George Stephen, 1st Baron Mount Stephen bare-footed stable boy, he became the richest man in Canada and closely associated with George V, whose wife, Queen Mary, was a lifelong friend and confidante of the second Lady Mount Stephen. In 1829, Stephen was born at Dufftown, Banffshire, in a cottage built by his grandfather. He was the son of William Stephen (b. 1801), a carpenter, and Elspet, daughter of John Smith, a crofter at Knockando, Moray. His mother was a first cousin of the philanthropic Grant brothers of Manchester, immortalised as the "Cheeryble Brothers" in Charles Dickens' book, Nicholas Nickleby. Stephen began life as a boy running
Francis Dickens twelve years in Canada, only "edited" by Nicol. It is still frequently mistaken for non-fiction. Frank Dickens also appears in the science fiction novel that deals with the NWMP in an alternative history, "The Apparition Trail" (2004) by Lisa Smedman. In the novels "The Winnipeg Wolf" and "The Search for Spade" belonging to the "Inspector Bucket NWMP" series by Jeremy Allen the leading character, Francis Bucket, is based on Francis Dickens. He is played by Joe Prospero in the TV mini-series "". In 2007 a Fringe festival play called "Dickens of the Mounted" based on Nicol's novel toured several Canadian