Life of Robert Stephenson Timeline

The Stephenson Geneology

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.

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

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.

Abbreviated Family Tree - click here for more detailed version

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.

It is well known that George and Frances's son Robert, who married Frances Sanderson in 1829, had no descendants and neither did brother James's children nor Eleanor's children. Thus, most present descendants come through brother Robert or John.

It should be borne in mind that Stephenson is a very common name in Northumberland, Durham and Yorkshire and only a very small number of those bearing the name have any connection with our Stephenson family.

If you believe you may be connected the Trust would like to hear from you. Contact the Trust at rstrust@robertstephensontrust.com

Some notes on the name Stephenson

The name Stephenson is quite widespread in England but it is most prevalent in the North, particularly Durham and Yorkshire.

The spelling with ph or v was not considered important up to the early nineteenth century as the entries in the Parish registers were spelled as the vicar or parish clerk thought fit. It became more important as time went on with better education. Other spellings that are met with are Steavenson and Steenson. Our family, by tradition, came from Scotland, where it is fairly common, although there it is more often spelt with a v.

By the 1880s it is estimated that there were over 2000 nuclear families with the name Stephenson, consisting of parents and several children. No doubt many of these can be connected, depending how far back in time one searches. However, there can be no doubt that in the period of surname formation a number of different families were formed, as there must have been several Stephens who had sons.

Unfortunately our family cannot be traced with certainty before the marriage of “Old Bob” Stephenson in 1778, although there have been several suggestions but none proved.

The question of descendants is complicate by the marriage of daughters as they change their name to that of the husband, and this depends on the proportion of daughters to sons. In our family there are four times as many descendants who do not have the name Stephenson than those who do.