 Born in Dunedin, Stuart was educated at St Kevin's College, Oamaru and at Massey Agricultural College in Palmerston North, where he honed his rugby skills and became an agricultural economist.During World War II, Stuart served as a lieutenant in the Fleet Air Arm on patrol on corvettes in the Atlantic.A loose forward, Stuart briefly represented at a provincial level in 1941, and, after the war, from 1947 until 1953.