Robert Speed was the fourth child of Robert Speed & Isabella Harrison christened August 20th, 1825 at Chester-le-Street.
Sadly Robert’s mother died in 1828 & his father remarried in 1830.
Robert was still living at home with his father & step mother Ann at Breckon Hill, Little Lumley, Co Durham in 1841. Both Robert & his father were pitmen. Also living with them were Robert’s half-brothers & sisters – Margaret (10), Joseph (9), John (7), Mary (5) & Ann (3).
Robert was lodging with Ruth & William Ridley, a miner, & family in 1851. They were living at Wingate, Co Durham & Robert was working as a coal miner.
Robert married Elizabeth Briddick on December 13th, 1852 at St Helen’s Auckland, Co Durham. Elizabeth was born at Stanhope Poor House & christened February 6th, 1831 at Stanhope, the daughter of Mary & John Briddick, a miner.
In 1861 Robert, still a miner, was living at Back Row, Harrington, Co Durham & with him was daughter Isabella, aged 5. At the time of the census Elizabeth (born at Evenwood) was working as a house servant for William Longbones, a grocer, & family at 27 Villiers St, Whitworth, Co Durham. She was listed as married.
Robert was lodging at 5 Low North Biddick, Usworth, Co Durham in 1871 with a daughter, Elizabeth, aged 3. It was the home of Margery & Thomas Kippax & family & Robert continued to work as a coal miner. Robert was listed as married. There is a record of Elizabeth Speed (aged 38 born at Evenwood) lodging with the Walker family in Coundon, Co Durham, listed as married but no occupation.
In 1881 Robert was recorded as boarding with Barbara & Henry Humble & family at 6 Nicholson’s Buildings, Biddick, Usworth. He was now working as a colliery lamp man & still listed as married.
There is a death for Robert Speed, aged 56, in 1881 who was buried on December 10th, at St George, Fatfield.
The children of Robert Speed & Elizabeth Briddick were:
sp.1.6.1.7.4.1 Isabella Speed born April-June 1855 in Chester-le-Street; died July-September 1861in Chester-le-Street
sp.1.6.1.7.4.2 Mary Jane Speed born July-September 1862 & christened December 15th, 1862 at Auckland St Andrew, Co Durham; died Jan-March 1863 at Auckland, Co Durham
sp.1.6.1.7.4.3 Elizabeth Speed born Jan-March 1868 at Penshaw, Houghton-le-Spring, Co Durham; died Oct-December 1872 at Chester-le-Street