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The true origins of JOHN LEWIS MORLEY remain uncertain due to conflicting information in England, and scant detailed information regarding his arrival in New Zealand. Having done a fair amount of research and attempted to trace back further using Ancestry.co.uk, I feel that we are not able to even definitely prove his birth in Suffolk, as most family trees seem to have it.
While I did at one time ascribe his male line parentage to Jonathan Morley and Susan Whymark, as do many others, I am far from convinced, particularly since there is no real continuity with the naming of children. Both name and surname may be relatively common, but the name LEWIS does NOT appear in any forebears of those two people, even though it DOES appear to be handed down from him to his descendants.
Likewise other names associated with that family (such as (BENJAMIN and SAMUEL) are not a significant feature of the New Zealand Morleys descended from John Lewis. Indeed I have just discovered a hybrid family from Glamorganshire in Wales which had adopted a step-family with the surname LEWIS, and while this does not yet yield much, it may well be that SUFFOLK is a misdirection.
There is also the fact that he appears to have arrived in New Zealand alone, since both his marriages appear to have taken place AFTER his arrival, and he may well be the John Morley referred to in the passenger list of the "Strathallan", arriving at Lyttelton January 1859. Confusion about his age at marriage and at his death in 1916, as well as length of residence.
Finally, there were two John Morley's enlisted in the regiments sent to the Maori Wars, both of whom were discharged from the 65th Yorkshire and the 14th Foot respectively after some years of service. Did one of these remain in the country to settle? Other possibilities include convict transportation to Australia (probably Tasmania) and a later escape across the Tasman!
I would appreciate any suggestions or assistance!