Thomas Moffatt Allison was born in 1861 in Guisbrough, North Yorkshire, the son of a mining engineer. He appears to have moved to Newcastle some time during the 1890s and begun working at Dene House Hospital, a private hospital in Ellison Place, Newcastle. He was heavily involved with the Poor Children's Holiday Association holding the role of Honorary Physician as well as sitting on its General Management Committee.

Through his position with the PCHA he was instrumental in the establishment of Stannington Sanatorium bringing the huge problem of tuberculosis to the attention of the committee and assisting in the design of the sanatorium. His early thoughts on the matter were conveyed to the PCHA's governing committee as such:

"One could not but be struck with the great lack there was of suitable provision for consumptive children of the poor classes, hospitals where they could be saved, and the public saved from further infection. He thought that it was their bounden duty, as an Association dealing with the poor of that great city, to do what they could to save the children. The great difficulty so far has been to find accommodation for children suffering in the early stages of consumption. The children had to go to their homes in the slums to die and infect others. The question was: 'Would the public help to save the children?'"

1905 Annual Report

Following the opening of the sanatorium Allison's role continued in the form of visiting physician. He made regular trips and often brought gifts for the children including sweets and records for their gramophone. We also know from the sanatorium school log books that the son of Dr Allison, or Major Allison as he was known during the war years, also visited the sanatorium in August 1917. Dr Allison died in Newcastle on 9th October 1928.

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