He wrote several books, as well as numerous papers on the subjects of railways and freemasonry, being active during the latter part of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

[16] It is uncertain where he was educated, as whilst several source states that he attended Rugby School,[1][17] his name is not listed in the printed register of alumni.

[14] He claims the Guild Masons at the quarry refused to work with him, but when he joined the Operative Society after a few days he received total support from them.

[14] Stretton was a prolific railway writer but there are wide and strong concerns about his fabrication of stories, inaccurate drawings, and long detailed lists of fictitious locomotives which he claimed had been constructed by several British firms such as Vulcan Foundry.

[14] This initiated Stretton into an attempt to make efforts to revive Guild Masonry and ensure the traditions were not lost.