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 605

District of Christchurch Quarter ending 31 December 1873 Registrar B Parkerson Jnr

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

2997

18 August 1873

Frederick Henry Bowen
Berthea Amnel

Fredk Rodney Bowen
Bertha Amnel
💍 1873/10645

73/1986

[see page 601]

15 October 1873

Rev. H. C. M. Watson

No	2997
Date of Notice	18 August 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Frederick Henry Bowen	Berthea Amnel
BDM Match (77%)	Fredk Rodney Bowen	Bertha Amnel
	💍 1873/10645
Condition
Profession
Age
Dwelling Place
Length of Residence
Marriage Place
Folio	73/1986
Consent	[see page 601]
Date of Certificate	15 October 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. H. C. M. Watson

3001

28 August 1873

Charles Walkden
Emily Whiffin

Charles Walkden
Emily Whiffin
💍 1873/8539

73/1266

[see page 601]

18 October 1873

Registrar of Marriages, B Parkerson Jnr

No	3001
Date of Notice	28 August 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charles Walkden	Emily Whiffin
	💍 1873/8539
Condition
Profession
Age
Dwelling Place
Length of Residence
Marriage Place
Folio	73/1266
Consent	[see page 601]
Date of Certificate	18 October 1873
Officiating Minister	Registrar of Marriages, B Parkerson Jnr

3017

26 September 1873

John Albert Blank
Margaret Bowis

John Albert Blank
Margaret Bowis
💍 1873/11182

73/2179

13 October 1873

Rev. C. Fraser

No	3017
Date of Notice	26 September 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Albert Blank	Margaret Bowis
	💍 1873/11182
Condition
Profession
Age
Dwelling Place
Length of Residence
Marriage Place
Folio	73/2179
Consent
Date of Certificate	13 October 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

3020

3 October 1873

Arthur Ormsby
Margaret Ann Elizabeth Hunt

Arthur Ormsby
Margaret Ann Elizabeth Hunt
💍 1873/10726

Bachelor
Spinster

Gentleman

36
25

Christchurch, Geraldine
Christchurch

4 days
3 days

In the Church of St Michael, Christchurch

73/2015

3 October 1873

Rev. E. G. Edwards

No	3020
Date of Notice	3 October 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Arthur Ormsby	Margaret Ann Elizabeth Hunt
	💍 1873/10726
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Gentleman
Age	36	25
Dwelling Place	Christchurch, Geraldine	Christchurch
Length of Residence	4 days	3 days
Marriage Place	In the Church of St Michael, Christchurch
Folio	73/2015
Consent
Date of Certificate	3 October 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. E. G. Edwards

3022

7 October 1873

Walter Codling
Ada Atkinson

Walter Codling
Ada Atkinson
💍 1873/11179

Bachelor
Spinster

Carpenter
Servant

24
25

St Albans
Christchurch

13 years
8 years

In the Scotch Church, Tuam Street

73/2178

7 October 1873

Rev. C. Fraser

No	3022
Date of Notice	7 October 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Walter Codling	Ada Atkinson
	💍 1873/11179
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carpenter	Servant
Age	24	25
Dwelling Place	St Albans	Christchurch
Length of Residence	13 years	8 years
Marriage Place	In the Scotch Church, Tuam Street
Folio	73/2178
Consent
Date of Certificate	7 October 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

3023

7 October 1873

Edward Mayhew Button
Charlotte Jane King

Edward Mayhew Button
Charlotte Jane King
💍 1873/10723

Bachelor
Spinster

Painter
Servant

21
21

Christchurch
St Albans

1 year
1 year

In St Michaels Church, Christchurch

73/2014

7 October 1873

Rev .H. J. Edwards

No	3023
Date of Notice	7 October 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Edward Mayhew Button	Charlotte Jane King
	💍 1873/10723
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Painter	Servant
Age	21	21
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	St Albans
Length of Residence	1 year	1 year
Marriage Place	In St Michaels Church, Christchurch
Folio	73/2014
Consent
Date of Certificate	7 October 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev .H. J. Edwards

3025

13 October 1873

John Leek
Anne Jenkins

John Leek
Ann Jenkins
💍 1873/8545

Widower
Widow

Laborer
Housemaid

45
45

Christchurch, Ayreton
Christchurch

3 days
3 months

In the house of Mr Hawley, South Town Belt

73/1268

13 October 1873

Rev. R. Ward

No	3025
Date of Notice	13 October 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Leek	Anne Jenkins
BDM Match (96%)	John Leek	Ann Jenkins
	💍 1873/8545
Condition	Widower	Widow
Profession	Laborer	Housemaid
Age	45	45
Dwelling Place	Christchurch, Ayreton	Christchurch
Length of Residence	3 days	3 months
Marriage Place	In the house of Mr Hawley, South Town Belt
Folio	73/1268
Consent
Date of Certificate	13 October 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. R. Ward

3026

13 October 1873

Thomas Groundwater
Catherine McLean

Thomas Groundwater
Catherine McLean
💍 1873/7030

Bachelor
Spinster

Laborer
Servant

32
27

Christchurch
Christchurch

8 years
4 years

In the house of Mr Russell, Colombo Street

73/757

13 October 1873

Rev. A. F. Douglas

No	3026
Date of Notice	13 October 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas Groundwater	Catherine McLean
	💍 1873/7030
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Laborer	Servant
Age	32	27
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	8 years	4 years
Marriage Place	In the house of Mr Russell, Colombo Street
Folio	73/757
Consent
Date of Certificate	13 October 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. A. F. Douglas

3027

14 October 1873

Francis Wiggins
Sarah Victoria Roxburgh Gardner

Francis Wiggin
Sarah Victoria Roxburgh Gardner
💍 1873/8509

Bachelor
Spinster

Surveyor

37
22

Christchurch
Christchurch

4 years
6 months

In the Roman Catholic Church, Christchurch

73/1256

5 November 1873

Rev. J. M. Ecuyer

No	3027
Date of Notice	14 October 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Francis Wiggins	Sarah Victoria Roxburgh Gardner
BDM Match (97%)	Francis Wiggin	Sarah Victoria Roxburgh Gardner
	💍 1873/8509
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Surveyor
Age	37	22
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	4 years	6 months
Marriage Place	In the Roman Catholic Church, Christchurch
Folio	73/1256
Consent
Date of Certificate	5 November 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. M. Ecuyer

3028

15 October 1873

Daniel Egan
Elizabeth Nicholson

"No Marriage"

Widower
Spinster

Contractor
Servant

35
22

Christchurch
Cashmere

1 year
6 years

In the house of Rev C Fraser, Christchurch

No Marriage

15 October 1873

Rev. C. Fraser

No	3028
Date of Notice	15 October 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Daniel Egan	Elizabeth Nicholson
BDM Match (7%)
	💍 "No Marriage"
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Contractor	Servant
Age	35	22
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Cashmere
Length of Residence	1 year	6 years
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev C Fraser, Christchurch
Folio	No Marriage
Consent
Date of Certificate	15 October 1873
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

3030

18 October 1873

John Dupenheim
Martha Kamiska

John Dupenheim
Martha Kamiska
💍 1873/11302

Widower
Spinster

Farmer
Servant

36
19

Papanui
Papanui, Auckland

14 years
1 week

In the house of Rev C Fraser, Christchurch

73/2222

There is no person having authority to give consent

18 October 1873

Rev. C. Fraser

No	3030
Date of Notice	18 October 1873
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Dupenheim	Martha Kamiska
	💍 1873/11302
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Servant
Age	36	19
Dwelling Place	Papanui	Papanui, Auckland
Length of Residence	14 years	1 week
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev C Fraser, Christchurch
Folio	73/2222
Consent	There is no person having authority to give consent
Date of Certificate	18 October 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).