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« on: Wednesday 07 September 11 17:41 BST (UK) »
I suspect you will already realise that William Weallens was a family member and helped Henry get an apprentaceship at Robert Stephenson and company.
"The Rev. John Furness , of Ponteland, in 1822. William Weallens was born, on the 8th of March, 1823 and subsequently received his education under Dr. Cowan, of the Grange, Bishopwearmouth .
His mother, who was widowed in 1828, subsequently married William Hutchinson who had joined Robert Stephenson and Co. when the engine works was set up in 1823 and become works manager. It was probably Hutchinson who identified William’s potential as a mechanical engineer and enabled him to become a pupil of his stepfather on 3rd September 1838 apprenticed to Robert Stephenson and Co".
See ponthistsoc.freeuk.com - "Who was William Weallens"