He was born at Orleigh Court, Buckland Brewer, Nr Bideford, Devon in 1830 and was the son of Captain William Speke (1798-1887) and Georgina Elizabeth Speke nee Hanning (1805-1879).
He was Christened on the 21st of May 1830 at the Church Of St. Mary And St. Benedict at Buckland Brewer.
His seven siblings were:
1. William Arthur Speke (1825-1908)
2. Captain John Hanning Speke (1827-1864)
3. Edward Speke (1829 - 1857)
4. Georgina Harriet Speke (1835-1913)
5. Elizabeth Speke (b.1839)
6. Sophia Speke (1841 - 1931))
7. Matilda Speke (1845-1928)
In his adult life he joined the clergy of the Church of England, becoming the Rector of the Church of St. Andrew at Dowlish Wake, Somerset, circa 1860.
On the 8th of January 1868 Revd. Speke suddendly went 'missing'. His inexplicable disappearance was the subject of intense speculation in the press, most of it of a sensational and lurid nature. Despite the lack of any evidence that he had come to harm, by early February the most respected daily and weekly newspapers presumed his murder, and in spine-tingling detail; speculated about the means and opportunities exploited by his killers. A sizeable reward was offered for information to his whereabouts or fate. The one eventuality that nobody considered was that the clergyman might have been the author of his own disappearance. But at the end of February he was discovered, almost by chance, living as a cattle drover in Cornwall. Subsequent reports speculated that he must have suffered a period of temporary insanity. After a period of convalescence he seemed to have recovered.
On the 19th of May 1869 he married Caroline Sophia Fuller (1839-1881), the daughter of John Bird Fuller (1801-1972) and Sophia Harriet Fuller nee Hanning (d.1883).
They had eight children:
1. Col. Walter Hanning Speke 1870 - 1944
2. Rev. Frederic John Speke (1871–1933)
3. Charles Speke (1872 - 1965)
4. Augustus Grant Speke (1873 - 1922)
5. Commander William Speke RN (1874-1922)
6. Capt. Herbert Benjamin Speke OBE (1877–1947)
7. Hugh Speke (1878–1915)
8. Ethel Georgina Philipps nee Speke (1879 - 1971)
Benjamin Speke died on the 24th of February 1881, aged 50 years. Reportedly from Suicide.
He was Christened on the 21st of May 1830 at the Church Of St. Mary And St. Benedict at Buckland Brewer.
His seven siblings were:
1. William Arthur Speke (1825-1908)
2. Captain John Hanning Speke (1827-1864)
3. Edward Speke (1829 - 1857)
4. Georgina Harriet Speke (1835-1913)
5. Elizabeth Speke (b.1839)
6. Sophia Speke (1841 - 1931))
7. Matilda Speke (1845-1928)
In his adult life he joined the clergy of the Church of England, becoming the Rector of the Church of St. Andrew at Dowlish Wake, Somerset, circa 1860.
On the 8th of January 1868 Revd. Speke suddendly went 'missing'. His inexplicable disappearance was the subject of intense speculation in the press, most of it of a sensational and lurid nature. Despite the lack of any evidence that he had come to harm, by early February the most respected daily and weekly newspapers presumed his murder, and in spine-tingling detail; speculated about the means and opportunities exploited by his killers. A sizeable reward was offered for information to his whereabouts or fate. The one eventuality that nobody considered was that the clergyman might have been the author of his own disappearance. But at the end of February he was discovered, almost by chance, living as a cattle drover in Cornwall. Subsequent reports speculated that he must have suffered a period of temporary insanity. After a period of convalescence he seemed to have recovered.
On the 19th of May 1869 he married Caroline Sophia Fuller (1839-1881), the daughter of John Bird Fuller (1801-1972) and Sophia Harriet Fuller nee Hanning (d.1883).
They had eight children:
1. Col. Walter Hanning Speke 1870 - 1944
2. Rev. Frederic John Speke (1871–1933)
3. Charles Speke (1872 - 1965)
4. Augustus Grant Speke (1873 - 1922)
5. Commander William Speke RN (1874-1922)
6. Capt. Herbert Benjamin Speke OBE (1877–1947)
7. Hugh Speke (1878–1915)
8. Ethel Georgina Philipps nee Speke (1879 - 1971)
Benjamin Speke died on the 24th of February 1881, aged 50 years. Reportedly from Suicide.
He was born at Orleigh Court, Buckland Brewer, Nr Bideford, Devon in 1830 and was the son of Captain William Speke (1798-1887) and Georgina Elizabeth Speke nee Hanning (1805-1879).
He was Christened on the 21st of May 1830 at the Church Of St. Mary And St. Benedict at Buckland Brewer.
His seven siblings were:
1. William Arthur Speke (1825-1908)
2. Captain John Hanning Speke (1827-1864)
3. Edward Speke (1829 - 1857)
4. Georgina Harriet Speke (1835-1913)
5. Elizabeth Speke (b.1839)
6. Sophia Speke (1841 - 1931))
7. Matilda Speke (1845-1928)
In his adult life he joined the clergy of the Church of England, becoming the Rector of the Church of St. Andrew at Dowlish Wake, Somerset, circa 1860.
On the 8th of January 1868 Revd. Speke suddendly went 'missing'. His inexplicable disappearance was the subject of intense speculation in the press, most of it of a sensational and lurid nature. Despite the lack of any evidence that he had come to harm, by early February the most respected daily and weekly newspapers presumed his murder, and in spine-tingling detail; speculated about the means and opportunities exploited by his killers. A sizeable reward was offered for information to his whereabouts or fate. The one eventuality that nobody considered was that the clergyman might have been the author of his own disappearance. But at the end of February he was discovered, almost by chance, living as a cattle drover in Cornwall. Subsequent reports speculated that he must have suffered a period of temporary insanity. After a period of convalescence he seemed to have recovered.
On the 19th of May 1869 he married Caroline Sophia Fuller (1839-1881), the daughter of John Bird Fuller (1801-1972) and Sophia Harriet Fuller nee Hanning (d.1883).
They had eight children:
1. Col. Walter Hanning Speke 1870 - 1944
2. Rev. Frederic John Speke (1871–1933)
3. Charles Speke (1872 - 1965)
4. Augustus Grant Speke (1873 - 1922)
5. Commander William Speke RN (1874-1922)
6. Capt. Herbert Benjamin Speke OBE (1877–1947)
7. Hugh Speke (1878–1915)
8. Ethel Georgina Philipps nee Speke (1879 - 1971)
Benjamin Speke died on the 24th of February 1881, aged 50 years. Reportedly from Suicide.
He was Christened on the 21st of May 1830 at the Church Of St. Mary And St. Benedict at Buckland Brewer.
His seven siblings were:
1. William Arthur Speke (1825-1908)
2. Captain John Hanning Speke (1827-1864)
3. Edward Speke (1829 - 1857)
4. Georgina Harriet Speke (1835-1913)
5. Elizabeth Speke (b.1839)
6. Sophia Speke (1841 - 1931))
7. Matilda Speke (1845-1928)
In his adult life he joined the clergy of the Church of England, becoming the Rector of the Church of St. Andrew at Dowlish Wake, Somerset, circa 1860.
On the 8th of January 1868 Revd. Speke suddendly went 'missing'. His inexplicable disappearance was the subject of intense speculation in the press, most of it of a sensational and lurid nature. Despite the lack of any evidence that he had come to harm, by early February the most respected daily and weekly newspapers presumed his murder, and in spine-tingling detail; speculated about the means and opportunities exploited by his killers. A sizeable reward was offered for information to his whereabouts or fate. The one eventuality that nobody considered was that the clergyman might have been the author of his own disappearance. But at the end of February he was discovered, almost by chance, living as a cattle drover in Cornwall. Subsequent reports speculated that he must have suffered a period of temporary insanity. After a period of convalescence he seemed to have recovered.
On the 19th of May 1869 he married Caroline Sophia Fuller (1839-1881), the daughter of John Bird Fuller (1801-1972) and Sophia Harriet Fuller nee Hanning (d.1883).
They had eight children:
1. Col. Walter Hanning Speke 1870 - 1944
2. Rev. Frederic John Speke (1871–1933)
3. Charles Speke (1872 - 1965)
4. Augustus Grant Speke (1873 - 1922)
5. Commander William Speke RN (1874-1922)
6. Capt. Herbert Benjamin Speke OBE (1877–1947)
7. Hugh Speke (1878–1915)
8. Ethel Georgina Philipps nee Speke (1879 - 1971)
Benjamin Speke died on the 24th of February 1881, aged 50 years. Reportedly from Suicide.
Family Members
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