Robert Stephenson

– Life:
– Involved in construction of 1/3 of England’s railway system by 1850
– Designed High Level Bridge and Royal Border Bridge on East Coast Main Line
– Developed wrought-iron tubular bridges with Hodgkinson and Fairbairn
– Worked on 160 commissions from 60 companies
– Built railways in Belgium, Norway, Egypt, and France

– Early Life:
– Born on 16 October 1803 in Willington Quay
– Parents were George Stephenson and Frances Henderson
– George worked as a brakesman and repaired shoes
– Stephenson grew up in Dial Cottage, Killingworth
– Installed a sundial with his father

– Achievements:
– Decorated in Belgium, France, and Norway
– Elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1849
– Served as president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
– Served as president of the Institution of Civil Engineers
– Funeral cortège passed through Hyde Park, an honor from Queen Victoria

– Marriage and Political Career:
– Married Frances Sanderson in 1829
– Couple had no children
– Elected Member of Parliament for Whitby in 1847
– Declined a British knighthood
– Remained unmarried after Frances’ death in 1842

– Legacy:
– Death widely mourned
– Buried in Westminster Abbey
– Known for significant contributions to railway engineering
– Influence on bridge design with tubular structures
– Contributions recognized through various decorations and honors

Robert Stephenson (Wikipedia)

For other people named Robert Stephenson, see Robert Stephenson (disambiguation).

For the Scottish designer and builder of lighthouses, see Robert Stevenson (civil engineer).

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Robert Stephenson FRS HFRSE FRSA DCL (16 October 1803 – 12 October 1859) was an English civil engineer and designer of locomotives. The only son of George Stephenson, the "Father of Railways", he built on the achievements of his father. Robert has been called the greatest engineer of the 19th century.

Robert Stephenson
Stephenson in 1856
Born	(1803-10-16)16 October 1803 Willington Quay, Northumberland, England
Died	12 October 1859(1859-10-12) (aged 55) London, England
Resting place	Westminster Abbey
Alma mater	University of Edinburgh
Spouse(s)	Frances Sanderson (m. 1829–1842; her death)
Parent	George Stephenson
Relatives	George Robert Stephenson (cousin)
Engineering career
Projects	Rocket London and Birmingham Railway High Level Bridge Royal Border Bridge Britannia Bridge Victoria Bridge (Montreal)
Awards	Fellow of the Royal Society (1849) Knight of the Order of Leopold