About George Stephenson

George Stephenson was an engineer. He built steam locomotives for the first railways. Sometimes people call him 'the Father of the Railway'.George Stephenson was born in 1781. At this time Britain was starting to change from a land of farms and small villages to a land of factories and big cities. This was called Industrial Revolution. By the time George Stephenson died in 1848, its new railways and factories had made Britain the richest country in the world.George Stephenson's son, Robert, helped him build railways. Robert was born in 1803 and died in 1859.Robert Stephenson built bridges too, and was a Member of Parliament. George Stephenson was born on 9 June 1781. His home was at Wylam, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Near where he lived there were coal mines. George's father worked at a coal mine. He looked after steam engines, used to pump water out of the mine.The Stephensons were not rich. George lived in a small cottage. The cottage is now looked after by the National trust. Visitors come from all over the world to see it.