......
Thanks JM,
Does that mean that even if he didn't die in NSW they would hold the record? It is pre federation, but as far as I can see the family never ventured (or at least stayed) in NSW - but again that is pure speculation going off the facts. Would you recommend purchasing MARY ANNE SMITH'S marriage to HENRY LUKE in 1853 cert or her death cert from NZ? And also, does the fact that ELIZABETH DAVEY + RICHARD HENRY EDWARDS were married by a Weslyan minister mean anything at that time? They would then be non-conformists back in cornwall, yes? Just trying to get everything clear.
And thanks to the help from Cando + Essie, much appreciated your help in my search 
In your subject heading you have written (possibly SA, VIC or NSW) so I have been looking through my NSW offline resources. Now you are saying that the family did not venture into NSW.
Re the denomination for Elizabeth's marriage. There was NO Established Church in the Colonies. It may be that the family were Wesleyan back in the UK, but you may also find that they married in C of E in the UK because actually that was not against Wesleyan Methods....
Re what records are held by NSW BDM .... well, for example they do not hold all the extant parish registers, but from 1810 the clergy of all denominations were meant to forward (transmit) summary information to the NSW Chaplains. Not all clergy did so, and not all the transmitted records arrived, and not all transmitted records are extant, and at different times between 1810 and 1856 (commencement of NSW BDM civil registrations) changes to the admin system meant there were changes in where the clergy (of the various denominations) who were not NSW Chaplains transmitted their summary records.
The geographical territory that was administered by NSW governors and then by NSW Parliament was adjusted quite a number of times prior to Federation.
Tasmania (VDL) hived off in 1825
Swan River Colony 1829
South Australia 1836
New Zealand 1840
North Australia 1846 (did not last)
Victoria 1851
Queensland 1859
Re what certificate to purchase .... well for any NZ document I think I would go for the printout option, but I would first check with the NZ BDM webpage as to what would actually be recorded on an NZ death registration at that time. Of course, a death registration does not give you first hand information, and if the informant was a family member, a generation younger than the deceased, then you are relying on second or third hand info provided at a time of grief.
Re the Victoria BDM not yet purchased, perhaps Mary Ann may have wanted to be known as a widow, rather than actually being a widow in the sense that her husband had died. So perhaps that info may be unreliable too. Perhaps the clergy conducting that marriage may have been a little scant on the info recorded too. On the other hand, it should have information about the children of that marriage to Henry DAVEY.... It may well be that Henry and Mary Ann became separated sometime sooner than you have first considered. It is important to remember that regardless of who physically fathered a child, if a woman was married to Mr XYZ, then it was that man who was legally the father. It is also important to remember that children's surnames matched that of the name that Mum was known by. And in that era, a married Mum was Mrs XYZ, until she chose to became known as Mrs ABC ....
Perhaps best to continue with the Baked beans meals and do some ponderings before you rush out and spend another $24 or so and go without a week's supply of groceries.
Cheers, JM
