Intentions to Marry, 1878

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840390, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

Imaged by Luke at Archives NZ Wellington, March 5 2025

Page 305

District of Wanganui Quarter ending 30 September 1878

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

25 June 1878

Sydney W. Beckham
Mary Jane Howell

Sydney William Beckwith
Margaret Howell
💍 1878/1807

Bachelor
Spinster

Coach trimmer

26
17

Wanganui
Wanganui

12 months
1 week

In the private residence of Mrs C.H. Mowlding, Wanganui

78/1132

No person legally authorized

1 July 1878

Rev. Wm Lee

No	31
Date of Notice	25 June 1878
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Sydney W. Beckham	Mary Jane Howell
BDM Match (63%)	Sydney William Beckwith	Margaret Howell
	💍 1878/1807
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Coach trimmer
Age	26	17
Dwelling Place	Wanganui	Wanganui
Length of Residence	12 months	1 week
Marriage Place	In the private residence of Mrs C.H. Mowlding, Wanganui
Folio	78/1132
Consent	No person legally authorized
Date of Certificate	1 July 1878
Officiating Minister	Rev. Wm Lee

2 July 1878

Thomas Crowley
Ann Green

Thomas Connolly
Ann Green
💍 1878/1806

Bachelor
Widow

Laborer

52
42

Taylorville
Taylorville

30 years
30 years

In the private residence of Thomas Crowley, Taylorville

78/1129

2 July 1878

Rev. Wm Lee

No	32
Date of Notice	2 July 1878
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas Crowley	Ann Green
BDM Match (83%)	Thomas Connolly	Ann Green
	💍 1878/1806
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Laborer
Age	52	42
Dwelling Place	Taylorville	Taylorville
Length of Residence	30 years	30 years
Marriage Place	In the private residence of Thomas Crowley, Taylorville
Folio	78/1129
Consent
Date of Certificate	2 July 1878
Officiating Minister	Rev. Wm Lee

2 July 1878

Francis H. Walton
Agatha A. Borlase

Bachelor
Spinster

Teacher

22
26

Wanganui
Wanganui

2.5 years
15 years

In the Episcopal Church, Wanganui

78/3269

2 July 1878

Rev. T. L. Tudor

No	33
Date of Notice	2 July 1878
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Francis H. Walton	Agatha A. Borlase
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Teacher
Age	22	26
Dwelling Place	Wanganui	Wanganui
Length of Residence	2.5 years	15 years
Marriage Place	In the Episcopal Church, Wanganui
Folio	78/3269
Consent
Date of Certificate	2 July 1878
Officiating Minister	Rev. T. L. Tudor

8 July 1878

J. B. Armstrong
Annie McDonald

Peter Armstrong
Anne McGill
💍 1878/419

Bachelor
Spinster

Carpenter

23
20

Wanganui
Wanganui

4 years
4 years

In the private residence of Mr J. Hogg, Wanganui

78/1133

8 July 1878

Rev. Wm Lee

No	34
Date of Notice	8 July 1878
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	J. B. Armstrong	Annie McDonald
BDM Match (62%)	Peter Armstrong	Anne McGill
	💍 1878/419
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carpenter
Age	23	20
Dwelling Place	Wanganui	Wanganui
Length of Residence	4 years	4 years
Marriage Place	In the private residence of Mr J. Hogg, Wanganui
Folio	78/1133
Consent
Date of Certificate	8 July 1878
Officiating Minister	Rev. Wm Lee

8 July 1878

J. Bradshaw
Martha Ratcliff

George Felix Braithwaite
Martha Ratcliff
💍 1878/1808

Bachelor
Spinster

Smith
[illegible]

49
39

Wanganui
Wanganui

13 years
4 years

In the private residence of Mr J. Hogg, Wanganui

78/1133

12 July 1878

Rev. James Treadwell

No	35
Date of Notice	8 July 1878
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	J. Bradshaw	Martha Ratcliff
BDM Match (63%)	George Felix Braithwaite	Martha Ratcliff
	💍 1878/1808
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Smith	[illegible]
Age	49	39
Dwelling Place	Wanganui	Wanganui
Length of Residence	13 years	4 years
Marriage Place	In the private residence of Mr J. Hogg, Wanganui
Folio	78/1133
Consent
Date of Certificate	12 July 1878
Officiating Minister	Rev. James Treadwell

12 July 1878

Jas. T. Anderson
Annie McDonald

Bachelor
Spinster

Blacksmith

19
21

Wanganui
Wanganui

19 years
3 years

In the Presbyterian Manse, Wanganui

78/1142

John Armstrong, father

12 July 1878

Rev. James Treadwell

No	36
Date of Notice	12 July 1878
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Jas. T. Anderson	Annie McDonald
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Blacksmith
Age	19	21
Dwelling Place	Wanganui	Wanganui
Length of Residence	19 years	3 years
Marriage Place	In the Presbyterian Manse, Wanganui
Folio	78/1142
Consent	John Armstrong, father
Date of Certificate	12 July 1878
Officiating Minister	Rev. James Treadwell

15 July 1878

Charles Borrows
Isabella Murray

Charles Gordon
Isabella Murray
💍 1878/1788

Bachelor
Spinster

Bricklayer
[illegible]

39
25

Wanganui
Wanganui

10 years
2 years

In the private residence of Mr E. N. Liffiton, Wanganui

78/1135

15 July 1878

Rev. James Treadwell

No	37
Date of Notice	15 July 1878
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charles Borrows	Isabella Murray
BDM Match (87%)	Charles Gordon	Isabella Murray
	💍 1878/1788
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Bricklayer	[illegible]
Age	39	25
Dwelling Place	Wanganui	Wanganui
Length of Residence	10 years	2 years
Marriage Place	In the private residence of Mr E. N. Liffiton, Wanganui
Folio	78/1135
Consent
Date of Certificate	15 July 1878
Officiating Minister	Rev. James Treadwell

17 July 1878

Benjamin R. Venn
Clara Potts

Benjamin McCaul
Clara Potto
💍 1878/3214

Bachelor
Spinster

Carter

24
25

Wanganui
Wanganui

4 years

In the Episcopal Church, Wanganui

78/3261

17 July 1878

Rev. T. L. Tudor

No	38
Date of Notice	17 July 1878
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Benjamin R. Venn	Clara Potts
BDM Match (74%)	Benjamin McCaul	Clara Potto
	💍 1878/3214
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carter
Age	24	25
Dwelling Place	Wanganui	Wanganui
Length of Residence		4 years
Marriage Place	In the Episcopal Church, Wanganui
Folio	78/3261
Consent
Date of Certificate	17 July 1878
Officiating Minister	Rev. T. L. Tudor

23 July 1878

August Klein
Rosalie Penner

August Ihlein
Rosahie Penner
💍 1878/1791

Bachelor
Spinster

Gardiner

27
18

St Johns
East Town

2 years
2 years

In the Registrar's Office, Wanganui

78/1143

Auguste Penner, Mother

23 July 1878

G. M. Moon, Reg

No	39
Date of Notice	23 July 1878
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	August Klein	Rosalie Penner
BDM Match (89%)	August Ihlein	Rosahie Penner
	💍 1878/1791
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Gardiner
Age	27	18
Dwelling Place	St Johns	East Town
Length of Residence	2 years	2 years
Marriage Place	In the Registrar's Office, Wanganui
Folio	78/1143
Consent	Auguste Penner, Mother
Date of Certificate	23 July 1878
Officiating Minister	G. M. Moon, Reg

1 August 1878

William Parker
Henrietta J. Foster

William Parker
Henrietta Jane Foster
💍 1878/3215

Bachelor
Spinster

Saddler

23
17

Wanganui
Wanganui

3 year
16 year

In the Episcopal Church, Wanganui

78/3262

Father J. Wilson Armstrong

8 August 1878

Rev. T. L. Tudor

No	40
Date of Notice	1 August 1878
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Parker	Henrietta J. Foster
BDM Match (93%)	William Parker	Henrietta Jane Foster
	💍 1878/3215
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Saddler
Age	23	17
Dwelling Place	Wanganui	Wanganui
Length of Residence	3 year	16 year
Marriage Place	In the Episcopal Church, Wanganui
Folio	78/3262
Consent	Father J. Wilson Armstrong
Date of Certificate	8 August 1878
Officiating Minister	Rev. T. L. Tudor

13 August 1878

Granby Francis
Elizabeth Forrest

Bachelor
Widow

Hotel keeper

27
25

Halcombe
Wanganui

1 week
7 days

In the private residence of Mr John Campbell, Wanganui

78/1436

13 August 1878

Rev. James Treadwell

No	41
Date of Notice	13 August 1878
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Granby Francis	Elizabeth Forrest
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Hotel keeper
Age	27	25
Dwelling Place	Halcombe	Wanganui
Length of Residence	1 week	7 days
Marriage Place	In the private residence of Mr John Campbell, Wanganui
Folio	78/1436
Consent
Date of Certificate	13 August 1878
Officiating Minister	Rev. James Treadwell

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).