In 1841 Thomas Blackett (1840-1888) was living in North Shields with Jessie Blackett, aged 60, who was born in Scotland, Ann aged 20, Margaret aged 10 and Jessie aged 4. Thomas married Christen Aitchison (1840/41-1902) in 1862 and their family remained in North Shields before moving to Yorkshire and finally to West Hartlepool. In 1881 Thomas was living there, his occupation being shown as a carpenter and mastmaker.
The Jessie aged 60 appears to be Thomas’s grandmother, who was also known as Jane or Jean and had been married to George Blackett, who died aged 60 in 1833 in Tynemouth, and George was the illegitimate son of their daughter, another Jessie. This line may run back to John Blackett of Earsdon by North Shields, but the connection is not completely secure. For a descendancy chart of George Blackett and Jane/Jean/Jessie please click here.