John Speller Wright

     (For a brief history and context on the Darby family - which this person is an extended member of - see this page)

NOTE: The information on this page is my research to date and is subject to change as I become better informed. I very much welcome any corrections or additional info you might have - my email address is at the bottom of this page. Whilst historical facts are not copyright, my writing about these facts are. If you wish to use any text from this site on Ancestry or on any other website, please ask me first - Tim Hill.


John Speller Wright was born in 1812 at England.² He was the son of William Wright and Elizabeth (?)^2,3 John Speller Wright was baptised at St. Ann's circa 1813 at Soho, London.³ John Speller Wright was indentured to Thomas Wand as a tailor.⁴

He married Martha Darby, daughter of George Darby and Elizabeth Aylott, in a Church of England ceremony at St. Pancras Parish Chapel on Wednesday, 11 January 1837 at St. Pancras, London. Martha was daughter of a millwright and builder from Hertford. The wedding certificate was also signed by Samuel Darby and Ann Darby. Others who may have attended the wedding include Elizabeth (?) as mother of the bride, George Darby as father of the bride and William Wright as father of the groom. Brothers and sisters who may have attended include Lucretia Darby, Eliza Darby, Mary Ann Darby, William Darby, Amelia Darby, Thomas Darby and John D. Darby. John and Martha went on to have two children together.^5,6,1 John Speller Wright was a tailor on 4 March 1839 at 44 Conduit Street, London.^7,8 John and Martha lived on 4 March 1839 at 11 Swan Street Great Dover Row, London.⁷ John Speller Wright and Martha Darby made an application for free passage to South Australia on 4 March 1839.⁷

John and his wife Martha emigrated with Martha's brothers Thomas and John, John's wife Mary, her sister Ann and Ann's husband Joseph Peck. from London on 20 April 1839 on the 'Somersetshire.⁹' John and his wife Martha arrived at Port Adelaide, South Australia, on 25 August 1839.⁹


On his arrival, there were a little over 10,000 people in the colony.¹⁰

The family was mentioned in a letter from another South Australian immigrant. Describing something of their circumstances on 21 March 1840:


No doubt this letter was very eagerly received back home.^11,12 John Speller Wright was a tailor in 1846.² John and Martha (and presumably his spouse Martha) lived in 1846 at Hindley Street, in Adelaide.²

John died on 8 February 1846 at North Adelaide aged approximately 34.^2,1 He was buried on 10 February 1846 at West Terrace Cemetery, in Adelaide.¹³