Painter, born in London who studied at the National Art Training School (later the RCA) and the RA Schools where he won a travelling scholarship and spent a year in Italy, also visiting Paris and Vienna. His first solo exhibition was held at Leicester Galleries, London in 1907 and he showed extensively at venues that included Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Baillie Gallery, Chenil Gallery, Fine Art Society, Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, International Society of Sculptors, Painters & Gravers, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, London Salon, Manchester Academy of Fine Arts, New English Art Club, New Gallery, Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Royal Academy, Royal Society of British Artists, Royal Cambrian Academy, Royal Hibernian Academy, Ridley Art Club, Royal Institute of Oil Painters and at the Royal Scottish Academy. He was an excellent academic painter and executed murals at the Royal Academy restaurant. Speed taught for many years at Goldsmiths’ College and his interest in craft work resulted in his election as a Master at the Art Workers’ Guild in 1916.

Examples of his work are in the collections of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, Derby Museum and Art Gallery, Grundy Art Gallery, Leamington Spa Art Gallery, Manchester City Galleries, Museums Sheffield, National Museums Northern Ireland, National Portrait Gallery, National Trust, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, Richmond Museum, N. Yorkshire, Southampton Art Gallery, Tate Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum and Wolverhampton Arts and Heritage.

With thanks to artbiogs.co.uk