The Life of Robert Stephenson, F.R.S.

Drawing on first-hand testimony, this two-volume 1864 biography of Robert Stephenson (1803–59) traces his railway and civil engineering career.

From the steam locomotive Rocket to the Britannia Bridge, the work of Robert Stephenson (1803–59) helped consolidate the foundations of the modern engineering profession. Drawing on the testimony of relatives and contemporaries, this 1864 biography by John Cordy Jeaffreson (1831–1901) traces the career of this quiet industrial innovator.Relying on incremental experiment rather than leaps into the unknown, Robert Stephenson (1803–59) forged an influential career as a highly respected railway and civil engineer. From the steam locomotive Rocket to the London and Birmingham Railway and the Britannia Bridge, his work helped to consolidate the foundations of the modern engineering profession. Based on the first-hand testimony of relatives and contemporaries as well as correspondence and official records, this 1864 biography by John Cordy Jeaffreson (1831–1901), published only five years after Stephenson's death, tells the story of this quiet industrial innovator. Five chapters by engineer William Pole (1814–1900) provide a more technical insight, examining some of Stephenson's most significant railway bridges and his involvement with the atmospheric system. Volume 1 traces Robert's early life, carefully moulded by his father George, and also covers the building of the London and Birmingham Railway.