Intentions to Marry, 1883

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840395, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

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

Page 704

District of Christchurch Quarter ending 31 March 1883 Registrar M. 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

107

22 March 1883

James Watson
Bessie Meacham

James Watson Turner
Bessie Manhire
💍 1883/937

Bachelor
Spinster

Gardener

27
22

Christchurch
Christchurch

18 years
6 years

In the Church of England

83/483

22 March 1883

Rev. G. I. Cholmondeley

No	107
Date of Notice	22 March 1883
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Watson	Bessie Meacham
BDM Match (64%)	James Watson Turner	Bessie Manhire
	💍 1883/937
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Gardener
Age	27	22
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	18 years	6 years
Marriage Place	In the Church of England
Folio	83/483
Consent
Date of Certificate	22 March 1883
Officiating Minister	Rev. G. I. Cholmondeley

108

22 March 1883

Robert William Wakefield
Mary Ann Lunnon

Robert Millan Wakefield
Mary Ann Lunnen
💍 1883/1485

Bachelor
Spinster

Carpenter
Servant

19
21

Sydenham
Sydenham

3 years
3 years

In St. Saviour's Church

83/363

William H. Wakefield, father

22 March 1883

Rev. T. B. Cocks

No	108
Date of Notice	22 March 1883
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Robert William Wakefield	Mary Ann Lunnon
BDM Match (90%)	Robert Millan Wakefield	Mary Ann Lunnen
	💍 1883/1485
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carpenter	Servant
Age	19	21
Dwelling Place	Sydenham	Sydenham
Length of Residence	3 years	3 years
Marriage Place	In St. Saviour's Church
Folio	83/363
Consent	William H. Wakefield, father
Date of Certificate	22 March 1883
Officiating Minister	Rev. T. B. Cocks

109

24 March 1883

Benjamin Headbolt
Elizabeth Brown

Benjamin Shadbolt
Elizabeth Brown
💍 1883/3547

Bachelor
Spinster

Housebreaker
Servant

23
24

Christchurch
Christchurch

4 days
5 days

In the Registrars Office

83/446

24 March 1883

M. Parkerson, Registrar of Marriages

No	109
Date of Notice	24 March 1883
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Benjamin Headbolt	Elizabeth Brown
BDM Match (94%)	Benjamin Shadbolt	Elizabeth Brown
	💍 1883/3547
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Housebreaker	Servant
Age	23	24
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	4 days	5 days
Marriage Place	In the Registrars Office
Folio	83/446
Consent
Date of Certificate	24 March 1883
Officiating Minister	M. Parkerson, Registrar of Marriages

110

24 March 1883

James Henry Cotton
Catharina Hudson

James Henry Cotton
Catherine Hudson
💍 1883/680

Widower
Widow

Carpenter
Housekeeper

45
40

Linwood
Linwood

1 month
4 months

In the House of Mr. Cotton

83/436

24 March 1883

Rev. J. Ward, Primitive Methodist

No	110
Date of Notice	24 March 1883
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Henry Cotton	Catharina Hudson
BDM Match (94%)	James Henry Cotton	Catherine Hudson
	💍 1883/680
Condition	Widower	Widow
Profession	Carpenter	Housekeeper
Age	45	40
Dwelling Place	Linwood	Linwood
Length of Residence	1 month	4 months
Marriage Place	In the House of Mr. Cotton
Folio	83/436
Consent
Date of Certificate	24 March 1883
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Ward, Primitive Methodist

111

24 March 1883

John Stephens
Mary Alexander

John Stephens
Margaret Mary Alexander
💍 1883/700

Bachelor
Spinster

Blacksmith

26
20

Christchurch
Sydenham

3 days
8 years

In the Ashburton Wesleyan Church

83/432

Alexander, father

24 March 1883

Rev. Z. Best, Wesleyan

No	111
Date of Notice	24 March 1883
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Stephens	Mary Alexander
BDM Match (80%)	John Stephens	Margaret Mary Alexander
	💍 1883/700
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Blacksmith
Age	26	20
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Sydenham
Length of Residence	3 days	8 years
Marriage Place	In the Ashburton Wesleyan Church
Folio	83/432
Consent	Alexander, father
Date of Certificate	24 March 1883
Officiating Minister	Rev. Z. Best, Wesleyan

112

27 March 1883

William Kinross White
Frances Sophia Moore

William Kinross White
Frances Sophia Moore
💍 1883/475

Bachelor
Spinster

Merchant

26
25

Christchurch
Christchurch

4 days
25 years

In St. Lukes, Hawkes Church

83/524

27 March 1883

Rev. R. A. Augarde, Church of England

No	112
Date of Notice	27 March 1883
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Kinross White	Frances Sophia Moore
	💍 1883/475
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Merchant
Age	26	25
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	4 days	25 years
Marriage Place	In St. Lukes, Hawkes Church
Folio	83/524
Consent
Date of Certificate	27 March 1883
Officiating Minister	Rev. R. A. Augarde, Church of England

113

27 March 1883

George Mc. Gow
Isabella Lamb

George McGowan
Isabella Lamb
💍 1883/3241

Charles Sanford
Isabella Lamb
💍 1883/2510

Bachelor
Widow

Farmer
Servant

33
36

Christchurch
Christchurch

1 week
1 week

In the Roman Catholic Church

83/341

27 March 1883

Rev. L. Grutly, Roman Catholic

No	113
Date of Notice	27 March 1883
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George Mc. Gow	Isabella Lamb
BDM Match (86%)	George McGowan	Isabella Lamb
	💍 1883/3241
BDM Match (60%)	Charles Sanford	Isabella Lamb
	💍 1883/2510
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Farmer	Servant
Age	33	36
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	1 week	1 week
Marriage Place	In the Roman Catholic Church
Folio	83/341
Consent
Date of Certificate	27 March 1883
Officiating Minister	Rev. L. Grutly, Roman Catholic

114

27 March 1883

Charles Boyd
Mary Bousfield Hill

Charles Boyd
Mary Bonsfield Hill
💍 1883/477

Bachelor
Spinster

Gentleman

28
23

Christchurch
Christchurch

5 days
4 years

In St. Lukes, Burnham Church

83/526

27 March 1883

Rev. R. A. Augarde, Church of England

No	114
Date of Notice	27 March 1883
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charles Boyd	Mary Bousfield Hill
BDM Match (97%)	Charles Boyd	Mary Bonsfield Hill
	💍 1883/477
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Gentleman
Age	28	23
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	5 days	4 years
Marriage Place	In St. Lukes, Burnham Church
Folio	83/526
Consent
Date of Certificate	27 March 1883
Officiating Minister	Rev. R. A. Augarde, Church of England

115

28 March 1883

Jacques Modest Schmoller
Therese Kauamuller

Jacques Modest Schnoler
Therese Kanamueller
💍 1883/3548

Widower
Spinster

Gardener
Servant

42
32

Christchurch
Christchurch

1 year
5 days

In the Registrars Office

83/449

27 March 1883

M. Parkerson, Registrar

No	115
Date of Notice	28 March 1883
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Jacques Modest Schmoller	Therese Kauamuller
BDM Match (91%)	Jacques Modest Schnoler	Therese Kanamueller
	💍 1883/3548
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Gardener	Servant
Age	42	32
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Christchurch
Length of Residence	1 year	5 days
Marriage Place	In the Registrars Office
Folio	83/449
Consent
Date of Certificate	27 March 1883
Officiating Minister	M. Parkerson, Registrar

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 1903. 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).