Intentions to Marry, 1873

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840385, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

Imaged by Luke Howison at Archives NZ Wellington, December 4 2024

Page 600

District of Christchurch Quarter ending 30 September 1873

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

2974

22 July 1873

Thomas Elmsly
Margaret Farney

Thomas Emsley
Margaret Farney
💍 1873/6967

Widower
Widow

Coachbuilder

45
35

Christchurch
Christchurch

10 years
10 years

In St James Chapel, Montreal Street

73/735

22 July 1873

Rev. J. Buller

No	2974
Date of Notice	22 July 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas Elmsly	Margaret Farney
BDM Match (92%)	Thomas Emsley	Margaret Farney
	💍 1873/6967
Condition	Widower	Widow
Profession	Coachbuilder
Age	45	35
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	10 years	10 years
Marriage Place	In St James Chapel, Montreal Street
Folio	73/735
Consent
Date of Certificate	22 July 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Buller

2976

23 July 1873

Thomas Hult
Jane Wilson

Thomas Houtt
Jane Doig nee Wilson
💍 1873/11146

Bachelor
Widow

Farmer
Servant

42
41

Christchurch, Moeraki Downs
Christchurch

4 days
5 months

In the house of Rev C Fraser, Tuam Street

73/2167

23 July 1873

Rev. C. Fraser

No	2976
Date of Notice	23 July 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas Hult	Jane Wilson
BDM Match (69%)	Thomas Houtt	Jane Doig nee Wilson
	💍 1873/11146
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Farmer	Servant
Age	42	41
Dwelling Place	Christchurch, Moeraki Downs	Christchurch
Length of Residence	4 days	5 months
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev C Fraser, Tuam Street
Folio	73/2167
Consent
Date of Certificate	23 July 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

2977

25 July 1873

John Price
Mary Gough

"No marriage"

Bachelor
Spinster

Horsebreaker
Servant

36
26

Christchurch
Christchurch

15 years
8 years

In the Roman Catholic Church, Christchurch

No marriage

25 July 1873

Rev. J. M. Ecuyer

No	2977
Date of Notice	25 July 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Price	Mary Gough
BDM Match (10%)
	💍 "No marriage"
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Horsebreaker	Servant
Age	36	26
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	15 years	8 years
Marriage Place	In the Roman Catholic Church, Christchurch
Folio	No marriage
Consent
Date of Certificate	25 July 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. M. Ecuyer

2979

26 July 1873

Patrick Mannion
Bridget Maloney

Patrick Mannion
Bridget Mallowny
💍 1873/7015

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Servant

31
21

Springston
Christchurch

4 months
5 years

In the Roman Catholic Church, Christchurch

73/751

26 July 1873

Rev. J. M. Ecuyer

No	2979
Date of Notice	26 July 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Patrick Mannion	Bridget Maloney
BDM Match (91%)	Patrick Mannion	Bridget Mallowny
	💍 1873/7015
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Servant
Age	31	21
Dwelling Place	Springston	Christchurch
Length of Residence	4 months	5 years
Marriage Place	In the Roman Catholic Church, Christchurch
Folio	73/751
Consent
Date of Certificate	26 July 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. M. Ecuyer

2980

26 July 1873

Emanuel Rawlings
Mary Ann Bates

Emmanuel Rawlings
Mary Ann Bates
💍 1873/11149

Widower
Spinster

Miner
Servant

48
38

Christchurch
Christchurch

3 weeks
3 days

In the house of Rev C Fraser, Tuam Street

73/2168

26 July 1873

Rev. C. Fraser

No	2980
Date of Notice	26 July 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Emanuel Rawlings	Mary Ann Bates
BDM Match (97%)	Emmanuel Rawlings	Mary Ann Bates
	💍 1873/11149
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Miner	Servant
Age	48	38
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	3 weeks	3 days
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev C Fraser, Tuam Street
Folio	73/2168
Consent
Date of Certificate	26 July 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

2983

31 July 1873

Alexander Johnston
Charlotte Maria Boggis

Alexander Johnston
Charlotte Maria Boggis
💍 1873/11155

Bachelor
Spinster

Blacksmith

30
25

Christchurch
Christchurch

14 years
10 years

In the St. Scotch Church, Tuam Street

73/2170

31 July 1873

Rev. C. Fraser

No	2983
Date of Notice	31 July 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Alexander Johnston	Charlotte Maria Boggis
	💍 1873/11155
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Blacksmith
Age	30	25
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	14 years	10 years
Marriage Place	In the St. Scotch Church, Tuam Street
Folio	73/2170
Consent
Date of Certificate	31 July 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

2984

2 August 1873

John William Piper
Mary Swindell

John William Piper
Mary Swindell
💍 1873/10915

Bachelor
Spinster

Clerk

23
21

Christchurch
Christchurch

14 years
7 years

In St Lukes Church, Christchurch

73/2085

18 August 1873

Rev. E. A. Lingard

No	2984
Date of Notice	2 August 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John William Piper	Mary Swindell
	💍 1873/10915
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Clerk
Age	23	21
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	14 years	7 years
Marriage Place	In St Lukes Church, Christchurch
Folio	73/2085
Consent
Date of Certificate	18 August 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. E. A. Lingard

2985

2 August 1873

James Douds
Margaret McConnal

James Douds
Margaret McConnal
💍 1873/11158

Bachelor
Spinster

Carpenter

29
23

Christchurch
Christchurch

3 days
3 days

In the house of Rev. C. Fraser, Tuam Street

73/2171

2 August 1873

Rev. C. Fraser

No	2985
Date of Notice	2 August 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Douds	Margaret McConnal
	💍 1873/11158
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carpenter
Age	29	23
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	3 days	3 days
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev. C. Fraser, Tuam Street
Folio	73/2171
Consent
Date of Certificate	2 August 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

2987

5 August 1873

John Edward Bashford
Maria Jane Dorsett

John Edward Bashford
Marcia Jane Dorsett
💍 1873/10741

Bachelor
Spinster

Confectioner
Shopwoman

30
18

Christchurch
Christchurch

3 years
18 years

In St Michaels Church, Christchurch

73/2020

There is no person having authority to consent

5 August 1873

Rev. H. J. Edwards

No	2987
Date of Notice	5 August 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Edward Bashford	Maria Jane Dorsett
BDM Match (97%)	John Edward Bashford	Marcia Jane Dorsett
	💍 1873/10741
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Confectioner	Shopwoman
Age	30	18
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	3 years	18 years
Marriage Place	In St Michaels Church, Christchurch
Folio	73/2020
Consent	There is no person having authority to consent
Date of Certificate	5 August 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. H. J. Edwards

2989

6 August 1873

Edmund Smart
Frances Pentecost

Edmund Smart
Frances Pentecost
💍 1873/11161

Widower
Widow

Labourer

42
42

Christchurch
Christchurch

6 months
2 months

In the house of Rev C Fraser, Tuam Street

73/2172

6 August 1873

Rev. C. Fraser

No	2989
Date of Notice	6 August 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Edmund Smart	Frances Pentecost
	💍 1873/11161
Condition	Widower	Widow
Profession	Labourer
Age	42	42
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	6 months	2 months
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev C Fraser, Tuam Street
Folio	73/2172
Consent
Date of Certificate	6 August 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

2991

7 August 1873

Robert Moore
Martha Rix

Robert Moore
Martha Rix
💍 1873/4784

Widower
Spinster

Carpenter
Servant

35
22

Christchurch
Christchurch

3 years
2 years

In the house of Rev C Fraser, Tuam Street

73/2173

7 August 1873

Rev. C. Fraser

No	2991
Date of Notice	7 August 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Robert Moore	Martha Rix
	💍 1873/4784
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Carpenter	Servant
Age	35	22
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	3 years	2 years
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev C Fraser, Tuam Street
Folio	73/2173
Consent
Date of Certificate	7 August 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

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 1908. 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).