Robert Speed Pallister was the second child of Ralph Speed Pallister & Eleanor McCree born 1836 at Killingworth & christened May 28th, 1836 at All Saints, Newcastle.
In 1841 Robert was living at Benton Grange, Longbenton with his parents & younger brother Ralph (1).
By 1851 they had moved to Castle Eden, Monk Hesleden, Co Durham where Robert was now working as a miner as were his father & brother Ralph. Also at home were brother William (8) & sister Sarah (3).
In 1861 Robert was still living at home at Cargills Court, Wingate Grange Colliery, Co Durham. Robert, & brothers Ralph & William were all coal miners. Also at home were sister Sarah & brother John (10).
Robert married Elizabeth Thubrun on March 9th, 1862, at St Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle. Elizabeth was born c1836 at Hartley, Northumberland, the daughter of James Thubrun.
At the time of the birth of their first child (Mary) Eleanor in 1863 Robert & Elizabeth were living at 39 Tunstall St, Ryhope & Robert was an overman at the colliery. Sadly Mary Eleanor died in infancy.
Another daughter born in 1865 was christened Mary Ellen & by this time the family were living at the Davy Inn, Wallsend, Northumberland.
A report in the Newcastle Journal of January 24th, 1870 shows that Robert was of a sporting nature. The game of bowls was unusual in that the 2 opponents & the referee were all publicans. Robert was of the Davy Inn & his opponent Robert Dixon was the proprietor of a hostelry at Willington Quay. A good crowd came to witness the game which took place on the Town Moor, Newcastle, across a mile distance, with a stake of £10 per side. Apparently Robert led throughout the game & won by 30 yards.
In 1871 Robert & Elizabeth were living at the Davey Inn, Wallsend, & Robert was now an innkeeper. They had 2 children Mary Ellen (6) & Sarah Anney (5). They had an 18 year old servant Emma Sowerby.
Robert & Elizabeth had 2 more children – Elizabeth Emily, born 1867 who died in infancy, & Elizabeth Ella, born 1871.
In 1872 Robert became a member of the Tyne Lodge Freemasons according to the Freemason’s Register of 1750-1921. He was described as an innkeeper of Willington Quay.
Elizabeth died July-September 1880, the death being registered at Sunderland.
The children of Robert Speed Pallister & Elizabeth Thubrun were:
p.1.6.3.1.1.2.1 (Mary) Eleanor Pallister born at 39 Tunstall St, Ryhope &
christened August 28th, 1863 at St Paul’s, Ryhope, buried September
8th, 1863 at St Paul’s, Ryhope, Co Durham
p.1.6.3.1.1.2.2 Mary Eleanor Pallister born January 26th, 1865 & christened Mary Ellen Pallister on February 19th, 1865 at St Peter’s, Wallsend; died February 5th, 1948 at Winterton Emergency Hospital, Sedgefield, Co Durham
p.1.6.3.1.1.2.3 Sarah Annie Pallister born May 17th, 1866 & christened June 17th, 1866 at Wallsend; died January 30th, 1954 at Copsewood, 27 Chicken Rd, Wallsend
p.1.6.3.1.1.2.4 Elizabeth Emily Pallister christened September 22nd, 1867
at Wallsend, died Jan-March 1868 at Wallsend
p.1.6.3.1.1.2.5 Elizabeth Ella Pallister born September 22nd, 1871 & christened October 15th, 1871 at
Wallsend; died July-September 1949 at Gateshead, Co Durham
Robert remarried on March 16th 1881 at St Hilda’s parish church, South Shields. His new wife was Hannah Northorp, a widow. Robert & Hannah were both living at South Shields at the time of the wedding & Robert was a miner. The certificate was signed by Robert & Hannah made her mark. Witnesses at the wedding were Hugh Davison & W. Preston, a church warden. Intriguingly Hannah gave her father’s name as John Snowdon.
Hannah was born Hannah Young in April-June 1856 in Durham City, the daughter of Hannah & William Young, a miner. After the death of Hannah’s father, her mother remarried, her second husband being John Snowdon, a bootmaker of Elvet, Durham. When Hannah married her first husband, William Northorp, a fireman on the railway, on December 30th, 1873, a witness at the wedding was John Snowdon, her step-father.
At the time of the 1881 census Robert & his new wife Hannah were living at James Mather St, Westoe, South Shields & Robert had returned to mining. They had 3 daughters at home – Mary E, Sarah A, both pupil teachers, & Elizabeth E (9), all children from Robert’s first marriage. Daughter Mary Eleanor was to marry James Glanville from Cornwall in 1883 at Sunderland.
In 1891 Robert & Hannah were living at 10 Reservoir St, Wardley, Heworth, Co.Durham & Robert was described as a coalminer (stoneman). Robert’s daughter Ella (Elizabeth E), aged 19 was at home, as were three of Robert & Hannah's children – Hannah (8), Robert Speed (6) & Lilly (3).
Robert & Hannah were still living at Reservoir St in 1901, now at no. 48 & Robert’s occupation was unchanged. Their children Hannah, Robert, now a coal miner/driver, & Lily were at home.
Robert died Oct-December 1909, aged 74, his death being registered at Gateshead.
In 1911 widowed Hannah was living with her son Robert at 44 First St, Wardley Colliery & Robert was a stone worker at the colliery. Daughter Lily was still living with them doing domestic work. They had 2 boarders, both miners. The census states that they only had 2 rooms, so conditions must have been crowded! It was also noted that Hannah had had 4 children, only 3 of whom were alive.
Daughter Hannah had married James Carlaw, a miner, in 1905 & at the time of the 1911 census they were living at York St, Pelaw-on-Tyne with their 2 children Gladys (4) & Ethel (2). Daughter Mary Eleanor & husband James Glanville (50), a lamp examiner above ground at the colliery, were living at Southwick Rd, Sunderland with 4 sons.
Daughter Lillie married Robert Teasdale in June 1911 at St Mary’s Church, Wardley. Son Robert Speed married Elizabeth Ellison in July 1912, the marriage being registered at Easington.
There is a death for Hannah Pallister, aged 76, in Jan-March 1931 registered at Chester-le-Street.
The known children of Robert Speed Pallister & Hannah Northorp (nee Young) were:
p.1.6.3.1.1.2.6 Hannah Pallister born February 14th, 1883 at South Shields, Co
Durham; died April-June 1940 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne
p.1.6.3.1.1.2.7 Robert Speed Pallister born April 10th, 1885 at Bill Quay,
Gateshead, Co Durham; died Jan-March 1956 at Durham North
p.1.6.3.1.1.2.8 Lillie Pallister born November 29th, 1887 at Wardley, Heworth,
Gateshead, Co Durham; died January 7th, 1980 in Gateshead