Ralph Speed was the second child of Jacob Speed & Mary Shaw christened December 26th 1748 at Chester-le-Street.
Ralph married Anne Robinson on December 28th, 1777 at Penshaw.
Ralph & Anne’s first child, Ralph, was christened at All Saints, Penshaw in 1778 & they were stated to be of Wapping. Wapping was the original name of a village near Lumley, Co Durham whose name was changed to Bournmoor because of the association with the bad reputation of Wapping in London at that time.
By the time of the birth of daughter Mary in 1781 Ralph was described as a pitman of Fatfield, a mining village just north of Chester-le-Street.
Anne (born 1751) died of fever on April 25th 1811 at Fatfield, & was buried April 27th at St Mary & St Cuthbert, Chester-le-Street. In the Bishop’s Transcripts she was described as the wife of Richd Speed, pitman, however no appropriate record of a Richard Speed, pitman, has been found & we suggest Richd should read Ralph.
Ralph came to live at Killingworth, Northumberland in his later years where his daughter Margaret & her husband Robert Pallister were living.
Ralph of Killingworth Colliery was buried on June 20th, 1828 at St Bartholomew’s, Longbenton, Northumberland.
The children of Ralph Speed & Anne Robinson were:
sp.1.6.2.1 Ralph Speed born at Wapping christened Nov 8th, 1778 at All Saints Penshaw; buried Feb 2nd 1781 at Chester-le-Street
sp.1.6.2.2 Mary Speed born at Fatfield, pitman & christened October 7th, 1781 at Chester-le-Street;
sp.1.6.2.3 Ann Speed born at Fatfield, & christened May 18th, 1783 at Chester-le-Street
sp.1.6.2.4 Margaret Speed born at Fatfield, & christened February 23rd, 1785 at Chester-le-Street; died September 17th, 1842 at Killingworth, Northumberland
sp.1.6.2.5 Ann Speed born at Fatfield, & christened October 8th, 1786 at Chester-le-Street
sp.1.6.2.6 Jane Speed born at Fatfield & christened August 23rd, 1788 at Chester-le-Street; buried February 4th, 1790 at Chester-le-Street
sp.1.6.2.7 Elizabeth Speed born at Fatfield & christened Aug 26th, 1792 at Chester-le-Street; died at Harraton Outside & buried January 24th, 1794 at St Mary & St Cuthbert, Chester-le-Street
sp.1.6.2.8 Martha Speed born at Fatfield & christened Aug 26th, 1792 at Chester-le-Street; died at Harraton Outside & buried on June 25th, 1827 at Chester-le-Street.
sp.1.6.2.9 Ralph Speed born at Fatfield & christened 25th Dec 1795 at Chester-le-Street; died at Harraton Outside & buried June 14th, 1796 at St Mary & St Cuthbert, Chester-le-Street