The Stockton & Darlington Railway
only existed for a mere 38 years, yet the impact on the world
cannot be denied or measured.
On 13th November, 1818, a general meeting
was held at Darlington Town Hall and resolution was proposed
to apply for an Act of Parliament to construct a rail or tramroad
based upon the plan produced by George Overton. A prospectus
was produced "...The railway
is proposed to extend from Stockton to the collieries in the
Auckland district, by one continued main line, until it approach
to the coalfield, where it is intended to separate into the
principal branches..."Despite
a number of objections the Darlington Committee, formed in
1818, decided to bring their Bill before parliament in 1819.
In March of that year the bill came before parliament and
on 5th April 1819, it was defeated by 13 votes at its second
reading. To reduce opposition, substantial payments were made
to purchase land and the route was re-planned. And so on 19th
April, 1821, with little opposition in Parliament the first
Act of the Stockton and Darlington Railway was passed.On
12th May, 1821 at the Kings Head in Darlington, the committee
formed in 1818 was dissolved and a Railway Board of Directors
was elected:
John Backhouse
Jonathan Backhouse
Richard Blanshard
Robert Chaloner
William Chaytor
Benjamin Flounders
Rev. W.A. Fountaine
Thomas Meynell
Rev. D.M. Peacock
Edward Pease
Joseph Pease, Jnr.
Richard Peirse
William Skinner
William Skinner, Jnr.
At a further meeting, held later that day, Thomas
Meynell was elected Chairman, and a coat of arms was adopted
with the motto "Periculum Privatum
Utilitas Publica"
(At Private Risk for Public Service).
On the same day as the Act received the Royal
Assent, Edward Pease and George Stephenson met at the home of
Edward Pease in Northgate, Darlington and thus was forged the
foundation of the first public railway in the world.
A further Bill was placed before Parliament
in 1823, incorporating changes recommended by George Stephenson,
consequent on his survey carried out between July 1821 and January
1822. The Bill also included the provision to include steam
locomotives, and so when the bill received the Royal Assent
on 23rd May, 1823, the building of the first public railway
in the world made its first major step forward.
