Jacob Speed was the sixth child of Joseph Speed & Elizabeth Dodds born July-September 1843 at Hetton-le-Hole, Co Durham.
Jacob was living at Brick Garth, Hetton-le-Hole with his parents in 1851, where his father was a miner. He had 2 brothers & 2 sisters at this time.
In 1861 Jacob was still living at home at Brick Garth & was now working as a coal miner.
By 1871 Jacob’s mother had died & Jacob was living with his widowed father Joseph at Brick Garth. They were both coal miners.
Jacob married Isabella Hall (nee Tones) on September 6th, 1875 at Christ Church, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Isabella, born c1837 at Easington, the daughter of Mary Oates & Thomas Tones, had previously been married to Joseph Hall, an innkeeper at Hetton-le-Hole. Joseph died in 1874 in Hetton-le-Hole.
Jacob & Isabella were living in Easington Lane, Hetton-le-Hole in 1881 & Jacob was now an innkeeper. With them were 3 of Isabella’s children from her first marriage – Elizabeth Hall (18), John Hall (17), a mason’s labourer & Mary Hall (16). Jacob & Isabella now had 3 children of their own – Joseph (5), Isabella (2) & Florence Ann (6 months). Another daughter, Isabella Ann had sadly died in 1877 aged just 3 weeks.
A notice posted by Jacob in the Sunderland Daily Echo of September 16th, 1881, offered a reward for the return of a 12 month old ‘carriage dog’ named Spot. It was to be returned to the Britannia Inn, Easington Lane.
Meetings of the young England cricket club were held at the Commercial Inn, Easington Lane where Jacob was landlord & he was elected treasurer of the club in 1883 (Durham County Advertiser, February 2nd, 1883). Jacob was listed as innkeeper at the Commercial Inn in Kelly’s Directory of 1890 but he died later that year on November 27th at the Commercial Inn.
In 1891 widowed Isabella was living at the Commercial Inn, Front St, Hetton-le-Hole where she was the inn keeper. With her was her son John Hall (27), a bricklayer, son Joseph (14), daughters Isabella (12) & Florence Ann (10). Also living with her was a niece Mary Jane Tone (22), a general servant, & Jacob’s widowed father, Joseph, a retired miner. Another daughter, Beatrice, who was aged 8 was with her aunt Margaret Parton, also a beer retailer, at the time of the census living at Wear St, Bishopwearmouth.
An article in the Sunderland Daily Echo & Shipping Gazette of October 21st, 1898 reported that Isabella was fined 10s for selling a pint of whisky which was found to be under proof. Isabella claimed in her defence that on the day she mixed the whisky she was called away to attend a family member who was ill.
By 1901 Isabella was described as a beer tavern keeper (the Shakespeare Inn) at 5 North Terrace, Dawdon, Seaham Harbour. Her son John Hall was still living with her & working as a bricklayer. Three of her daughters, Isabella, Florence & Beatrice (18) were working at home, i.e. helping in the pub, & there were 2 grandchildren with them – Florence Forster (9) & Arthur Forster (7).
Daughter Beatrice married Joseph Aitchison, a colliery blacksmith in 1904 at Easington & in 1939 they were living at 15 Sea View, Sunderland with daughter Margaret & son Joseph.
Isabella was living with her daughter Florence & husband George Archer, a colliery blacksmith, & family in 1911. They were at 25 Ryhope St, Ryhope, Co Durham & Isabella was noted as paralysed.
Isabella died on January 16th, 1916 at 25 Ryhope St, Ryhope & probate of her estate was granted to son John Hall, bricklayer. Her effects were £120. She was buried at Ryhope Cemetery.
The children of Jacob Speed & Isabella Hall (nee Tones) were:
sp.1.6.1.5.2.6.1 Joseph Speed born April 17th, 1876 at Hetton-le-Hole; buried January 30th 1963 at Ushaw Moor Cemetery, Co Durham
sp.1.6.1.5.2.6.2 Isabella Ann Speed born June 1877 at Hetton-le-Hole; died at Easington Lane & buried June 26th, 1877 at St Nicholas, Hetton-le-Hole
sp.1.6.1.5.2.6.3 Margaret Isabella Speed born July 27th, 1878 at Hetton-le-Hole; died Jan-March 1960 in Durham East
sp.1.6.1.5.2.6.4 Florence Ann Speed born October 15th, 1880 at Hetton-le-Hole; died February 6th, 1975 at Ryhope
sp.1.6.1.5.2.6.5 Beatrice Jane Speed born October 10th, 1882 at Hetton-le-Hole; died July-September 1969 & buried in Ryhope Cemetery, Sunderland