1819.1 GEORGE STEPHENSON'S SECOND MARRIAGE. 49 quite a lad-when I was Wood's apprentice-when I had but little money, and could not afford to buy one.' 6 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 still 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 to 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. * Copy of the record of George Stephenson's second marriage, in the Newburn Register :— 'George Stephenson, of the parish of Long Benton, widower, and Elizabeth Hindmarsh, of this parish, spinster, were married in this church by license, with consent of this twenty-ninth day of March, in the year One thousand eight hundred and twenty, 'By me, J. Edmonson, vicar. 'In presence of 'Thomas Hindmarsh. 'George Stephenson. 'Elizabeth Hindmarsh.' 1820.] THE FRIAR'S GOOSE PUMPING ENGINE. 51 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 copatentee resolved to introduce into their boilers the tubes recommended by The following particulars concerning the 'Friar's Goose Pumping Engine,' furnished by Mr. Losh, are valuable: 'Friar's Goose Pumping Engine. Commenced pumping in July, 1823. Diameter of cylinder 72 inches; length of stroke, ditto, 9 feet; length of pit, ditto, 7 feet 2 inches. Two sets of pumps attached to the out end of the main beam, and one to inside, by diagonal spear to quadrant in pit, about 7 fathoms down from surface. Three sets of pumps in bottom, each set 16 inches diameter, and length of sets about 50 fathoms. Average quantity of water per minute, 1,000 gallons. Tyne Main Colliery, Aug. 29, 1860.' 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 lighted 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. 1821.] THE STOCKTON AND DARLINGTON RAILWAY. 53 Moodie escaped unhurt; but the alarm of such an escape strongly impressed the former with the value of his father's invention. The lad's apprenticeship had not expired, when he 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. making the survey of 1821, Robert Stephenson, then just eighteen years of age, accompanied and assisted his father. In 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 life that he had been more than a day's journey from Killingworth, and the prospect of |