PREFACE. ix 



quently spoken of, but he had almost given up the hope 

 of seeing it undertaken. He did not think the theme 

 was one likely to attract the attention of literary men of 

 eminence, nor did he seem to be at all sanguine as to its 

 popular interest, though his views on this point after- 

 wards underwent a change ; but he promised that, in 

 event of the author deciding to prosecute the proposed 

 biography, he should give his best assistance in supplying 

 the necessary facts. 



Furnished by him with letters of introduction to 

 several of his more intimate friends in Newcastle 

 among others to Mr. Budden, his business manager at the 

 Forth Street Works the author shortly after made a 

 visit to that place, with the object of ascertaining what 

 materials could be obtained for the purposes of the pro- 

 posed memoir. After three or four days' diligent search 

 it was found that the results, when reduced to shape, 

 were of a very meagre kind. Books and newspapers 

 were of no avail. The information wanted existed but 

 in the memories of individuals, from whom it could only 

 be gathered by direct personal intercourse and by slow 

 degrees. Many of them were unlettered men, who, 

 though they could communicate in conversation what 

 they remembered, could not place it on written record. 

 Others, possessing information and able to communicate 

 it in writing, were too much engrossed by business 

 affairs to give the requisite time for the purpose. Thus 

 the author shortly became persuaded that to prepare a 

 satisfactory Life of George Stephenson from authentic 

 sources, required an actual residence of some period in 

 the district where he had lived ; and as the pursuits 

 in which he was engaged at the time rendered this out 



b 



