Our History

George Stephenson was born at Wylam, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on 9th June 1781. At the age of 14, he joined his father (a colliery fireman) to work at a local colliery. He was illiterate but ambitious and, at 18, began evening classes where he learnt to read and write.

In 1802 he was married and became a colliery engineman. The following year Robert, his only son, was born. His wife suffered poor health and she died of consumption in 1806.

In 1808 he became an engineman at Killingworth Colliery. Within four years he had become the colliery’s enginewright and, in 1814, he completed the construction of his steam-powered engine, the Blutcher, capable of pulling thirty tons up a hill at 4 mph. Engine design was not his only claim to fame and, in 1815, he developed a miners’ safety lamp (independently of Humphry Davy).

In 1823 the Robert Stephenson & Company of Newcastle-upon-Tyne became the world’s first locomotive builder. The first railway locomotive was, aptly, christened “Locomotion”. The Stockton & Darlington line opened on 27th September 1825 and large crowds saw Stephenson at the controls of Locomotion as it pulled 36 wagons filled with sacks of coal and flour. The journey, of just under 9 miles, took two hours and during the final descent into Stockton, speeds of 15 mph (24kph) were reached.

George Stephenson died on 12th August 1848 at his home and is buried in Trinity Church, Chesterfield. His name will always be associated with the creation of the railway system. By force of personality, and as a tireless and enthusiastic promoter of the concept of the railway, he achieved undeniable greatness and is seen as a true pioneer. In a letter to a contemporary, he once wrote ‘one day I shall astonish the world’. Without doubt he achieved his ambition and his words, translated into Latin, have been adopted as our College motto: ‘me quondam mirabitur orbis’. We hope that each and every one of our students will, at some time and in their own way, astonish the world.

FROM STOCKTON TO DURHAM

The College was until 2018, based at the University’s Queen’s Campus, in Stockton-On-Tees. 

Initially named University College Stockton, the campus welcomed its first cohort of 190 students in October 1992, with HRH Elizabeth II officially opening the campus in 1993. 

In 2001 Stephenson College and John Snow College were established, in line with the University’s collegiate traditions. 

In recognition of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee in 2002 and the tenth anniversary of the campus, Her Majesty gave permission for the University to change its title from University of Durham, Stockton Campus as it was previously known to Queen's Campus.

During Stephenson’s time in Stockton, the campus hosted a number of academic departments, including the School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Health, Durham University Business School and the Foundation Centre, as well as programmes in Biomedical Sciences, Health and Human Sciences, Psychology (Applied) and Primary Education. 

The colleges and academic departments based at Queen’s Campus were relocated to Durham City in 2018 and the campus now hosts the International Study Centre, offering International Foundation Year and Pre-Masters study to international students.

In 2018 -19 we relocated to Durham and Howlands Farm, where we took over the site previously occupied by Ustinov College.