Deaths

Charles Stewart father of Elliot (T14).

C.P. Stewart, as he appears in his published poetry, or Charlie, as he was fondly known, was a remarkable man – a jack of many trades and master of them too. Born in 1953, he died in 2017, unexpectedly but surely well prepared. He had converted to Catholicism by the age of 25.

Charlie started writing poetry at 17, whilst working as a psychiatric nurse. He taught himself guitar and changed to writing songs.  He co-founded and composed the songs for two very successful bands in the eighties and nineties. In 2006 Charlie returned to poetry. For several years he was the Poetry Editor for the American arts and literary magazine, Sotto Voce. His poem Crow Hill was highly commended in the 2012 ‘National Poetry Competition’ and also nominated for the ‘Forward Prize’.  Among many other nominations and prizes, his poetry is currently being studied as part of the creative writing course at ‘The National University of Ireland, Maynooth’. His work has been widely published in England, Canada, Australia, Ireland and the United States.

He regularly taught poetry on ‘Poetry Day’ at St. Martin’s Ampleforth.  He was the mainstay of the servers at Sunday Mass in Easingwold, a father and husband, now sadly missed.

But you were there and left your mark.

As men will do, as I do now.

This ancient impulse of the heart:

The naming of things against the dark.

(excerpt from Crow Hill)  C.P. Stewart 

Rest in eternal peace.