Robert Wilson Speed was the first child of John Speed & Mary Foster born Jan-March 1853 & christened January 22nd, 1854 at Bishop Wearmouth, Co Durham.
In 1861 Robert & his parents were living at West Hartlepool & his father John was described as a seaman in the merchant service.
Sadly Robert’s father died in 1866 & the 1871 census shows Robert & his widowed mother living at Back Lower Archer Street, West Hartlepool. Robert was working as a clerk.
Robert married Sarah Stewart on June 6th, 1887 at Southwick, Sunderland, Co Durham. Sarah was born March 25th, 1858 at Southwick, the daughter of Barbara King & James Stewart, a mason.
Robert & Sarah were living at 7 The Terrace, Southwick in 1891 & Robert worked as a steward on a steam ship. They had a 1 year old son Thomas.
In 1901 Robert & Sarah were living at 2 Back Lane, Southwick & Robert was a labourer at the shipyard. They had 4 sons by this time – Tom (11), Robert (9), Harry (7) & James (4). Also living with them was a 65 year old uncle, Tom Stewart, a shipwright.
The family were living at 2 Kings Rd, Southwick in 1911 & Robert was now a general labourer at an engine works. At home were Tom & Robert, both metal moulders, Harry, a ship plate riveter, James, a grocer’s errand boy & William Ernest (9) who was at school.
Son Tom enlisted in the Army Service Corps in WW1. He gave his father as Robert Speed & his wife as Florence Morley, widow, & they married in 1915. There were 2 children – James Morley, step child, born 1903 & Gladys Speed born 1916. His address was 57 Devonshire Rd, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland. Tom died of broncho pneumonia in Salonica on Jan. 2nd, 1919.
A report in the Sunderland Daily Echo & Shipping Gazette of October 16th, 1914 stated that while working as a labourer for Thompson & Son shipbuilders, Robert fell 14 feet from some staging injuring his head & breaking his right wrist. The judge found in his favour & he was awarded 7s.6d. a week.
Son Robert married Elizabeth Graham Cook in 1920 in Sunderland. Robert had served as a gunner in the Royal Field Artillery in WW1.
Son Harry also served as a driver in the Royal Artillery in WW1 during which time he contracted malaria. In June 1917 his father Robert wrote asking if Harry was still in Salonica as he had not heard from him since February & a parcel he had sent had been returned to him marked not able to trace. Harry married Margaret Gray in 1921 in Sunderland. Harry & Margaret were living in Harold St, Sunderland with son William in 1939 & Harry was a general labourer.
Son James married Elizabeth A Dixon in 1920 in Sunderland. By 1939 they were living in Gillingham, Kent with son Frederick B, a book keeper & James was working in shipwright construction.
Robert, aged 79, died in Jan-March 1933 at Sunderland.
Widowed Sarah was living on her own at 15C Kings Rd, Southwick at the time of the 1939 register & described as an old age pensioner.
Son William was living in Florence St, Sunderland in 1939 with his wife Evelyn (nee Smith) who he married in 1924 & he was a hotel barman.
Sarah, aged 83, died on May 20th, 1940 at the Municipal Hospital, Sunderland & was buried at the Southwick Cemetery.
The children of Robert Wilson Speed & Sarah Stewart were:
sp.1.5.1.3.4.1.1 Robert Stewart Speed born at Pembroke St & christened February 21st, 1889 at Holy Trinity, Southwick, Sunderland; died 1890 in Southwick
sp.1.5.1.3.4.1.2 Tom Speed born at 4 Pembroke St & christened January 30th, 1890 at Southwick
sp.1.5.1.3.4.1.3 Robert Wilson Speed christened December 5th, 1891 at Southwick; died January 1970 in Sunderland
sp.1.5.1.3.4.1.4 Harry Speed born February 16th, 1894 at 2 Back Lane & christened March 14th, 1894 at Holy Trinity, Southwick
sp.1.5.1.3.4.1.5 James Stewart Speed born September 17th, 1896 & christened October 7th, 1896 at Holy Trinity, Southwick; died September 1989 at Sefton North, Merseyside
sp.1.5.1.2.4.1.6 William Ernest Speed born June 4th, 1902 & christened June 19th, 1902 at Southwick; died April-June 1949 at Sunderland