Charles Telfer
Biography
Born: 13 Jan 1875, Mount Gambier SA
Died: 1 Sep 1954, Port Augusta SA (age 79)
Father: John Telfer (1840–1913)
Mother: Martha Henstridge (~1854–1921)
Spouse: Amelia Curkpatrick (James) Telfer (1878–1919, m. 26 Feb 1902, Naracoorte SA)
Family
| Relation | Name |
|---|---|
| Self | Charles (Charles William) Telfer |
| Father | John Telfer (1840–1913) |
| Mother | Martha Henstridge (~1854–1921) |
| Spouse | Amelia Curkpatrick (James) Telfer (1878–1919, m. 26 Feb 1902) |
| Child | Three sons |
| Child | Three daughters |
| Half-Brother | James Telfer (1866–1946) |
| Half-Sister | Elizabeth Telfer (1868–1950) |
| Half-Sister | Susan Telfer (1871–1952) |
| Half-Sister | Martha Telfer (1873–?) |
| Brother | Mark Telfer (1877–1946) |
| Sister | Maria Clara Telfer (1878–1903) |
| Sister | Isabella Lucieton Telfer (1880–1964) |
| Brother | John Roland Telfer (1882–1975) |
| Sister | Clara Blanche Telfer (1883–1974) |
| Brother | Robert Freddy Telfer (1886–1949) |
| Brother | Douglas Telfer (1887–1956) |
| Brother | Colin Roy Telfer (1889–1964) |
| Brother | Alan Dale Telfer (1890–1937) |
| Sister | Alma Tressy Cullen (1893–1976) |
| Sister | Marian Telfer Cornish (1896–1977) |
Life Summary
Charles Telfer was the fifth child of John Telfer (1840–1913) and the first child of his second wife Martha Henstridge (~1854–1921). Born at Mount Gambier, South Australia on 13 January 1875, he was the eldest of Martha Clara Henstridge's children. He married Amelia Curkpatrick James at the Wesleyan Parsonage, Naracoorte, South Australia on 26 February 1902. She was born on 5 June 1878 at Kingston, South Australia, the daughter of Morris James, and she died on 28 August 1919, aged 41, and was buried at Tantanoola, South Australia — so Charles was a widower for the last thirty-five years of his life. They had six children — three sons and three daughters. Like several of his siblings he moved to the mid-north of the state, and he died at Port Augusta, South Australia on 1 September 1954, aged 79.
Note — two Charles Telfers (do not merge): This is the Tantanoola-branch Charles Telfer (1875–1954), son of John Telfer & Martha Henstridge, who died at Port Augusta. He must be distinguished from the OTHER Charles Telfer who also died in 1954 — Francis Charles "Charlie" Telfer (1875–1954) Francis Charles Telfer (1875–1954), the son of John Telfer & Caroline (John 1847–1929 branch), who died at Croydon. Two different men, same given name, same death year, different branches.
Spouse surname — RESOLVED 18 Sep 2026: her name is CURKPATRICK, not Fitzpatrick. Three sources settle it. (1) The marriage register (Genealogy SA, Marriage Registrations, Book/Page 210/828): TELFER, Charles William (28, single, father John TELFER) m. JAMES, Amelia Curkpatrick (24, single, father Morris JAMES), 26 Feb 1902, Wesleyan Parsonage Naracoorte, District Robe. No Fitzpatrick–Telfer marriage exists anywhere in the index, and "Curkpatrick" is a genuine South Australian surname. (2) A Telfer Family Tree (2008), p.236: "5. Charles William Telfer (Regan) (1875-1954) m. Amelia Curkpatrick James" — and p.251 gives her full record. (3) A Telfer Family Tree — Supplement (2008), p.249: the same entry, same spelling. The single "Amelia Fitzpatrick" reading appears only in one narrative sentence of From the Borders to the Bush (p.240/241) and is a mis-transcription in that book — the other two books and the register agree against it.
Note — two Charles Telfers (do not merge):
Marriage date — reported variance (see also the Sources note): the two 2008 books (A Telfer Family Tree p.251, and its Supplement p.249) give the marriage as 26 June 1902; the marriage register gives 26 February 1902. The register is followed here. February is also the only reading consistent with the couple's first child, William James Telfer, born 25 April 1902 — a June marriage would have him born two months before his parents married. Readers comparing this page with the books should expect to see June there and February here, and should know the difference is deliberate.
Note — birth year variance: FamilySearch records birth 13 Jan 1875; the Lehmann/Henschke genealogical sheet records 1874. Age-79 at death (1 Sep 1954) is consistent with either. File titled 1875 per FamilySearch's precise birth date; variance noted.
Family Stories
(From the Borders to the Bush, p.240)
"Charles Telfer was the fifth child of John and Martha (nee Henstridge), who married Amelia Fitzpatrick. They had six children, Charles died at Port Augusta in 1954."
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 13 Jan 1875 | Born at Mount Gambier, South Australia |
| 28 Dec 1876 | Marriage of parents John Telfer & Martha Clara Henstridge |
| 1877 | Birth of brother Mark |
| 26 Feb 1902 | Married Amelia Curkpatrick James at the Wesleyan Parsonage, Naracoorte, SA |
| 25 Apr 1902 | Birth of son William James Telfer at Tantanoola, SA |
| ~1902–1919 | Six children born (three sons, three daughters) |
| 5 Jan 1913 | Death of father John Telfer at Tantanoola |
| 28 Aug 1919 | Death of wife Amelia at Tantanoola, SA (aged 41; buried Tantanoola) |
| 13 Nov 1921 | Death of mother Martha Clara Henstridge |
| 1 Sep 1954 | Died at Port Augusta, South Australia (age 79) |
Sources
- ✅ From the Borders to the Bush: A Genealogical History of the Telfer Family (1989), p.240 — family register. NB: this book's one-line narrative calls his wife "Amelia Fitzpatrick"; that is a mis-transcription — corrected to Curkpatrick here, on the authority of the marriage register and the other two books. See the spouse notes above.
- ✅ A Telfer Family Tree (2008), p.236 (child list: "5. Charles William Telfer (Regan) (1875-1954) m. Amelia Curkpatrick James") and p.251 (family record: her birth 5 Jun 1878 Kingston SA, marriage 1902 Wesleyan Parsonage Naracoorte, death 28 Aug 1919 buried Tantanoola)
- ✅ A Telfer Family Tree — Supplement (2008), p.249 — same entry, same spelling
- ✅ Genealogy SA — Marriage Registrations, Book/Page 210/828 (verified from the online index, 18 Sep 2026, member #24964): TELFER, Charles William m. JAMES, Amelia Curkpatrick, 26-Feb-1902, Wesleyan Parsonage Naracoorte, District Robe; groom's father John TELFER, bride's father Morris JAMES
- ✅ Genealogy SA — Death Registrations, Book/Page 431/427 (verified from the online index, 18 Sep 2026, member #24964): TELFER, Amelia, d. 28-Aug-1919, age 41, district Grey, relative Charles William TELFER [H]. Corroborates the books' 28 Aug 1919 and the marriage, and is recorded under her married surname.
- ✅ FamilySearch: Charlie William Telfer (K81Z-PGY), b. 13 Jan 1875 Mount Gambier, m. Amelia Curkpatrick James 1902 Naracoorte, d. 1 Sep 1954 Port Augusta — via FamilySearch
- ✅ Lehmann/Henschke genealogical index — Charles Telfer (1874–1954), child of John Telfer (1840–1913) & Martha Clara Henstridge (2nd marriage), after the four Martha Allen children
Parents
- John Telfer (1840 – 1913)
- Martha Henstridge (1854 – 1921)
Siblings
- Alan Dale Telfer (1890 – 1937)
- Clara Blanche Telfer (1883 – 1974)
- Colin Roy Telfer (1889 – 1964)
- Douglas Telfer (1887 – 1956)
- Isabella Lucieton Telfer (1880 – 1964)
- John Roland Telfer (1882 – 1975)
- Maria Clara Telfer (1878 – 1903)
- Marian Telfer Cornish (1896 – 1977)
- Mark Telfer (1877 – 1946)
- Robert Freddy Telfer (1886 – 1949)