[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.

Steward was a member of the civil service of the colony of Tasmania, in which he advanced rapidly.

[2] In December 1902, Steward was appointed as the Official Secretary to the Governor General, Lord Tennyson.

He was the first person to serve in this position which he held for seventeen years, under five Governors General.

Edith and the children accompanied Steward to Tasmania in 1892 but left him and returned to London in about 1894.