The father of the railways
Edward Pease
Although George Stephenson provided the train for the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the first steam-powered public railway in the world, Edward Pease provided the opportunity!
Edward Pease was born in Darlington in 1767 and spent the first part of his life trading wool around the country for the family business. However he gave up the business at the age of 50 to concentrate on his real passion - his vision of a railway to link the collieries of County Durham with the port at Stockton.
Pease persuaded other local businessmen to invest in the project and his plans were authorised by Parliament in 1821. Pease orginally intended to build a horse-drawn railway but was persuaded otherwise following a meeting with George Stephenson who boasted his steam locomotive was "worth fifty horses".
The Stockton and Darlington Railway was opened on 27th September 1825, but Pease missed the great celebration as his son, Isaac, had died the previous day.
In 1829 Pease retired and was replaced by his son, Joseph Pease. Edward Pease was elected MP for Durham South in 1832 and died at the incredible age of 91 in 1858.
Submitted by: Sarah McLusky, 15 April 2003
