Intentions to Marry, 1877

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840389, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

Imaged by Luke at Archives NZ Wellington, April 16 2025

Page 594

District of Christchurch Quarter ending 31 March 1877 Registrar 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

4397

31 January 1877

John Judge
Ellen Butler

John Judge
Ellen Butler
💍 1877/466

Bachelor
Spinster

Butcher

30
17

Lincoln
Lincoln

15 months
10 years

In the Roman Catholic Chapel Shands Track

77/371

Mary Butler, mother

31 January 1877

Rev. J. C. Chervier

No	4397
Date of Notice	31 January 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Judge	Ellen Butler
	💍 1877/466
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Butcher
Age	30	17
Dwelling Place	Lincoln	Lincoln
Length of Residence	15 months	10 years
Marriage Place	In the Roman Catholic Chapel Shands Track
Folio	77/371
Consent	Mary Butler, mother
Date of Certificate	31 January 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. C. Chervier

4398

01 February 1877

George Hamill
Sarah Jane Warren

George Hamill
Sarah Jane Warren
💍 1877/1471

Bachelor
Spinster

Constable

25
20

Christchurch
Christchurch

1 year
22 months

In the Scotch Church

77/1394

There is no person having authority

01 February 1877

Rev. C. Fraser

No	4398
Date of Notice	01 February 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George Hamill	Sarah Jane Warren
	💍 1877/1471
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Constable
Age	25	20
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	1 year	22 months
Marriage Place	In the Scotch Church
Folio	77/1394
Consent	There is no person having authority
Date of Certificate	01 February 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

4399

01 February 1877

William Broderick
Mary Jane Watson

William Broderick
Mary Jane Watson
💍 1877/788

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Dressmaker

42
23

Christchurch
Christchurch

3 days
3 days

St. Michael's Church

77/683

01 February 1877

Rev. E. S. Penny

No	4399
Date of Notice	01 February 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Broderick	Mary Jane Watson
	💍 1877/788
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Dressmaker
Age	42	23
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	3 days	3 days
Marriage Place	St. Michael's Church
Folio	77/683
Consent
Date of Certificate	01 February 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. E. S. Penny

4400

01 February 1877

John George Armitage
Eliza Wells

John George Armitage
Eliza Wells
💍 1877/502

Bachelor
Spinster

Storeman

25
19

Christchurch
Christchurch

11 years
17 years

In the Wesleyan Church

77/1385

George Wells, father

01 February 1877

Rev. W. Morley

No	4400
Date of Notice	01 February 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John George Armitage	Eliza Wells
	💍 1877/502
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Storeman
Age	25	19
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	11 years	17 years
Marriage Place	In the Wesleyan Church
Folio	77/1385
Consent	George Wells, father
Date of Certificate	01 February 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. W. Morley

4401

01 February 1877

James Pettit
Emily Moore

James Pettit
Emily Moore
💍 1877/1470

Bachelor
Spinster

Carter
Servant

22
21

Christchurch
Christchurch

2 years
2 years

In the house of Mrs. Holland, Colomco Street

77/1396

01 February 1877

Rev. C. Fraser

No	4401
Date of Notice	01 February 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Pettit	Emily Moore
	💍 1877/1470
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carter	Servant
Age	22	21
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	2 years	2 years
Marriage Place	In the house of Mrs. Holland, Colomco Street
Folio	77/1396
Consent
Date of Certificate	01 February 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

4402

02 February 1877

Charles Matthew Gray
Mary Ann Keats

Charles Matthew Gray
Mary Ann Kent
💍 1877/457

Bachelor
Spinster

Draper

25
22

Christchurch
Christchurch

3 years
5 years

In the Wesleyan Church

77/1363

02 February 1877

Rev. I. Berry

No	4402
Date of Notice	02 February 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charles Matthew Gray	Mary Ann Keats
BDM Match (93%)	Charles Matthew Gray	Mary Ann Kent
	💍 1877/457
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Draper
Age	25	22
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	3 years	5 years
Marriage Place	In the Wesleyan Church
Folio	77/1363
Consent
Date of Certificate	02 February 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. I. Berry

4403

03 February 1877

John Davis
Helen Miller

John Davis
Helen Miller
💍 1877/486

Bachelor
Spinster

Cattle dealer

20
18

Papanui
Papanui

4 years
15 years

Papanui Church

77/1392

George Miller, father

03 February 1877

Rev. F. E. Brittan

No	4403
Date of Notice	03 February 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Davis	Helen Miller
	💍 1877/486
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Cattle dealer
Age	20	18
Dwelling Place	Papanui	Papanui
Length of Residence	4 years	15 years
Marriage Place	Papanui Church
Folio	77/1392
Consent	George Miller, father
Date of Certificate	03 February 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. F. E. Brittan

4404

05 February 1877

Alfred Thomas Harwood
Mary Ann Townsend

Alfred Thomas Harwood
Mary Ann Townsend
💍 1877/1472

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer
Servant

25
21

Pebbleton
Pebbleton

16 years
2 years

In the house of Rev. C. Fraser

77/1398

05 February 1877

Rev. C. Fraser

No	4404
Date of Notice	05 February 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Alfred Thomas Harwood	Mary Ann Townsend
	💍 1877/1472
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer	Servant
Age	25	21
Dwelling Place	Pebbleton	Pebbleton
Length of Residence	16 years	2 years
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev. C. Fraser
Folio	77/1398
Consent
Date of Certificate	05 February 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

4405

05 February 1877

Rawdon Stanteuville Nicholson
Mary Bowie

Rawdon Heautenville Nicholson
Mary Bowie
💍 1877/1473

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer

32
28

Christchurch
Woodend

3 days
10 years

In the house of Rev. C. Fraser

77/1399

05 February 1877

Rev. C. Fraser

No	4405
Date of Notice	05 February 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Rawdon Stanteuville Nicholson	Mary Bowie
BDM Match (93%)	Rawdon Heautenville Nicholson	Mary Bowie
	💍 1877/1473
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer
Age	32	28
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Woodend
Length of Residence	3 days	10 years
Marriage Place	In the house of Rev. C. Fraser
Folio	77/1399
Consent
Date of Certificate	05 February 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. C. Fraser

4406

05 February 1877

William Potter Townsend
Rosa Perkins

William Potter Townend
Rosa Perkins
💍 1877/520

Bachelor
Spinster

Chemist

30
21

Christchurch
Christchurch

2 years
15 years

In St Johns Church, Christchurch

77/406

05 February 1877

Rev. H. C. M. Watson

No	4406
Date of Notice	05 February 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Potter Townsend	Rosa Perkins
BDM Match (98%)	William Potter Townend	Rosa Perkins
	💍 1877/520
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Chemist
Age	30	21
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	2 years	15 years
Marriage Place	In St Johns Church, Christchurch
Folio	77/406
Consent
Date of Certificate	05 February 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. H. C. M. Watson

4407

05 February 1877

Charles Ward
Catherine Lee

Charles Ward
Catherine Lee
💍 1877/515

Widower
Spinster

Officer of Customs
Housekeeper

57
38

Addington
Addington

7 months
7 months

In the Addington CHurch

77/422

05 February 1877

Rev. H. East

No	4407
Date of Notice	05 February 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charles Ward	Catherine Lee
	💍 1877/515
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Officer of Customs	Housekeeper
Age	57	38
Dwelling Place	Addington	Addington
Length of Residence	7 months	7 months
Marriage Place	In the Addington CHurch
Folio	77/422
Consent
Date of Certificate	05 February 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. H. East

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).