Sir George Steward | |
|---|---|
.jpg) George Steward circa 1914 | |
| 7th Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police | |
| In office 1 March 1919[1] – 11 May 1920 | |
| Preceded by | Alfred Sainsbury |
| Succeeded by | Sir John Gellibrand |
| 1st Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia | |
| In office 27 March 1903 – 28 February 1919 | |
| Monarchs | Edward VII George V |
| Governors‑General | Lord Tennyson Lord Northcote Lord Dudley Lord Denman Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson |
| Preceded by | Post created |
| Succeeded by | John Starling |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 March 1865 Spitalfields, London, England |
| Died | 11 May 1920 (aged 55) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Branch/service | Tasmanian Auxiliary Forces Citizen Military Forces |
| Years of service | 1898–1919 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Commands | 50th Infantry (St Kilda) Regiment |
Lieutenant Colonel Sir George Charles Thomas Steward, KBE, CMG (18 March 1865 – 11 May 1920) was a senior Australian public servant and officer in the Australian Army.[2] He held several notable positions during his career, including Official Secretary to five Governors-General, being the first to hold that title, and Chief Commissioner of the Victoria Police from 1919 until his death in 1920. During his time as Official Secretary, Steward founded the Australian branch of the Imperial Counter Espionage Bureau, later known as the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB). This was Australia's first secret intelligence service.
- ^ "About People". The Age. 3 March 1919. p. 6. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- ^ Cunneen, Chris, "Steward, Sir George Charles Thomas (1865–1920)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 15 November 2021