The Last Convict home page

Scenes from the London prisons, 1862

Samuel Speed's Timeline

From public documents

Woodstock, Oxfordshire

1840-45?        Born, Birmingham?

1863          8 August, set fire to barley rick at Woodstock with Thomas Jones [Jackson’s Oxford

Journal]

                   28 November, Speed and Jones sentenced to seven years penal servitude [as above].

1864          3 May, Speed to Aylesbury Prison from Oxford Castle [H023/1 Aylesbury].          

                   15 July, Speed to Chatham Prison from Aylesbury [PCOM2/2 Chatham].

1866          22 March, Speed to Portland from Chatham. Transport Belgravia sailed 7 April [PCOM2/7 Chatham].

4 July, Belgravia arrived at Fremantle. Speed to Fremantle Convict Establishment [Convict 8996 indent].

1867 13 October, Speed ticket-of-leave to Vasse district. Employed by Henry Yelverton [convict indent].

Site of Quindalup House, Vasse district WA

1868          Speed employed at Quindalup by George Dawson, farmer [ convict indent].

1869          20 May, Speed given Conditional Release [convict indent].

1870          May/June Speed spent eight days in hospital [convict indent].

1871          18 July, Speed received Certificate of Freedom [convict indent].

1871-88    Speed stated in Mirror interview he worked for the Manning, Bateman, Samson and Gallop families.

1888          16 March, Speed donated 2/6 to Greenough flood relied through Trinity Church Sunday School, Perth [West Australian].

1889          20 June, George Leake letter requesting Speed’s admission to Mount Eliza Invalid Depot as he has a sprained knee and is destitute [SROWA see Leake in References].

1910          Gardener at Children’s Hospital, Subiaco [electoral roll].

1916          Labourer at Old Men’s Home, Claremont [electoral roll].

1919-25    Pensioner at Old Men’s Home [electoral rolls].

1925-28    Gardener at Braille Society Rest Home for the Blind, Victoria Park [electoral rolls].

The Perth Old Men's (Sunset) Home

1936          14 July, to Perth Hospital with enteritis from Victoria Park, discharged 21 July to Victoria Park [Hospital and Braille Society records].

1938          9 June Speed in bed Victoria Park with double hernia [Braille Society records].

8 July Speed admitted to Perth Hospital from Victoria Park with debility [Braille Society and Hospital records], discharged 16 July [Hospital records]. He appears to have returned thence to the Old Men’s Home.

 22-26 August, Speed had interview at Old Men’s Home with the Perth Mirror.

  27 August. Perth Mirror article and photograph of Speed published.

  8 November, Speed died at Old Men’s Home [Death Certificate].

 10 November, buried by the Braille Society at the Karrakatta Cemetery [Death Certificate].

Samuel Speed's death notice 10 November 1938 (West Australian)

(Photos, Anthony Hill)