Hi Cameron,
I think I am the source of information you quoted at the beginning. William Jarvis Harker was my wife's great grandfather. I am 99% sure of the lineage of WJH down the children of his first two marriages in England. My wife's father and grandfather talked to her about WJH - a bit sketchy by the time we started to have a look since they were long since in Australia - he stayed in NZ, but enough to provide anecdotal evidence which correlates well against some of the factual records that present themselves. I have various B, M, D certificates including his birth and death certificates. He was born on 6 May 1843.
I have various bits of information about his time in England and the circumstances of departing for NZ - he left his children behind - they were at an orphan's convent in Sussex at the time of the 1881 Census ( I have visited the old convent) and the children were later sent out to him, but not at his request apparently!
Elisabeth Rose Jones, his second wife, did die in childbirth to twins - one survived (my wife's grandfather) and the other sadly died.
I can give more information if you contact me - you tracked me down on Facebook - and I'm keen to get filled in on the NZ connection about which I know little! Cheers ..... Rob
