The Stephenson Family

The Stephensons' cottage at Willington Quay (long since demolished), birthplace of Robert Stephenson.

Origins of the Stephenson Family

The name Stephenson is often to be found in the North East of England, in Northumberland, Durham and Yorkshire. In many cases they can be traced well back to the late 17th Century.  "Our" family of Stephensons according to legend came from Scotland. The first actual record in Parish registers is of the marriage of Robert Stephenson and Mabel Carr at Ovingham in 1778. There are several Roberts in the family and this first one is always known as Old Bob.

When Robert Stephenson applied in 1834 for a Coat of Arms he stated that by family tradition they were descended from Hugh Stephenson of Mount Grenan, but it could not be ascertained with the certainty required by the College of Arms. There is a Hugh Stephenson of Mount Grenan who was "Clerk Deput to His Majesties most honourable privy council", and who died between 1696 and 1700.

The Carr family can be traced in Ovingham for several generations back. Mabel's father was George, assistant to the local dyer and bleacher and who figures in one of Thomas Bewick's end pieces.

Old Bob's family

Robert Stephenson and Mabel Carr had six children, James, George, Eleanor, Robert, John and Ann, between 1779 and 1792, and all the sons were involved at first in the coal mining industry. All four became Brakesmen of the winding engines at various collieries, which was a comparatively responsible position. As time went on they took other jobs, in some cases at the instigation of George, but sometimes on their own. Thus, John left his job as brakesman at Eighton Banks south of Gateshead to work at the South Street factory between 1826 and 1829 and may well have been involved with the production of Rocket.

James may have obtained his position as driver of Locomotion by George's influence but he certainly did benefit from it when he was drafted to George's Snibston colliery at Coalville.

Robert was the most independent as he only helped George for a short while at Bolton and Nantlle, North Wales.

George's sisters married into the coal trade but Eleanor's husband Steven Liddle finally worked at South Street as well as his son Stephenson Liddle.

Ann married John Nixon of Newburn and they emigrated to America where they lived in Pittsburgh.  We have a booklet which details the American connection.

Further Descendants.

George himself first married Frances Henderson in 1802 their first and only surviving child, Robert, was born in 1803 after they had moved to Willington Quay. Frances died in 1806 after giving birth the previous summer to their only daughter Frances only to lose her almost immediately.  George married again in 1820 to Elizabeth Hindmarsh, who pre-deceased him and thirdly he married his housekeeper, Ellen Gregory, in 1848.  From neither of these later marriages was there any children.