I am doing some research on behalf of an old friend and have run into a brick wall with Peter Tullock. The 1851 census shows a family headed by Peter Tullock, wife Mary (nee Taylor) and children William, James, Edward and George. All resident in Hartley, Northumberland. William is the key member in the line I am following. Mary was born in Newcastle, all the children in Seaton Sluice, Northumberland and Peter was born in Scotland, occupation Mariner. So far so good. Not one of the members of this family appears in the census of 1841 in England. Edward and George were too young but William and James should be there as should their mother, even if Peter was away at sea.
Peter was born in or about 1803 and Mary about 1807. I have found birth records of two possible Marys. I can find no record of a Scottish birth of a Peter or a record of a marriage between the two. The 1841 census for Scotland shows only one Peter Tullock, resident in Orkney and Shetland, a fisherman, but he has another family altogether. By 1861 Mary was the lone head of the household and Edward the only remaining child, George having died in 1854 and the eldest two presumably left home. Any suggestions as to the next line of enquiry would be very welcome.