Intentions to Marry, 1872

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840384, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

Page 432

District of Christchurch Quarter ending Jan - Mar

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

2589

13 January 1872

James Kimber
Isabella Wallace

James Kimber
Isabella Margaret Wallace
💍 1872/6434

Widower
Spinster

Farmer
Servant

35
22

Kaiapoi
Do

9 years
3 years

In the House of Mr C Fraser

72/116

13 January 1872

Rev. C. Fraser

No	2589
Date of Notice	13 January 1872
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Kimber	Isabella Wallace
BDM Match (82%)	James Kimber	Isabella Margaret Wallace
	💍 1872/6434
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Servant
Age	35	22
Dwelling Place	Kaiapoi	Do
Length of Residence	9 years	3 years
Marriage Place	In the House of Mr C Fraser
Folio	72/116
Consent
Date of Certificate	13 January 1872
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

2590

13 January 1872

William Robert Gordon
Marian Louisa Jones

William Robert Gordon
Marian Louisa Jones
💍 1872/6278

Bachelor
Spinster

Mariner

29
22

Lyttelton
Do

2 months
3 years

In the Church Lyttelton

72/1556

13 January 1872

Rev. J. G. Cholmondely

No	2590
Date of Notice	13 January 1872
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Robert Gordon	Marian Louisa Jones
	💍 1872/6278
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Mariner
Age	29	22
Dwelling Place	Lyttelton	Do
Length of Residence	2 months	3 years
Marriage Place	In the Church Lyttelton
Folio	72/1556
Consent
Date of Certificate	13 January 1872
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. G. Cholmondely

2591

15 January 1872

Charles Martelli
Isabella Maym

Charles Martin
Isabella Mayne
💍 1872/6275

Bachelor
Spinster

Photographer

32
18

Christchurch
Do

10 years
6 years

In the Church of St Mark

72/1555

William Maym, father

15 January 1872

Rev. J. G. Cholmondely

No	2591
Date of Notice	15 January 1872
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charles Martelli	Isabella Maym
BDM Match (80%)	Charles Martin	Isabella Mayne
	💍 1872/6275
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Photographer
Age	32	18
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Do
Length of Residence	10 years	6 years
Marriage Place	In the Church of St Mark
Folio	72/1555
Consent	William Maym, father
Date of Certificate	15 January 1872
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. G. Cholmondely

2592

15 January 1872

Antonio Lorties
Maria Spencer

Widower
Spinster

Labourer
Servant

31
21

Christchurch
Do

6 months
6 weeks

In the Church of St John

15 January 1872

Rev. E. Bailey

No	2592
Date of Notice	15 January 1872
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Antonio Lorties	Maria Spencer
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Labourer	Servant
Age	31	21
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Do
Length of Residence	6 months	6 weeks
Marriage Place	In the Church of St John
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	15 January 1872
Officiating Minister	Rev. E. Bailey

2593

17 January 1872

William Thomas Harper
Barbara Jane Crosbie

William Thomas Harper
Barbara Jane Crosbie
💍 1872/6281

Bachelor
Spinster

Shipwright
Servant

28
24

Cepawa
Do

4 weeks
4 weeks

In the Church of St. Mark

72/1557

17 January 1872

Rev. J. G. Cholmondely

No	2593
Date of Notice	17 January 1872
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Thomas Harper	Barbara Jane Crosbie
	💍 1872/6281
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Shipwright	Servant
Age	28	24
Dwelling Place	Cepawa	Do
Length of Residence	4 weeks	4 weeks
Marriage Place	In the Church of St. Mark
Folio	72/1557
Consent
Date of Certificate	17 January 1872
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. G. Cholmondely

2594

19 January 1872

Frederick Taukard
Alice Elizabeth Womack

Frederick Tankard
Alice Elizabeth Warman
💍 1872/6185

Bachelor
Spinster

Blacksmith
Servant

24
25

Christchurch
Do

4 years
3 years

In the Church of St Michael

72/1525

19 January 1872

Very Rev. Dean Jacob

No	2594
Date of Notice	19 January 1872
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Frederick Taukard	Alice Elizabeth Womack
BDM Match (88%)	Frederick Tankard	Alice Elizabeth Warman
	💍 1872/6185
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Blacksmith	Servant
Age	24	25
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Do
Length of Residence	4 years	3 years
Marriage Place	In the Church of St Michael
Folio	72/1525
Consent
Date of Certificate	19 January 1872
Officiating Minister	Very Rev. Dean Jacob

2595

19 January 1872

John William Miller
Mary Sanderon

John Miller
Mary Henderson
💍 1872/7061

Bachelor
Spinster

Bricklayer
Servant

37
31

Christchurch
Do

8 years
3 years

In the Wesleyan Chapel

72/1599

19 January 1872

Rev. A. R. Fitchett

No	2595
Date of Notice	19 January 1872
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John William Miller	Mary Sanderon
BDM Match (68%)	John Miller	Mary Henderson
	💍 1872/7061
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Bricklayer	Servant
Age	37	31
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Do
Length of Residence	8 years	3 years
Marriage Place	In the Wesleyan Chapel
Folio	72/1599
Consent
Date of Certificate	19 January 1872
Officiating Minister	Rev. A. R. Fitchett

2596

22 January 1872

Dunham Alread
Mary Ann Robinson

Widow

Nurse

Christchurch

22 years

In the Roman Catholic Chapel

72/242

8 February 1872

J. M. Ecuyer

No	2596
Date of Notice	22 January 1872
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Dunham Alread	Mary Ann Robinson
Condition		Widow
Profession		Nurse
Age		47
Dwelling Place		Christchurch
Length of Residence		22 years
Marriage Place	In the Roman Catholic Chapel
Folio	72/242
Consent
Date of Certificate	8 February 1872
Officiating Minister	J. M. Ecuyer

2597

22 January 1872

John Pickering Calvert
Sarah Vizer

John Pickering Calvert
Sarah Vizer
💍 1872/6191

Bachelor
Spinster

Ploughman
Laundress

23
22

Christchurch
Do

12 years
6 years

In the Church of St Michael

72/1527

Richard Jackman, father

22 January 1872

Very Rev. Dean Jacob

No	2597
Date of Notice	22 January 1872
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Pickering Calvert	Sarah Vizer
	💍 1872/6191
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Ploughman	Laundress
Age	23	22
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Do
Length of Residence	12 years	6 years
Marriage Place	In the Church of St Michael
Folio	72/1527
Consent	Richard Jackman, father
Date of Certificate	22 January 1872
Officiating Minister	Very Rev. Dean Jacob

2598

22 January 1872

Charlotte Child

Spinster

Riccarton

1 week

72/187

6 February 1872

Rev. C. Bowen

No	2598
Date of Notice	22 January 1872
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties		Charlotte Child
Condition		Spinster
Profession
Age		27
Dwelling Place		Riccarton
Length of Residence		1 week
Marriage Place
Folio	72/187
Consent
Date of Certificate	6 February 1872
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Bowen

2599

22 January 1872

Henry Peach

Bachelor

Farmer

14 years

Church

No	2599
Date of Notice	22 January 1872
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Henry Peach
Condition	Bachelor
Profession	Farmer
Age	24
Dwelling Place	Do
Length of Residence	14 years
Marriage Place	Church
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate
Officiating Minister

2599

22 January 1872

James Bounyman
Alice Twiney

Widower
Spinster

Sailor
Servant

42
26

Springfield Road
Christchurch

7 years
3 years

In the Roman Catholic Chapel

72/22

22 January 1872

Rev. J. M. Ecuyer

No	2599
Date of Notice	22 January 1872
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Bounyman	Alice Twiney
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Sailor	Servant
Age	42	26
Dwelling Place	Springfield Road	Christchurch
Length of Residence	7 years	3 years
Marriage Place	In the Roman Catholic Chapel
Folio	72/22
Consent
Date of Certificate	22 January 1872
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. M. Ecuyer

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

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Attribution: This image was digitised by Archives NZ Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga and is republished here under CC BY. It has been cropped and rotated for convenience.

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).