Rediscovered headstone honors early S&DR engine driver

Robert Morrow’s Legacy in Railway History

The stone is dedicated to Robert Morrow, “late of Darlington.” A sentence carved in italics beneath his name states: “The above opened the Stockton & Darlington Railway which was the first Railway opened for Public Traffic in England.”

Details of Robert Morrow’s Contributions

Robert Morrow’s death notice, placed in papers in both Leeds and Darlington in April 1862, noted that he had taken charge of the “first locomotive engine” on the S&DR. His place in history was slightly exaggerated.

James Stephenson, brother of George, drove the No 1 engine that opened the S&DR on September 27, 1825. By the end of that year, Robert had taken charge of No 2 engine, called Hope.

Early Railway Drivers

Robert was part of a select group of drivers, including William Gowland, Michael Law, and John Cree. They operated the first four locomotives built by Robert Stephenson & Company during a time of doubt about steam power. Robert earned 22 shillings per week, minus three shillings a month for lodgings, at the end of 1825.

He was likely one of several experienced colliery enginemen that George Stephenson brought from Killingworth in Northumbria to work on the new railway.

Challenges with the Engine Hope

Hope No 2 arrived on November 1, 1825, but took a week to get running. It was not very reliable and was “exceedingly damaged” on October 1, 1827, when it ran away on Stockton Quayside.

Robert, known as “Auld Robert,” was an ally of Timothy Hackworth, another Northumbrian who worked on the S&DR. He helped Hackworth build Royal George in 1827, which had a revolutionary blastpipe, and worked on Sans Pareil, Hackworth’s famous engine that participated in the 1829 Rainhill Trials.

Final Years and Museum Acquisition

Robert died in 1862 at the age of 73 at the home of his son-in-law, Thomas Ambrose, in Armley Hall, a district of Leeds. He was buried beneath an elaborate headstone in a chapel graveyard. In 1993, the Leeds Industrial Museum acquired the headstone.

The museum, located in Armley Mills, once the world’s largest woollen mill, is currently undergoing a £1.1 million restoration. The headstone will feature in the locomotives gallery.

Curator’s Remarks

John McGoldrick, curator of industrial history at Leeds Museums and Galleries, stated: “The railways have become such a huge part of the story of British industry. Certain engines, lines, and individuals have become household names.”

He added, “Lesser-known figures like Mr. Morrow played their own key role in establishing the foundations of what was a massive, exciting, and innovative leap forward in travel. It seems fitting that we’re able to pay tribute to his legacy today.”