NORTH PARK STREET BURIAL GROUND. Calcutta   PETER SPEKE, ESQ.- {Late of the Honorable Company** Bengal Civil Service.)   Mr. Speke at the time of his death was acting President of the Board of Trade, and President of the Marine Board ; he was one of the oldest and most respectable Members of the Civil Service on the Bengal Establishment, and for many years a Member of the Supreme Council. Sixty-six minute guns, corresponding with the age of the deceased, were fired from the ramparts of Fort William , while his remains were attended to the grave by a numerous and respectable body of friends.   The following Inscription is inscribed on his Monument : -  

"Sacred to the revered Memory of Peter Speke, Esq. who departed this life on 30th November 1811. aged 66 years.   His talents and his virtues equally adorned public and private life ; he was not less admired and respected for the distinguished ability, energetic zeal and characteristic disinterestedness which invariably marked his conduct in the several high trusts he held under this Presidency, during a period of forty years, universally esteemed and loved for his splendid faitellectoal attainments, amiable manners and extensive benevolence".

His wife predeceased him in April 1810, when she was living 92 St George Street , Portman Square , London . She was buried 14th April at St. Margaret Lee church, Kent, "in a vault".

He wrote his brief PCC Will in Calcutta in March 1793. Alexander COLVIN Esq. was the executor who proved the Will in London (via an intermediary) in March 1813. It would appear that the Will was never correctly administered.

His brother Henry Speke of Chenies Row, Westminster London wrote his PCC Will in 1769. This tells us that Peter Speke had an illegitimate daughter Maria Peters.

Eliza Speke sister of Peter Speke died in 1813 (PCC Will). In this she leaves he bulk of her property to Maria Peters, known as Maria Speke - "The beloved charge committed to my care from infancy by my late brother Peter Speke of Calcutta ". Maria Speke proved the Will in 1813.

Maria Speke died in 1843, and in turn left a PCC Will. She directed to be buried in the same vault in Lambeth St. Mary churchyard as "my late dear Aunt". She left £6,000 invested in 3 1/2 % Bank of England stock to various friends, but no Speke family are mentioned. The Will was proved by Harry Capper in February1843

In 1886 Ellen LAWLER spinster, executor of Hannah CAPPER was granted administration of the estate of Maria SPEKE left un-administered in 1843 by a Henry CAPPER.

This was followed in February 1887 by another grant to Ellen Lawler in respect of the estate of Eliza SPEKE ( she died 4 th May 1813 at Westminster Bridge) , left un-administered by Maria SPEKE spinster (d. 1843 PCC Will) which refers to former grant of PCC 1813 Peter Speke.

Finally in March 1887 Ellen Lawler was granted administration of the estate of Peter SPEKE who d. 1811 un-administered by Alexander COLVIN and apparently in turn by Eliza SPEKE "spinster, the sister only next of kin and sole person entitled to the un-disposed residue". By making that statement she appears to be discounting any claims that Maria Speke's estate might have because Maria was not a legitimate child of Peter Speke.

Ellen Lawler's address for 1886 to 1887 was given as 92 St. George Street , Portman Square previously occupied by Susannah Speke in 1811. It is not yet known the exact relationship between Ellen Lawlor and the Speke family, this is being investigated...