Margaret Speed was the fourth child of John Roxby Speed & Hannah Wheatley born July-September 1863 at Easington Lane, Co. Durham
In 1871 the family were living at High St, Hetton-le-Hole, Co Durham where Margaret’s father was a coal miner. Sadly Margaret’s father died 6 years later.
In 1881 Margaret was living with her widowed mother Hannah at 22 Richard St, Hetton-le-Hole. Her mother was a grocer & still at home were Margaret’s 3 brothers.
Margaret married Thomas James Brownbridge on April 30th, 1881 at Houghton-le-Spring. Thomas was born at West Auckland & christened October 18th, 1857 at Sedgefield, the son of Jane & Matthew Brownbridge, a miller/miner.
In 1891 Margaret & Thomas were living at Richard St, Hetton-le-Hole & Thomas was described as a circular sawyer. They had twin daughters, Rose & Lily (8), born in Scotland, & a son Thomas J (3).
The family were living at the High St, Hetton-le-Hole in 1901 & Thomas had the same occupation. Daughter Lily was still at home, as was son Thomas & they now had 2 more sons – Alfred (8) & George (3). Daughter Rose was working as a domestic servant for George Yeats, Vicar of Heworth, & living at the Vicarage, Walmgate, York. She was to marry Edwin Stainton, a grocer, in Scarborough on March 22nd, 1904.
Daughter Lily married James Graham Johnson, a waiter at the Castle Hotel, in Scarborough on August 23rd, 1906.
Margaret & Thomas were living at Park View in 1911 & Thomas was noted as a wood sawyer at the colliery. Still at home were Thomas James, a draper salesman, Alfred, a wood sawyer for a timber merchant, & George, a scholar. Also listed with them was Margaret’s brother George, a bricklayer, & a grand daughter, Edna Rose Stainton aged 6. This was the child of daughter Rose who had married Edwin Stainton but was widowed by this time. It was noted on the census that Margaret had had 9 children, only 5 of whom were still living.
Margaret died aged 49 on June 17th at Monk Hesleden, Co Durham & was buried at St Nicholas, Hetton-le-Hole on June 19th, 1913.
Son Thomas, an insurance agent, served with the Northumberland Fusiliers during WW1. On discharge his address was 124 Houghton Rd, Hetton-le-Hole. His first marriage to Mary Ann Graham in 1914 was at Houghton-le-Spring. His second marriage was in Wigan in 1933 where he married Mary Ann Parkinson.
Son George served with the Royal Garrison Artillery during WW1 & in 1922 he married Hilda May Bennett in Easington. In 1939 they were living at 3 Seventh St, Blackhall Colliery where George was an underground electrician at the colliery.
Son Alfred married Edith Alice Hudson in Middlesbrough in 1927. In 1939 they were living at 38 Angle St, Middlesbrough & Alfred was a band mill sawyer.
Thomas died in May 1939 at 38 Angle St, Middlesbrough & was buried on June 1st at North Ormesby Cemetery, N. Yorks.
The children of Margaret Speed & Thomas James Brownbridge were:
sp.1.6.4.2.8.4.1 Jane Brownbridge born April-June 1882 at Houghton-le-Spring
sp.1.6.4.2.8.4.2 Lily Brownbridge born c1883 at Dunbar, Scotland; died September 1919 in Scarborough, Yorks
sp.1.6.4.2.8.4.3 Rose Brownbridge born c1883 at Dunbar, Scotland
sp.1.6.4.2.8.4.4 John Speed Brownbridge born Oct-December 1885 at Houghton-le-Spring; buried December 13th, 1886 at St Nicholas, Hetton-le-Hole
sp.1.6.4.2.8.4.5 Thomas James Brownbridge born November 3rd, 1887 at Houghton-le-Spring; died September 14th, 1968 at 19 Dicconson St, Wigan, Lancs
sp.1.6.4.2.8.4.6 Alfred Brownbridge born August 6th, 1892 at Houghton-le-Spring; died January 18th, 1953 at North Ormesby Hospital, Middlesbrough
sp.1.6.4.2.8.4.7 Ethel Brownbridge born Jan-March 1896 at Houghton-le-Spring; died at Richard St. & buried July 28th, 1896 at St Nicholas, Hetton-le-Hole
sp.1.6.4.2.8.4.8 Hilda Brownbridge born Jan-March 1896 at Houghton-le-Spring; buried June 22nd, 1896 at St Nicholas, Hetton-le-Hole
sp.1.6.4.2.8.4.9 George Brownbridge born November 30th, 1897 at Houghton-le-Spring; died April-June 1970 in Durham East