Joseph Speed was the first child of Jacob Speed & Isabella Hall (nee Tones) born April 17th, 1876 at Hetton-le-Hole, Co Durham.
Joseph & his parents were living at Easington Lane, Hetton-le-Hole in 1881 where his father was an innkeeper. Joseph had 2 younger sisters as well as 2 older step-sisters & a step-brother.
Joseph’s father died in 1890 & in 1891 he was living with his mother at the Commercial Inn, Front St, Hetton-le-Hole where she was the innkeeper. Two of his sisters were still at home as well as his step-brother.
Joseph married Ada Grace Hesp in July-September 1898 in Durham. Ada was born August 30th, 1875 in Durham City, the daughter of Mary Ellen & Matthew Hesp, a horse shoer.
Following in the family trade Joseph became a publican. In 1901 he & Ada were living at the Masons Arms, Haswell, Co Durham. With them was a nephew Ernest Foster, aged 5.
In 1911 Joseph & Ada were listed at The Abyssinian Hotel, Hetton-le-Hole & Joseph was the publican. They now had a daughter, Isabella, aged 8. Nephew Ernest Forster, a pony driver, continued to live with them & another nephew, Arthur Forster (17) who was a coal miner putter.
In the 1920s Joseph & Ada lived at Lamb’s Buildings, Bog Row, Hetton-le-Hole.
Daughter Isabella married Albert Jones, a coal miner, in 1927 at Houghton.
At the time of the 1939 register Joseph was living with nephew Ernest H Forster & his wife Ellen & their daughter at 22 Allendale St, Hetton. Joseph, still listed as married, was now a brewer’s drayman. Ada was listed with daughter Isabel & her husband Albert Jones & family at 10 Glens Flats, Durham.
Ada of 10 Stafford St, Hetton-le-Hole died on October 16th, 1940 at 13 Jubilee St, New Brancepeth, the home of daughter Isabella. Ada was buried at Ushaw Moor Cemetery.
Joseph, aged 86, died at 4 Vicarage Terrace, Coxhoe in January 1963 & was buried January 30th at Ushaw Moor Cemetery.
The children of Joseph Speed & Ada Grace Hesp were:
sp.1.6.1.5.2.6.1.1 Isabella Speed born May 25th, 1903 at the Masons Arms, Haswell