My x2 great grandmother Ellen Cunningham was born on 25/12/1891 in Cork, Ireland although this has never been confirmed as we have been unable to trace a birth / baptism certificate. Ellen described herself as a 'traveller' or 'tinker' to family - She described living in a caravan and parents fixing cutlery/pots and pans while travelling around - She also read palms/tea leaves. Ellen's parents were James Cunningham (b. 1855) and Jane Lindsay (b. 1863) and she also had 4 sisters, Jane (b. 1880), Margaret (1882), Rebecca (b. 1888), Isabella (b. 1895) and Mary (b. 1899). I can first find the family on the 1881 census in Middlesborough alongside a George Lindsay (b. 1871) (possibly Jane's brother/relative?) they also appear on the 1891 census and the 1901 and 1911 census. from 1891-1911 they appear to be in South Shield, Co. Durham continually however on every census birthplaces/dates change. Isabella's birth is the first birth of the siblings I have found registered while Margaret's marriage certificate from Edinburgh 1899 describes her parents as hawkers in silverware.
Can anyone give me any advice on tracing James or Jane any further or has anyone heard of either to Cunningham's / Lindsay's as traveller families? James and Jane mostly describe their place of birth as Edinburgh or just Scotland however I'm not sure whether this was commonly used to disguise an 'accent'? I've tried numerous routes to trace them further back in Edinburgh but with no luck. I've even tried to trace George Lindsay relative from the 1881 census but have had no luck there either.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you
Andrew
