Joanna Pallister was the first child of Cuthbert Pallister & Alice Wardle (nee Sutheron) christened August 7th, 1825 at Longbenton, Co Durham.
In 1841 Joanna was working as a servant in Low Felling, Heworth. Her parents were living at Felling Shore, Heworth at this time.
Joanna was still working as a house servant in 1851 for the Turner Family at Low Heaton Haugh, Heaton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
By 1861 Joanna was living with Peter Burn Davison & listed as married on the census. However, it appears that according to BMD marriage records they married in 1882. Peter was born c1827 at Busy Cottage, Heaton, the son of Mary & George Davison, a horse keeper. In 1861 Joanna & Peter were living at Quality Row, Whickham, Co Durham where Peter was an iron forger. Living with them was Peter's niece, Elizabeth Robson (17), a dressmaker.
Joanna & Peter were living at 1 Newbridge St, Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1871 & Peter was still a forgeman. Living with them was a niece Joanna Turnbull (10) from Yorkshire.
By 1881 Peter had become a publican & he & Joanna were living at Catherine St, Whitworth, Spennymoor, Co Durham. Living with them were Rachel Pallister (21) & Mary Ann Pallister (15). Rachel was a general servant & Mary was working as a barmaid. These were the two youngest daughters of Rachel & Robert Pallister [p.1.6.3.1.5], Joanna's cousin. Perhaps Joanna & Peter, having no children of their own, were taking care of the girls as Robert had died in 1879.
There is a marriage recorded for Joanna Pallister & Peter Burn Davison in July-September 1882 at Morpeth, Northumberland!
Joanna died, aged 58, on April 29th, 1884, at the Albert Hotel, Spennymoor.
By 1887 widowed Peter was the publican at the Albert Hotel, Catherine St, Spennymoor. An incident at the pub was reported by the Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough, August 30th, 1887. This involved a butcher of Tudhoe Grange, Robert Blenkinsopp, who had been forbidden to enter the pub, coming into the bar and ordering beer. Peter immediately seized him by the collar and asked him to leave, whereupon Blekinsopp struck him a blow in the eye. The jury considered the assault proved but considered there were extenuating circumstances. The defendant was ordered to pay 2s.6d but both he and Peter had to pay their own costs.
In 1891 Peter was living at 8 Catherine St, Whitworth & was still a publican. Still living with him was Rachel Pallister working as a general domestic servant. Sadly Rachel died, aged 31, soon after the census.
Peter died, aged 68, on August 7th, 1895, at Spennymoor. Probate was granted on September 9th, 1895 to his sister, Louisa Robson, widow. His effects amounted to £2,267.17s.3d.
It was recorded in the Shields Daily Gazette of August 10th, 1895 that an inquest was held into Peter’s death. His sister, Louisa Robson, stated that just prior to his death Peter had been away for a month at Tynemouth where he had a residence, & also to Grange-over-Sands. On returning to his home at the Albert Hotel he had argued with his barman, Tom Henderson, about disobeying instructions to not allow his daughter into the bar. Louisa heard angry words followed by a heavy fall. She asked Henderson to go for a doctor, but he swore & refused. Henderson’s daughter, Ellen, told Louisa that her father had said to her ‘he had given Peter his death blow’. It seems that Peter had a serious heart disease & would have died in the next few days according to the doctor. The verdict of death due to heart disease was recorded.