Life of Robert Stephenson by William Pole: Chapter IV

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CHAPTER IV. The Apprentice (age 15-20)

LEAVING school in the year 1819 - the year in which his father commenced the construction of his first line of railway, the Hetton Colliery line - Robert Stephenson entered on his duties as apprentice to Mr. Nicholas Wood, the mining engineer, who was at that time the viewer of the Killingworth and other adjacent collieries. During his apprenticeship, he had therefore to concern himself with the internal working of the mines to which his father was engine-wright. The father and son now came closer together, and strengthened the firm league of confidence and affection which bound them throughout life. There was between them far less difference of age than usually exists between father and son, George Stephenson being only twenty-two years his boy’s senior. When Robert Stephenson was a young man, his father was still only at the entrance of middle fife; indeed, the latter was, in some respects, a young man even to the last, anxious for fresh knowledge, capable after a struggle of relinquishing old errors, and moreover endowed with high animal spirits.

Robert Stephenson was apprenticed to Mr. Nicholas Wood for three years, and during his apprenticeship he manifested that quiet resolution and genuine modesty which characterised him even when he became leader of his profession. He worked very hard, and lived with careful economy. George Stephenson saw clearly that the only chance he had of reaping a rich harvest from his own and his son’s intellects, lay in saving and putting by out of his yearly earnings, until he should be in a pecuniary position to embark in business as a manufacturer as well as an operative engineer. He knew well that the inventor without capital makes others rich, whilst he himself starves and is neglected. His great object, therefore, was to accumulate funds in order that he might enter into business as a manufacturing engineer.

At this period of his life Robert never spent a penny on any article whatever, until he had put to himself Sydney Smith’s three questions - Is it worth the money? Do I want it? Can I do without it? Once every fortnight Mr. Wood, as head viewer, used to descend the Killingworth mine in discharge of his regular duties. The hour at which he ‘left bank’ was nine o’clock, punctual to the minute, and Robert always accompanied his master. At mid-day, when the morning’s work was over, Robert and the under viewer, hot and fatigued, used to enter the ‘ Three Tuns ’— a small, thatched, three-roomed beer-house, long since pulled down—and take refreshment. When herrings were in season, the ordinary repast of each was ‘a herring, a penny roll, and a glass of small beer.’ Young gentlemen, serving their pupilage under distinguished engineers, would sometimes do well to think of Robert Stephenson’s two-penny-halfpenny meals.

About two years before Robert Stephenson’s death, a workman of Washington village found in a collection of old stores a circumferentor, or mining compass. It was unusually large — even for a circumferentor made forty years since. The brass stand and measuring-plate had long been obscured by corrosion; and it was not till the latter had been well scoured and polished that it revealed the inscription, ‘ Robert Stephenson fecit.’ The workman, on reading these words, brought the instrument to the works of Robert Stephenson and Co, Newcastle, and left it with Robert Stephenson’s friend and partner — the late Mr. Weallens. At his next visit to Newcastle, Mr. Stephenson’s attention was directed to the instrument, when at the sight of his long-forgotten work, he exclaimed with emotion, ‘Ah, that circumferentor was measured off at Watson’s Works, in the High Bridge. I made it when I was quite a lad - when I was Wood’s apprentice - when I had but little money, and could not afford to buy one.’

Whilst Robert Stephenson was serving his apprenticeship, events were being crowded into his father’s life. In 1819, George Stephenson began to lay down the Hetton Colliery Railway, which was finished in 1822. He could now afford to indulge in romance. Elizabeth Hindmarsh, his first love, was still unmarried. When her father drove the young brakesman from his door, she had vowed never to have another husband, and that vow she kept. The time was now come for her constancy to be rewarded. The poor brakesman had made himself ‘a man of mark,’ and — a more important matter stiff in the estimation of some of his canny north-country friends — had made himself a ‘ man of substance.’ ‘ The grand allies,’ in their conduct towards their agent, showed a liberality becoming their rank, wealth, and name. In the same way that, years before, they had given him two out of every six working days, allowing him to devote them to the service of Messrs. Losh, Wilson, and Bell, so they now also permitted him Ip act as engineer to the Hetton Coal Company, for the construction of the Hetton Railway, without making any diminution in his salary. Thus during the three years in which he was laying down the Hetton line, George Stephenson had three concurrent appointments. His savings were by this time considerable, and were invested at good interest and on good security. Mortgage on land at five per cent, interest was at that time George’s notion of a sufficiently profitable and safe investment, and on such terms he had for some years lent £1,300 to a gentleman in the neighbourhood of Darlington. So George Stephenson (no longer a poor brakesman) again paid his addresses to the woman whose love he had won twenty years before; and he married her in the same church where he had wedded his ‘old maid’ bride, Fanny Henderson. The ceremony took place in the parish church of Newburn on March 29, 1820, the bridegroom’s son, Robert, being one of the attesting witnesses.

As soon as the wedding festivities were at an end, George Stephenson went back to his work and his cottage at Killingworth. Still pursuing his prudent course, he made no difference in his plan of life; nor, to her lasting honour be it said, did Mrs. Stephenson wish him in any respect to alter it. Never did woman more cordially devote herself to the interests of her husband and husband’s child. Entering the Killingworth cottage, which ‘ Aunt Eleanor ’ had left to marry an honest and well-reputed workman, she gave a beauty and completeness to her husband’s life which it had previously wanted. Of this excellent lady mention will be made in subsequent pages. Possibly his step-mother’s tastes turned Robert Stephenson’s attention to music. He purchased a flute, and acquired so much proficiency on the instrument, that he was permitted to act as flutist in a band, which, instead of an organ, took part, in the religious services of Long Benton Church.

At the same time that George Stephenson was laying down the last rails of the Hetton Colliery Railway, he was busy in constructing for Messrs. Losh, Wilson, and Bell, a pumping engine, of hitherto unusual dimensions, known as the Friar’s Goose Pumping Engine,‡ which aided in ‘ the winning ’ of the famous Woodside coals. The opening of this mine commenced in 1820, and the first cargo of coals was shipped November 21st, 1824. The cost of winning was about £22,354; and George Stephenson’s engine, which speedily became famous throughout the Northumbrian coal district, commenced pumping in July 1823. The increase of reputation which the engineer gained by this achievement was of great service to him. He had also another important undertaking on his hands. In conjunction with Thomas Mason, he took a lease of the Willow Bridge colliery for twenty-one years, the two partners embarking in the undertaking £700 in equal shares. The deed of partnership was signed December 5th, 1820.

Another incident of importance marks this period of George Stephenson’s career. Anxious to improve the locomotive engines, for which he and Mr. Losh had taken out letters patent, George and his co-patentee resolved to introduce into their boilers the tubes recommended by Messrs. William James and William Henry James, giving those gentlemen a share in their patent rights in return for the permission granted them ‘ to adopt any improvements, and the introduction of tubes to their boilers, as contained in the letters patent of William Henry James, son of the said William James, as granted to him in the reign of his present Majesty.’ The agreement between William Losh and George Stephenson on the one part, and the Messrs. James on the other, bears date September 1, 1821. These tubes must not, however, be confounded with the multitubular boiler, which ultimately decided the triumph of .the locomotive. Almost countless unsuccessful experiments were made, before Mr. Henry Booth (with the concurrence of the Stephensons) produced his beautiful arrangement. The agreement of September 1st, 1821, is of interest, as it gives a date when George Stephenson was intent on increasing the heating surface of his boilers by the introduction of tubes, and also preserves the reputation of two other inventors, whose services to the locomotive ought not to be forgotten, although they have been exaggerated by indiscreet friends.

Robert Stephenson’s work during his apprenticeship was not only hard but hazardous. On one occasion when he was accompanying his master, Mr. Nicholas Wood, and Mr. Moodie, the under-viewer, through the passages of the Killingworth mine, by the aid of ‘the Geordie’s’ dim ray, they grew impatient of the darkness, and hghted a candle. The spot was more foul than the viewer supposed, and an explosion instantly ensued. Mr. Wood was picked up from the ground bruised, bleeding, and stunned. Robert Stephenson and Mr. Moodie escaped unhurt; but the alarm of such escape strongly impressed the former with the value his father’s invention.

The lad’s apprenticeship had not expired, when made trial of a safer, but not less laborious, occupation. On April 19, 1821, the same day on which the royal assent was given to the first Stockton and Darlington Railway Act, George Stephenson went over to Darlington, accompanied by Mr. Nicholas Wood, for the purpose of soliciting Mr. Edward Pease, the chief projector of the new line, to secure for him the job of making the railroad.

In consequence of this interview with Mr. Pease, George Stephenson was employed by the Stockton and Darlington Company to make a careful survey of the route, for which the Act had been obtained. This survey ?was made in the autumn of 1821, and certain modifications and changes of the line were proposed by the engineer. To carry out these proposals, a new Act (the second Stockton and Darlington Railway Bill) was, after renewed opposition, obtained in 1823; and George Stephenson was forthwith instructed to form the line in accordance with the new Act, receiving for his salary as the Company’s engineer-in-chief £300 per annum. In making the survey of 1821, Robert Stephenson, then just eighteen years of age, accompanied and assisted his father.

Before entering on the survey, Robert Stephenson made a trip to London. Easy and secure in his circumstances, his father gave him a purse of money and a holiday. It was the first time in his fife that he had been more than a day’s journey from Killingworth, and the prospect of visiting the capital greatly excited him. Having reached London, the taU slight boy, still dressed in ill-fitting coarse garments made by the pitmen’s tailor, hastened from place to place. The journal still exists in which he began to take notes of all he saw. Before he had been in town many days the diary was discontinued ; but enough was written to show that he was still unable to spell correctly. He went to St. Paul’s, the Custom House, the London Water Works, ‘Sommersite’ House, and to an exhibition of a model of an Egyptian tomb sent home by Belzoni.

The visit to London was a short one ; and when it was over, Robert Stephenson returned to Killingworth to resume his work in the coal-mines. But by this time he had found the labour of a viewer exhausting as well as perilous. His lungs were weak and manifested symptoms of tubercular disease. He welcomed, therefore, the change to a more healthful occupation now offered to him, and in the early autumn assisted his father and Mr. John Dixon in making the survey for the second Stockton and Darlington Railway Act. He heartily enjoyed the work. Spending the entire day in the clear balmy air, eating frugal meals of ‘ bread, butter, milk, and potatoes ’ under sheltering hedgerows, and lodging by night in roadside inns, George Stephenson and his assistants made holiday of their toil.

Mr. Joseph Pease of Darlington, then a young man, was a frequent attendant on the party, and remembers well the animation with which George and Robert Stephenson conversed at the top of their voices, in a scarcely intelligible Northumbrian brogue, on the difficulties of their undertaking. The ‘ slight, spare, bronzed boy,’ as Mr. Pease recalls the Robert Stephenson of 1821, often supported his arguments with a respectful mention of Mr. Bruce’s opinions; and to the authority of the worthy schoolmaster, George Stephenson invariably paid marked, and almost superstitious, homage.

When the survey was completed, and the map was plotted, Robert Stephenson’s name was put upon it as ‘ the engineer,’ and no mention was made of his father. This was done at George’s particular direction; and a more affecting instance of paternal devotion it would be difficult to imagine.

In consequence of being thus designated engineer, Robert Stephenson had to make a second visit to London, and this time not for the purpose of inspecting the Tower and St. Paul’s Cathedral, but that he might be examined by a parliamentary committee on an affair of great commercial importance.

Before making his first public appearance as engineer of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, Robert Stephenson resided for a few months in the university of Edinburgh. Several gentlemen who came in contact with him during the survey for the line had been so struck with his natural force of intellect that they represented to his father the propriety, and indeed the imperative duty, of giving him a college education. George Stephenson could, as far as money went, have well afforded to send him to Cambridge, but it was not his wish to ‘ make his son a gentleman.’ Such were his own words. ‘Robert must wark, wark, as I hae warked afore him,’ the father used to say. Finding, however, that his son could reside at Edinburgh, and attend the classes for a comparatively small sum, he allowed him to go to that university for one term, a space of time that was, in all, something less than six months. This permission was accorded in the October of the year 1822, and forthwith Robert Stephenson started for the Scotch capital. As the date of his residence in Edinburgh has been misstated, so also has the importance of it been exaggerated. . To call it by the imposing title of a ‘ university education ’ would be to mislead the reader. Brilliant as the assembly of professors in Edinburgh then was, the educational system of the university was faulty, and the students were allowed to pursue their own courses, without discipline, and in some cases without encouragement. Robert Stephenson certainly worked hard whilst he was at Edinburgh, but his stay there was too short for efficient study. He was, however, resolute in his attendance at lectures, and he even declined to enjoy for an hour the society of Mr. Joseph Pease (who paid him a flying visit) in order that he might be present at the address of the Professor of Natural Philosophy.

After the term he accompanied Jamieson on a geological excursion. The students who were permitted to attend the Professor on such trips walked with knapsacks on their backs, and led the same sort of wild vagrant life which Robert had more than a year before enjoyed during the railway survey. To the last he retained a lively recollection of this expedition; and as late as 1857, on passing in his yacht an imposing headland of the northern coast, he told his friends that, ‘ as a student on a tour with Professor Jamieson, a quarter of a century before, he had examined the structure of the cliffs. ‘ The Professor,’ he added, ‘on such occasions mounted a hillock and described the geological formation of the surrounding rocks, illustrating his lecture by reference to the face of nature as his black-board, while we lads stood round the good old man with a pleasure which I can never forget.’

It has been erroneously stated that Robert Stephenson bore off at Edinburgh ‘ most of the prizes of the year.’ The fact is, that he did not gain a single university prize, in the sense in which an university man would use the term.

Professor Leslie, however, was in the habit of presenting periodically a book to the student attending his class with whom he was most pleased. According to the character of the pupil to whom it was presented, it was sometimes a tribute to moral worth as well as scientific attainments. In the case of Robert Stephenson, the Professor’s testimonial was awarded in recognition of the ability displayed by the pupil in answering certain mathematical questions in the regular weekly examination papers.

The following letters written by Robert Stephenson to his early friend and adviser, Mr. Michael Longridge, during his brief stay at Edinburgh, will give the reader an insight into his life in the university. The first of the three was written soon after his arrival in the capital of Scotland, and whilst he was making a first acquaintance with the Professors.

Edinbro’: Nov. 20, 1822. Sir, - Not having received the hooks, as you intimated, I begin to be apprehensive of their safety. If you have not sent them off yet, I hope you will not be long. I met with very kind reception from Mr. Bald, who introduced me to Dr. Brewster, Professor Jameson, and some other professional gentlemen. He gave me two tickets, one for the Wernerian Society, and one for the Royal Society, and desired me particularly to call and have any book out of his library that I might want. Mr. Jameson seems to be a very intelligent man. and I think him and I will soon be friends. My father would likely inform you of my intercourse with Dr. Hope. He seemed much interested about the lamps, and desired me to give him every information relative to them. I remain. Sir, yours sincerely, R. STEPHENSON to M. Longridge

The tone of the next letter, penned a fortnight after the preceding epistle, is less cheerful.

Sir, - I would have sent my Lectures ere now had they contained anything new. Mr. Jameson’s Lectures have hitherto been confined chiefly to Zoology, a part of Natural History which I cannot say I am enraptured with; nor can I infer from many of his Lectures any ultimate benefit, unless to satisfy the curiosity of man. Natural historians spend a great deal of time in enquiring whether Adam was a black or white man. Now I really cannot see what better we should be, if we could even determine this with satisfaction; but our limited knowledge will always place this question in the shade of darkness. The Professor puzzles me sadly with his Latin appellations of the various divisions, species, genera, &c., of the animal kingdom. He lectures two days a week on Meteorology and three on Zoology. This makes the course very unconnected.

I have taken notes on Natural Philosophy, but have not written them out, as there has been nothing but the simplest parts, and which I was perfectly acquainted with. Therefore I thought I might spend my time better in reading. I shall send you them when he comes to the most difficult parts. Leslie intends giving a Lecture on Saturdays to those who wish to pursue the most abstruse parts of Natural Philosophy. I have put my name down for one of those: he gives questions out every Friday to answer on the Saturday. I have been highly delighted with Dr. Hope’s Lectures. He is so plain and familiar in all his elucidations. I have received the books all safe.'

The next letter, written in the April of 1823, marks the time when the writer’s brief stay at the university was brought to a close, and also indicates with exactness the subjects to which he directed his attention during the period.

Edinburgh : April 11, 1823, SIR, - I wrote home on the 5th, but from yours it appears my father would be set off for London before the arrival of my letter, in which I desired him to send me a bill for £26. I should feel obliged if you will send me it at your first convenience, as I am rather in want of it at present.

The Natural History finishes next Tuesday. The Natural Philosophy on Friday the 18th. Chemistry finishes on the 27th or 28th.

I have been fortunate in winning a prize in the Natural Philosophy class, for some mathematical questions given by Professor Leslie relative to various branches of Natural Philosophy, I remain, Sir, Yours very sincerely, ROB. STEPHENSON.

The following letter, written by George Stephenson to his friend William Locke, during his son’s brief sojourn at Edinburgh, will be read with interest—

March 81, 1823. DEAR SIR, — From the great elapse of time since I seed you, you will hardley know that such a man is in the land of the living. I fully expected to have seen you about two years ago, as I passed throw Barnsley on ray way to south Wales but being informed you was not at home I did not call I expect to be in London in the course of a fortnight or three weaks, when I shall do my self the pleasure of calling, either in going or coming. This will be handed to you by Mr. Wilson a friend of mine who is by profeshion an Atorney at law and intends to settle in your neighbourhood, you will greatley oblidge me by throughing any Business in his way you conveniently can I think you will find him an active man in his profeshion. There has been many upes and downs in this neighbourhood since you left you would no doubt have heard that Charles Nixon was throughing out at Walbottle Collery by his partners some years ago he has little to depend on now but the profets of the ballast machine at Willington Quey wich I darsay is verey small many of his Familey has turned out verey badley he has been verey unfortunate in Famaley affairs. If, I have the pleasure of seeing you I shall give you a long list of occurences since you and I worked together at Newburn. Hawthorn is still at Wal- battle I darsay you will well remember he was a great enamy to me but much more so after you left. I left Walbattle Collery soon also after you and has been verey prosperous in my concerns ever since I am now far above Hawthorn’s reach. I am now concerned as Civil Engineer in different parts of the Kingdom. I have onley one son who I have brought up in my own profeshion he is now near 20 years of age I have had him educated in the first Schools and is now at Colledge in Edinbro’ I have found a great want of education myself but fortune has made a mends for that want. I am dear sir yours truly, GEO. STEPHENSON.

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they were nearly inseparable, as in after life they fought their parliamentary battles side by side. To the close of his life Robert Stephenson’s happiest days were spent in his friend Bidder’s family circle.

With Robert Stephenson’s return from Edinburgh to Killingworth, the period of his West Moor life may be regarded as closed. On receiving his formal appointment as engineer to the Stockton and Darlington line, George Stephenson left Long Benton, and Robert accompanied his father as assistant in the new undertaking.

The construction of the Stockton and Darlington line did not preclude George Stephenson and his son from, making long journeys to various parts of the United Kingdom in the discharge of professional duties. In the September of 1823 they went to Ireland, from which country Robert wrote with his accustomed energy and confidence to Mr. Longridge.

Dublin; Sept. 10,1823. DEAR SIR, — We have just arrived at Paddy’s Land Gn far Dublin city.’ We left London on Monday, at half-past one o’clock, travelled all night, and reached Bristol the next morning, and expected to have got the steam packet to Cork, but we were disappointed on being informed that the Cork packet had broken her machinery a few days before, and was laid up for repair. We were therefore obliged to come on to Dublin, upwards of two hundred milds out of our way. We leave here this evening in the mail, and shall arrive at Cork to-morrow evening, where we shall probably remain a few days, and then make the best of our way into Shropshire. The concern we are going to at Cork was set fire to by the mob, where the disturbance has been for some time. We expect to reach home in the course of a fortnight. When we were in London my father called at Mr. Gordon’s office, but found he had set off the preceding evening to the North. My father desires to be remembered to him with his sincere respects. We hope by this time we have got our fortunes made safe with the Lord of Carlisle’s agents. We have some hopes of some orders for steam engines for South America, in the Columbian States. This, however, depends on the success of Perkins’s new engine. My father and he have had a severe scold. Indeed the most of the birkies were embittered at my father’s opinion of the engine. He one day stopped the engine by his hand, and when we called the next day Perkins had previously got the steam to such a pitch (equal 15 atmosphere) that it was impossible for one man to stop it, but by a little of my assistance, we succeeded in stopping it by laying hold of the fly-wheel. This engine he formerly called an 8 or 10 horse-power, but now only a 4. I am convinced, as well as my father, that Perkins knows nothing about the principle of steam engines, I remain, dear Sir, Yours sincerely, ROBERT STEPHENSON. P.S.—You shall heal’ from us at Cork.

The story of George Stephenson’s practical criticism on the merits of Perkins’ engine is well known.

From Cork, Robert Stephenson wrote to Mr. Longridge.

Cork: Sept. 16, 1823. DEAR SIR, - We left Dublin on the evening of the day we wrote our last, for Cork, in the mail, and we were not a little alarmed, when it stopped at the post office, to see four large cavalry pistols and two blunderbusses handed up to the guard, who had also a sword hung by his side. I can assure you, my father’s courage was daunted, though I don’t suppose he will confess with it. We proceeded on, however, without being in the least disturbed, except, now and then having our feelings excited by the driver, or some of our fellow-passengers, relating, and at the same time pointing towards the situation, where some most barbarous murder had recently been committed. In one instance, a father, mother, and son had been murdered one evening or two before. As we passed along, everywhere distress seemed to be the prevailing feature of the country, and this to an incredible degree among the poor. Indeed, numbers of them appeared literally starving. We frequently have read accounts in the English newspapers of the distressed state of Ireland, but how far they fall short of conveying a just idea of it. With regard to the appearance of the cities Dublin and Cork, I must say the former falls far short of the description given of it by some Irishman in the steam packet, as we came over from England. I asked some of them if it was equal to Edinburgh, and they seemed insulted at the comparison, but I can now say they ought to have felt highly honoured. Dublin excels certainly in size and business, but as to scenery and beauty of building, it shrinks into insignificance.

We were very kindly received at the Dripsey Paper Works by Macnay’s family, and have just finished our business with them for the present, and intend leaving Cork in the steam packet this day for Bristol. From there we shall make the best of our way to Shifnal in Shropshire, and our business there will probably detain us five or six days, A small boiler will be wanted to send to Ireland, You will receive the order by George Marshall, or some of our people, in a few days. I hope Mr. Birkinshaw will see the plates nicely cut, as we want it neatly finished.

The most valuable part of Robert Stephenson’s education was, however, yet to come.

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