CHAP. IV. BIRTH OF ROBERT STEPHENSON. 43 



after, the neigh hours sent him their clocks to clean, and 

 he soon became one of the most famous clock-doctors in 

 the neighbourhood. 



It was while living at Willington Quay that George/ 

 Stephenson's only son was born, on the 16th of October/ 

 1803. 1 The child was from the first, as may well be 

 imagined, a great favourite with his father, whose 

 evening hours were made happier by his presence. 

 George Stephenson's strong " philoprogenitiveness," as 

 phrenologists call it, had in his boyhood expended itself 

 on birds, and dogs, and rabbits, and even on the poor 

 old gin-horses which he had driven at the Callerton Pit ; 

 and now he found in his child a more genial object on 

 which to expend the warmth of his affection. 



The christening of the boy took place in the school- 

 house at Wallsend, the old parish church being at the 

 time in so dilapidated a condition from the " creeping " 

 or subsidence of the ground, consequent upon the exca- 

 vation of the coal, that it was considered dangerous to 

 enter it. On this occasion, Robert Gray and Anne 

 Henderson, who had officiated as bridesman and brides- 

 maid at the wedding, came over again to Willington, 

 and stood as godfather and godmother to little Robert, 

 as the child was named, after his grandfather. 



After working for several years as a brakesman 

 at the Willington machine, George Stephenson was 

 induced to leave his situation there for a similar one at 

 the West Moor Colliery, Killingworth. It was not 

 without considerable persuasion that he was induced to 

 leave the Quay, as he knew that he should thereby give 



1 Xo register was made of Robert : birthday. When preparing the 'Life 



Stephenson's birth, and he himself of George Stephenson,' Robert stated to 



was in doubt whether he was born in , the author that the 16th of December 



October, November, or December, j was the correct day. But after the 



For instance, a dinner was given to I book had passed through four edi- 



him by the contractors of the London j tions he desired the date to be cor- 



and Birmingham Railway on the 16th j rected to the 16th of October, which 



November, 1839, that day being then ! on the whole he thought the right date, 



supposed by his father to have been his and it was so altered accordingly. 



