People / Douglas Telfer

Douglas Telfer

1887 – 1956
DT

Biography

Born: 7 Oct 1887, Mount Gambier SA | Died: 1956, Brunswick East VIC | Mother: Martha Clara Henstridge (1854–1921) | Father: John Telfer (1840–1913) | Spouse: Lilian Daisy Dawson (m. 1910)

Family

RelationName
SelfDouglas Telfer
FatherJohn Telfer (1840–1913)
MotherMartha Clara Henstridge (1854–1921)
SpouseLilian Daisy Dawson (m. 1910)
BrotherMark Telfer (1877–1946)
SisterMaria Clara Telfer (1878–1903)
SisterIsabella Lucieton Telfer (1880–1964)
BrotherJohn Roland Telfer (1882–1975)
SisterClara Blanche Lane (1883–1974)
BrotherRobert Freddy Telfer (1886–1949)
BrotherColin Roy Telfer (1889–1964)
BrotherAlan Dale Telfer (1890–1937)
SisterAlma Tressy Cullen (1893–1976)
SisterMarian Telfer Cornish (1896–1977)

Life Summary

Douglas Telfer was the seventh child of John Telfer and Martha Clara Henstridge. Born at Mount Gambier, South Australia on 7 October 1887, he married Lilian Daisy Dawson in 1910. He died in 1956 at Brunswick East, Victoria, suggesting he relocated across the border at some point in his life — possibly for work. His death location in Victoria aligns with several of his siblings who also settled outside South Australia (Colin Roy in NSW, Alan Dale in NSW, Alma Tressy in Victoria).

⚠️ Death year uncertainty: The 1956 date is generally accepted in primary family trees. Some records suggest a Douglas Telfer whose ashes were interred at St John's Cemetery, Gordon (New South Wales) on 29 November 1967, while other records point to a Reverend Douglas Telfer operating in Canada. Further verification via NSW BDM registry is needed to confirm whether the 1967 Gordon ashes belong to the Tantanoola Douglas.

Timeline

DateEvent
7 Oct 1887Born at Mount Gambier, South Australia
19 Jan 1889Birth of brother Colin Roy at Tantanoola
27 Oct 1890Birth of brother Alan Dale at Tantanoola
27 Nov 1893Birth of sister Alma Tressy at Tantanoola
~1896Birth of sister Marian at Tantanoola
22 Dec 1903Death of sister Maria Clara at Tantanoola
~1910Married Lilian Daisy Dawson
5 Jan 1913Death of father John Telfer at Tantanoola
1921Death of mother Martha Clara Henstridge
1956Died at Brunswick East, Victoria

Sources

  • ✅ Approved Deep Research Report: "The Descendants of John Telfer (1841–1913) of Tantanoola" (Skippy review 29 May 2026) — via WikiTree, gutenberg.net.au, archive.org
  • John Telfer (1840–1913) vault profile — children table

Spouse

  • Lilian Daisy Dawson (m. 1910)

Siblings

  • Mark (1877–1946)
  • Maria Clara (1878–1903)
  • Isabella (1880–1964)
  • John Roland (1882–1975)
  • Clara Blanche (1883–1974)
  • Robert Freddy (1886–1949)
  • Colin Roy (1889–1964)
  • Alan Dale (1890–1937)
  • Alma Tressy (1893–1976)
  • Marian (1896–1977)