My 5th great-grandparents were John PHILLIPS & Ann COCK.
There seems to be very little information about this couple.
All we know is that John & Ann married at St. Teath, Cornwall on
19 April 1819. The witnesses were James Higgons & Thomas Hamley,

I've done some sleuthing & have spent hours pouring over Parish records in Cornwall and have found records for a John PHILLIPS.
This is what I have:

He was born in 1775 and baptised in Gwithian, Cornwall on 30 October 1775. He died aged 65 years, in Wendron, Cornwall on 06 March 1840.

It's possible that John might have been quite a bit older than Ann. This would make him aged 44yrs when he married Ann, being 20 years her senior. It was common in those days for middle-aged men to have younger wives.

We know that John Phillips' movements are as follows:

*Trewerthen, Cornwall 1825-1831. According to Jane & Richard's baptism record, John's occupation was Labourer.
*Ammell, Cornwall 1833 (where son John was born & baptised). These are all in the St. Kew area.

Cornwall is not a large area so being a labourer, it's possible that John and Ann moved to where the work was. His last abode was noted to be Wendron where he was an agricultural labourer.

If it is indeed "our John", perhaps Ann, newly widowed, had decided to start afresh in New Zealand after his death in 1841, taking her children with her. (We do know that John had passed away not long before his family emigrated).

This is purely a theory at this point - I would love to hear from any relations who may agree (or disagree) with my findings. I have also traced his parents, grandparents & great-grandparents.

If we have indeed gone off on the wrong track and if anyone has any ideas/clues or is sure of John & Ann's whereabouts in Cornwall, please don't hesitate to leave me a message! :)

Amber :)