Description:The Staffordshire Sentinel of 2 September 1924, in an obituary to James Lovatt reported:
‘When the office of High Steward – which, according to tradition, was formerly held by John o’ Gaunt – was revived, Mr. Lovatt became the first High Steward of modern times. Some time afterwards he retired from the office in order that it could be offered to the Grand Duke Michael of Russia, who was then resident at Keele. The Grand Duke accepted the office and Mr Lovatt became Deputy High Steward, retaining that position until the time of his death’.
The office of High Steward was revived by Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council in 1901 when James Lovatt was appointed Lord High Steward to be succeeded in the following year by the Grand Duke Michael of Russia who held the office until his death (1929). (From: 'Newcastle-under-Lyme: Local government and public services', A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 8 (1963), pp. 24-39. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk)