As a child, Frederick Morton lives with his broken family in a Stepney slum, mudlarking on the Thames riverbank to survive. Through the sponsorship of Lord Bartholomew Forgill, Frederick gains a top-notch education. One night, however, staying at the Forgill residence, he witnesses a distressing incident that will haunt him through the years.
At twenty-five, now an engineer in Lord Forgill's steam engine company, Frederick falls for Clare, a young Frenchwoman. Forced to defend his suit with a 300-kilometre trek from Paris to the sea, Frederick discovers a talent for the Victorian-era sport of Pedestrianism.
When Forgill's son Percy terminates Frederick's employment, the former slum-dweller establishes his own stationary engine factory, part-funded by prize money from pedestrian competitions. While Percy plots their downfall, the next generation of Mortons travel to Africa and Australia, marketing their innovative engines. The family stakes everything on a public float, while Clare delves into the Forgill family's secrets.
The Pedestrian is a journey through another age, seen through the eyes of a family involved in a pivotal industry. It celebrates the power of engineering, explores a fatal rivalry, and condemns the inhuman cycle of intergenerational poverty.