Jim Stewart: 1932-2012

I’m saddened to announce the passing of a towering figure in the modern bondage pantheon. My friend Maurice James Stewart— Jim to his American friends, Maurice (pronounced Morris) to his closest friends in England—died of cancer in a hospice near his home in Brighton England on April 1^st, just three months shy of his 80^th birthday.

 

Stemming from an early and abiding interest in Houdini and Houdiniana, Jim created the fabled English company, Fetters, which produced some of the finest and most original leather bondage products in the world. The Fetters product line, distributed in the US by Richard Hunter, was incorporated into Alan Selby’s Mr. S. Leathers when Richard bought that San Francisco store some time in the 1990’s, I believe, and was probably what most enabled Mr. S. to become the world-famous bondage emporium it is today.

 

For a while in the mid to late 1970s I had my first experiences with non-rope bondage when I bottomed for Jim’s original American distributor, a man who spent far more of his time attracting people with his collection of great leather bondage equipment than trying to distribute it, as a result of which he didn’t last long in that line of work. Nevertheless, thanks to what’s–his-name, I discovered the wonders of the straitjacket and the hood—and not simply a straitjacket and a hood, but the finest to be found anywhere, since there was nothing to compare with these Fetters products for quality of materials and workmanship. Thanks to what’s-his-name, too, I was introduced to Jim, an affable English gent who had started out, as I had, in the theater. So we had lots to talk about together.

 

This was years before I started the New York Bondage Club or Bound & Gagged. I was just another guy who loved getting tied up. And though I’d never been tied up by anything but rope until that straitjacket/hood experience, before very long I had ordered from Jim personally a straitjacket and a hood of my own. That was over 30 years ago, and after all those years of heavy use, that straitjacket and that hood remain important, regularly used items in my personal collection.

 

The same goes for my original Fetters sleepsack, a canvas and leather prototype that Jim made for me. I like to think I played a small part in the conception of the sleepsack, since I enjoyed being tied up and tying up guys in sleeping bags, and I talked at length with Jim about that, and about how nice it would be if something like sleeves could be incorporated into sleeping bags to keep boys like me comfy while saving them from committing the sin of masturbation. I’m sure many others may have said similar things to Jim, while he himself had almost certainly already been thinking along those lines.  But I like to think I played some kind of role there, however small. Whether I did or not, it was only a few months later that Jim casually asked me for my measurements, and a few months after that that I received an overseas package in the mail that turned out to contain a beautiful new sleepsack made perfectly to my size—the same much loved, much used, much cum-stained sleepsack that remains my favorite to this day.

 

Despite his age, and illness, Jim kept busy with various projects until the end, even when he was already in hospice. As of this writing his bondage web site is still accessible, though I’m not sure how much longer that will continue to be the case. It is certainly worth checking out while it’s still there.

 

Jim’s importance in our bondage world cannot be underestimated. As one of his dear friends Allan Dawson said in an article that came out in QX Magazine this year (it can be read in its entirety on Jim’s site),  Jim was an important but undervalued pioneer of gay sexual history. “He popularised bondage and sexual fetishism,” Allan said. “I hope he is rightfully recognised as groundbreaking.”

 

He certainly is by me, and everyone else who knew him, and should be acknowledged with a thought of gratitude by all who ever slip into a sleepsack, or a beautifully made and totally inescapable straitjacket or hood.

 

Comments

[Bob Dooman]

Thank you for sharing.

[Michaelius]

I'm very sorry to hear that Jim Stewart is no more. I would not be the man I am to-day, had I not discovered Houdini Connexions.

I, too, hope that Mr. Stewart recieves the recognition that he deserves--inside and outside the LGTB community.

[Lewis Cullen]

I am very saddened to hear that Mr. Stewart has passed, I met him a few times and he even made my sleepsack and hood which both get lots of use. I will miss him dearly.
Lew

[Mr Lee]

I am sorry to hear of Jim's passing. Yes, he was a towering figure in the Male Bondage scene. Had it not been for him, I would not be enjoying bondage at all. I met him in London many years ago; and he gave me advice, encouragement and support to pursue what interested me. He was a kind and caring person. I wonder how he was these years, but really saddened to hear of his passing. From Mr Lee (aka Archie).

[chris]

it's a sad day when Jim passed. i got to know him well, in his later years, always had a story to tell about his bondage exploits, especially over a glass of wine.

You were always welcome to his house in London, he still liked the playroom being used, even if he was not a part of the play.

We will miss you Jim

[Mark]

His website was one of the first I ever saw involving anything about leather bondage. I was blown away. Still am. So much we take for granted, involving leather, bondage, STRAITJACKETS came from him. He helped create the industry, which beyond pleasure, hits many of us to the core.

Thank You Jim. It is guys like you, and your work, that makes it easier for the ones that follow. In turn, we must continue to pave the way for those that will follow us.

[Stevie]

Just wanted to say what a wonderful salute you created for your friend Jim. I still have the straitjacket you got for me, and I believe you sourced it though Jim. I also recognize the photos as the ones that initially got me all excited about that exact model of straitjacket. In fact, I remember coming out to the country house to pick that jacket up—you and Lee had it laid out artfully on a bed and my eyes bulged at the sight of it. And then, as I recall, you put Lee and me in dueling straitjackets back to back, laid down and fell asleep. Ahhhh, happy memories—and thanks in a large part to Jim.

Again, so sorry to hear about Jim's passing.

Love to you and Lee.

[Frederick Booth]

I first met Jim in London at his workshop/home. We were introduced by a mutual friend. I was like a kid in a candystore with all the amazing/creative bondage devices which Jim had created/conceived through the years. I ordered his "heavy-duty hood, full-leather sleep sack," etc. He informed me that I'd have to pay for the items through his U.S. rep in Florida, since I was an American. That began a long and treasured friendship with Richard Hunter who eventually moved to S.F. and bought Mr. S from my friend Doug Deal whose lover Zach Long had bought the business from Alan Selby. Amazing how a leather family grows! I recently gave that sleepsack to a friend who was very close to Jim and he's now entrusted to make kindred souls happy in its confines. May Jim Stewart rest in peace and watch over all of us until we meet again.
In fond memory, Rick Booth

[Derek]

What a great tribute to Maurice. I was lucky enough to have been introduced to him many years ago and got to use his playroom on many occasions while Maurice ran the video equipment and recorded the session. It sounds like I might have been the last person to actually have him wrapped and strapped in his dungeon not long before his move to Brighton and I was pleased to have helped him with his efforts on Houdini Connections. I don't think he'd want people to be saddened at his passing but to instead remember his legacies of safe and consensual enjoyment of all restricted practices and to remember that there are a lot of us out there who enjoy such things - pass on his ideals in helping others to come to terms with their obsessions and to enjoy life to the full - I know that Maurice did.