Ralph Speed Pallister [p.1.6.3.1.1.7.3]

Ralph Speed Pallister was the third child of John McCree Pallister & Barbara Hall born November 10th, 1878 at Ryhope & christened December 11th, 1878 at Ryhope Colliery Wesleyan & Methodist Chapel.

In 1881 Ralph was at home with the family at 14 Gibson Terrace, Ryhope. Ralph had 2 brothers, John & William & a sister Ellen (Helen in census) aged 5 months.

Ralph was still living at home in 1891 at Gibson Terr & he now had 3 brothers & 3 sisters at home.

By 1901 Ralph was working as a mason labourer. He was still living with the family at Gibson Terr. Also at home were his 3 sisters Ellen, Margaret, & Dorothy & brothers Robert S, a general labourer, & Robert, aged 10.

Ralph was a member of the Ryhope Villa football club & in 1903 he was presented with a silver (gold centre) medal as a token of esteem by his clubmates at the club’s annual dinner. It had been one of the most successful years in the club’s history. Ralph was also talented musically too as he played the piano during the evening’s entertainment. (Sunderland Daily Echo & Shipping Gazette June 15th, 1903)

Ralph married Dorothy Ann Guthrie on January 31st, 1906 at St Paul’s, Ryhope. Ralph was living at Wallsend at the time of the marriage & was a store keeper. Dorothy was born December 19th, 1879 at Easington, the daughter of Arthur & Ann Guthrie. Dorothy was living at home with her parents at Nicholson St, Ryhope at the time of the wedding. Witnesses at the wedding were Arthur Guthrie & Dorothy Pallister, Ralph’s sister.

Marriage certificate of Ralph & Dorothy

Their married life was sadly very brief as Ralph died on February 28th, 1909, aged 30 & was buried at Ryhope Cemetery.

Dorothy remarried in July-September 1910, the marriage being registered in Sunderland. Her second husband was Robert Storey, born 1871 at Ryhope. Robert had previously been married but his wife Jane had died in 1909.

In 1911 Dorothy & Robert were living at 24 Smith St, Ryhope & Robert was a greengrocer hawker working for the Cooperative Society. With them were Robert’s children from his previous marriage – Leah (13) & John Brown Storey (5). Later in 1911 Dorothy gave birth to a daughter, Annie, who was to marry George Hedley Williamson in 1933.

A son Arthur was born in 1912 who sadly died in infancy. A daughter, Dorothy, was born in 1915, followed by another son, Thomas G, in 1916.

A report in the Sunderland Daily Echo & Shipping Gazette of March 18th, 1933 shows son Thomas, aged 16 of North View, in trouble with the law for breaking the windows of the new Secondary School in Stockton Rd, Ryhope. He & another boy had used catapults & heavy lead shot. They both pleaded guilty & were fined.

The 1939 register shows widowed Dorothy living at North View, Cowsgap, Sunderland & described as a general retail dealer with her own account. With her was her daughter Dorothy Storey & her son Arthur, a cabinet maker, born in 1919.

Dorothy died in July-September 1969 her death being registered in Darlington.