This is a short myth busting discussion with slides of just over 10 minutes, between Caroline Hardie and Niall Hammond both Trustees of the Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The story goes…..on Thursday 19th April 1821, an important, life changing meeting took place at Pease’s House in Darlington. George Stephenson (with an accent so strong he could barely be understood) and Nicholas Wood unexpectedly arrived at Pease’s house to talk railways and initially they were turned away. Before knocking at the door they either changed or removed their shoes at the Bulmer Stone on the opposite side of the road. Or did they?
S&DR Myth Busting. Was the meeting between Pease, Stephenson and Wood in 1821, a barefoot lie?
Why didn’t they get the coach from Newcastle direct to Darlington instead of having to walk from Syockton?
Don’t tell me that the site of Pease’s house in Northgate is not as is thought.
They said it was because they wanted to familiarise themselves with part of the route before meeting Pease. So by doing this they could visit the bit between Stockton and Darlington (although by one account it was getting dark!). There is a version of the tale that said they thought they might also knock on the door of Raisbeck in Stockton but he wasn’t in. I doubt that somehow for all the reasons they wouldn’t have just popped in unannounced to see Pease.
Many thanks to Caroline and Niall for this. I always thought there were some oddities about the story which you have unravelled nicely.
On the street elevation; I’m not sure that the house you identify was where Edward lived. It is marked on the drawing as being owned by him but then he owned a lot of property in Northgate. I think this section of the street is closer to the town centre so that his own house is not shown. The street numbering has been changed which doesn’t help.
Please can you tell us what moves, if any, are afoot to do as Niall shouts and free the Bulmer Stone? The blocking of Garden Street opposite now creates a pavement space that could accommodate an element of street art where it could be relocated. One for a design competition? Would the council be supportive?
If we can’t hope to do anything about the house itself, this might just be achievable in time for next year’s bicentenary of the meeting?
Hi Matthew, Edward Pease’s House does require a bit more research. As you say he owned a lot of the properties in the town and there are two versions of that 1848 map, one of which has two properties which could be interpreted as his house. However I think we are in the right area. But I’d like to explore this in a future talk and before I do that I’d like to read the very difficult to get hold of publication published by the local history society. Tackling Pease’s house is part of the Heritage Action Zone Development Plan so there is a commitment to doing something, but obviously it is still in private ownership. Personally I’d like to see a partial restoration of his gardens to the rear too but that would mean losing a car park in Garden Street which would go down like a lead balloon amongst car drivers. And that end of town is already struggling. Generally regarding Garden Street and Pease’s house – the council are supportive.
Fascinating talk, brought the episode/s “to life” and confirms that so much was not recorded near the time. The circle of “the influential” on Tyneside and Darlington/North Yorkshire were probably known to each other more than we might think; the ones who would have known more than is recorded never seems to include e.g. the Brandlings of Gosforth whose agent would have reported on activity at Killingworth.
Thanks Paul. I think it is important as we approach 2025 and the bicentenary that we make as much as possible of the influence of the Tyneside Coalfield to the development of the railway so that in doing so we encourage visitors to travel throughout the NE not just along the S&DR corridor.