to and
married Fanny Henderson; and that long after the death of the latter,
when he had become a comparatively thriving man, he again made up to Miss
Hindmarsh, and was on the second occasion accepted. This is the popular
story, and different versions of it are current. Desirous of
ascertaining the facts, the author called on Thomas Hindmarsh, Mrs.
Stephenson's brother, who assured him that George knew nothing of his
sister until he (Hindmarsh) introduced him to her, at George's express
request, about the year 1818 or 1819. The author was himself originally
attracted by the much more romantic version of the story, and gave
publicity to it many years since; but after Mr. Hindmarsh's explicit
statement, he thought fit to adopt the soberer, and perhaps, the truer
view.

{130} The first clause in any railway act, empowering the employment of
locomotive engines for the working of passenger traffic.

{131} This incident, communicated to the author by the late Edward
Pease, has since been made the subject of a fine picture by Mr. A.
Rankley, A.R.A., exhibited at the Royal Academy Exhibition of 1861.

{144} Middlesborough does not furnish the only instance of the
extraordinary increase of population in certain localities, occasioned by
railways. Hartlepool, in the same neighbourhood, has in thirty years
increased from 1330 to above 15,000; and Stockton-on-Tees from 7763 to
above 16,000. In 1831 Crewe was a little village with 295 inhabitants;
it now numbers upwards of 10,000. Rugby and Swindon have quadrupled
their population in the same time. The railway has been the making of
Southampton, and added 30,000 to its formerly small number of
inhabitants. In like manner the railway has taken London to the
sea-side, and increased the population of Brighton from 40,000 to nearly
100,000. That of Folkestone has been trebled. New and populous suburbs
have sprung up all round London. The population of Stratford-le-Bow and
West Ham was 11,580 in 1831; it is now nearly 40,000. Reigate has been
trebled in size, and Redhill has been created by the railway.
Blackheath, Forest Hill, Sydenham, New Cross, Wimbledon, and a number of
populous places round London, may almost be said to have sprung into
existence since the extension of railways to them within the last thirty
years.

{147} Lives of the Engineers, vol. i. p. 371.

{189} Mr. Gooch's letter to the author, December 13th, 1861. Referring
to the preparations of t