LIVERPOOL FOOTPRINTS

STEPHENSON, George  [1781-1848]


Liverpool has a central place in the history of railways and no name stands more prominent in that history than George Stephenson, the Northumberland born engineer who despite being illiterate until the age of 18 established himself as the ‘Father of the Railway’. Etched into Liverpool history is Stephenson’s success with his locomotive Rocket in the Rainhill Trials of 1829. While working on the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Stephenson lived at 34 Upper Parliament Street, a house which still stands and bears a plaque commemorating his residence.


34 Upper Parliament Street L8

Plaque on 34 Upper Parliament Street L8

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING

There are many biographies of Stephenson available on the internet. Printed biographical works are available in abundance but one very readable account of his life is Hunter Davies'  George Stephenson: The Remarkable Life of the Founder of the Railways [2004].  Graham Trust's John Moss of Otterspool  [2010] provides a lot of material on the work involved in making the Liverpool-Manchester Railway a reality.

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