Chapter 2

WYLAM AND DEWLEY BURN--GEORGE STEPHENSON'S EARLY YEARS.

Wylam Colliery and village--George Stephenson's 12-30 birth-place--His parents--The Stephenson family--Old Robert Stephenson--George's boyhood--Dewley Burn Colliery--Sister Nell's bonnet--Employed as a herd-boy--Makes clay engines--Follows the plough--Employed as corf-bitter--Drives the gin-horse--Black Callerton Colliery--Love of animals--Made assistant-fireman--Old Robert and family shift their home--Jolly's Close, Newburn--Family earnings--George as fireman--His athletic feats--Throckley Bridge--"A made man for life!"--Appointed engineman--Studies his engine--Experiments in egg-hatching--Puts himself to school, and learns to read--His schoolmasters--Progress in arithmetic--His dog--Learns to brake--Brakesman at Black Callerton--Duties of brakesman--Begins shoe-making--Fanny Henderson--Saves his first guinea--Fight with a pitman