MR. STEWART BAIN hails from the north of Scotland, having been born in the town of Wick in the year 1854, and is the fifth son of the late George Bain, Esq., of Scotland. His education was principally conducted in the town of his birth, and on the completion of same he commenced life in earnest by becoming apprenticed to the stone masonry trade for a period of five years. He then took up building and contracting in the City of Glasgow till the year 1878. The following year, however, he gave this up, having decided to go to South Africa, and landing there, proceeded to Maritzburg, where he continued his business as a contractor for the subsequent four years. His next venture was to purchase an hotel and store near Newcastle, and, finding the new venture profitable, in the year 1892 he sold out and proceeded to Harrismith in the Orange River Colony, where he purchased a commanding site and erected thereon the fine building known as the Royal Hotel, and since that date has continued to successfully run the same.

Since Mr. Bain has been resident in the town he has on four occasions been elected a member of the Municipal Town Council, and during the early part of the year 1906 was unanimously elected as Mayor of the town. He is the Chairman of the Local Water Board, a member of the Finance Committee, Public Works, Sanitary, and Lighting Committees, and is, in addition, Chieftain of the local Caledonian Society of Harrismith. He is a Freemason of many years standing, and a member of the Southern Cross Lodge, No. 1778, of Harrismith, of which he is a Past Master.

In the year 1881 he married Janet, daughter of the late D. Burley, Esq., of Staffordshire, England, and has seven children.

Sources:

• Men of the Times, published by The Transvaal Publishing Company, Johannesburg, Cape Town & London, printed by Eyre and Spottiswood, His Majesty’s Printers, 1906, p.528
• "South Africa, Orange Free State, Probate Records from the Master of the Supreme Court, 1832-1990", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WGZ1-HKT2 : Sat Mar 09 13:26:54 UTC 2024), Entry for Stewart Bain, 1940.
• "South Africa, Natal, Civil Marriages, 1845-1955", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDCK-JV9 : Sat Jan 11 08:37:31 UTC 2025), Entry for Stewart Bain and Janet Stewart Burley, 21 Apr 1881.