Irish-born James Gallagher and Mary McCorder married in All Saints, Newcastle on 19 Nov 1820 ( Although Roman Catholics they married in the Church of England, in accordance with the law of the day, but baptised their six children in Catholic Churches, St Andrew's and St Mary's.)
Their first child, Margaret, was born 12 Aug 1822.
In 1842 Margaret Gallagher had dtr called Mary Tierney.
On 1 May 1847, living at Benwell High Cross, she married John Tierney, son of Peter and Catherine Tierney, both of County Cavan. Witnesses were James McKenny of Lower Friar St, N/C, and Mary Gallagher.
On 13 July James Tierney was born, godparents were James O'Neill and Roseanne Gallagher, Margaret's younger sister.
On 5 Oct 1849 she had Margaret Tierney.
By Census 1851 Margaret is a 28 yr old widow with James and two dtrs, living with her parents and her siblings in Blyth.
By Census 1861 , Margaret Tierney , 38 , and James 13, are living with her unmarried brother Donkin/Dunkin/Duncan and her widowed mother, at 8 Cross Row, New Hartley Colliery. Her dtr Mary Tierney is living next door at No 9, with Duncan and Margaret's brother, John Gallagher.
On 17 Jan 1862, John and Duncan Gallagher and James Tierney, who was "known-as" Gallagher were three of the 204 men and boys who lost their lives in the New Hartley Pit diasater. The three of them, like most of the others, died from suffocation.
The dead are listed, together with ages, on a monument in Earsdon Parish Churchyard cemetery.
( These Gallaghers were not "mine" )
Michael Dixon,
Blyth
