William Pallister was the third child of Thomas Pallister & Frances Lamb (nee Brown) born April-June 1844 at Birtley, Co Durham.
In 1851 William, his parents & brother & sister were living at Look Out, Birtley.
William’s father died in 1854 & his mother remarried in 1857 to George Robson.
In 1861 William was living at Ouston Village, Co Durham with his mother & step-father. Three step-brothers & a step-sister were living with them as well as William’s brother Thomas Pallister. Both Thomas & William were coal miners.
William married Mary Ann Gou(n)dry on March 19th, 1864 at the parish church of St Mary & St Cuthbert, Chester-le-Street. They were both 19 at the time of marriage & William was a collier, like his deceased father Thomas. William was able to sign the register but Mary Ann made her mark. Witnesses at the wedding were Joanathan Blackburn & John Burnip (parish clerk). Mary was born c1845 at Chester-le-Street, the daughter of Matthew Goudry, a collier.
In 1871 William & Mary were living at Perkinsville, Pelton, Co Durham near to William’s mother & step-father. William was a coal miner & he & Mary had 3 children – Frances (6), Jane Ann (4) & Mary (1).
By 1881 they had moved to Concrete Houses, Ouston & William was still a coal miner. Daughter Frances was now a pupil teacher & other children at home were Mary, Elizabeth (9), Hannah (6) & Alice (3). Daughter Jane Ann was working as a general servant for farm steward Robert Richardson at the Farm House, Ouston.
William & Mary had moved to 5 Talbot Terrace, Birtley by 1891 & William
was now a coal miner’s checkweighman. Daughter Frances was now an assistant
school mistress & Jane was a dress maker.
Daughters Elizabeth, a draper’s assistant, & Alice were also at
home. Sadly daughter Hannah had died in 1885, aged 9. Daughter Mary was working as a draper’s assistant & lodging at Haswell Lane, Haswell, Co Durham at the time of the 1891 census.
Daughter Jane Ann (Jennie) married Anthony Kell in April-June 1892 at Chester-le-Street, a stone mason.
In 1901 William & Mary & daughter Alice were still living at Talbot Terr. William was described as a coal worker above ground.
Mary died in July-September 1906, aged 61, her death being registered at Chester-le-Street.
William died in Jan-March 1908, aged 63, his death being registered at Chester-le-Street.
No further records of daughter Alice could be found, but there is a report in the Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail of December 16th, 1910 which could relate to Alice. It was feared that a single woman named Alice Pallister of Lancaster Terrace, Chester-le-Street had been drowned in the River Wear. It was known that she had been to Birtley & was seen to have been returning home about 8p.m. but she never reached home. Her cloak & scarf were found on the bank of the Wear by a miner going to work at Lumley. Alice apparently was in the habit of visiting her sisters so her absence did not cause concern immediately. A later newspaper report of February 6th 1911 by the same paper confirmed that Alice had disappeared on December 6th, 1910 but nothing had been heard of her until some little girls saw a body in the river at Cleatershaugh, near Fatfield. It was identified as Alice Pallister.
The children of William Pallister & Mary Ann Goundry were:
p.1.6.8.1.3.1 Frances Pallister born April-June 1864 at Perkinsville, Pelton; died November 26th, 1932 at Stonecroft, Washington Village, Co Durham
p.1.6.8.1.3.2 Jane Ann Pallister born July-September 1866 at Perkinsville,
Pelton, died August 6th 1932 at Stonecroft, Washington Village Co Durham
p.1.6.8.1.3.3 Mary Pallister born April-June 1869 at Perkinsville, Pelton; buried August 6th, 1900 at Birtley
p.1.6.8.1.3.4 Elizabeth Pallister born November 13th, 1871 at Perkinsville,
Pelton; died Oct-December 1940 in Co Durham
p.1.6.8.1.3.5 Hannah Pallister born Jan-March 1875 at Pelton; died Jan-March
1885 at Birtley
p.1.6.8.1.3.6 Alice Pallister born April-June 1877 at Birtley, Co Durham