CHAP. IV. ENGINE- WRIGHT AT KILLINGWORTH. 55 



a rough-spoken fellow, exclaimed to him : " Set such 

 fellows as you on horseback, and you'll soon ride to the 

 De'il." But Tommy Mitcheson lived to tell the joke, 

 and to confess that, after all, there had been a better 

 issue to George's horsemanship than that which he 

 predicted. 



Old Cree, the engine-wright at Killingworth High/ 

 Pit, having been killed by an accident, George Stephen-/ 

 son was, in 1812, appointed engine-wright of the collier^ 

 at the salary of 100/. a year. He was also allowed thd 

 use of a galloway to ride upon in his visits of inspection 

 to the collieries leased by the " Grand Allies " in that 

 neighbourhood. The " Grand Allies " were a company 

 of gentlemen, consisting of Sir Thomas Liddell (after- 

 wards Lord Ravensworth), the Earl of Strathmore, and 

 Mr. Stuart Wortley (afterwards Lord Wharncliffe) , the 

 lessees of the Killingworth collieries. Having been 

 informed of the merits of Stephenson, of his indefatigable 

 industry, and the skill which he had displayed in the 

 repairs of the pumping-engines, they readily acceded to 

 Mr. Dodds' recommendation that he should be appointed 

 the colliery engine-wright ; and, as we shall afterwards 

 find, they continued to honour him by distinguished 

 marks of their approval. 





KILLINGWORTH HIGH PIT. 



