Elizabeth Speakman

Dear Barbara,

What a thrill it was to find the photo of Elizabeth Speakman in your Ainscough FLICKR gallery.  It is the oldest by far of a Speakman family member that I have managed to find so far.  A photo adds so much more to a name and date on a family tree, so you can guess that I would be equally thrilled to locate others.

I am 3 years or so into researching my mother Evelyn’s family line.  She came from Roby Mill, and married William Leslie Darbyshire from Bank Top in 1942 : sadly both are now deceased.  I waited too long to ask questions!

In the 3 years mentioned I have, with various others who are researching the Speakmans, Chisnalls and Bullens, put together a quite expansive Speakman family tree.  The 3 family names just indicated, all principally farming families of old, and yours, all have links to one-another.  Two Ainscough names appear : Susannah Ainscough, who married Joseph Speakman of Dalton, and Mary, who married Richard Speakman (a son of Joseph and Susannah).  I have a copy of the latter’s marriage certificate, on which Susannah and a Hugh Ainscough were witnesses.  I’m not sure which Hugh it is, or which Ainscough was Susannah’s father.

I don’t wish to burden you too much, but I would be appreciative of any information re. the locations of Joseph & Susannah’s Dalton farm and Richard & Mary’s Wrightington grocery shop, or anything else which you might have on them.  I do know that after Richard’s early death, Mary re-married to a William Jackson (at St John’s in Manchester?) in 1848, and that Elizabeth was with them in West Derby in 1861.  Elizabeth, however, was living with her uncle Richard & family at his Burscough premises by 1871.

I noticed also the Fairclough and Speakman “trees” in your FLICKR gallery, but the text was too small to read.  Even so, I did detect what appeared to be a couple of differences in them from those which I have assembled (the Faircloughs are another local family linked to those we are involved with).  I could send you my versions if it would be of interest to you.

                In anticipation,

                Many thanks,

                Christopher Alex Darbyshire.