Robert Lister was the seventh child of John Lister and Elizabeth Tate born May 2nd at Appleton Wiske & christened May 14th, 1803 at St Mary’s R.C Church, Craythorne, N. Yorks. His godparents were Joseph Neisam & Anna Hendray.
Robert married Elizabeth Fawell on May 11th, 1833 at Hilton, N. Yorks. Witnesses at the wedding were Richard Watson & Wm Preston (church warden). Elizabeth was christened April 30th, 1815 at Middleton-on-Leven, the daughter of Elizabeth & Watson Fawell, an innkeeper of Middleton.
Robert & Elizabeth lived initially in Co Durham where their first 2 children were born.
In 1841 Robert & Elizabeth (Lidster in census) were living in Middleton, Rudby in Cleveland, & Robert was an agricultural labourer. They had 4 children by this time – Elizabeth (7), Margaret (5), Jane (3) & Watson (1).
Sadly Elizabeth died, in Oct-December 1842 aged just 27 years, soon after giving birth to another daughter. Her death was registered at Stokesley.
Widowed Robert continued to work as an agricultural labourer in Middleton-on-Leven & in 1851 with him were Jane, Watson & another daughter, Mary. Living next door was Robert’s father-in-law, Watson Fawell, now a farmer of 14 acres & a licensed beer seller & his wife & daughter, Dorothy.
In 1853 daughter Elizabeth married William Thompson at Monk Hesleden, Co Durham.
Elizabeth & William, a miner, continued to live in Co Durham & by the 1871 census they were living in Thornley with their son Robert Watson & daughter Elizabeth. With them was Elizabeth’s sister Jane, a dressmaker, who had also been with them at the time of the 1861 census & a little girl Emma (5). In Jan-March 1881 Elizabeth died but the 1881 census shows William Thompson, now a grocer, continuing to live in Thornley with Jane & 3 children – Emma Lister (15), Joseph Thompson Lister (6) & Jane H Lister (1) all born in Thornley. Jane & William married later in 1881.
By 1861 Robert had moved to Stokesley & was living at Yard in the High St & was described as a farm labourer. With him was daughter Margaret, housekeeper, son Watson, a shoemaker, & a granddaughter, Mary E Lister aged 7 months (born at Stokesley)
Robert, now listed as blind, had moved again by 1871 & was now living at Tithe Cottage, Johnson’s Yard, Old Eston, N. Yorks. He was working as a daily labourer as was son Watson who was still living with him. Daughter Margaret continued to be housekeeper & granddaughter Elizabeth (Mary E in last census) was still with them. They had 2 lodgers – George Dale & George Mesh, both daily labourers.
In 1881 Robert was living in Old Eston with daughter Margaret now married to George Dale who was lodging with them in the last census. George was a railway signalman & living with them was a son William Dale (17) & Elizabeth Lister (20), a dressmaker, now described as sister-in-law. By 1891 William Dale had married Emma Lister (daughter of Jane Lister as mentioned above) & they were living in Eston with their 2 young children & Emma’s sister Jane Hannah. By 1901 William Dale was widowed & he & 3 children were living in Gas St, West Hartlepool & with them was Jane Thompson (Margaret’s sister) now widowed & described as mother-in-law & a retired grocer.
There is a death for Robert Lister in April-June 1884 registered at Middlesbrough.
The children of Robert Lister & Elizabeth Fawell were:
Elizabeth Lister christened September 22nd, 1833 at Sedgefield, Co Durham; died Jan-March 1881 in Thornley, Co Durham
Margaret Lister born at Sherburn & christened December 25th, 1835 at Pittington, Co Durham;
Jane Lister christened March 25th, 1838 at Middleton; died March 30th, 1905 at Thornley, Co Durham
Watson (John) Lister christened (John) March 29th, 1840 at Middleton
Mary Lister born July-September 1842 at Middleton