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 456

District of Nelson Quarter ending 30 September 1877 Registrar Robert Pickett

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

3 September 1877

Frank James
Jane Mary Skilton

Frank James
Jane Mary Skilton
💍 1877/1788

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer

22
22

Beachville Nelson
Milton Street Nelson

3 days
2 years

at the residence of Charlotte Johnson widow, Beachville, Nelson

77/1720

3 September 1877

Rev. Jno: S. Harper

No	63
Date of Notice	3 September 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Frank James	Jane Mary Skilton
	💍 1877/1788
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer
Age	22	22
Dwelling Place	Beachville Nelson	Milton Street Nelson
Length of Residence	3 days	2 years
Marriage Place	at the residence of Charlotte Johnson widow, Beachville, Nelson
Folio	77/1720
Consent
Date of Certificate	3 September 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. Jno: S. Harper

3 September 1877

John Orr
Mary Manson

John Orr
Mary Manson
💍 1877/2189

Widower
Widow

Restaurant Keeper

43
30

Collingwood Street Nelson
Collingwood Street Nelson

4 days
4 days

at the Presbyterian Church, Nelson

77/2132

3 September 1877

Rev. Patrick Calder

No	64
Date of Notice	3 September 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Orr	Mary Manson
	💍 1877/2189
Condition	Widower	Widow
Profession	Restaurant Keeper
Age	43	30
Dwelling Place	Collingwood Street Nelson	Collingwood Street Nelson
Length of Residence	4 days	4 days
Marriage Place	at the Presbyterian Church, Nelson
Folio	77/2132
Consent
Date of Certificate	3 September 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. Patrick Calder

7 September 1877

Philip Smith Cross
Martha Berkett

Phillip Smith Cross
Martha Berkett
💍 1877/1755

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer
Governess

22
18

Haven Road Nelson
Hope Waimea East

22 years
18 years

at the residence of William Berkett farmer, Hope, Waimea East

77/1110

William Berkett, father

7 September 1877

Rev. John Beckenham

No	65
Date of Notice	7 September 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Philip Smith Cross	Martha Berkett
BDM Match (97%)	Phillip Smith Cross	Martha Berkett
	💍 1877/1755
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer	Governess
Age	22	18
Dwelling Place	Haven Road Nelson	Hope Waimea East
Length of Residence	22 years	18 years
Marriage Place	at the residence of William Berkett farmer, Hope, Waimea East
Folio	77/1110
Consent	William Berkett, father
Date of Certificate	7 September 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. John Beckenham

18 September 1877

Bernhardt Henry Moller
Dorothea Louisa Siggelkow

Bernhardt Henry Moller
Dorothea Louisa Liggelkow
💍 1877/1759

Bachelor
Spinster

Fruiterer
Dressmaker

26
21

Bridge Street Nelson
Bridge Street Nelson

10 years
21 years

at the office of the Registrar of marriages, Nelson

77/1714

18 September 1877

The Registrar of marriages Nelson

No	66
Date of Notice	18 September 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Bernhardt Henry Moller	Dorothea Louisa Siggelkow
BDM Match (98%)	Bernhardt Henry Moller	Dorothea Louisa Liggelkow
	💍 1877/1759
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Fruiterer	Dressmaker
Age	26	21
Dwelling Place	Bridge Street Nelson	Bridge Street Nelson
Length of Residence	10 years	21 years
Marriage Place	at the office of the Registrar of marriages, Nelson
Folio	77/1714
Consent
Date of Certificate	18 September 1877
Officiating Minister	The Registrar of marriages Nelson

19 September 1877

William Morrison McFarlane
Agnes Franklin

William Morrison MacFarlane
Agnes Franklin
💍 1877/3088

Widower
Spinster

Engineer

35
19

Haven Road Nelson
Bridge Street Nelson

18 months
19 years

at the residence of Mary Ann Franklin widow, Bridge Street, Nelson

77/3127

Mary Ann Franklin, mother.

19 September 1877

Rev A. I. Hamilton

No	67
Date of Notice	19 September 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Morrison McFarlane	Agnes Franklin
BDM Match (98%)	William Morrison MacFarlane	Agnes Franklin
	💍 1877/3088
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Engineer
Age	35	19
Dwelling Place	Haven Road Nelson	Bridge Street Nelson
Length of Residence	18 months	19 years
Marriage Place	at the residence of Mary Ann Franklin widow, Bridge Street, Nelson
Folio	77/3127
Consent	Mary Ann Franklin, mother.
Date of Certificate	19 September 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev A. I. Hamilton

19 September 1877

William John Hunter
Emma Jennings

William John Hunter
Emma Jennings
💍 1877/1767

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer

26
27

Waimea Street Nelson
Collingwood Street. Nelson

1 week
27 years

at the office of the Registrar of Marriages, Nelson

77/1715

19 September 1877

The Registrar of marriages Nelson

No	68
Date of Notice	19 September 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William John Hunter	Emma Jennings
	💍 1877/1767
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer
Age	26	27
Dwelling Place	Waimea Street Nelson	Collingwood Street. Nelson
Length of Residence	1 week	27 years
Marriage Place	at the office of the Registrar of Marriages, Nelson
Folio	77/1715
Consent
Date of Certificate	19 September 1877
Officiating Minister	The Registrar of marriages Nelson

19 September 1877

Alfred Charles Parmenter
Mary Agnes McCauley

No corresponding marriage registration located

Bachelor
Spinster

Tailor
Domestic Servant

21
22

Collingwood Street Nelson
Collingwood Street Nelson

21 years
2 years

at the office of the Registrar of Marriages, Nelson

19 September 1877

The Registrar of marriages Nelson

No	69
Date of Notice	19 September 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Alfred Charles Parmenter	Mary Agnes McCauley
BDM Match (5%)
	💍 No corresponding marriage registration located
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Tailor	Domestic Servant
Age	21	22
Dwelling Place	Collingwood Street Nelson	Collingwood Street Nelson
Length of Residence	21 years	2 years
Marriage Place	at the office of the Registrar of Marriages, Nelson
Folio
Consent
Date of Certificate	19 September 1877
Officiating Minister	The Registrar of marriages Nelson

20 September 1877

George Evered Garrett
Harriett McArtney

George Evens Garrett
Harriett McArtney
💍 1877/1789

Bachelor
Widow

Plumber
Boarding house keeper

37
41

Collingwood Street Nelson
Collingwood Street Nelson

12 years
18 years

at the residence of Harriett McArtney, Collingwood Street, Nelson

77/1721

20 September 1877

Rev George S. Harper

No	70
Date of Notice	20 September 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George Evered Garrett	Harriett McArtney
BDM Match (93%)	George Evens Garrett	Harriett McArtney
	💍 1877/1789
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Plumber	Boarding house keeper
Age	37	41
Dwelling Place	Collingwood Street Nelson	Collingwood Street Nelson
Length of Residence	12 years	18 years
Marriage Place	at the residence of Harriett McArtney, Collingwood Street, Nelson
Folio	77/1721
Consent
Date of Certificate	20 September 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev George S. Harper

29 September 1877

William George Haybittle
Robertina Burns

William George Haybittle
Robertina Burns
💍 1877/2190

Bachelor
Spinster

Storekeeper
Milliner

27
27

Bridge Street Nelson
Collingwood Street Nelson

3 days
8 years

at the residence of Richard White draper, Collingwood Street, Nelson

77/2133

29 September 1877

Rev. Patrick Calder

No	71
Date of Notice	29 September 1877
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William George Haybittle	Robertina Burns
	💍 1877/2190
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Storekeeper	Milliner
Age	27	27
Dwelling Place	Bridge Street Nelson	Collingwood Street Nelson
Length of Residence	3 days	8 years
Marriage Place	at the residence of Richard White draper, Collingwood Street, Nelson
Folio	77/2133
Consent
Date of Certificate	29 September 1877
Officiating Minister	Rev. Patrick Calder

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).