A bit of a coincidence. I was looking at the history of Birtley around 1870 to 1881 and the first random name I chose as being from Birtley was Elizabeth Proudlock who lived on Buffalo Terrace. Another coincidence I am Steve Pick.
My search is about the children, or should I say grandchildren, of Robert Telfer. He was a shepherd born in Throckington about 1813. On the 1881 census are 4 grandchildren all being shown as born in Birtley, Robert Telfer 8, Sarah Jane Telfer 6, Robert Telfer 3 and Elizabeth Potter 1 month.
It was difficult to track Telfer as Telford, Tefler are other names on other censuses.
His wife Mary Bryden, died in 1864.
In 1871, he and his 5 children were living in Pelaw Houses, Harraton and in 1881 in Barley Mow Harraton.
I started this search with Elspeth Pick (b1847) as she married John Pick in 1887 in Chester le street. A daughter Elizabeth Pick is shown in the 1891 census aged 11 and I wondered who her father was. Elizabeth (b1881) and her 3 sibblings don't show up in deaths or on the 1891 under their names on the 1881 census.
I am guessing the granddaughter shown on 1881 census as Elizabeth Potter became Elizabeth Pick on the 1891 census. FreeBMD seems to be down, as I write, but from memory I am fairly sure there was no Elizabeth Potter born in 1881 in Birtley.
I wonder how many births there were in Birtley in this decade.
John Pick was the brother of my great grandfather William, so it is no big deal, but I am just curious how 4 kids could be listed on the census and I don't know their parents, except perhaps for Elizabeth. However, if my guess is correct I wonder why she was called Potter.
If anybody has input I would love to hear, but it looks like further information can only be speculation.
Steve in Texas
