John Telfer (1835-1915) was born in Newton Mearns, moved with family to Falkirk. Patternmaker at Falkirk Foundry then apprentice engineer, worked in Glasgow then Grangemouth on the screw steamer Elf. Ironturner with Smith Fullerton & Co, Camelon Foundry, foreman for ten years at Kilns then foreman at Castlelaurie Foundry. In 1886 transferred to assistant manager at Falkirk Foundry, then Manager of Castlelaurie Foundry. Retired c. 1904 when "Being exceedingly fond of photography they presented him with a valuable camera on his retiral" (Falkirk Herald July 22 1908) Set up "Telfer's Choir". Studied Tonic Sol-fa in 1866. and then set up the Falkirk Tonic Sol-fa Association and appointed conductor. Precentor in Grahamston Church (appointed by the Baird Trust). Also member of the Falkirk Building Society committee, member of the Sir John de Graeme Lodge of Oddfellows, member of Free Library Committee, Falkirk Burns Club and the Council of the Natural History and Archaeology Society. Baptist. Politically was a Unionist. Assumed to be same John Telfer as photographer of P713.