Sir William Ivan Cecil Ewart, 6th Baronet,

DSC DSC may refer to: Academia * Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) * District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India * Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Educational institutions * Dalton State Col ...

(18 July 1919 – 29 November 1995) was a decorated

Northern Irish Northern Irish people is a demonym for all people born in Northern Ireland or people who are entitled to reside in Northern Ireland without any restriction on their period of residence. Most Northern Irish people either identify as Northern ...

naval officer, businessman and charity worker. He succeeded his cousin as

baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

in 1959.

Early years

Sir Ivan was the son of Major William Basil Ewart (the son of Oxford educated barrister F. W. Ewart) and Rebe Annette Grindle. Born into an Irish family of

linen Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is very strong, absorbent, and dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. It also ...

industrialists, their firm employed over 2,500 people, making it one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of Irish linen in the western world. Born at Derryvolgie House,

Lisburn Lisburn (; ) is a city in Northern Ireland. It is southwest of Belfast city centre, on the River Lagan, which forms the boundary between County Antrim and County Down. First laid out in the 17th century by English and Welsh settlers, with ...

, where he resided until 1970, he was educated at Radley. He took over the running of the family business after the war. Families such as the Ewarts were referred to colloquially as the "Linenocracy" or "Linen barons."

War years

Sir Ivan served during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

as Lieutenant in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve. He served on a Motor Torpedo Boat which he commanded which on 17 January 1942 this came under German fire and, in the ensuing explosions etc., He lost an eye and severely injured his right arm. He was, distinctively, to wear an eye patch for the rest of his life. He was later captured by the Germans and sent to

Colditz Castle Castle Colditz (or ''Schloss Colditz'' in German) is a Renaissance castle in the town of Colditz near Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz in the state of Saxony in Germany. The castle is between the towns of Hartha and Grimma on a hill spur over the r ...

, a camp for "incorrigible" Allied officers who had repeatedly escaped from other camps, where he spent the remainder of the war. In 1945 he was awarded the

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...

Business and charity work

In 1948 Sir Ivan married Pauline Preston. He took on the running his family's linen business, William Ewart & Son Ltd., in 1954. Other business interests included William Ewart Investments Ltd, Belfast (1973–77); chairman and Ewart New Northern Ltd, Belfast (1973–77). Ten years later his wife died and, in the wake of this, Sir Ivan went to

East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the historical ...

to work with Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind (for which he was East Africa's Resident Representative) and later at the Freda Carr Hospital in

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...

. Sir Ivan was also president of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The papers of Enoch Powell
, a Northern Ireland Delegate to ''the

Duke of Edinburgh Duke of Edinburgh, named after the city of Edinburgh in Scotland, was a substantive title that has been created three times since 1726 for members of the British royal family. It does not include any territorial landholdings and does not produc ...

's Study Conference on the Human Problems of Industrial Communities within the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

and Empire'' at

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

in 1956, President of the

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...

's Young Men's Society, 1951–61 and Chairman of the Flax Spinners Association. In 1976, he was appointed

High Sheriff of Antrim The High Sheriff of Antrim is the Sovereign's judicial representative in County Antrim. Initially an office for lifetime, assigned by the Sovereign, the high sheriff became annually appointed from the Provisions of Oxford in 1258. Besides his judi ...

. He was President of Oldpark Unionist Association and 1950–68.

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

Harbour Commissioner from 1968 to 1977 and High Sheriff for

County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population o ...

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) Officers 1939–1945
. Several weeks before his death he travelled to Germany to meet with an officer who had participated in the attack upon his MTB. This was an event he had been waiting fifty years for, he held no animosity toward the enemy, regarding them as honourable adversaries. He had one son, his heir, Sir Michael Ewart, 7th Baronet, and two daughters; Susan Eveleen and Patricia Rebe. He lived at Hill House,

Hillsborough, County Down Royal Hillsborough (Irish: ''Cromghlinn'', meaning 'Crooked Glen' Patrick McKay, ''A Dictionary of Ulster Place-Names'', p. 81. The Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, 1999.), more commonly known simply as ...

References

External links

ObserverBurke's Peerage & Baronetage 107th Edition
*''Who's Who'', 1994 {{DEFAULTSORT:Ewart, Sir Ivan 1919 births 1995 deaths Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom Prisoners of war held at Colditz Castle High Sheriffs of Antrim Anglicans from Northern Ireland People educated at Radley College Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) Royal Navy officers Linen industry in Ireland Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II Military personnel from Lisburn