William Speed was the first child of Robert Speed & Isabella Learmouth (nee Heslop) born April 13th, 1868 at Perkinsville & christened May 6th, 1868 at Holy Trinity, Pelton.
In 1871 William & his parents were living at 17 Chester South Moor, Chester-le-Street & his father was a coal miner. Also in the family were half-sister, Elizabeth from his father’s first marriage, & 2 half-brothers, Joseph & John, from his mother’s first marriage.
William was still at home in 1881 at Chester Moor in 1881. Half-brother Joseph, a coal miner, was still living at home & William now had a younger sister, Isabella.
By 1891 William’s father had died & he & his widowed mother were living at Front St, Chester-le-Street. William was now a grocer’s apprentice.
William was described as manager of a grocery in 1901 & he & his mother were still at Front St, now number 176.
William married Isabel Oxley in July-September 1902 at Chester-le-Street. Isabel was born October 1st, 1870 at Tanfield, & christened January 1st, 1871 at Tanfield, Co Durham, the daughter of Fanny & George Oxley, an innkeeper.
In 1911 William & Isabel were living at Ashfield Terrace, Chester-le-Street with their 4 sons – William (7), George (5), Robert (3) & Thomas (1). William was now a labourer for the district council highways.
The family had moved to Seaham by 1933 when Isabel was the subject of a brutal attack while sitting reading at home alone. The assailant struck her over the head 3 times with a blunt instrument resulting in Isabel needing stitches to her head. Isabel escaped from the house & ran to the nearby Blandford Hotel for help. Her attacker escaped. Isabel was described as wife of William Speed, storekeeper at Seaham Dock. (Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, April 20th, 1933)
Son William married Lilian Lowerson in 1934 & in 1939 they were living in Marlborough St, Seaham where William was a coal ? at the docks.
At the time of the 1939 register William & Isabel were living at 10 Blandford Place, Seaham, Co Durham & William was described as a dock storeman. Son George was still at home & described as a University student (formerly commercial ?).
Son George married Daisy Eustace Smith, (1909-1988) a school teacher, on August 8th, 1942 in Northumberland. The announcement in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle of August 13th stated that George Speed, B. Com, son of Mr & Mrs Wm Speed of Seaham Harbour married Daisy E Smith, B.A., daughter of the late Mr & Mrs Jacob Smith of Benton at Benton Parish Church.
William, aged 88, died July-September 1956 at Sunderland.
Isabel, aged 89, died on July 16th, 1960 at 10 Blandford Place, Seaham. Administration of her estate was granted to son Thomas, hardware dealer, & her effects were £1,558.12s.4d.
The children of William Speed & Isabel Oxley were:
sp.1.6.3.3.4.7.1 William Speed born June 7th, 1903 at Chester-le-Street; died January 26th, 1988 & buried at St Margaret’s, Pendine, Carmarthen, Wales
sp.1.6.3.3.4.7.2 George Speed born August 29th, 1905 at Chester-le-Street; died February 28th, 1970 at 47 Midhurst Rd, Benton Newcastle-upon-Tyne
sp.1.6.3.3.4.7.3 Robert Speed born Oct-December 1907 at Chester-le-Street
sp.1.6.3.3.4.7.4 Thomas Speed born Oct-December 1909 at Chester-le-Street