George Stephenson's desk

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers has George Stephenson's desk in one of its London meeting rooms.

All those scratches!! He was obviously agonising over the colour to paint Rocket. "Green? Maroon? Black? No! I'll surprise 'em ... YELLOW!!"

 

From time to time the National Farmers Union has used the I Mech E for it's London meetings. As well as the desk and various other Stephenson memorabilia in the foyer and ante-rooms, the main hall is lined with very large portraits of past Presidents of the Institution. George and Robert face each other across the front, then you work back through all the great names in British mechanical and locomotive engineering. My visits have been in connection with farming matters, but I've always found it difficult to concentrate in such exalted company!

 

He was a surprisingly modern man, as these extracts from his Twitter Timeline (@GeordieStephenson) show:

@GeordieStephenson 28 October 1829
Just seen opposition for #RainhillTrials. Ganna be #StrollInThePark

His good mood continued as test runs continued before the formal opening of the Liverpool and Manchester:

@GeordieStephenson 5 April 1830
@ActressFannyK #Rocket proving to be excellent #FannyMagnet! #SnortingLittleAnimal!

Even the events of the opening day could not dampen his mood

@GeordieStephenson 15 September 1830
Opening of #LMR. Good day, tempered by accident to @BillHussyMP but #Northumbrian made excellent run back to Eccles

@GeordieStephenson retweeted @ManRoyalInfirmary's tweet 15 September 1830
Situation grave for @BillHussyMP

Sadly after that his timeline goes quiet - was he perhaps the victim of trolling by @TheOriginalLuddite and others who held him responsible for the rapid changes in society of the time?

Tom

 

On my visits to 'head office' I am always humbled by the icons of history that fill the place. Most remarkable was the old gents toilets with the glass and polished brass splashback guard to ptotect the shoes.

 

Fortunately Robert kept up the family's embracing of social media as his Facebook page for the new-build project 'Planet' got an excellent response at the news the chimney had been cast.


Jon

 

What?! I thought the nameplate and livery would be first!


Keith

 

You will probably remember urinals with a bee applied beneath the glaze as a joke that would be appreciated by Latin scholars.

 

A few years ago I bought a copy of George Stephenson - Creator of Britain's Railways, by John Rowland (Odham's Press 1954) In the flyleaf was written "George Stephenson and my great great great granny were brother and sister" [presumably Nell]. There then follows a family tree through the female line ending with a lady with the surname of Perry. I would imagine that the note was made in the 1950s. The book was bought from the antique shop at Curborough Hall Farm near Lichfield and I think that it came from someone who had died in that locality.