Intentions to Marry, 1875

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840387, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

Imaged by Luke at Archives NZ Wellington, May 16 2025.

This register is quite fragile and some of the pages are damaged or even missing.

Page 575

District of Christchurch Quarter ending 30 September 1875 Registrar J W Parkerson

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

3763

29 July 1875

William Hardie Keith
Sarah Topping

William Hardie Keith
Sarah Topping
💍 1875/1552

Bachelor
Spinster

Cattle dealer
Servant

21
21

Opawa
Opawa

2 weeks
2 weeks

In the house of Rev. A. F. Douglas, Christchurch

75/1625

29 July 1875

Rev A. F. Douglas

No	3763
Date of Notice	29 July 1875
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Hardie Keith	Sarah Topping
	💍 1875/1552
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Cattle dealer	Servant
Age	21	21
Dwelling Place	Opawa	Opawa
Length of Residence	2 weeks	2 weeks
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev. A. F. Douglas, Christchurch
Folio	75/1625
Consent
Date of Certificate	29 July 1875
Officiating Minister	Rev A. F. Douglas

3764

31 July 1875

Henry Edward Goodeve
Alice Mary Gundry

Henry Edward Goodeve
Alice Mary Gundry
💍 1875/1725

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer

22
17

Christchurch
Christchurch

3 years
8 years

In Opawa Church

75/1793

Samuel Gundry, Father

31 July 1875

Rev. G. J Cholmondeley

No	3764
Date of Notice	31 July 1875
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Henry Edward Goodeve	Alice Mary Gundry
	💍 1875/1725
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer
Age	22	17
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	3 years	8 years
Marriage Place	In Opawa Church
Folio	75/1793
Consent	Samuel Gundry, Father
Date of Certificate	31 July 1875
Officiating Minister	Rev. G. J Cholmondeley

3765

2 August 1875

John Mathew Malluza
Mary Shand

John Matthew Molluza
Mary Shanahan
💍 1875/1739

Widower
Spinster

Dealer
Servant

42
32

Christchurch
Christchurch

10 years
1 year

In the Roman Catholic Church, Christchurch

75/1783

2 August 1875

Revd H. Belliard

No	3765
Date of Notice	2 August 1875
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Mathew Malluza	Mary Shand
BDM Match (80%)	John Matthew Molluza	Mary Shanahan
	💍 1875/1739
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Dealer	Servant
Age	42	32
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	10 years	1 year
Marriage Place	In the Roman Catholic Church, Christchurch
Folio	75/1783
Consent
Date of Certificate	2 August 1875
Officiating Minister	Revd H. Belliard

3766

3 August 1875

George Stewart
Mary Coe

George Stewart
Mary Coe
💍 1875/1696

Bachelor
Spinster

Hairdresser
Servant

22
24

Avonville
Avonville

9 months
2 weeks

In the house of Rev. J. Buller, Worcester Street.

75/1757

3 August 1875

Rev. J. Buller

No	3766
Date of Notice	3 August 1875
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George Stewart	Mary Coe
	💍 1875/1696
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Hairdresser	Servant
Age	22	24
Dwelling Place	Avonville	Avonville
Length of Residence	9 months	2 weeks
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev. J. Buller, Worcester Street.
Folio	75/1757
Consent
Date of Certificate	3 August 1875
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Buller

3767

4 August 1875

Harry Youngman
Margaret Falloon

Harry Youngman
Margaret Falloon
💍 1875/1703

Bachelor
Spinster

Timber dealer
Servant

27
19

Christchurch
Christchurch

3 days
6 months

In the house of Rev. J. Buller, Worcester Street.

75/1758

There is no person having authority to consent.

4 August 1875

Rev. J. Buller

No	3767
Date of Notice	4 August 1875
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Harry Youngman	Margaret Falloon
	💍 1875/1703
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Timber dealer	Servant
Age	27	19
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	3 days	6 months
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev. J. Buller, Worcester Street.
Folio	75/1758
Consent	There is no person having authority to consent.
Date of Certificate	4 August 1875
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Buller

3768

4 August 1875

Thomas John Robins Palmer
Clara Johnston

Thomas John Robin Palmer
Clara Johnston
💍 1875/1705

Bachelor
Spinster

Coachsmith
Governess

26
25

Christchurch
Christchurch

15 months
15 months

In the Wesleyan Church, Durham Street

75/1760

4 August 1875

Rev. J. Buller

No	3768
Date of Notice	4 August 1875
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas John Robins Palmer	Clara Johnston
BDM Match (98%)	Thomas John Robin Palmer	Clara Johnston
	💍 1875/1705
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Coachsmith	Governess
Age	26	25
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	15 months	15 months
Marriage Place	In the Wesleyan Church, Durham Street
Folio	75/1760
Consent
Date of Certificate	4 August 1875
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Buller

3769

5 August 1875

Joseph Lilley
Leah Mulford

Joseph Lilley
Leah Mulford
💍 1875/1806

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Servant

27
18

Courtenay
Courtenay

11 years
6 months

In Courtenay Church

75/1842

James Mulford, Father

5 August 1875

Rev. G. H. Gould

No	3769
Date of Notice	5 August 1875
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Joseph Lilley	Leah Mulford
	💍 1875/1806
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Servant
Age	27	18
Dwelling Place	Courtenay	Courtenay
Length of Residence	11 years	6 months
Marriage Place	In Courtenay Church
Folio	75/1842
Consent	James Mulford, Father
Date of Certificate	5 August 1875
Officiating Minister	Rev. G. H. Gould

3770

5 August 1875

Claude Revans
Eliza Little

Clarke Revand
Eliza Little
💍 1875/1704

Bachelor
Spinster

Clerk

22
20

Christchurch
Christchurch

5 years
15 years

In the house of Mr Little, Whateley Road

75/1759

Matthew Little, Father

5 August 1875

Rev. J Buller

No	3770
Date of Notice	5 August 1875
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Claude Revans	Eliza Little
BDM Match (88%)	Clarke Revand	Eliza Little
	💍 1875/1704
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Clerk
Age	22	20
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	5 years	15 years
Marriage Place	In the house of Mr Little, Whateley Road
Folio	75/1759
Consent	Matthew Little, Father
Date of Certificate	5 August 1875
Officiating Minister	Rev. J Buller

3771

5 August 1875

Charles Francis King
Sarah Buck

Charles Francis King
Sarah Bull
💍 1875/2794

Bachelor
Spinster

Blacksmith
Cook

27
32

Christchurch
Christchurch

16 years
2 years

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

75/3040

5 August 1875

Rev C. Fraser

No	3771
Date of Notice	5 August 1875
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charles Francis King	Sarah Buck
BDM Match (90%)	Charles Francis King	Sarah Bull
	💍 1875/2794
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Blacksmith	Cook
Age	27	32
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	16 years	2 years
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev. C. Fraser, Tuan Street
Folio	75/3040
Consent
Date of Certificate	5 August 1875
Officiating Minister	Rev C. Fraser

3772

5 August 1875

Charles Henry Walter
Mary Burns

Charles Henry Walter
Mary Burns
💍 1875/3203

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Servant

31
27

Christchurch
Christchurch

3 days
3 months

In the Scotch Church, Tuam Street

75/3039

5 August 1875

Rev C. Fraser

No	3772
Date of Notice	5 August 1875
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charles Henry Walter	Mary Burns
	💍 1875/3203
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Servant
Age	31	27
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	3 days	3 months
Marriage Place	In the Scotch Church, Tuam Street
Folio	75/3039
Consent
Date of Certificate	5 August 1875
Officiating Minister	Rev C. Fraser

3773

6 August 1875

John Henry
Margaret Jane Watt

John Henry
Margaret Jane Watt
💍 1875/2075

Bachelor
Spinster

Storekeeper

33
30

Christchurch
Christchurch

3 days
15 months

In the house of Mr. Watt, Christchurch

75/2080

6 August 1875

Rev. A. F. Douglas

No	3773
Date of Notice	6 August 1875
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Henry	Margaret Jane Watt
	💍 1875/2075
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Storekeeper
Age	33	30
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	3 days	15 months
Marriage Place	In the house of Mr. Watt, Christchurch
Folio	75/2080
Consent
Date of Certificate	6 August 1875
Officiating Minister	Rev. A. F. Douglas

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).

Primary digitisation of registers between 1855 and 1925 is now complete. Our digitisation volunteers are now working on verifying the currently digitised pages against printed district/page indexes, to identify pages which may have been missed or out of focus. These pages can be re-imaged as required.

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.

How can I help?

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

You can also support this project by ☕ Buying us a coffee 🌳

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).