Double Room
from £120
Dinner, bed and breakfast
rates available. Prices are
per room per night and include
full English breakfast.
George Stephenson was born on June 9, 1781, in Wylam, near Newcastle-on-Tyne.
George was fascinated by machines from an early age. In 1802 he became an engineman, and soon after
he married Frances Henderson. Together they had one child, Robert, but Frances died of tuberculosis
in 1806. Stephenson later married twice more.
Stephenson moved to Killingworth Colliery as an engineman, but his fascination with machines continued,
and in his spare time he took apart the colliery engines to discover how they worked. So swiftly did
he learn that he was appointed enginewright by the colliery in 1812.
Stephenson developed a new safety lamp that would not explode when used near the highly flammable gasses
found in the mines. Stephenson went on to build the world's first public railways: the Stockton and
Darlington in 1825 and the Liverpool-Manchester in 1830.
Stephenson was hired by other railways, such as the Bolton & Leigh. But his big triumph came in 1829
when he entered a trial by the Liverpool & Manchester railway directors to determine which locomotive
to use for their railway. The winner was Rocket, produced by Stephenson.
Stephenson went from strength to strength. He was chief engineer for the Manchester & Leeds, Birmingham
& Derby, Normanton & York and Sheffied & Rotherham railways. He was constantly innovating, constantly
improving his engines and the tracks.
George Stephenson died at Tapton House on August 12, 1848.