Peter Brown Family History

James Speight (1828) & Mary Mead

Border
General History

James Speight & Mary Mead were one of my 4th generation ancestors.

Key Dates:

James Speight was born on 24th February 1828 in Castleford, Leeds, Yorshire, the son of James Speight & Hannah Marsden. He married Mary Mead on 1st June 1851 in Stockton, Durham (Source is IGI). Marriage was also shown as about June 1851 in Stockton RD, Durham. James maybe possibly died in about February 1888 (aged 65) in Middlesborough RD, Yorkshire. (but age appears wrong)

Mary Mead was born on 10th March 1829 in Monk-Wearmouth, Sunderland, Durham and was baptised there on 29th March 1829. She was the daughter of John Mead & Elizabeth Dobson. Mary probably died in about November 1917 ('aged 89') in Middlesborough RD, Yorkshire.

Children Returns to 'Top of Page'

James & Mary had ten known children:

Elizabeth William Joseph John Robert Amy Thomas Maria Alfred John
  1. Elizabeth Speight was born on 4th May and was baptised on 23rd May 1853 in Gateshead, Durham. (Source is IGI & unconfirmed). She worked in the Pottery warehouse
  2. William Speight was born in about February 1855 in Gateshead RD, Durham. He married Sarah who was born in 1857 in Thornaby, Yorkshire and they had nine known children.
    1. John Speight was born in 1882 in Thornaby, Yorkshire.
    2. Bella Speight was born in 1884 in Thornaby, Yorkshire.
    3. Elizabeth Speight was born in 1886 in Thornaby, Yorkshire.
    4. Margaret Speight was born in 1888 in Thornaby, Yorkshire.
    5. Mable Speight was born in 1891 in Thornaby, Yorkshire.
    6. Clara Speight was born in 1893 in Thornaby, Yorkshire.
    7. Robert Speight was born in 1897 in Thornaby, Yorkshire.
    8. Evelyn Speight was born in 1898 in Thornaby, Yorkshire.
    9. Sarah Speight was born in 1900 in Thornaby, Yorkshire.
  3. Joseph Speight was born in 1857 in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire (source 1861/71/81 census). He married Priscilla Watkins.  Details of Joseph Speight & Priscilla Watkins are shown separately as they are direct ancestors.
  4. John Speight was born in about February 1859 in Stockton RD, Yorkshire. In the 1861/71 census he is shown as born in Middlesbrough. It is likely that John died in 1872/73 as another son was called John
  5. Robert Speight was born in about 27th March 1861 in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire and was baptised on 10th February 1867 in Thornaby , Yorkshire (aged 6). (Source is IGI). Birth also shown as about May 1861 in Stockton RD,Durham.
  6. Amy Speight was born about November 1863 in Stockton RD, Durham and died in about August 1864 in Stockton RD, Durham.
  7. Thomas Speight was born on 2nd March 1865 in Thornaby on Tees, Stockton, Yorkshire and was baptised there on 28th March. Birth also shown as about April 1865 in Stockton RD, Durham. He was a labourer at the bottleworks in 1881.
  8. Maria Speight was baptised on 10th February 1867 in Thornaby on Tees, Yorkshire. (Source is IGI). She was a Dipper at the Pottery in 1881. (Note In Stockton RD this person is shown as Robert- assume error and confusion as earlier son Robert was baptised on the same date). Maria appears in the 1871/81 census.
  9. Alfred Speight was baptised on 6th May 1869 in Thornaby on Tees, Yorkshire. (Source is IGI). Birth also shown as about May 1869 in Stockton RD, Durham. He was buried in about November 1899 in Middlesborough RD ('aged 30').
  10. John Speight was baptised on 7th August 1873 in Thornaby on Tees, Yorkshire. (Source is IGI & unconfirmed). Birth also shown as about August 1873 in Stockton RD, Durham and he died in about February 1874 in Stockton RD, Durham.

Personal History Returns to 'Top of Page'

James Speight

James was a Potter. He married in Stockton upon Tees Parish church. Both James & Mary lived in Stockton at time of marriage. The marriage was witnessed by John Atkinson and Henry May.
The family lived at 4 Princess Street, Middlesborough at the time of the 1861 census. They lived at George Street, Thornaby in 1865 at birth of son Thomas, and at 17 George Street, Thornaby at the time of the 1871 census. They lived at 20 Queen Street East, Thornaby Yorks at time of 1881 census.
James could not write as signature on marriage certificate was marked with a cross.

Mary Mead

Mary could not write as signatures on marriage certificate and Thomas's birth certificate were marked with a cross.

William Speight

William Speight could not write as witness on marriage certificate was marked with a cross. He worked as a labourer in the ironworks.
Lived at 34 New Street, Thornaby, Yorks at time of 1901 Census

Verification & Concerns Returns to 'Top of Page'

  1. Locations for births of parents and children came from 1861, 1871 & 1881 census. The birth year of James is consistently shown as 1828 and Castleford is shown on 1861 and 1871 census as place of birth. There is only one James Speight born in Castleford and ages shown are consistent with birth date so this is very probably the correct person. For the period 1825 - 1831 (census birth year +-3), there was one James Speight born in Castleford, none were born in the adjacent parishes, three were born in the surrounding parishes (Leeds, Wakefield), and eight were born in more distant parishes.
    1. 24/02/1828 in Castleford, son of James & Hannah
    2. 02/03/1829 in Leeds, son of James & Grace
    3. 24/04/1825 in Leeds, son of William & Dorothy
    4. 14/03/1831 in Wakefield, son of John & Ann
  2. Name on Thomas's birth certificate shown as SPEAIGHT. Assume it is the wrong spelling.
  3. Thomas birth certificate shows mothers maiden name as MEDD, Assume to be wrong spelling as other son Alfred it is shown as MEAD. Her own Family search records show her as MEED and MEDD, but marriage of father shown as MEAD.
  4. Thornaby & Middlesborough are sometimes shown as in Durham and sometimes in Yorkshire
  5. Census:
    1. The Middlesborough 1861 census shows James 33 (Castleford), Mary 33 (Sunderland), Elizabeth 7 (Gateshead), William 6 (Gateshead), Joseph 4, John 2 and Robert 0 (12 days) all living at 4 Princes Street
    2. The Durham 1871 census shows James 43 (Castleford), Mary 42 (Sunderland), Elizabeth 19 (Gateshead), William 17 (Gateshead), Joseph 15 (Middlesborough), John 13 (Middlesborough), Robert 11 (Middlesborough), Thomas 6 (Stockton), Maria 4 (Stockton), and Alford 2 (Stockton) all living at 17 George street
    3. The Thornaby 1881 census shows James 53 (Leeds), Mary 53 (Sunderland), Elizabeth 28 (Gateshead), William 26 (Gateshead), Joseph 24 (Middlesborough), Thomas 16 (Thornaby), Maria 14 (Thornaby), and Alfred 12 (Thornaby) all living at 20 Queen Street East, Thornaby
  6. A James Speight was shown a marrying Ellen Swaine in about May 1860 in Stockton, RD. They had a child Mary ( born November 1861 & died November 1862), Roland (born December 1865 & died January 1867).
Documents Returns to 'Top of Page'

Certificates & Official Records

  1. James Speight 1861 Census
  2. James Speight 1871 Census
  3. James Speight 1881 Census
  4. James Speight Marriage Certificate
  5. Thomas Speight Birth Certificate
Sources Returns to 'Top of Page'
  1. Ancestry Yorkshire Parish Records CD (North Riding & West Riding)
  2. Census Records- 1881 Family Search CD
  3. Census Records - 1841, 1861, 1871 - British Origins Web site
  4. IGI (International Genealogical Index: Latter-day Saints) - batches of parish records: see LINKS-Research Web sites
  5. Latter day Saints - Family Search: For initial identification of details only
  6. FREEBMD (Index of birth, marriages, deaths post 1837)