Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion : Foldout

Speak ...


The entries for people & families with the surname Speak are gathered together in this SideTrack.

This Page does not include people with other forms of the surname.

The entries for people with the surname Speak – and similar surnames – are shown in a separate Foldout

The individuals listed are not necessarily related to each other.


Alfred Speak [1848-1916]
Alice Speak [1907-1992]
Alice Dora Speak [1885-1909]
Clement Speak [1896-196?]
Frank Speak [1???-1966]
George Norman Speak [1882-1938]
Henry Speak [1850-1887]
Herbert Speak [1889-1917]
James Speak [1816-1862]
James Speak [1868-1947]
Janet Mary Speak [19??-]
Jeremiah Speak [1820-1883]
John Speak [17??-18??]
John Speak [1809-18??]
John Speak [1832-1905]
John Speak [1844-1931]
John Hubert Speak [1896-1916]
Joseph Speak [1792-1855]
Llewellyn Speak [1877-19??]
Mary Speak [1???-1???]
Paul Speak [1816-1878]
Paul Speak [1854-1914]
Paul Speak [1881-1961]
Peter Speak [1895-1917]
Samuel Siddal Speak [1850-1???]
T. A. Speak [18??-19??]
Thomas Speak [18??-1???]
Thomas Speak [1858-1906]
Thomas Albert Speak [1863-1???]
Trevor Speak [1923-1944]
William Speak [18??-18??]
William Speak [1806-18??]
William Speak [1833-1???] 


Speak, Alfred
[1848-1916] Son of Jeremiah Speak.

Born in Greetland [4th July 1848].

He was a supporter of St John the Evangelist, West Vale / a founder member of Elland Mechanics' Institute / President of West Vale Choral Society / educated at Alms Hill, Cheetham, Manchester [1861] / senior partner in J. Speak & Company [from 1864] / senior partner in Speak & Son / a manufacturer of shoddy [1871] / a partner in the business [1877] / a wool merchant [1881, 1891, 1901].

His father died and Alfred took over the business [1884].

On 4th July 1881, he married Annie (Ann) Dodson [1854-1930] at St Bartholomew's Church, Marsden.


Annie, of the White Hart Inn, Marsden, was the daughter of George Dodson from Marsden.

She was a schoolmistress at the School House, Elland [1881]

 

Children:

  1. George Norman
  2. Minnie Constance [1883-1975] who married [1908] Henry Oliver Wood in Chorlton
  3. Dora Hannah [1886-1887] who died aged 10 months

The family lived at

  • with his parent at Springfield House, Elland [1871]
  • with his parent at Longwood House, Elland [1881]
  • 89 Savile Bank, Halifax [1891]
  • Ingwood, Greetland [1901, 1916]

At the 1911 census, Alfred and George Norman were living at Ingwood, Greetland, whilst Anne and Constance were living at Chantry Drive, Ilkley.

In 1897, Alfred erected a drinking fountain in West Vale to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.

After a period spent at Harrogate & Grange, in the hope that special treatment might do him good, Alfred died at Ingwood [19th October 1916].

Probate records show that he left effects valued at £77,297 11/5d.

Probate was granted to son George Norman, daughter Minnie Constance (wife of Henry Oliver Wood), and George Roper Kershaw (bank manager). In his will – proved 29th November 1916 – Alfred Speak made bequests to

each of the employees who shall have been in the service of the firm of J. Speak & Company and Speak & Son (which businesses were formerly carried on by me in co-partnership with my late father [Jeremiah Speak] and now with my son the said George Norman Speak

Members of the family were buried at St Thomas's Church, Greetland

Speak, Alice
[1907-1992] Maiden name of Alice Longstaff

Speak, Alice Dora
[1885-1909] Daughter of Paul Speak.

She was educated at a private boarding school in Birkdale, Formby, Lancashire [1901].

She married Samuel Watkinson.

She died of complications following the birth of their son, John.

She was buried at Coley Church [14th June 1909]

Speak, Clement
[1896-196?] Son of James Speak, and brother of Alice Longstaff.

Born in Nelson, Lancashire.

He was a weaver at Jack Bridge Mill / organist at Blake Dean Chapel / a member of Hebden Bridge Male Voice Choir. He carried out picture-framing for Alice's business.

He married Unknown.

Children:

  1. Marjorie
  2. Ralph

Speak, Frank
[1???-1966] Clothier of Heptonstall.

Probate records show that he left an estate valued at £36,162

Speak, George Norman
[1882-1938] Son of Alfred Speak.

He was a wool merchant [1919].

In his will – proved 29th November 1916 – Alfred Speak made bequests to

each of the employees who shall have been in the service of the firm of J. Speak & Company and Speak & Son (which businesses were formerly carried on by me in co-partnership with my late father [Jeremiah Speak] and now with my son the said George Norman Speak

In 1914, he married Irene Eleanor Gyllencreutz [1885-1976] at St Martin's Church, London.

George Norman died at the Empire Hotel, Bath [12th April 1938] Probate records show that he left effects valued at £294,397 17/-.

Probate was granted to Robert Spencer (colour merchant), James Gordon Wood (no occupation), John Singleton Longbottom (chartered accountant), and Geoffrey Wilmer Wood (wool merchant).

Members of the family were buried at St Thomas's Church, Greetland

Speak, Henry
[1850-1887] Son of Jeremiah Speak.

Born 20th February 1850.

(Possibly) partner in Morton & Speak.

On 14th April 1870, he married Sarah Ann Law at St Thomas's Church, Greetland.


Sarah Ann was the daughter of James Law
 

Children:

  1. Herbert Henry [1871-1915]
  2. Blanche Evelyn [1872-1877]
  3. Frederick William [1878-1880]
  4. Florence Gertrude [b 1880]
  5. Margaret Law [1882-1965]
  6. Ethel Mary [b 1887]

In 1881, Herbert was living with his Law grandparents.

Henry died 14th August 1887.

Sarah Ann died 14th January 1897 (aged 43).

In 1901, the daughters were living with their Law grandparents.

Members of the family were buried at St Thomas's Church, Greetland

Speak, Herbert
[1889-1917] Son of Martha & William Speak of 17 Albert Street, Mytholmroyd.

During World War I, he served as a Corporal with the 2nd/7th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment).

He died 20th November 1917 (aged 28).

He is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial [6 & 7], on a memorial in Mount Zion Methodist Church, Mytholmroyd and Scout Road Wesleyan Chapel, Mytholmroyd, and in the book Royd Regeneration

Speak, James
[1816-1862] Formerly of Callis Mill, Stansfield.

He died at Lowell, Massachusetts, USA [22nd March 1862]

Speak, James
[1868-1947] Son of John Speak.

He was a cotton weaver [1891] / a farmer [1901, 1911] / choir-master and organist at Blake Dean Chapel for 46 years.

The family had life-long connections with the Chapel.

In 1894, he married Mary Ann Walton [1870-19??] – from Burnley – whom he had met whilst seeking work in Nelson, Lancashire.

Children:

  1. Clement
  2. Alice

The family lived at

Speak, Janet Mary
[19??-] Mayor of Hebden Royd [1980-1981]

Speak, Jeremiah
[1820-1883] Son of Joseph Speak.

Born in Stainland [4th May 1820].


His epitaph at St Thomas's Church, Greetland says
BORN MAY 4TH 1819

but his baptism record gives the date as

4 May 1820

 

Baptised at Myrtle Grove Independent Church, Eastwood [1837].

He was a wool sorter [1851] / a wool merchant [1854] / a partner with George Normanton in J. Speak & Company [1856] / a shoddy bales and woollen manufacturer employing 5 men and 16 girls [1861] / a manufacturer of shoddy employing 45 hands [1871] / a partner in Speak & Normanton [until 1877] / a partner – with his son Alfred Speak – in Speak & Son [1882] / a wool merchant employing 24 men and 26 women [1881].

On 20th September 1847, he married Hannah [1812-1891] at Halifax Parish Church.


Hannah (née Allison) was born in Elland, and the widow of Jonas Appleyard.

She had 3 children by her first marriage

 

Children:

  1. Alfred
  2. Henry
  3. Sarah Jane [1855-1929]

The family lived at

  • Adelaide Place, Elland [1851]
  • West Vale [1861]
  • Springfield House, Elland [1871]
  • Longwood House, Elland [1881]

Living with them [in 1851] were son-in-law Joseph Appleyard [aged 14], son-in-law Richard Appleyard [aged 13] and son William Appleyard [aged 9].

Jeremiah died at home [23rd April 1883]

after a painful illness

Probate records show that he left a personal estate valued at £3,621 8/4½d.

The will was proved by son Alfred, John Ely Eastwood (manufacturer of West Vale), and Enos Allison (engineer of West Vale).

Members of the family were buried at St Thomas's Church, Greetland

Speak, John
[17??-18??] Woollen spinner at Hand Carr Mill, Luddendenfoot [1795]

Speak, John
[1809-18??] Born in Norland.

He was a woollen spinner [1851].

He married Ann [1808-18??]


Ann was born in Barkisland
 

They lived at Pickwood Cottage, Norland [1851]

Speak, John
[1832-1905] Son of William Speak.

Born in Stansfield.

Baptised on 20th January 1833 at Mount Zion Baptist Chapel, Heptonstall.

He was a worsted weaver [1851] / a butter dealer [1861] / a farmer of 20 acres [1871, 1881] / a farmer [1891] / choir-master at Blake Dean Chapel for 45 years. He never missed a service in 32 years and walked across the moor in all weathers to attend church.

On 12th October 1863, he married Mary Uttley [1834-1883] from Heptonstall. Mary had an illegitimate daughter Dinah [b 1859].

Children:

  1. Betty [b 1865]
  2. William [b 1867]
  3. James
  4. John [b 1870]
  5. Mary [b 1872]
  6. Sarah [b 1875]

The family lived at Everil Shaw, Heptonstall [1871, 1881, 1891, 1901].

Living with them [in 1871] were visitors Susannah Uttley [aged 23] and Sarah Uttley [aged 2]

Speak, John
[1844-1931] Son of Paul Speak.

Born in Queensbury.

When his father died, Mountain Mill was left to him and his brother Paul to run. However John was more inclined to travel and scientific endeavours. In 1880, John left the business and Paul carried on alone.

He paid for Mountain Institute in memory of his parents. He built 4 almshouses in Kirton [1928].

He never married.

He died [13th January 1931] at The Grange, Kirton, Lincolnshire.

Probate records show that he left a personal estate valued at £559,698 16/1d to his nephews and nieces and to his greatnephew John Speak Watkinson.

See Poems in Peace & War

Speak, John Hubert
[1896-1916] Son of Sarah Ann & William Speak of Hudson Mill, Blackshaw, Hebden Bridge.

During World War I, he served as a Rifleman with the 16th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps.

He died 5th November 1916 (aged 20).

He was buried at the Carnoy Military Cemetery [W 29]

Speak, Joseph
[1792-1855] Born at Stansfield [2nd June 1792].

Baptised at Myrtle Grove Independent Chapel, Eastwood [25th June 1837].

He was a wool comber of Stansfield [1813] / a foreman [1841] / a wool sorter [1851, 1855].

On 18th April 1813, he married Mary (Mally) Briggs [1791-1873] at Heptonstall.


Mary was baptised at Heptonstall [10th April 1792], and was the daughter of Mary & Moses Brigg, yeoman of Plumpton in Wadsworth
 

Children:

  1. Ann [b 1814]
  2. Martha [b 1818]
  3. Jeremiah
  4. John [b 1822]
  5. David [b 1827]
  6. Matilda [b 1832]
  7. Sarah [b 1835]
  8. Gibson who died in infancy and was buried at Birchcliffe Chapel
  9. Matilda who died in infancy and was buried at Birchcliffe Chapel

The first 7 children were baptised at Myrtle Grove [25th June 1837].

The family lived at

  • Charles Town, Lower Third, Stansfield [1841]
  • Cooper House, Mill Lane, Warley [1851]

He died at Denholme, Warley [25th May 1855]

He was buried at Birchcliffe Baptist Church, Hebden Bridge [30th May 1855].

None of the graves in Birchcliffe Chapel have yet been located.

An obituary in the Halifax Guardian [16th June 1855] reported that

He was upwards of 30 years foreman to D. and J. Ashworth & Company, of Callis Mill

In 1861, his widow Mary was living at West Vale, Elland.

She died 6th January 1873 (aged 82).

She was buried at St Thomas's Church, Greetland in the Speak family grave there

Speak, Llewellyn
[1877-19??] Son of Samuel Siddal Speak.

Born in Sowerby.

He was a worsted mill hand [1891] / a mechanic [1897].

In September 1897, he sailed on the RMS Ionic to Wellington, New Zealand, where he was to work for Fred Sladen.

In 1899, a letter to Rev William Cunnor Evans, giving his account of the journey to New Zealand, was published in the Sowerby Bridge Chronicle

In 1904, an account of his visit to Sowerby Bridge was published in the Sowerby Bridge Chronicle

Speak, Mary
[1???-1???] Of Sykes Terrace, Ovenden.

In 1891, she had lodgers:

David & Thomas were brothers.

Thomas & Florence later married

Speak, Paul
[1816-1878] Born at Kildwick.

He started work as a worsted spinner & manufacturer for his uncle John Clough who bought Mountain Mill. In 1854, Paul bought the Mill from Clough and set about upgrading and expanding. He established Paul Speak & Sons.

On 10th May 1841, he married Nancy Drake [1815-1884], born in Conistone.

Children:

  1. John [1841-1844]
  2. Alice [1842-1856]
  3. John
  4. James [1846-1848]
  5. Thomas [1849-1855]
  6. Dorothea [1853-1897] who married [11th June 1879] William Daniel Thornton
  7. Paul
  8. Nancy [1855-1895] who married [1886] Henry Elwis
  9. Thomas

Paul died [24th December 1878] at Mountain House.

Probate records show that he left a personal estate valued at £120,000.

Nancy died [12 June 1884] at the home of her son Thomas, Woodroyd, Bowling

Probate records show that she left an estate valued at £1,804 5/8d. The children placed a reredos in her memory at St Stephen's Church, West Bowling

Speak, Paul
[1854-1914] Son of Paul Speak.

Born in Queensbury.

He was partner in Paul Speak & Son / a manufacturer [1881] / a worsted manufacturer [1891] / a spinner and manufacturer (when he was a visitor staying at Papworth Hall, Caxton, Cambridgeshire) [1901] / a worsted spinner and manufacturer [1911].

When his father died, Mountain Mill was left to him and his brother John to run. However John was more inclined to travel and scientific endeavours. In 1880, John left the business and Paul carried on alone.

On 20th August 1879, he married Elizabeth Clough [1857-1???] from Kildwick, Yorkshire, in Skipton. In 1871, Elizabeth had been a boarder at a school at (possibly) Lower Willow Hall, Skircoat.

Children:

  1. Paul
  2. Paul
  3. Hannah Gertrude [b 1883]
  4. Alice Dora
  5. Hilda Mary [b 1887]

The family lived at

Speak, Paul
[1881-1961] Son of Paul Speak.

Born in Bradshaw.

He was a worsted spinner's manager [1901] / a partner in Paul Speak & Son [1905] / a worsted spinner and manufacturer [1911].

He lived at Laurel Bank, Holmfield.

He died at Laurel Bank [31st July 1961].

Probate records show that he left effects valued at £503,219 2/11d

Speak, Peter
[1895-1917] Son of Sarah Jane & John Speak of Todmorden.

During World War I, he served as a Private with the 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.

He died 10th February 1917 (aged 23).

He was buried at the St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen [O V H 5].

He is remembered in the Todmorden Garden of Remembrance

Speak, Samuel Siddal
[1850-1???] Born in Sowerby.

He was a blanket finisher [1881] / a foundry labourer [1891] / a stationary engine tenter [1901].

In 1873, he married Ann Leach [1849-1???] from Norland, in Halifax.

Children:

  1. Mary Alice [b 1874]
  2. Llewellyn
  3. John Bilton [b 1881]
  4. Herbert William [b 1884]
  5. Elizabeth [b 1887]

The family lived at

  • Sowerby [1881]
  • 8 Cavendish Buildings, Sowerby Bridge [1891]
  • Montague Road, Sowerby Bridge [1899]
  • 29 Sowerby New Road, Boston Street, Sowerby Bridge [1901]

Speak, T. A.
[18??-19??] Of Montague Street, Sowerby Bridge.

He was injured – contusions of the head and body – in the Pye Nest Tram Disaster of 15th October 1907, but was treated at home

Speak, Thomas
[18??-1???] Of Walsden. On 12th April 1869, he was convicted at Salford Quarter Sessions of passing base coins at Todmorden, and was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment.

See Coiners

Speak, Thomas
[1858-1906] Son of Paul Speak.

Born in Queensbury.

He inherited a considerable sum from his father and travelled much.

He never married.

He died [14th September 1906] in Edinburgh.

Probate records show that he left an estate valued at £13,428 14/5d.

Speak, Thomas Albert
[1863-1???] Son of William Thomas Speak, a dyer of Brighouse.

He was a dyer [1886].

In [Q3] 1886, he married Louisa Farrar in Halifax.


Louisa, of Park Place, Southowram, was the daughter of
John Farrar
 

Speak, Trevor
[1923-1944] Son of Annie & Clement Speak of Halifax.

During World War II, he served as a Stoker 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the destroyer HMS Stevenstone.

He died 30th November 1944 (aged 21).

He is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial [86 2]

Speak, William
[18??-18??] Stuff manufacturer at Halifax.

In 1851, he was declared bankrupt

Speak, William
[1806-18??] Born in Heptonstall.

He was a farmer of 16 acres employing no labourers [1851].

On 9th December 1824, he married Betty Southwell [1806-1???] from Stansfield, at Heptonstall.

Children:

  1. Mary [b 1826]
  2. Grace [b 1829]
  3. Betty [b 1831]
  4. John
  5. Susan [b 1835]
  6. Hannah [b 1837]
  7. Ellen [b 1839]
  8. Sarah [b 1842]
  9. Olive [b 1844]
  10. William [b 1846]
  11. Esther [b 1848]
  12. Elizabeth Ann [b 1850]

The family lived at

Betty was a widow and a farmer of 15 acres [1861]

Speak, William
[1833-1???] Son of Jonathan Speak, weaver.

He was a train driver of Northowram [1877].

On 18th January 1877, he married Ellen Toplis [1845-1???] at Halifax Parish Church.


Ellen, of Halifax, was the daughter of Robert Toplis, weaver
 

 

Speak surname
Other forms of the surname include Speake and Speight.

Entries for people with this and similar surnames are shown in a separate Foldout

Derived from a Middle English word for the woodpecker

There are over 30 entries on the Calderdale Companion for people with the surname Speak, as discussed in this SideTrack. This count does not include other forms of the surname.

Unattached BMDs for Speak:


Marriages 1809, 1835, 1858, 1877, 1899, 1915
 



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© Malcolm Bull 2017 / [email protected]
Revised 15:06 on 9th August 2017 / mms37 / 49