Henry Speed was the seventh child of John Speed & Jane Hall born November 7th, 1883 in Durham.
Henry, his 5 brothers & parents were living at Durham Row, Framwellgate Moor, Co Durham in 1891. His father was a joiner.
Henry was still living at home at the same address in 1901 & he was now working as a car man.
Henry’s whereabouts in 1911 are unknown, but in June 1915 he enlisted giving his address as Field House, New Seaham, Co. Durham & his occupation was labourer. Henry gave his next of kin as his eldest brother, John Speed, deputy overman of Blackhall Colliery, Durham. By the time he joined the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Henry had married. He married Alice Bignall on July 16th, 1916 at Southampton Register Office. Alice was born May 12th, 1887. He & Alice had a son, Robert Henry, born December 31st, 1916 at 141 Radcliffe Rd, Southampton. On discharge in 1918/19 Henry gave his permanent address as 61 St Denys Rd, Portswood, Southampton.
At the time of the 1939 register Henry, a general labourer, & Alice had returned north & were living at 30 Lansbury Drive, Chester-le-Street, Co Durham. Living with them was son William.
Son Robert Henry married Mildred Annie Silvester in 1939 in Louth, Lincolnshire.
In 1939 daughter Nellie was working as a domestic servant with the Witty family, the head of which, Joseph R Witty, was a Methodist minister. They were living in Mansfield Woodhouse, Notts. (Nellie was to marry Wilfred Hann in 1942.)
Daughter Mary became a mental nurse & in 1939 she was working at Coppice Mental Hospital, Ransom Rd, Nottingham. Later that year she married Herbert H Clarke in Worksop, Nottingham.
Son Robert Henry married Mildred Annie Silvester in 1939 in Louth, Lincolnshire.
Son William married Josephine Ridley Byers in 1944 in North Durham.
Henry, aged 80, died in April-June 1964 in Durham North.
Alice died in April-June 1975 in Durham West.
The children of Henry Speed & Alice Bignall were:
sp.1.6.1.5.2.3.7.1 Robert Henry Speed born December 31st, 1916 at 141 Radcliffe Rd, Southampton; died July-September 1997 in North East Lincolnshire
sp.1.6.1.5.2.3.7.2 Nellie Vera Speed born June 20th, 1918 in Southampton; died March 2012 in Birtley, Co Durham
sp.1.6.1.5.2.3.7.3 Mary Speed born March 30th, 1920 in Southampton
sp.1.6.1.5.2.3.7.4 William Speed born December 11th, 1925 in Chester-le-Street; died July-September 2002 in Sunderland