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Alf Stewart 2022

Alf in 2022

Alfred "Alf" James Stewart (later cited incorrectly as Alfred Douglas Stewart) has been ever-present on Home and Away since it first aired in 1988. He is seen as the series patriarch figure and a central character on the show. Alf's roots in the town run deep, possibly deeper than any other locals. The town of Summer Bay was founded by his Scottish-born great-grandfather Angus Stewart.

As well as being a curmudgeon with a heart of gold, Alf is well known for his iconic catchphrases. Some of these "Alfisms" include "Strewth", "Flaming galah", "Strike me roan", "Stone the crows" and "Hogan's Ghost". These had been in decline in Australia before Home and Away began. Alf is played by veteran actor Ray Meagher.

Alfred James Stewart
Character Profile
Birthday: 8th July 1945 (most given birthdate)
Birthplace: Summer Bay, NSW, Australia
Father: Gordon Stewart
Mother: Sarah Jane Stewart
Siblings: Morag Bellingham, Barbara Stewart, Celia Stewart, Debra Stewart, Colleen Smart (half)
Spouse: Martha Baldivis (1969-1985, 2020-present)

Ailsa Hogan (1988-2000)

Children: Owen Dalby (1964), Roo Stewart (1970), Quinn Jackson (1970), Duncan Stewart (1986)
Occupation: Summer Bays "Jack of all Trades" (Fisherman, Grocer, Bait Shop Owner, Bottle Shop Owner, real estate- owner of Summer Bay House
Played By: Ray Meagher

Backstory[]

Stewart Siblings

Alf and some of his sisters

Alf was born on the 8th July 1945 in Summer Bay to Gordon and Sarah Jane Stewart (née Townsend). He was one of five children born to the couple. Morag was born in 1941, Barbara ca. 1946, Debra ca. 1947, and Celia ca. 1951. In 2008 he learned that he had another sibling. Colleen Smart who he had known all his life was his half sister, thanks to an affair his father had with Mavis Hickie in 1939.

Alf graduated from Summer Bay High School in 1958 (this was later revised to 1963). Around 1964 he had a romance with Viv Standish and got engaged to her. They split up but what Alf didn't know was that Viv was pregnant with his child. She gave their son up for adoption. He was taken in by the Dalby family and given the name Owen. Alf never met Owen but later got to know Owen's son Ric. Alf served in Vietnam in the late 1960s and was emotionally scarred by the experience. This has been revisited on a number of occasions.

In 1969 Alf married Martha Baldivis who was a local. They moved into Summer Bay House and welcomed a daughter, Ruth (Roo) in 1970. In 1985 Martha faked her own death and was believed to have drowned. Alf and Roo moved into another house in the area. He put Summer Bay House and the adjacent Caravan Park up for sale, paying Floss & Neville McPhee to look after both.

1988-1990[]

Alf 1988

Alf in 1988

When Home and Away first began, Alf was running the Summer Bay Bait Shop and was going out with Ailsa Hogan. Many of their dates happened behind Roo's back because she disapproved of her father seeing Ailsa. When Roo realised that her father was serious about Ailsa, she made contact with her aunt Morag Bellingham. Morag was able to dig up a dark secret from Ailsa's past. As a young woman she had served time in prison for manslaughter. She had stabbed and killed her father while he was attacking her mother. Alf was shocked by the news but stood by Ailsa. The couple eloped and began their married life back home. This didn't stop Roo from conniving behind Alf's back. One of her interventions prompted a blazing row between Alf and Ailsa. A furious comment by Alf about having to watch his back when Ailsa was around was a step too far. They split up and Ailsa moved away. The pair came to realise how miserable they were without each other and they got back together again. They renewed their marriage vows (Episode 180), this time in front of their friends.

Also in 1988, Roo discovered that she was pregnant and led everybody to believe that the father of her child was Frank Morgan. This was a lie - the father was Brett Macklin who Roo had met while at boarding school. She and Frank got engaged but she jilted him at the altar. Roo gave birth to a baby she called Martha. She realised that she wasn't ready to raise her child on her own so she gave her up for adoption.

In 1989 Alf became a father again when Ailsa gave birth to their son Duncan. That proved to be a difficult time for them. Ailsa suffered from post-natal depression and almost smothered Duncan with a pillow. Also in 1989, Ailsa's niece Emma Jackson came to live with them for a while. She was a handful at times but soon settled in.

After Celia's shop was burned down by Dodge, she and Alf went into business together. They opened a small supermarket. When Celia moved way in April 1990, Alf took over the sole running of the shop.

Also in 1989, Roo rekindled her relationship with Frank Morgan and moved away. The pair ended up in New York. Alf would visit her in the years to come.

1990-2000[]

Episode 671

Alf and Ailsa and a particularly tacky gift

In 1990, Alf and Ailsa fostered siblings Blake and Karen Dean. They were the children of a former cellmate of Ailsa's. Long-term, Blake turned out to be the one Alf formed the closest bond with. Karen, on the other hand, went rogue and ended up in prison.

In early 1991 Alf's supermarket went bust and this affected him deeply. He vowed never to open another store but changed his mind later. With a gentle nudge or two from Ailsa, Alf opened a smaller store which was more successful. Some of the people to work behind the counter included Marilyn Chambers, Tug O'Neale and Irene Roberts.

Other people who lived under Alf and Ailsa's roof in the 1990s included Simon Fitzgerald, Sarah Thompson, Roxanne Miller and Curtis Reed.

Alf became good friends with Michael Ross, though the pair did fall out from time to time. When Michael's son Haydn ripped him off and nearly sent his boatshed business to the wall, Alf stepped in as a silent partner. In 1995 they sold the boatshed to Rob Storey. He was also good friends with his former brother-in-law Donald Fisher, though again they had their moments.

In 1995 Alf learned that he had an adult daughter called Quinn Jackson. Her mother was an American nurse Alf had had a fling with during the Vietnam War. The pair had a troubled relationship, largely down to Quinn thinking Alf had abandoned her mother. Quinn wasn't the only surprise child to come out of the woodwork. In 1999 Ailsa revealed that when she was in prison, she had been raped by a prison warder. She was made pregnant by the assault and when she gave birth to her child, gave her up for adoption. Her daughter Shauna Bradley came in search of Ailsa in 1999.

2001-2010[]

H&a alf stewart

Alf (2013)

In November 2000 Ailsa died suddenly from a heart attack. In (Episode 2961), Alf said goodbye to his wife Ailsa and her ashes were scattered at sea.

In 2010 Roo returned from New York. She had long since split up with Frank and decided to settle in Summer Bay. She went on to move back into her childhood home in Summer Bay House.

In 2008 Alf learned that Colleen Smart was his half sister.

2011-2020[]

Alf Martha Wedding

Alf and Martha remarry

Since 2011, Alf has led a relatively quiet a quiet life. He took in Maddy Osborne in 2013.

In April 2015, Alf commemorated the 100th anniversary of Anzac Day. He then suffered from PTSD due to being a former Vietnam War vet.

In 2017, Alf's daughter Quinn returned and was revealed to be the mother of Ryder Jackson. Ryder went on to live with Alf until 2022. He left to join his mother who had returned to working on a cruise ship.

To everyone's surprise, Alf's late wife Martha resurfaced in 2018, very much not dead. It was revealed that Martha had borderline personality disorder and that this had made her fake her own death in 1985. In 2020 Alf and Martha got engaged and married shortly afterwards. They still appear to be married, though Martha seems to be now permanently living in Merimbula.

In 2020 Alf learned that Martha had given birth to a son called Kieran after her disappearance. Kieran turned out out to be a problematic character, with addiction issues.

2021-[]

In late 2021, the Salt restaurant suffered a chemical attack during a fundraising event. Martha bore the brunt of the toxins and became very ill as a result. In 2022 she was given a kidney transplant.

Memorable info[]

Birthday: 8 July 1945

Full Name: Alfred James Stewart (more recently his full name in a continuity error has been given as Alfred Douglas Stewart) His second wife's name was Ailsa, but he always called her "Ails" for short, some misinterpreted her name as Alice.

Nicknames: Stewie (by Vinnie Patterson and Will Smith), Grumps (by Ryder)

In 2002 Home and Away actors Ray Meagher, Kate Ritchie and Norman Coburn entered the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-serving actors in an Australian drama series. Kate Ritchie and Norman Coburn have long since left the show, leaving Ray to continue on his astonishing run. Only co-stars Lynne McGranger and Ada Nicodemou are in with a chance of catching up with him at present. Alan Fletcher (Dr Karl Kennedy) on Neighbours was also in the running but his chances were hindered by his show being off the air for a year.

Trivia - continually mistakes[]

How old is Alf Stewart? Well, don't flamin' ask! Throughout the series there have been numerous references to Alf's age and stone the crows none of them seem to tally up. He is sort of the unofficial Duke of Summer Bay, royalty, so maybe he has 2 birthdays. (Note: see also article Character Birthdays)

In Ep 59, Alf said he was 45 years old, giving him a year of birth of 1942 or 1943. This was confirmed in late 1993 (Ep 1373) when Shane Parrish looked at some Summer Bay residents police records. Alf's drink driving record stated he was born on 16 January 1943. However, in true Home and Away style this was later forgotten about by the scriptwriters. In Episode 1668 (April 1995) Alf was said to be 47. This moved his year of birth forward to 1947 or 1948. On July 8th 2005, Alf had his 60th birthday celebration storyline. If you're still following this, this would make him born in 1945. It is likely that his 60th birthday bash was created on purpose to tie in with the shows 4000th episode. Inconsistencies with ages and dates seems to run rampant in Alf's house. Ailsa and Duncan's timelines also don't tie up.

In Ep 571, Alf's full name was said to be Alfred James Stewart. Later episodes stated his middle name was Douglas.

Alf's great grandfather on his paternal grandfather's side was Scottish. More than once he has mentioned his ancestor and how he discovered (or founded) Summer Bay. Alf has spoken of visiting Scotland in 2010 to explore the Clan Stewart.

Quotes[]

First Line: "G'day Nev, Floss, how ya going?"

"You are going to feel the leather of my belt" to troublesome son Duncan in 2001.

"You flamin mongrel"

"Strike me roan"

"Say that again you will get a clip round the ear you flamin galah" To anyone who crosses him.

"Hogan's ghost"

"I better watch myself around you Ailsa in case I get a knife through the shoulder blades" after Ailsa hit Roo and knowing she killed her father years ago in self defence. Ailsa was not happy at that comment and it nearly ended their marriage.

"If brains were dynamite, you wouldn't have enough to blow wax out of your ears"

Personality[]

Alf is the first man to give any cheeky youngster a clip round the ear for being mouthy. His bark tends to be worse than his bite, despite calling most people "galahs" and the fact he does not suffer fools gladly. He has been known to be handy with his fists but is mostly a nice guy. Underneath the bluster lies a kind-hearted man.

Reception[]

Former Neighbours actor Ian Smith (Neighbours' "Harold Bishop") did an impression of Alf in an interview for Channel 10 News in 2018. The presenters suggested Ian might like a role in H&A. Ian smiled at the idea but did not seem keen.

Alf has also been compared many times to 1980s Neighbours character Max Ramsay. Max had a fiery nature and a temper, he was more fiery than Alf. But both had much in common, not just their tempers but their sense of humour and their voices even sound similar. Viewers even imagined a Neighbours/H&A crossover where Alf fights with Max. Sadly the Max Ramsay actor Francis Bell died in 1994.

Alf is hailed as one of not just H&A, but soap opera's most iconic characters.

Alf remains the last remaining character to have appeared in the very first episode, the pilot in January 1988. He is the Ken Barlow of H&A.

Family[]

Father Gordon Stewart

Mother Sarah Jane Stewart (Née Townsend)

Siblings Morag Bellingham, Barbara Stewart, Celia StewartDebra Stewart, Colleen Smart (half, same father).

Grandfathers Duncan Stewart Snr, Mr Townsend

Grandmothers Mrs Stewart, Mrs Townsend

Great Grandfathers Captain Angus Stewart

Spouse Martha Baldivis (1969-1985, 2020-present), Ailsa Hogan (1988-2000)

Children Owen Dalby (1965), Quinn Jackson (1970), Roo Stewart (1970), Duncan Stewart (1989 revised to 1986)

Grandchildren Martha MacKenzie, Ric Dalby, Ryder Jackson, Bryce Stewart

Aunts/Uncles Mr Stewart

Cousins Jennifer Atkinson

Gallery[]

See also[]

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