Intentions to Marry, 1861

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840373, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

Imaged by Luke Howison at Archives NZ Wellington, December 11 2024

Page 180

District of Nelson Quarter ending 31 March 1861 Registrar John Poynter

Date of Notice

Names and Surnames of Parties

BDM Match

Condition

Calling or Profession

Age

Dwelling Place

Length of Residence

Marriage Place

Folio

Consent

Date of Certificate

Officiating Minister

09 February 1861

Thomas Frederick Goddard
Victorine Rogers

Thomas Frederick Goddard
Victorine Rogers
💍 1861/3790

Widower
Spinster

Publican

39
17

City of Nelson
City of Nelson

3 days
5 months

At the residence of Thomas Frederick Goddard, Brook Street

no person in N.Z having authority to consent

09 February 1861

Rev. Jonathan Innes

No	16
Date of Notice	09 February 1861
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas Frederick Goddard	Victorine Rogers
	💍 1861/3790
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Publican
Age	39	17
Dwelling Place	City of Nelson	City of Nelson
Length of Residence	3 days	5 months
Marriage Place	At the residence of Thomas Frederick Goddard, Brook Street
Folio
Consent	no person in N.Z having authority to consent
Date of Certificate	09 February 1861
Officiating Minister	Rev. Jonathan Innes

16 February 1861

Henry Leigh Yates
Mary Louisa Ann Lawrence

Henry Leigh Yates
Mary Louisa Ann Laurence
💍 1861/4216

Bachelor
Spinster

Printer

25
22

Waimea East
City of Nelson

10 days
11 months

At the residence of Mary Elizabeth Harris, Richmond

16 February 1861

Rev. Patrick Calder

No	17
Date of Notice	16 February 1861
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Henry Leigh Yates	Mary Louisa Ann Lawrence
BDM Match (98%)	Henry Leigh Yates	Mary Louisa Ann Laurence
	💍 1861/4216
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Printer
Age	25	22
Dwelling Place	Waimea East	City of Nelson
Length of Residence	10 days	11 months
Marriage Place	At the residence of Mary Elizabeth Harris, Richmond
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	16 February 1861
Officiating Minister	Rev. Patrick Calder

27 February 1861

Osborne Gazzard
Susannah Smith

Osborne Gazzard
Susannah Smith
💍 1861/4219

Bachelor
Widow

Baker

32
32

Fox Hill
Fox Hill

4 months
5 years

At the Shipwrights Arms, Haven Road

27 February 1861

Rev. Patrick Calder

No	18
Date of Notice	27 February 1861
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Osborne Gazzard	Susannah Smith
	💍 1861/4219
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Baker
Age	32	32
Dwelling Place	Fox Hill	Fox Hill
Length of Residence	4 months	5 years
Marriage Place	At the Shipwrights Arms, Haven Road
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	27 February 1861
Officiating Minister	Rev. Patrick Calder

02 March 1861

William Satherley
Sarah Ann Hurford

William Satherley
Sarah Ann Hurford
💍 1861/3762

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer

20
18

Waimea West
Waimea West

2 years
12 months

At the Office of the Registrar of Marriages, Nelson

Ann Hurford (Mother)

02 March 1861

John Poynter (Registrar)

No	19
Date of Notice	02 March 1861
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Satherley	Sarah Ann Hurford
	💍 1861/3762
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer
Age	20	18
Dwelling Place	Waimea West	Waimea West
Length of Residence	2 years	12 months
Marriage Place	At the Office of the Registrar of Marriages, Nelson
Folio
Consent	Ann Hurford (Mother)
Date of Certificate	02 March 1861
Officiating Minister	John Poynter (Registrar)

04 March 1861

Henry Hounsell
Eliza Bollen

Henry Hounsell
Eliza Bollen
💍 1861/3733

Bachelor
Spinster

Store Keeper's assistant

26
22

City of Nelson
City of Nelson

1 year
7 days

At the residence of Henry Hounsell, Collingwood Street

04 March 1861

Rev. Edward Thomas

No	20
Date of Notice	04 March 1861
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Henry Hounsell	Eliza Bollen
	💍 1861/3733
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Store Keeper's assistant
Age	26	22
Dwelling Place	City of Nelson	City of Nelson
Length of Residence	1 year	7 days
Marriage Place	At the residence of Henry Hounsell, Collingwood Street
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	04 March 1861
Officiating Minister	Rev. Edward Thomas

11 March 1861

Vincent Hewitt
Josephine Greaves

Vincent Hewitt
Josephine Greaves
💍 1861/3695

Bachelor
Spinster

Stockowner

29
20

City of Nelson
City of Nelson

7 days
8 months

At the Protestant Church in Nelson

Eliza Greaves (Mother)

11 March 1861

The Rev. H. Meysey Turton

No	21
Date of Notice	11 March 1861
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Vincent Hewitt	Josephine Greaves
	💍 1861/3695
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Stockowner
Age	29	20
Dwelling Place	City of Nelson	City of Nelson
Length of Residence	7 days	8 months
Marriage Place	At the Protestant Church in Nelson
Folio
Consent	Eliza Greaves (Mother)
Date of Certificate	11 March 1861
Officiating Minister	The Rev. H. Meysey Turton

11 March 1861

George Jacobs
Jessey Somerville

George Jacobs
Jessy Somerville
💍 1861/4228

Bachelor
Spinster

Perfumer

26
26

City of Nelson
City of Nelson

6 months
4 days

At the residence of Samuel Madman, Bridge Street

not yet issued

No	22
Date of Notice	11 March 1861
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George Jacobs	Jessey Somerville
BDM Match (97%)	George Jacobs	Jessy Somerville
	💍 1861/4228
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Perfumer
Age	26	26
Dwelling Place	City of Nelson	City of Nelson
Length of Residence	6 months	4 days
Marriage Place	At the residence of Samuel Madman, Bridge Street
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	not yet issued
Officiating Minister

16 March 1861

William Jeffries
Caroline Thompson

William Jeffries
Caroline Thompson
💍 1861/3811

Widower
Widow

Labourer

44
41

Waimea South
Waimea South

17 years
1 year

At the residence of William Jeffries, Spring Grove

16 March 1861

Rev. Decimus Dolamore

No	23
Date of Notice	16 March 1861
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Jeffries	Caroline Thompson
	💍 1861/3811
Condition	Widower	Widow
Profession	Labourer
Age	44	41
Dwelling Place	Waimea South	Waimea South
Length of Residence	17 years	1 year
Marriage Place	At the residence of William Jeffries, Spring Grove
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	16 March 1861
Officiating Minister	Rev. Decimus Dolamore

23 March 1861

George Eves
Caroline Sellers

George Eves
Caroline Sillers
💍 1861/3808

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer

27
22

Waimea South
Waimea South

16 years
3 years

At the residence of Robert Sharp, Spring Grove

23 March 1861

Rev. Decimus Dolamore

No	24
Date of Notice	23 March 1861
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George Eves	Caroline Sellers
BDM Match (97%)	George Eves	Caroline Sillers
	💍 1861/3808
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer
Age	27	22
Dwelling Place	Waimea South	Waimea South
Length of Residence	16 years	3 years
Marriage Place	At the residence of Robert Sharp, Spring Grove
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	23 March 1861
Officiating Minister	Rev. Decimus Dolamore

28 March 1861

Henry Wimsett
Mary Jane Dane

Henry Wimsitt
Mary Jane Dane
💍 1861/3735

Bachelor
Spinster

Blacksmith

21
18

City of Nelson
City of Nelson

9 years
18 years

At the residence of Thomas Martin Wimsett, Hardy Street

Jane Wimsett (Mother)

28 March 1861

Rev. Edward Thomas

No	25
Date of Notice	28 March 1861
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Henry Wimsett	Mary Jane Dane
BDM Match (96%)	Henry Wimsitt	Mary Jane Dane
	💍 1861/3735
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Blacksmith
Age	21	18
Dwelling Place	City of Nelson	City of Nelson
Length of Residence	9 years	18 years
Marriage Place	At the residence of Thomas Martin Wimsett, Hardy Street
Folio
Consent	Jane Wimsett (Mother)
Date of Certificate	28 March 1861
Officiating Minister	Rev. Edward Thomas

30 March 1861

Alexander MacFarlane
Margaret Angus

Alexander McFarlane
Margaret Angus
💍 1861/4222

Bachelor
Spinster

Carpenter

35
28

Grove Street Nelson
Brook Street Nelson

5 years
6 months

At the residence of Alexander Stewart, Milton Street

30 March 1861

Rev. Patrick Calder

No	26
Date of Notice	30 March 1861
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Alexander MacFarlane	Margaret Angus
BDM Match (98%)	Alexander McFarlane	Margaret Angus
	💍 1861/4222
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carpenter
Age	35	28
Dwelling Place	Grove Street Nelson	Brook Street Nelson
Length of Residence	5 years	6 months
Marriage Place	At the residence of Alexander Stewart, Milton Street
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	30 March 1861
Officiating Minister	Rev. Patrick Calder

These records have been automatically transcribed and must be verified using the page image (below)

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What is an Intention to Marry?

The 1854 Marriage Act required Pakeha settlers (and later Maori) to register their intention to marry from 1855. The resulting Notices of intention to marry were sent by the district registrars to the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages and bound into large volumes, each containing a year of notices. These registers were eventually deposited with Archives New Zealand.

What information does an ItM record?

A typical Intention to Marry notice records:

the bride and groom's full names
occupation of the groom (and sometimes the bride)
their ages
district where the marriage would take place
how long they had resided in the district
Where the marriage would take place (eg, a specific church)
Who would officiate the marriage (eg, a minister)
The date of the notice and also a date when the certificate was issued. Marriages had to take place within 3 months, and usually occurred within a week or so of the certificate date.
If one of the parties was under 21, a parent who consented to their marriage was usually specified

These details can provide clues for genealogical and historical research. Knowing the date and district makes it easier to look for wedding notices in Papers Past, and the amount of time that the parties had resided in a district can offer clues to whether a person was born in NZ, or when they immigrated.

However, finding individual records in the Intentions to Marry registers was typically a slow and manual process, usually requiring an in-person visit to Archives NZ's Wellington office (during limited opening hours) and using a handwritten card catalogue index to look up individual names.

Eight years of the registers had been digitised by Archives NZ prior to 2024, but even these digital versions required the use of a manual index and usually examining several pages to locate specific records.

What is the Intentions to Marry Project?

This project aims to transcribe the New Zealand Intentions to Marry registers (from 1855 to 1925) with the assistance of new technology (AI), making the records freely available and easily searchable.

The ITM records have also been cross-referenced with the registered marriages at DIA Births, Deaths and Marriages, where possible (a small fraction of the recorded intentions to marry did not become a registered marriage).

Currently we have almost all records between 1855 and 1903. More registers are being added almost every week.

The project is led by Luke Howison, a web developer who made the free genealogical research search tool NZ Ancestor Search Helper and Archway-style Collections Search. There are also some wonderful volunteers assisting with digitising the registers.

Can I volunteer to help?

Yes, you can! You can sign up to correct errors in the transcribed records and match ITMs with registered marriages.

I am also looking for Wellington-based volunteers to help me digitise more years of the registers. I can provide lighting equipment and a 'clicker' (to trigger your phone's camera).

How is the transcription done?

There are several steps to digitising and transcribing the records:

Digitising the registers (taking clean, straight, high-quality photos)
Processing the digitised pages by straightening, cropping and sharpening the images
Transcribing each page with a combination of AI tools
Matching each ITM with a registered marriage when possible
Human verification of the transcribed information

The main LLM (AI) used are the Google Gemini Pro and Flash models, which have excellent 'Vision' capabilities, and a generous free tier.

Archives NZ has released the register years they have digitised (1865-69, 1872, 1874 and 1880) under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 license.

The Intention to Marry registers (up to 1925) are more than 100 years old, so their Crown Copyright has expired, putting them in the public domain. This also applies to any 'mechanical reproductions' (eg, pictures or photocopies) of their content without substantial alteration.

The transcribed records on this website are released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal license, which allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, even for commercial purposes, while giving credit to the creator (NZ Intentions to Marry Project).