1862 Intentions to Marry

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840374, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

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

Page 219

District of Nelson Quarter ending 30 June 1862 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

24 April 1862

Charles Edward Dowsett
Annie Flinn

Charles Edward Dowsett
Annie Flinn
💍 1862/4124

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer

24
24

Nelson
Nelson

One year
Five years

At the residence of the Rev. Jonathan Innes, Washington Road

10 May 1862

Rev. Jonathan Innes

No	36
Date of Notice	24 April 1862
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charles Edward Dowsett	Annie Flinn
	💍 1862/4124
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer
Age	24	24
Dwelling Place	Nelson	Nelson
Length of Residence	One year	Five years
Marriage Place	At the residence of the Rev. Jonathan Innes, Washington Road
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	10 May 1862
Officiating Minister	Rev. Jonathan Innes

10 May 1862

Thomas Nisbet
Jane Lund

Thomas Nisbet
Jane Lund
💍 1862/2143

Bachelor
Spinster

Carpenter

23
19

City of Nelson
City of Nelson

Nineteen years
Two years

At the residence of Edward Laney, baker, Bridge Street

Henry Lund, Father

10 May 1862

Rev. Edward Thomas

No	37
Date of Notice	10 May 1862
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas Nisbet	Jane Lund
	💍 1862/2143
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carpenter
Age	23	19
Dwelling Place	City of Nelson	City of Nelson
Length of Residence	Nineteen years	Two years
Marriage Place	At the residence of Edward Laney, baker, Bridge Street
Folio
Consent	Henry Lund, Father
Date of Certificate	10 May 1862
Officiating Minister	Rev. Edward Thomas

19 May 1862

James Mackay
Ann Adney Shuckburgh

James Mackay
Anne Adney Shuckburgh
💍 1862/4008

Widower
Spinster

Gentleman

56
36

Suburban North
Suburban North

Seventeen years
Three months

At the Hillside School, Suburban North

19 May 1862

Rev. Henry Meysey Turton

No	38
Date of Notice	19 May 1862
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Mackay	Ann Adney Shuckburgh
BDM Match (98%)	James Mackay	Anne Adney Shuckburgh
	💍 1862/4008
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Gentleman
Age	56	36
Dwelling Place	Suburban North	Suburban North
Length of Residence	Seventeen years	Three months
Marriage Place	At the Hillside School, Suburban North
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	19 May 1862
Officiating Minister	Rev. Henry Meysey Turton

23 May 1862

James Revel
Mary Sarten

James Revel
Mary Sarten
💍 1862/4127

Bachelor
Spinster

Blacksmith

22
17

City of Nelson
City of Nelson

Nine months
Twelve months

At the residence of Lucy Sarten, widow, Collingwood Street

Lucy Sarten, mother

23 May 1862

Rev. Jonathan Innes

No	39
Date of Notice	23 May 1862
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Revel	Mary Sarten
	💍 1862/4127
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Blacksmith
Age	22	17
Dwelling Place	City of Nelson	City of Nelson
Length of Residence	Nine months	Twelve months
Marriage Place	At the residence of Lucy Sarten, widow, Collingwood Street
Folio
Consent	Lucy Sarten, mother
Date of Certificate	23 May 1862
Officiating Minister	Rev. Jonathan Innes

26 May 1862

John Bennett
Mary Warn

John Bennett
Mary Warn
💍 1862/3957

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer

37
29

City of Nelson
City of Nelson

Three Days
Three days

At Christ church, Nelson

26 May 1862

Rev. Henry Meysey Turton

No	40
Date of Notice	26 May 1862
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Bennett	Mary Warn
	💍 1862/3957
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer
Age	37	29
Dwelling Place	City of Nelson	City of Nelson
Length of Residence	Three Days	Three days
Marriage Place	At Christ church, Nelson
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	26 May 1862
Officiating Minister	Rev. Henry Meysey Turton

4 June 1862

Daniel Chittenden
Eliza Laney

Daniel Chittenden
Eliza Laney
💍 1862/4090

Bachelor
Spinster

Carpenter

22
18

City of Nelson
City of Nelson

Five years
Eighteen years

At the residence of William Laney, baker, Bridge Street

Edward Laney, Father

4 June 1862

Rev. Patrick Calder

No	41
Date of Notice	4 June 1862
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Daniel Chittenden	Eliza Laney
	💍 1862/4090
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carpenter
Age	22	18
Dwelling Place	City of Nelson	City of Nelson
Length of Residence	Five years	Eighteen years
Marriage Place	At the residence of William Laney, baker, Bridge Street
Folio
Consent	Edward Laney, Father
Date of Certificate	4 June 1862
Officiating Minister	Rev. Patrick Calder

5 June 1862

James Mackay the younger
Eliza Sophia Braithwaite

James Mackay
Eliza Sophia Braithwaite
💍 1862/4011

Bachelor
Spinster

Government officer

30
24

Collingwood
Nelson

Two years
Two years

Christ Church, Nelson

5 June 1862

Rev. Henry Meysey Turton

No	42
Date of Notice	5 June 1862
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Mackay the younger	Eliza Sophia Braithwaite
BDM Match (75%)	James Mackay	Eliza Sophia Braithwaite
	💍 1862/4011
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Government officer
Age	30	24
Dwelling Place	Collingwood	Nelson
Length of Residence	Two years	Two years
Marriage Place	Christ Church, Nelson
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	5 June 1862
Officiating Minister	Rev. Henry Meysey Turton

9 June 1862

Alfred Joseph Brown
Sarah Elizabeth Berry

Alfred Joseph Brown
Sarah Elizabeth Berry
💍 1862/4130

Bachelor
Spinster

Mariner

24
19

City of Nelson
City of Nelson

One year
Nineteen years

At the Wesleyan Chapel, Hardy St., Nelson

Thomas Richard Berry, Father

24 June 1862

Rev. Jonathan Innes

No	43
Date of Notice	9 June 1862
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Alfred Joseph Brown	Sarah Elizabeth Berry
	💍 1862/4130
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Mariner
Age	24	19
Dwelling Place	City of Nelson	City of Nelson
Length of Residence	One year	Nineteen years
Marriage Place	At the Wesleyan Chapel, Hardy St., Nelson
Folio
Consent	Thomas Richard Berry, Father
Date of Certificate	24 June 1862
Officiating Minister	Rev. Jonathan Innes

17 June 1862

Jabez Ambrose Packer
Mary Susan Nation

Jabez Ambrose Packer
Mary Susan Nation
💍 1862/4060

Bachelor
Spinster

Turner

27
18

Hardy Street Nelson
Manuka Street Nelson

Nineteen years
Four years

At the residence of William Nation, printer, Manuka St., Nelson

William Nation, Father

17 June 1862

Rev. William Moore Biss

No	44
Date of Notice	17 June 1862
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Jabez Ambrose Packer	Mary Susan Nation
	💍 1862/4060
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Turner
Age	27	18
Dwelling Place	Hardy Street Nelson	Manuka Street Nelson
Length of Residence	Nineteen years	Four years
Marriage Place	At the residence of William Nation, printer, Manuka St., Nelson
Folio
Consent	William Nation, Father
Date of Certificate	17 June 1862
Officiating Minister	Rev. William Moore Biss

21 June 1862

William Brown
Eleanor Robinson

William Brown
Eleanor Robinson
💍 1862/4142

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer

22
18

Happy Valley, Suburban North
Happy Valley, Suburban North

Six years
Seven months

At the office of the Registrar of marriages, Nelson

Joseph Robinson, Father

26 June 1862

The Registrar of marriages, Nelson

No	45
Date of Notice	21 June 1862
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Brown	Eleanor Robinson
	💍 1862/4142
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer
Age	22	18
Dwelling Place	Happy Valley, Suburban North	Happy Valley, Suburban North
Length of Residence	Six years	Seven months
Marriage Place	At the office of the Registrar of marriages, Nelson
Folio
Consent	Joseph Robinson, Father
Date of Certificate	26 June 1862
Officiating Minister	The Registrar of marriages, Nelson

30 June 1862

William Henry Turner
Isabella Mackay

William Henry Turner
Isabella Mackay
💍 1862/4014

Bachelor
Spinster

Gentleman

29
21

Suburban North
Suburban North

Six months
Ten years

At the Hillside School room, Suburban North

30 June 1862

Rev. Henry Meysey Turton

No	46
Date of Notice	30 June 1862
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Henry Turner	Isabella Mackay
	💍 1862/4014
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Gentleman
Age	29	21
Dwelling Place	Suburban North	Suburban North
Length of Residence	Six months	Ten years
Marriage Place	At the Hillside School room, Suburban North
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	30 June 1862
Officiating Minister	Rev. Henry Meysey Turton

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).