Did his family celebrate his birthday.....what day and month?
Can you please list everything on the marriage certificate, 1938.
Details about Eileen will be useful.
Why did they move to NZ, and then marry, if they met in NSW?
Did he give his own name, Herbert / Harold to a son? Did he name a son Arthur, a daughter Florence, Rose etc.....might suggest degree of attachment to his own family.
I do not want to identify living sons and daughters, but can you consider their names with this purpose.
If the birth certificates of his children ask for age and birthplace of father, are these records consistent for age and birthplace (name of informant is useful here).
Yes they celebrated his birthday - 6th Nov, it was easy to remember because of Guy Fawkes was day before.
His marriage certificate states:
Reg No: 2975 District of Auckland
St Benedict Church
Name: Harold Herbert Anderson
Age: 31
Rank or Profession: Labourer
Bachelor
Birth Place: Sydney
Father: William John Anderson, Seaman
Mother: Florence Anderson, nee Wright
Name: Eileen Mary Veronica Mulhern
Age: 32
Rank or Profession:
Spinister
Birth Place: Opotiki
Father: Patrick Joseph Mulhern
Mother: Isabella Mulhern, nee Parkinson
Marriage was solemnised between:
Herbert Harold Anderson & Eileen Mary Veronica Mulhern.
In the presents of: William Frederick Thatcher & Nora Bacon
The only thing abnormal on marriage certificate is his name is stated as Harold Herbert in names of parties, however Herbert Harold in solemnised between.
They moved to NZ because my grandmother was originally from NZ. She went home, and he followed here. They ended up moving on to the family farm as Eileens father had died a few years before and her brothers had enlisted for WWI so they looked after the farm while the boys were away at war.
2 of his sons have second names of Herbert and William - no other info except for mother's and father's name on their birth certificates. No age or birth place of parents etc on birth certificates. Name of Sponsors are John & Molly Mulhern - Eileens brother and his wife.
Herbert did go back to AU once to see the melbourne cup in early 60's (maybe 63) - by boat, he wouldnt fly.