Major James Speedy and Sarah Speedy's NZ-born children
Major James Speedy - who was Anna Maria's nephew - had an illustrious career in the British Civil Service, mainly in India, before ill health led him to come to New Zealand in the hope a more temperate climate than either England or India would suit him better.
Married to the intrepid Sarah Squires, whose account of her life before arrival in New Zealand gives the impression that nothing - but nothing - fazed her - the Major and his wife arrived in Auckland in February 1856 on the Oriental, only a few weeks after Anna Maria Sophia had arrived with her family.
They were very supportive of their "poor" relations - when Anna Maria arrived she had little in the way of funds to cushion her re-establishment in a new country - and Major Speedy gave her and John Mellsop a cottage and light work at his 750 acre Mauku property "The Grange". They lived there for several years in the late 1850s before moving to a house built by their son in Glenbrook. John Thomas Mellsop was also employed by Major Speedy while he was magistrate, working in the some-time capacity of secretary.
Major Speedy and his wife Sarah had twelve children, spread over twenty years, the last three born in New Zealand and some of the younger ones just toddlers when they arrived here. Of the children born at Mauku after their arrival, only J H Havelock Speedy survived into adulthood to marry and produce a family of his own. Core Essex Holcombe died from eating a poisonous plant - probably tutu berries - when just a toddler, and is buried at the Mauku Historical Cemetery. Their last child, Rose Haultain Speedy, died tragically at the age of 16 after - according to one newspaper report - "falling off a roof where she had climbed to extinguish a chimney fire." She may have well suffered internal injuries, as it was a few days later, on their way to seek medical treatment in Onehunga, that she died on board the boat heading there.
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.
For further reading head to Sarah Speedy's (nee Squires) memoirs: Mrs Livingstone, I presume? memoirs of Mrs S.M. Speedy, wife of Major James Speedy, 1818 to 1859, edited by Allan Speedy, 2006. Subtitled "A woman’s first hand account of colonial life at the dawn of the British Empire". http://www.speedy.co.nz/recollections/index.htm
Married to the intrepid Sarah Squires, whose account of her life before arrival in New Zealand gives the impression that nothing - but nothing - fazed her - the Major and his wife arrived in Auckland in February 1856 on the Oriental, only a few weeks after Anna Maria Sophia had arrived with her family.
They were very supportive of their "poor" relations - when Anna Maria arrived she had little in the way of funds to cushion her re-establishment in a new country - and Major Speedy gave her and John Mellsop a cottage and light work at his 750 acre Mauku property "The Grange". They lived there for several years in the late 1850s before moving to a house built by their son in Glenbrook. John Thomas Mellsop was also employed by Major Speedy while he was magistrate, working in the some-time capacity of secretary.
Major Speedy and his wife Sarah had twelve children, spread over twenty years, the last three born in New Zealand and some of the younger ones just toddlers when they arrived here. Of the children born at Mauku after their arrival, only J H Havelock Speedy survived into adulthood to marry and produce a family of his own. Core Essex Holcombe died from eating a poisonous plant - probably tutu berries - when just a toddler, and is buried at the Mauku Historical Cemetery. Their last child, Rose Haultain Speedy, died tragically at the age of 16 after - according to one newspaper report - "falling off a roof where she had climbed to extinguish a chimney fire." She may have well suffered internal injuries, as it was a few days later, on their way to seek medical treatment in Onehunga, that she died on board the boat heading there.
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.
For further reading head to Sarah Speedy's (nee Squires) memoirs: Mrs Livingstone, I presume? memoirs of Mrs S.M. Speedy, wife of Major James Speedy, 1818 to 1859, edited by Allan Speedy, 2006. Subtitled "A woman’s first hand account of colonial life at the dawn of the British Empire". http://www.speedy.co.nz/recollections/index.htm