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James Speedy was born prior to 4 August 1911 in Ireland. A handwritten record from St Paul's in Dublin, Ireland, shows his baptism on that date, but gives no indication of his birth date or age at the time he was baptised.
James had a commission in the army. He served in India, which is where he married his young wife Sarah Mason Squire, also from a military family. The written memoirs of Sarah Speedy, written some time after James' death in New Zealand in 1868, provide a rich background to their family history and describe their early years in New Zealand.
The couple emigrated to New Zealand, partly for James' health, as New Zealand's climate was recommended as suitable. They arrived in Auckland in February 1856 on the 'Oriental'. Settling in Mauku, James was a landowner in the new colony, and while establishing a farm, Major Speedy also acted as the local magistrate and coroner. He was known for his endeavours in seeking friendly relations with local Maori.
Major Speedy and his wife Sarah had twelve children, spread over twenty years, the last three born in New Zealand. Known children include:
James died after sustaining an accident, from which he never fully recovered, on 6 February 1868. See the article about the funeral, which was a very large affair in image section. [1] A tall grave marker at Waiuku Cemetery was erected, which also bears Sarah Speedy's name.
He died from 2 ribs puncturing his lungs when his horse rolled over him[3]
A transcription of the memorial: "Sacred to the Memory of Major James Speedy, Late of Eighth King's Regiment & for many years Magistrate of this district who d. Feb 6 1868 aged 56 yrs."
Major James Speedy is also memorialised at the small graveyard area by Mauku Stream which was once part of his property. His death date is incorrectly engraved on this memorial which is titled with "Maori War and Pioneers Cemetery".
DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS, VOLUME XXIII, ISSUE 3246, 11 DECEMBER 1867, PAGE 3 Our Drury correspondent writes to say that an accident of rather a serious nature occurred to Major Speedy, R.M ,on Wednesday evening last. He had been to Auckland with his son, Captain Speedy, who embarked in the mail steamer en route to Abyssinia; and on his return, when near the Mauku, in company with his daughter, the worthy Major was thrown from his horse, sustaining a fracture of the collarbone. Most providentially, while consulting with his daughter what course to pursue, Dr. Purchas, who was passing; the road, set the broken bone, and returned with Major Speedy to the house of Mr. Mellsop, Knockmaroon, where every care and attention was paid, enabling the Major to get home to Waiuku on the following day and, although the accident was serious, the numerous friends of Major Speedy will rejoice to hear that he is now progressing towards a perfect recovery.[4]
Major James was Anna Maria's nephew, the son of her brother Captain Robert Speedy. Captain Robert and Anna Maria are believed to both be the children of Colonel Robert Speedy, who had two wives. There is quite an age gap between Captain Robert (born 1784) and Anna Maria (born 1803) and it is unclear if they were both children of the same mother. The records are sketchy and it is difficult to track more information about Colonel Robert Speedy's wives.[5]
Request by A.M Speedy to remove remains of father James Speedy and brother Core Essex Speedy from Mauku private cemetery to Waiuku Cemetery[6]
This week's featured connections gave Famous Speeches: James is 20 degrees from Abraham Lincoln, 13 degrees from Winston Churchill, 24 degrees from Charles de Gaulle, 16 degrees from Vida Goldstein, 15 degrees from Patrick Henry, 16 degrees from John Kennedy, 23 degrees from Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt Nez Perce, 18 degrees from Louis Riel, 15 degrees from Eleanor Roosevelt, 26 degrees from Sojourner Truth, 20 degrees from Richard von Weizsäcker and 12 degrees from William Wilberforce on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
S > Speedy > James Havelock Speedy
Categories: Oriental, sailed 01 October 1855 | British Military Officers | New Zealand Colonists | Magistrates | Mauku, Auckland | Waiuku Cemetery, Waiuku, Auckland