The celebrated London sculptor Edward W. Wyon (1811–1885) made busts of both George and Robert Stephenson, and in 1858 presented copies for display in Newcastle’s new Town Hall on the Bigg Market. This was an expression of the growing social standing of technical achievement and those who brought it about. In 1860 members agreed to raise a subscription to commission a further copy of 'our late lamented President' for the Society, a fee of 80 guineas being payable to the artist on satisfactory completion of the copy'. The bust was damaged during the fire of 1893.