Joyce Pallister, who worked as a primary school teacher in Penrith for her entire career, has died at the age of 94.
A dedicated and able teacher, she will be remembered fondly by generations of Penrithians who benefited from and enjoyed the classes she took. She was one of the last surviving teachers of the town’s schools whose career stretched back to the end of the 1940s.
Born in Penrith, Joyce was one of three children of the late Henry and Evelyn Kellet — nee Stalker — who were both from old town families. Evelyn’s sister, Edith Poppleton, for many years ran a sweet shop in King Street. Joyce had a sister, Marjorie, and brother, Joe, who both lived their entire lives in Penrith.
She grew up on Penrith’s Carleton Road and won a scholarship to the town’s Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, starting in September, 1939, just as the Second World War broke out. She was at the school when the evacuation of pupils from Newcastle Royal Grammar School took place and well remembered the arrival of these children.
The family moved to Burnley in 1942 and Joyce obtained a further scholarship to Burnley High School for Girls, where she obtained her leaving certificate.
She then went to train as a teacher at Southlands College, in Wimbledon — part of the University of London — and obtained her teacher training certificate.
Sadly, her father died in 1948 aged only 55 and her mother four years later, aged 59.
In 1950 Joyce married Leslie (Les) Pallister, three years after her sister Marjorie had married Les’s elder brother, John. Joyce and Les lived near Greystoke for several years after they married at Laithes Mill House and ran the mill race which provided electricity at the time to the village.
Joyce and Les were married for 60 years until Les’s death in 2010.
Les worked on the telephones in Penrith, then was a sales representative for a London-based tea company. He would travel round Cumberland, Westmorland and the south west of Scotland selling tea and other items from his company car. He then moved to work in local government in the newly built Carlisle Civic Centre, where he remained for many years until he retired.
Joyce’s first brief teaching post, from 1948-49, was at St John’s Girls School, Workington. She then moved to Penrith’s Brunswick Road County Girls School, where she taught from 1949 to 1957.
In 1957, in partnership with Marjorie and John, she and Les set up an outfitters shop called Kay’s at St Andrew’s View. The business continued to run well into the 1980s, although Joyce and Les left it in 1962.
Joyce and Les then had two boys, Stephen and Simon, in 1963 and 1964.
Joyce returned to teaching in 1969, initially for a term at Robinson’s Infant School, in Middlegater, Penrith, before it closed in 1970 following its tercentenary celebrations. She then briefly taught at Brunswick Road Infant School before moving to teach at St Andrew’s Boys’ School — the Boys’ National, as it was much better known — from 1979 until 1989.
Ernie Dalton was the headteacher for most of her time there and other teachers included Clive Faulder, Tony Renkin, Betty Walsh and Fred Harrison. Joyce taught both her sons during her time there.
When St Andrew’s closed in 1979 — having run since 1816 as one of the early national schools — Joyce moved to work at Wetheriggs Junior School for the next 10 years until her retirement in 1989. During that time she completed a diploma in religious education at Lancaster University.
Following retirement she continued her link with Wetheriggs as a school governor. Edna Sharp was the headmistress and other teachers at the time included Mary Woods and Jean Sharp.
Joyce is remembered as a kind and very committed teacher by former pupils and fellow teachers. She never learned to drive and was a familiar sight to many pupils who saw her speedily walking up to Beacon Edge with her bag full of marked work.
Like many of their generation, Joyce and Les were very keen touring caravaners. They travelled the length and breadth of the country staying at Caravan Club sites. Their caravan tours continued in retirement until they were both well into their 70s, with their trusty Rover SD1.
Joyce lived for more than 60 years in the same house on Beacon Edge, Penrith, continuing after Les’s death to live at home right up to her death, supported ably by her carers, Hazel and Kaci Collingwood.
Joyce’s sons and their families survive her. Stephen, a tax and trusts solicitor, his partner Maureen and their daughter Aoife live in Cheltenham. Aoife shared her birthday with Joyce and has been studying at Cambridge.
Simon, who works in reinsurance in London, his wife Anna and their daughter Jing live in Ealing. Jing is in secondary school.
Joyce’s funeral is to be held at St Andrew’s Church, Penrith, on 12th June at 11am. Old pupils and former colleagues are welcome to attend. Walkers Funeral Directors, Penrith, have charge of the arrangements.
