George Stephenson The Remarkable Life of the Founder of the Railway

by Hunter Davies

Much is known about the achievements of George Stephenson and of his infamous creation, the Rocket, yet little is known of the man himself. This volume is a profile of the self-taught and often testy Geordie, whose Victorian invention is now the backbone of every nation on the planet.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

Edward Hunter Davies OBE is an author, journalist and broadcaster, and a former editor for the Sunday Times of London. He is the author of numerous books, including The Glory Game and the only authorised biography of the Beatles. He was born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, to Scottish parents. For four years his family lived in Dumfries until Davies was aged 11.

His family moved to Carlisle in northern England when Davies was 11 and he attended the Creighton School in the city. Davies lived in Carlisle until he moved to study at university. During this time his father, who was a former Royal Air Force pay clerk, developed multiple sclerosis and had to retire on medical grounds from a civil service career.

Davies joined the sixth form at Carlisle Grammar School and was awarded a place at University College, Durham to read for an honours degree in History, but after his first year he switched to a general arts course. He gained his first writing experience as a student, contributing to the university newspaper, Palatinate, where one of his fellow student journalists was the future fashion writer Colin McDowell. After completing his degree course he stayed on at Durham for another year to gain a teaching diploma and avoid National Service.

He lives in London.

Reviews

[Falcon Blackwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd read Hunter Davies' books on the Beatles and found them engaging, but I did wonder what this would be like. You see, I am a railway enthusiast. I bristle at the way the non-technical media make stupid mistakes when reporting about railways, or when film companies or TV producers always get the details wrong every time a train is in a scene.
Hunter Davies admits that he isn't an enthusiast. But while preparing to be outraged by him running roughshod over the facts, I found myself being entertained...and amused. He's such a good writer and applies himself so carefully to the subject that you can't help but be carried along as he dissects the great man's life for our benefit.
I was familiar with the Rolt book, but here Davies gives us the man, warts and all. He was something of a curmudgeon, pig-headed, obstinate, small-minded (a bit like a certain IK Brunel, perhaps?) and very ungenerous towards those who helped him up on his way to greatness. But Davies' descriptions bring him alive and you can't help rooting for him through the inevitable storms. There's a strain of gentle humour which runs through the book as well, rounding out the portrait where a railway enthusiast author would have only been concerned with getting dates and places right. Which Davies does, incidentally.
If you ever wondered what made old George Stephenson tick, get this book!

[Shaun Hand · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up from a bookstall at the Severn Valley Railway and decided to give it a go because it's by Hunter Davies (who Beatle biog I love and who also wrote Snotty Bumstead, one of my childhood favourites). I was a mad trainspotter when I was a kid, and still have a passing interest, but this book is generally just interesting about the whole era. Some parts of it - especially the chapter on George Hudson - show how very little has changed.

[DTG Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

The absence of any images diminishes the book

A major omission is the absence of any images -this really let's the book down since frequent reference is made to paintings, locomotives and places which still exist -not including any reproductions or photos greatly diminishes an otherwise readable book.

[William Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although written 50 years ago, this is a fantastic book about the father of the railways and puts into perspective how a man with ambition can achieve so much Would have made a better tv series than Downton Abbey

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a biography to read for my Book Riot 2016 challenge and this was available online from my local library. George Stephenson has always been a well known name in the North East, but I didn't know much of the specifics. I thought this was a decently written biography with a bit of humour running through it, and I'd recommend for anyone looking in to history of the North East of England.

[Jan Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual choice of book - a book group read. It was interesting to read of George Stephenson's life and work. I knew nothing more than his invention of the Rocket and he was founder of railways. Hunter Davies does a fine job in making a technical subject readable for non- geeks.