CHAP. II. 



STEPHENSON'S PARENTS. 



15 



HIGH-STREET HOUSE. WYLAJI [By R. P. Leitch.] 



came across the Border from Scotland, on the loss of 

 considerable property there. Miss Stephenson, daughter 

 of Robert Stephenson's third son John, states that a suit 

 was even commenced for the recovery of the property, 

 but was dropped for want of means to prosecute it. Cer- 

 tain it is, however, that Robert Stephenson's position 

 throughout life was that of a humble workman. After 

 marrying at Walbottle, a ' village situated between 

 Wylam and Newcastle, he removed with his wife 

 Mabel to Wylani, where he found employment as fire- 

 man of the old pumping-engine at that colliery. 



Mabel Stephenson was one of the daughters of Robert 

 Carr, a dyer at Ovinghain. The Carrs were for seve- 

 ral generations the owners of a house in that village 

 adjoining the churchyard; and the family tombstone 

 may still be seen standing against the east end of the 

 chancel of the parish church, underneath the centre 

 lancet window ; as the tombstone of Thomas Bewick, the 



