CONTENTS. 



CHAPTEE I. 



The colliery districts of the North Newcastle-upon-Tyne in ancient times 

 The Roman settlement Social insecurity in the middle ages Northum- 

 berland roads The coal-trade Modern Newcastle Coal haulage 

 Early waggon-roads, tramways, and railways The colliery workmen 

 Pumping-engines The pitmen Coal-staiths The keelmen Page 1-12 



CHAPTER II. 



Wylam colliery and village George Stephenson's birthplace, High Street 

 House Stephenson's parents The Stephenson family Old Robert 

 Stephenson George's boyhood Dewley Burn colliery Sister Nell's 

 bonnet Employed as a herd-boy Makes clay engines Employed as 

 corf-bitter Drives the gin-horse Black Callerton colliery Love of 

 animals Is made assistant-fireman 13-22 



CHAPTER III. 



Jolly's Close, Newburn Wages Athletic feats Throckley Bridge "A 

 made man for life " Appointed engineman Studies his engine Ex- 

 periments in bird-hatching Puts himself to school and learns to read 

 His schoolmasters Progress in arithmetic His dog Learns to brake 

 Brakesman at Black Callerton Duties of brakesman Begins shoe-mend- 

 ing Fanny Henderson Saves his first guinea Fight with a pitman 



23-36 



CHAPTER IV. 



Sobriety and studiousness Inventiveness Removes to Willington Quay 

 Marries Fanny Henderson Their cottage at Willington Tries to invent 

 a perpetual-motion machine William Fairbairn and George Stephenson 

 Ballast-heaving Cottage chimney takes fire Clock-cleaning Birth of 

 Robert Stephenson George removes to West Moor, Killingworth Death 

 of his wife Engineman at Montrose, Scotland Return to Killingworth 

 Brakesman at West Moor Is drawn for the militia Thinks of emigrating 

 to America Takes a contract for brakeing engines Improves the wind- 

 ing-engine Cures a pumping-engine Appointed engine-wright of the 

 colliery 37-55 



