Great Aunt of
W.P. 'Bill' Richardson
Isabella Pallister Richardson was
born in Usworth in the last quarter of 1869, the second
child of Robert Richardson and his wife Margaret (nee
Pallister).
She was baptised on 2nd January 1870 and her baptism was
recorded in the Primitive Methodist Register for South
Shields Circuit. The entry shows that Isabella's Dad was
a miner and the family lived at Usworth Colliery.
In 1871 she was recorded in the family home at Middle
Row in Usworth aged one.
Ten years later in the 1881 census, the family had moved
to 51, Railway Terrace and Isabella was 11 and listed as
a scholar.
In 1885, when she was about 15, her father died in an
explosion in the pit at Usworth.
The 1891 census showed that the family were living
at number 11, Railway Terrace in Usworth. Isabella was
21. There is no occupation listed for her, but her
widowed mother was working as a Dressmaker and with four
brothers still at home plus an Uncle and a boarder in
the house no doubt Isabella was fully occupied from dawn
till dusk.
In 1894 Isabella, aged 24, married Leinan Gaunt.
By the time of the 1901 census Isabella and Leinan were living at 1,
Cooperative Freeholds (that word is unclear on
the census image!), in Washington Village in the parish
of Usworth. They had two children: Margaret (Maggie)
Pallister Gaunt (4), who was named for her maternal
Grandmother, and John Gaunt (10 months) old.
Isabella's husband, Leinan, was working as a coal miner and her
younger sister Annie, who had also married, was living
next door at number 2.
The 1911 census recorded them at 8 Richardson Terrace,
New Washington. Leinan was 39 and
Isabella was 41. As well as their two older children
Margaret (14) and John (10), they'd had two
more children, Annie was born in 1903 and Ada was just
one month old. Perhaps because of the recent birth,
there was also a girl called Annie Jorden in the house
who was recorded as a domestic servant. I
assume she was there for the birth and to help with the
new baby.
Isabella was, in the family tradition, involved in
politics. I have found her mentioned in the school log
books for Washington Station Road School (which opened
in 1908). The entry is for 27th June 1922 and says she
was one of the school managers (which I think we would
know today as governors). It states she was representing
the Washington Urban District Council and her signature
is on the page.
In March 1926, Isabella stood for
re-election to the Washington Urban District Council, to
once again represent Usworth Colliery Ward, with another
Labour Candidate James Walmsley who was also looking for
re-election. I don't have a record (yet) of it, but
imagine they were both re-elected. Their election
statement centred on the issues that would have been
relevant to the everyday lives of the people in the
Ward, better housing, better sanitation and continued
expenditure for essential public services.
Isabella's husband, Leinan Gaunt died
on 28th March 1932, he was 60 years old. He was buried
in Holy Trinity Churchyard, Usworth and a gravestone was
erected to his memory. The inscription read:
In Loving Memory of Leinan,
Beloved Husband of Isabella Pallister Gaunt. Died March
28th 1932, Aged 60 Years.
Isabella died on 22nd August 1944, she was 74 years old.
Her address at that time was Hann Terrace, Washington.
The arrangements for her funeral were announced in the
Newcastle Journal on 25th August 1944 and the funeral
was on Saturday 26th August at Usworth.
On 1st September 1944, the Durham Chronicle published a
report of her funeral with a short obituary:
[..] Mrs Gaunt represented the Women's Section, Usworth
and Washington Labour Party, on the Washington Urban
Council, a position she held for a number of years. She
was also a member for years of Chester -le-Street
Guardians and was a governor of Washington Alderman
Smith Secondary School. Mrs Gaunt had been attached to
the women's section since its inception and was an
ardent worker. [..}
She was buried beside her husband and her name was added
to the gravestone.
Her inscription reads:
The Above, Isabella Pallister
Gaunt Died August 22nd 1944, Aged 74 Years.
and at the bottom of the stone it
says :
Until The Day Break. |
