John Roxby Speed was the eighth child of George Speed & Margaret Roxby born at Littletown, Co Durham & christened May 24th, 1835 at Pittington, Co Durham.
In 1841 John was living at home at 44 George St, Sherburn, Pittington, Co Durham. His father George was a coal miner & he had an older brother & sister still living at home.
The 1851 census shows John, a coal miner, living at Eppleton Lane, Hetton-le-Hole with his father, also a coal miner. Mother Margaret was not living with them at the time of the census.
On February 14th, 1857 John married Hannah Wheatley at Pittington. They were both of Elemore Vale, Co Durham. Hannah was christened April 24th, 1836 at St Mary the Virgin, Barnsley, Yorks, the daughter of Sarah & George Wheatley, a cordwainer.
In 1861 John, a coal miner, & Hannah were living at Murton Lane, Easington Lane, Hetton-le-Hole. They had 2 children – George (2) & Hannah/Sarah (9 months). Boarding with them was Jonathan Wheatley, aged 19, Hannah’s brother.
The family had moved to High St, Hetton-le-Hole by 1871 & John was still a coal miner. Son George was still at home & working as a mason’s labourer. Also at home were children Sarah (10), Margaret (7), John (5) & Jonathan (3).
John died in 1877 & was buried on November 9th at St Nicholas, Hetton-le-Hole.
In 1880 daughter Sarah married Edward Scott, a widower, & the 1881 census shows them living at North Biddick, Washington, Co Durham with Edward’s 2 daughters. He was a journeyman blacksmith.
Widowed Hannah was living at 22 Richard St, Hetton-le-Hole by 1881 & was now a grocer. With her were sons George, an unemployed mason, John, a general labourer, Jonathan, a scholar, & daughter Margaret.
On April 30th, 1881 daughter Margaret married Thomas James Brownbridge at Houghton-le-Spring.
Hannah was still living at Richard St in 1891 & was now described as a grocer & tobacconist. With her were sons George, a bricklayer, & John, a grocer’s assistant.
The 1901 census shows Hannah still as a shopkeeper working from home at Richard St. Son George was still living with her & was a mason.
Hannah died at Richard St on April 2nd, 1902 & was buried on April 5th at St Nicholas, Hetton-le-Hole. Administration of her estate was granted to son George Speed, a bricklayer, & her effects were £270.10s.9d.
In 1911 son George, a bricklayer, was listed with his sister Margaret & her husband Thomas James Brownbridge, a wood sawyer, & their family at Park View, Hetton-le-Hole.
The children of John Roxby Speed & Hannah Wheatley were:
sp.1.6.4.2.8.1 George Speed born May 8th, 1857 at Easington Lane, Co. Durham; buried May 9th, 1857 at St Nicholas, Hetton-le-Hole.
sp.1.6.4.2.8.2 George Speed born April 27th, 1858 at Easington Lane, Co. Durham; died at 21 Richard St & buried February 12th, 1922 at St Nicholas, Hetton-le-Hole
sp.1.6.4.2.8.3 Sarah Speed born June 26th, 1860 at Easington Lane, Co. Durham
sp.1.6.4.2.8.4 Margaret Speed born July-September 1863 at Easington Lane, Co. Durham; buried June 19th, 1913 at St Nicholas, Hetton-le-Hole
sp.1.6.4.2.8.5 John Speed born September 7th, 1865 at Easington Lane, Co. Durham; died February 28th, 1940 at 7 Richard St & buried March 3rd at St Nicholas, Hetton-le-Hole
sp.1.6.4.2.8.6 Jonathan Speed born August 27th, 1867 at Easington Lane, Co. Durham; died at 2 Lee Terrace, Hetton-le-Hole on January 14th, 1949 & buried January 17th at St Nicholas, Hetton-le-Hole