The life of George Stephenson, railway engineer - Lighthouse ...

26 LIFE OF GEORGE STEPHENSON. [chap. ii.
and two daughters, lived and slept. It was crowded with three
low-poled beds. This one apartment served for parlour, kitchen,
sleeping-room, and all. The cottage went with the work, and
the use of it formed part of the workman's wage,—the Duke
being both the employer and the landlord.
The children of the Stephenson family were now growing up
apace, and were most of them of an age to be able to earn
money at various kinds of colliery work. James and George,
the two eldest sons, worked as assistant firemen ; and the
younger boys worked as wheelers or pickers on the bank-
tops. The two girls helped their mother with the household
work.
So far as weekly earnings went, the family were at this time
pretty comfortable. Their united earnings amounted to from
35s. to 40*. a week ; and they were enabled to command a fair
share of the necessaries of life. But it will be remembered
that in those days, from 1797 to 1802, it was much more difficult
for the working classes to live than it is now ; for money did
not go nearly so far. The price of bread was excessive.
Wheat, which for three years proceeding 1795 had averaged
only 54s., now advanced to 76s. a quarter; and it continued to
rise until in December, 1800, it had advanced to 130s., and
barley and oats in proportion. There was a great dearth of
provisions ; corn riots were of frequent occurrence ; and the
taxes on all articles of consumption were very heavy. The
war with Napoleon was then raging ; derangements of trade
were frequent, causing occasional suspensions of employment in
all departments of industry, from the pressure of which working
people are always the first to suffer.
During this severe period, George Stephenson continued to
live with his parents at Jolly's Close. Other workings of the
coal were opened out in the neighbourhood ; and to one of these
he was removed as fireman on his own account. This was
called the "Mid Mill Winnin;" there he had for his mate a
young man named Bill Coe, and to these two was entrusted the
working of the little engine put up at Mid Mill. They worked
together there for about two years, by twelve-hour shifts, George
firing the engine at the wage of a shilling a day.