We are grateful to William (Bill) Pallister Richardson, 2x great grandson of William Pallister, for kindly providing information on this page.

William Pallister [p.1.6.3.1.2]

William Pallister was the second child of Robert Pallister & Margaret Speed born c1810, at Washington, Co Durham.

By 1841 William’s father had died & he & his mother Margaret, aged 55, were living at Killingworth Colliery, Longbenton, Newcastle. She was described as independent & William was a hewer at the colliery.

William married Mary Ann (Marianne) Welch on December 18th, 1845 at the District Church of Wingate Grange, Easington. At the time of the marriage William was described as a sinker & Mary Ann was a servant. Mary Ann was christened July 1st, 1821 at Longbenton, Northumberland, the daughter of Hannah Pallister & John Welch, a pitman. Hannah Pallister [p.1.6.3.4] was the sister of Robert Pallister [p.1.6.3.1] & therefore William’s aunt. So this meant that William married his cousin Mary Ann.

William & Mary Ann's marriage certificate

In 1851 William & Mary Ann (Pallistor in Ancestry.co.uk index) were living at Wingate, Co Durham & William was a stone worker. They had a 2 year old daughter Margaret with them. Five year old daughter Hannah was visiting her grandfather John Welch at New Row, Willington, Northumberland at the time of the census. The family moved further north in Co Durham from Wingate to Seaton Colliery by 1852, where their next daughter Isabella was born.

In 1852 William had a narrow escape while working underground at Trimdon Colliery. The Morning Chronicle of January 31st, 1852 reported an explosion having taken place killing 3 men & injuring a number of others, including William who was severely bruised.

At the time of the birth of daughter Isabella in 1852 William was a miner at Seaham Colliery, Co Durham.

By 1861 William & Mary Ann were living at Usworth, in the north of County Durham & William was now described as a coal miner. In addition to Margaret they had a daughter Isabella (8). Daughter Hannah was again not with her parents, but working as a general servant for Thomas Noble, a fire brick manufacturer & his family at Whitefield Pit, Painshaw (also known as Penshaw), Co Durham.

At the time of the birth of their son William in 1862 the family were living at Inkerman, near Tow Law, Co Durham. There was a colliery at Inkerman where presumably William worked.

William & Mary Ann were still living at Usworth at the Square in 1871. William was still a miner & they now had a son William aged 8, the only child at home. Sadly daughter Isabella had died in 1868, aged 15. Hannah was still working in domestic service for a widow Mary Story at 2 Winchester Terrace, Westgate, Newcastle. Daughter Margaret had married Robert Richardson in 1868 & she & Robert were living in Usworth with their 2 children Thomas (2) & Isabella (1).

William & Mary Ann were still at 14 The Square, Usworth in 1881 with their son William who was a coal miner putter. At the age of 71 William was still working as a coal miner. Sadly son William died in 1885, aged just 22 years, the cause of death being peritonitis & the informant was his sister, Margaret.

In 1891 William was living on his own means & he & Mary Ann were living at 2 Folds, Usworth.

Mary Ann died May 25th, 1891, aged 71, the death being registered by her grandson Thomas Richardson. Thomas was the son of William & Mary Ann's daughter Margaret who had married Robert Richardson in 1868. Mary Ann was buried at Holy Trinity, Usworth.

William died on February 20th, 1893, aged 83, at Railway Terrace, Usworth Colliery & was buried on February 22nd at Holy Trinity, Usworth. The cause of death was given as senile degeneration & bronchitis & the informant was his grandson William Pallister Richardson.

The children of William Pallister & Mary Ann Welch were:

p.1.6.3.1.2.1 Hannah Pallister born at Wingate & christened April 12th, 1846 at Holy Trinity, Wingate Grange; died 1900 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne
p.1.6.3.1.2.2 Margaret Pallister born at Wingate & christened September 16th, 1847 at Holy Trinity, Wingate Grange; buried September 25th, 1847 at Holy Trinity, Wingate Grange
p.1.6.3.1.2.3 Margaret Pallister born 1849 at Wingate & christened February 26th, 1849 at St Bartholemew’s, Thornley (by Kelloe), Co Durham
p.1.6.3.1.2.4 John Pallister born December 1850 at Wingate; buried December 19th, 1850 at Holy Trinity, Wingate Grange
p.1.6.3.1.2.5 Isabella Pallister born at Seaton Colliery in 1852 & christened January 23rd, 1853 at St Mary the Virgin, Seaham, Co Durham; died March 27th & buried March 29th, 1868 at Holy Trinity, Usworth
p.1.6.3.1.2.6 William Pallister born at Inkerman & christened December 25th, 1862 at Usworth, Co Durham; died August 17th, 1885 at 9 Oxhill, Kyo & buried August 20th, 1885 at Holy Trinity, Usworth