Reviving the spirit of Stephenson
Nov 28 2008 The Journal
There is a widely held belief in the North East that the region is desperately lacking in entrepreneurial spirit. Professor Paul Younger, of Newcastle University, says there are good historical reasons for that – but things are certainly changing now
It’s not the demolition of the building itself that thrilled me; rather it was the consequence that it finally removed a terrible obstruction from the statue of Geordie Stephenson, who is (or should be) one of the greatest of Tyneside heroes.
It’s well known that Geordie Stephenson was raised in Wylam, where he took up his dad’s trade: using steam engine technology to pump water from the local colliery, known as the Jack Pit.
What’s less well known is that it was one of the wettest pits in the country. So young Geordie faced an extraordinary challenge; but instead of wilting in the face of it, he optimised steam technology, thus making it possible for many others to continue their hard work, keeping the pit in profit and thus maintaining the livelihood of his community.
Having gained his mastery over steam, he then started thinking laterally: could he replace the horse-drawn wagons that drew the coals to the staithes with a more cost-effective haulage system based on the best of steam technology?
Having cracked that one, he moved on to perfect steam haulage for railways generally, bringing passenger railways to the world, and transforming himself into a fast-moving consultant who was instrumental in the development of train lines all over the UK.
His own lad – Robert – caught the same entrepreneurial bug, and became, if anything, even more famous than his old man. The recent reopening of the High Level Bridge, repainted in its original colours, provides an enduring testimony to Robert’s skills.
And by no means were the Stephensons alone – think of Armstrong with his hydraulic machines, Swan with his light bulb, and Parsons with his turbine: all inventions with their roots in coal dust and their lasting heritage in the global marketplace.
Yet, fast-forward a century and its commonplace to hear the North East criticised as one of the least entrepreneurial of all UK regions. What went wrong?
Well, I reckon that, along the way, as commerce expanded so much that humans began to feel like tiny cogs in a vast industrial complex, the word “entrepreneur” became besmirched. It came to be identified with ruthless owners of mines and factories, who’d evict any workers who showed the slightest glimmer of spirit.
Thus it was that, in pursuit of decent working conditions and a living wage, the North East became the foremost breeding-ground for what we’d now call “social entrepreneurs” – though none of them would have thanked you for calling them that. Many of these social reformers questioned the very basis of the “free market” system – calling for the means of production to be placed in the hands of the workers.
When the mines were nationalised after the Second World War, many of these reformers assumed paradise had been attained; though few maintained that view for long. So Geordies got used to working in large state-owned industries, and hoped that someone, somewhere, would make decisions that really helped the people at the bottom of the pile. When that turned out to be a forlorn hope, several generations had already been denied any experience of controlling their own destiny.
So now we look to today’s youngsters, seeking the rising stars and future leaders in the North East. Fortunately, many of them have lost the inhibitions of yesteryear, and are again displaying the sort of entrepreneurial spirit that Geordie Stephenson would recognise. Most of them are developing small businesses, with only a few people involved in both owning and running their companies’ affairs. Maybe it’s not the model our forebears first thought of, but these are certainly examples of “workers owning the means of production”.
In the region’s universities, we are proud of our track record in exposing youngsters – both natives and those who choose to come here from afar – to the possibilities of enterprise. For instance, at Newcastle University our careers service is one of the most entrepreneurial in the country, with a business start-up team that helps students turn bright ideas into viable companies.
We even constructed purpose-built premises to make this easier: The Hatchery gives students from any background specialist business advice and support, professional office facilities and grants for start-up companies. Our students also benefit greatly from the generosity of five “entrepreneurs in residence”, who help them to build up networks of business contacts, and to overcome the early hurdles to successfully launching companies. All of these services are offered free of charge. We have many, many success stories to share. An annual Enterprise Challenge gives prizes to the student teams who come up with the best ideas for new companies. Four years ago, the winning team went on to win the Students in Free Enterprise World Cup.
As good old Geordie Stephenson once more becomes appropriately visible on his plinth by the Central Station, many new departures are lined up for exciting journeys, thanks to the enterprising spirit of modern-day Geordies, both native and adopted.
Professor Paul Younger is pro-vice-chancellor (engagement) at Newcastle University
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