Oh, durn !
Thankyou anyway , Kris.
They were quite a literate family, so (transcription errors aside) I believe that they would have had intended spellings correct.
Family oral tradition adamantly asserts he was born in Bristol, lived for a 'few years' in South Africa, returned to 'England' and came to New Zealand in 1872 (when he would have been still just 20 years of age).
That considered, maybe he was born a little earlier than indicated.
So, folks, I am still open to further suggestions.
Thanks
Ed. Eyre