William was born c1810 in Fatfield, County Durham. I am finding difficulty tracking down a record for his birth as there seems to be a discrepancy in the records. On balance I think he was the child of Robert Pallister and Margaret Speed, though the only baptism record I can find says his mother was a lady called Mary Dawson. I really believe that was an error in the parish record, but for the time being I have no proof. I will keep searching though.

The other documents I have found for William all check out so, from the time of his marriage in 1845, I am as sure as anyone can be of the sequence of events in his life.

On the 18th of December 1845, William Pallister married Marianne (or Mary Ann) Welch at the parish church in Wingate Grange, County Durham. William was 35 and Marianne was 25. William's occupation was given on the marriage record as 'Sinker', which I believe is actually sinking the shaft for a new pit. Marianne was recorded as a servant. Their witnesses were Thomas Moore and Joseph Stewart Barker. The fathers of the couple were Robert Pallister and John Welch, both pitmen.

In 1846 William and Marianne had their first child, Hannah, she was joined in 1847 by Margaret who sadly died not long after her birth.  Two years later, in 1849, they had another little girl and called her Margaret after her older sister who had died.

They had another child in 1850, a son called John. Sadly John only lived a few days.

By the time of the 1851 census, William was 40 and working at Wingate Colliery, his occupation was described as Stone Work, which ( I think) fits in with the sinking of the shaft. His wife Mary Ann was 30 and Margaret was on the census as aged two. Their first daughter Hannah, was not counted in the family home as she was visiting with her Granpa Welch (Mary Ann's father).

When the 1861 census was taken, William was living and working at Usworth, he was recorded as being a coal miner and the family had grown. They now had another daughter, Isabella who was 8, as well as Margaret who was 12. Hannah still wasn't counted in the family home as she was now working as a servant and 'living in'.

On the 1871 census, William and his family were still in Usworth, There had been more sadness for the family in 1868 when their daughter Isabella died aged 15.  Margaret had married and Hannah was still working away from home. William and Mary Ann now had another son, William, who had been born in 1862.

At the time of the 1881 census, William was 71, he was still recorded as a coal miner. Mary Ann was 60 and their son William was 18 and working at the pit like his Dad. The family were living in Usworth, at no 14 The Square.

The 1891 census shows that William and Mary Ann were again on their own, still in Usworth but now at no. 2 Folds. William was 81 and no longer working but described as 'living on his own means'.  His wife Mary Ann died on 25th May 1891.

After Mary Ann died, I think that William went to live with his grandson William Pallister Richardson, at Railway Terrace in Usworth. That was the address on his death certificate when he died on 20th February 1893, aged 83.

His death was registered by his grandson William Pallister Richardson who lived at the same address.

William was buried on 22nd February 1893 at Holy Trinity Church in Usworth, the service was carried out by William Downard.