Background
Stephenson was born on Waterloo Day, 18 June 1829 in mid-Atlantic.
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John Stephenson
Edit Profilefounder Tyneside businessman poet
Career
He was best known for his recitations. He started work at Sowerby’s Glass Works, manufacturesr of fine decorative glass items, at Gateshead and later moved on to a responsible post as representative for John Rogerson and Company (who it is believed were brokers and shipping agents) He was an active member speaking at meetings, his humour mimicry and use of the local dialects of Tyneside, Wearside, Teesside and Northumberland made him very popular and in great demand.
Some of his racy pieces also went down well on Tyneside.
He was also a notable artist and he entered many of his paintings in the Club’s annual exhibitions. These paintings were water colours and covered most aspects of rural life, including local scenes, farmhouses, half-ruined cottages, et cetera, and urban life in the form of scenes of Old Newcastle, many just before their demolition/removal.
His father, also John Stephenson, was well known locally holding a responsible job as a superintendent in the Tyneside chemical industry. His mother Elizabeth (1804–1878), was a daughter of Elizabeth (née Goirdon) and Doctor William Brummell, who was featured in several songs, in one William Purvis (Blind Willie) would sing of him and he is mentioned in William Oliver’s “The Newcassel Props”.
They travelled to India in the brig “Argo” and whilst in India at least three other children, Catherine Mary Layton (born c1836), Henry, and Indiana (sometimes referred to as Julianna – maybe at some stage it was transcribed wrongly), were born.
The family stayed in India for a period of 12 years before returning to Tyneside, and a further three further children were born after the family returned from India, Leonard, Albert and Alfred. In the 1841 census, the family were living at Peak Hill (now Ravenscar), Stainton Dale, North Riding of Yorkshire where father was described as an agent for Peek Alum Works. The 1851 census shows them living at Gateshead with mother as a widow (The father died before Catherine’s wedding in 1860), and according to the 1861 survey they were living at 11b Elswick East Terrace, Elswick with mother and just 3 children, John Atlantic having moved out by now.
Poems and songs Adam and Eve - A Wearside story Hawks"s Men at the Battle of Waterloo The Postponed Goose – A Wearside tale A recollection of Ned Corvan A Tow for nowt – A Tyneside story – A recitation – about a keelman who wanted a free tow from Jarrow to the “Mushroom” jetty in.
