James Hunter Speed was the second child of Robert Speed & Ann Hunter born at Birtley & christened March 8th, 1846 at Chester-le-Street.
In 1851 James was living at Birtley with his parents & 2 sisters & his father was a miner.
Sadly James’ mother died in 1856 & he & his 3 sisters were living with their widowed father in 1861 at Perkinsville, Pelton, Co Durham. James was working as a coal miner like his father.
James married Mary Elliott on July 31st, 1865 at St Nicholas, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Mary was born June 24th, 1846 at Ouston, Co Durham, the daughter of Isabella Elliott. At the time of the marriage Mary’s father’s name was given as Thomas Elliott.
In 1871 James & Mary (listed as Mary Ann) were living at Perkinsville & James continued to be a coal miner. They had 2 children – Ann (5) & Thomas Elliott (2). No record of Ann Speed’s birth has been found but there is a birth for Ann Elliott in April-June 1865 at Gateshead.
James & Mary had moved to No.3 Row, Ouston by 1881 where James was a miner. Daughter Ann was a scholar & son Thomas was working as a mason’s labourer & there were now 4 more children – Isabela (8), Mary (5), Robert (2) & Joseph (2 months).
Daughter Ann married Oliver Evans in Oct-December 1884 at Chester-le-Street. By 1901 Oliver, a coal miner from Gloucestershire, & Ann & their 6 children were living in Lamesley at Ravensworth Terrace. By 1911 Ann had died & Oliver & 9 of their children were still living in Lamesley
The family were found at Team Colliery, Lamesley in 1891 & James continued to work as a miner. At home were Thomas, a miner, Isabella & Mary, both domestic servants, Robert, Joseph & new additions Elizabeth (6) & Susannah (1).
By 1901 the family were living at Whitefield Pit Cottages, Penshaw, Co Durham & James was working as a coal miner hewer. Children at home were Mary, Joseph, a colliery wagonway man underground, Elizabeth (16), & Susannah (11). Also living with them were daughter Isabella & her husband Edwin Thomas, a coal miner, & their 1 year old son James H. There was also a 22 year old boarder, George Liddle.
James died on September 19th, 1910 at Team Colliery, Lamesley.
In 1911 widowed Mary was living with daughter Elizabeth & her husband Peter Talbot, a coal miner deputy, & their 5 year old son, James Hunter Talbot. Elizabeth’s sister Susannah was also living with them at 5 Ravensworth Terrace, Ravensworth Colliery, Lamesley.
Mary died in April-June 1916 at Team Colliery, Lamesley.
The children of James Hunter Speed & Mary Elliott were:
sp.1.6.3.3.4.2.1 Ann (Elliott) Speed born April-June 1865 at Gateshead; died April-June 1908 at Lamesley
sp.1.6.3.3.4.2.2 Thomas Elliott Speed born August 4th, 1868 at Houghton-le-Spring; died January 27th, 1953 at Lamesley, Co Durham
sp.1.6.3.3.4.2.3 Isabella Speed born May 4th, 1872 at Jarrow & christened July 2nd 1876 at Holy Trinity, Pelton; died April-June 1941 in Durham North
sp.1.6.3.3.4.2.4 Mary Speed born September 6th, 1875 & christened July 2nd 1876 at Holy Trinity, Pelton
sp.1.6.3.3.4.2.5 Robert Speed born September 20th, 1878 at Pelton; died Jan-March 1940 at Durham North
sp.1.6.3.3.4.2.6 Joseph Speed born February 5th, 1881 at Ouston; died Oct-December 1949 at Durham North
sp.1.6.3.3.4.2.7 Elizabeth Speed born June 3rd, 1884 at Ouston; died April-June 1962 in Durham North
sp.1.6.3.3.4.2.8 Susannah Speed born November 26th, 1889 at Gosforth, Northumberland; died Jan-March 1971 in Birtley, Co Durham