Mary Ann Pallister was the sixth child of Peter Pallister & Catherine Gerry born October 23rd, 1834 at Wrekenton & christened November 16th, 1834 at Gateshead Fell, Co Durham.
In 1841 Mary Ann was living at home with her parents & brothers & sisters at Gateshead, Co Durham.
In 1851 Mary Ann was working as a farm servant at the farm of widower George Rain (63), a farmer of 80 acres at Low Barnes, Durham Rd, Sunderland.
In 1858 Mary Ann gave birth at White House, Heworth to an illegitimate son, John Pallister, who was christened March 7th, 1858 at Heworth, Co Durham.
At the time of the 1861 census Mary Ann (Palister on census) & son John were living with Thomas Coulson, a quarryman, at Blue Quarries, Gateshead. Mary Ann was described as a house servant and with them was Christopher C Palister, aged 3 months. This was presumably another illegitimate child of Mary Ann as both she & Thomas were listed as unmarried.
Mary Ann married Thomas Coulson on May 4th, 1861 at Gateshead. At the time of the marriage Thomas was 42 & Mary Ann’s age was given as 30. Thomas was born January 31st, 1819 & christened February 28th, 1819 at Gateshead, the son of Elizabeth & Christopher Coulson.
By 1871 Mary Ann & Thomas were living at Eighton Banks, Lamesley, Co Durham with son John (now listed as John Coulson), aged 13. Thomas was a stone quarryman. Son Christopher had died in February 1863, his name being given as Christopher Pallister Coulson at his burial.
Mary Ann & Thomas were still at Eighton Banks, Lamesley in 1881 & Thomas was still a stone quarryman. Living next door to them was son John, now Pallister & his 25 year old wife & 2 children. John had married Jane Stewart Forbes, daughter of Jane Stewart & McKenzie Alexander Forbes, in 1876.
Thomas died in February 1889, aged 70, & was buried on February 28th at St Thomas, Eighton Banks, Co Durham.
In 1891 widow Mary Ann was living alone at Eighton Banks, but son John & family (now 5 children) were still living next door. Mary Ann was working as a laundress.
Mary Ann was still working as a laundress in 1901 & had moved to Sandy Lane Houses, Lamesley.
Mary Ann died in 1909, aged 74, & was buried on August 4th at St Thomas, Eighton Banks, Co Durham.
The children of Mary Ann Pallister were:
p.1.6.3.6.6.1 John Pallister born at White House, Heworth & christened
March 7th, 1858 at Heworth, Co Durham; died December 28th, 1915 at Chester-le-Street
p.1.6.3.6.6.2 Christopher Coulson Pallister born Jan-March 1861 at Gateshead,
Co Durham; died at Blue Quarries, Gateshead & buried February 24th, 1863
at Gateshead Fell, Co Durham