Thomas Pallister [p.1.6.8]

Thomas Pallister was the eighth child of Peter Pallister & Hannah Garthwaite christened December 28th, 1770 at All Saints, Lanchester, Co. Durham.

Thomas married Mary Blackburn on November 16th, 1807 at Chester-le-Street after the calling of banns, both being described as of the parish. Witnesses were Margaret Horn (X), Michael Horn & William Pybus (church warden). Mary was christened on February 13th, 1788 at Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland, the daughter of Jane & Thomas Blackburn.

Thomas & Mary's marriage record from Bishop's Transcripts

At the time of the christening of their first son Thomas in 1809, Thomas was a butcher of Birtley. Thomas received £26 on the death of his father in 1809, a substantial sum at that time. His father also stipulated in his will that ‘all & everyone of my sons do quit all demands that they may have on my son Thomas Pallister’ – an intriguing statement!

By the time of the birth of their daughter Hannah in 1813 the family had moved to Havannah (between Birtley & Washington). It appears that Thomas had become a husbandman by this time & was described as such on the baptism records of daughters Hannah & Jane. By 1817 Thomas had returned to being a butcher.

By 1819 the family had returned to Birtley & were living at North Side where they continued to live until at least 1826. Mary gave birth to a daughter Margaret in 1819 who sadly only lived for 15 minutes according to the burial entry at Chester-le-Street.

At the time of the 1841 census Thomas & Mary were living at Queen St, Thornley, Co Durham & Thomas was still a butcher. By now they had 5 children at home – Mary (20), Peter (15) a coal labourer, John (15) a miner, William (14) & Robert (12). Living with them was daughter Hannah who had married Robert Hymers (Hindmarsh) in 1840.

In 1851 Thomas & Mary were with their daughter Mary Ann, now married to John Wilde, a coal miner from Earsdon, Northumberland. They were living at Birtley & also with them was Mary & John’s daughter Mary Ann Wilde & Thomas & Mary’s son William, a labourer. Thomas was still described as a butcher at the age of 81!

Thomas (Pallester), aged 86, died in Jan-March 1855 at Chester-le-Street.
There is a death for Mary Pallester, aged 77, registered in Oct-December 1856 at Chester-le-Street.

The children of Thomas Pallister & Mary Blackburn were:

p.1.6.8.1 Thomas Pallister born December 19th, 1808 at Birtley, christened March 26th, 1809 at Chester-le-Street, Co Durham; died at North Side, Birtley & buried December 10th, 1854 at St Mary & St Cuthbert’s, Chester-le-Street
p.1.6.8.2 Hannah Pallister born at Havannah & christened January 17th, 1813 at Washington, Co Durham; died Oct-December 1880 at Birtley
p.1.6.8.3 Jane Pallister born at Havannah & christened July 31st, 1814 at Washington, Co Durham; died April-June 1893 at Chester-le-Street, Co Durham
p.1.6.8.4 Mary Ann Pallister born 1817 at Havannah & christened January 5th, 1817 at Washington, Co Durham; died August 6th, 1880 at Birtley, Co Durham
p.1.6.8.5 Margaret Pallister born at North Side, Birtley & christened July 17th, 1819 at Chester-le-Street; died July 17th, 1819 & buried at Chester-le-Street, Co Durham
p.1.6.8.6 Peter Pallister born North Side, Birtley & christened November 12th, 1820 at Chester-le-Street, Co Durham, died at Birtley & buried August 7th, 1846 at St Mary & St Cuthbert’s, Chester-le-Street
p.1.6.8.7John Cuthbert Pallister born North Side, Birtley & christened August 29th, 1824 at Chester-le-Street, Co Durham, died December 31st, 1891 at Birtley
p.1.6.8.8 William Pallister born North Side, Birtley & christened November 12th, 1826 at Chester-le-Street; died Oct-December 1865 at Tynemouth, Northumberland
p.1.6.8.9 Robert Pallister born c1829 at North Side, Birtley; died 1883 at Chester-le-Street