Mary Speed was the fourth child of James Speed & Mary Elliott born September 6th, 1875 & christened July 2nd 1876 at Holy Trinity, Pelton.
In 1881 Mary & her parents were living at #3 Row, Ouston, Co Durham where her father was a coal miner. Mary was one of 6 children.
The family had moved to Team Colliery, Lamesley by 1891 & Mary was described as a domestic servant.
Mary was still living at home in 1901, now Whitefield Pit Cottages, Penshaw, Co Durham. Living with the family was a 22 year old boarder George Liddle who was to become Mary’s husband. The Speed & Liddle families were close neighbours at the time of the 1891 census.
Mary married George Liddle in July-September 1902 at Houghton-le-Spring. George was born Jan-March 1879 at Ravensworth Colliery, Lamesley, the son of Mary Gibbon & Thomas Liddle, a coal miner.
In 1911 Mary & George were living at 5 Ravensworth Terrace, Lamesley & George was working as a coal miner hewer. This was also the address of Mary’s sister Elizabeth & her husband Peter Talbot & family, Mary’s widowed mother & her youngest sister Susannah. It is assumed that the families were sharing a house.
Widowed George was living alone at 8 Library Row, Gateshead at the time of the 1939 register & was described as colliery coal filler underground.
George, aged 69, died in December 9th, 1948 & buried at St Andrews, Lamesley.