The 1871 census recorded them as living in Middle Row, Usworth with their first two children, Thomas aged 2 and Isabella Pallister aged 1.

In 1872 Margaret had another son, they named him William Pallister after his maternal Grandfather. Sadness for the family when he died soon after birth.

She had another son the following year, 1873, and they also named him William Pallister, this time to remember both his Grandfather and the baby who had not lived long.

The 1881 census showed them living at number 51, Railway Terrace, Little Usworth, Margaret was 32 and had six children, Thomas (12) and working in the pit, Isabella (11), William P. (8), Annie (5), Robert (3) and the baby was Ralph (11 months).

Margaret had her last child, John Robinson, in 1882.

1885 was the year of the Usworth Colliery Disaster, and Margaret's husband Robert was killed in the accident. She was now a widow and though her eldest child, Thomas, was classed as an adult she still had six children to raise. Life must have been very hard.

By the time of the 1891 census, Margaret was aged 42 and was working as a dressmaker. Her eldest child Thomas was no longer in the family home but William P. now aged 18 and Robert aged 13 were both working in the mine. Isabella was 21 and probably helped her Mam with the dressmaking. Annie was no longer at home, having gone 'into service' and the two youngest, Ralph aged 10 and John aged 9 were scholars. John Richardson, aged 60 and a coal miner (the brother of her late husband) was also living in the house as was Richard Berkley who was a boarder, aged 25 and a stonemason in the mine. Every penny would have counted with so many mouths to feed and though it would have been a very packed house, the money from the boarders would have helped a lot.

In 1892 Margaret remarried. Her second husband was John Patterson, a 51 year old 'Winding Engineman (above ground)' whose first wife, Mary, had died in 1889. John had been in Usworth for a long time but was originally from Whitehaven in Cumberland.

The 1901 census showed Margaret as M. Patterson, aged 52, living with her new husband at number 11 Pensher View, Usworth. Two of her children from her first marriage are also in the house, Robert ** Richardson aged 20, a general labourer and John Richardson aged 18,  a 'Horse Keeper (below ground) '

**I believe that the name listed as 'Robert' Richardson is an error and it was actually Ralph. By that time Robert was married and living elsewhere and he was 23 at that time. Ralph's age would have been 20 which would tally with the age given on the census and I can find no other trace of him in the 1901 census. Ralph, on his marriage certificate in 1905, gave 11 Pensher View as his address.

On 28th March 1903, Margaret's husband John Patterson died aged 58. This left Margaret as a widow for the second time.

Margaret died on the 19th October 1908 aged 59, she was in hospital in Newcastle at the Royal Victoria Infirmary and her home address was given as 6 Cooperative Terrace, New Washington. The cause of death was strangulated omental hernia. Her death was registered by her grandson, William Pallister Richardson.

Margaret's death and funeral arrangements were announced in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle on the day of her death. Her funeral service was at Usworth Primitive Methodist Chapel at 3 pm on 22nd October 1908, followed by burial at Usworth.