walks to the bank and to the Busselton stores.
Sir Stewart moved into the William Carey Court Nursing Home in Busselton where he died peacefully in his sleep on September 15th, 1999. His name is perpetuated in the scholarships, which he awarded to worthy students. Remembered also in the Busselton sporting ovals and parks, of which he was always a generous and willing patron.

References:
‘Squire of Vasse’ by Thea Cheney Snr. ISBN 1 876760 42 7
Parliament of Western Australia, Biographical Register of Members of Parliament of Western Australia – Sir Stewart Bovell.
Nation Archives of Australia War Record NAA: A9300, Bovell WS 292771