Intentions to Marry, 1897 January-June

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840411, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

Imaged by Luke at Archives NZ Wellington, June 25 2025

1897 is bound in two volumes, January-June and July-December.

Page 228

District of Wellington Quarter ending 31 March 1897 Registrar M. G. Wyatt

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

8 February 1897

Louis Langssen
Deborah Cooper

Louis Laugesen
Deborah Cooper
💍 1897/4255

Widower
Spinster

Sawmiller

54
26

Wellington
Wellington

9 days
years

House of Mrs. Paxall, Tasman St. Wellington

97/568

8 February 1897

Rev. A. R. Redstone

No	45
Date of Notice	8 February 1897
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Louis Langssen	Deborah Cooper
BDM Match (93%)	Louis Laugesen	Deborah Cooper
	💍 1897/4255
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Sawmiller
Age	54	26
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Wellington
Length of Residence	9 days	years
Marriage Place	House of Mrs. Paxall, Tasman St. Wellington
Folio	97/568
Consent
Date of Certificate	8 February 1897
Officiating Minister	Rev. A. R. Redstone

8 February 1897

Harry Conradi Cooper
Harriet Sophia Moyall

Harry Conrad Cooper
Harriet Sophia Myall
💍 1897/909

Bachelor
Widow

Hawker

34
36

Wellington
Wellington

years
years

Registrar's office, Wellington

97/493

8 February 1897

W. Y. Wyatt

No	46
Date of Notice	8 February 1897
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Harry Conradi Cooper	Harriet Sophia Moyall
BDM Match (95%)	Harry Conrad Cooper	Harriet Sophia Myall
	💍 1897/909
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Hawker
Age	34	36
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Wellington
Length of Residence	years	years
Marriage Place	Registrar's office, Wellington
Folio	97/493
Consent
Date of Certificate	8 February 1897
Officiating Minister	W. Y. Wyatt

8 February 1897

Alfred Parker
Elizabeth Harriet Rowe

Alfred Parker
Elizabeth Harriet Rowe
💍 1897/4306

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer

28
20

Khandallah
Khandallah

1 week
4 years

Roman Catholic Church, Johnsonville

97/581

Matthias Charles Rowe, Father

8 February 1897

Rev. John Lane

No	47
Date of Notice	8 February 1897
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Alfred Parker	Elizabeth Harriet Rowe
	💍 1897/4306
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer
Age	28	20
Dwelling Place	Khandallah	Khandallah
Length of Residence	1 week	4 years
Marriage Place	Roman Catholic Church, Johnsonville
Folio	97/581
Consent	Matthias Charles Rowe, Father
Date of Certificate	8 February 1897
Officiating Minister	Rev. John Lane

9 February 1897

James Johnston
Annastatia Furlong

James Johnston
Anastatia Furlong
💍 1897/3844

Bachelor
Spinster

Confectioner

36
28

Wellington
Wellington

years
years

St. Mary of the Angels, Wellington

97/541

9 February 1897

Reverend Thomas Devoy V.G.

No	48
Date of Notice	9 February 1897
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Johnston	Annastatia Furlong
BDM Match (97%)	James Johnston	Anastatia Furlong
	💍 1897/3844
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Confectioner
Age	36	28
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Wellington
Length of Residence	years	years
Marriage Place	St. Mary of the Angels, Wellington
Folio	97/541
Consent
Date of Certificate	9 February 1897
Officiating Minister	Reverend Thomas Devoy V.G.

10 February 1897

Arthur Parkin
Emma Mears

Arthur Parkin
Emma Mears
💍 1897/910

Bachelor
Spinster

Sailor

23
19

Wellington
Wellington

8 months
years

Registrar's office, Wellington

97/494

Sarah Ann Mears, Mother

10 February 1897

W. J. Wyatt

No	49
Date of Notice	10 February 1897
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Arthur Parkin	Emma Mears
	💍 1897/910
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Sailor
Age	23	19
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Wellington
Length of Residence	8 months	years
Marriage Place	Registrar's office, Wellington
Folio	97/494
Consent	Sarah Ann Mears, Mother
Date of Certificate	10 February 1897
Officiating Minister	W. J. Wyatt

11 February 1897

Luke Polla Mounter
Florence Mabel Churcher

Luke Polla Mounter
Florence Mabel Churche
💍 1897/4257

Bachelor
Spinster

Sign Writer

24
19

Wellington
Wellington

years
years

House of Mrs. Churcher, Arthur St. Wellington

97/558

Jane Churcher, Mother

11 February 1897

Rev. James Guy

No	50
Date of Notice	11 February 1897
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Luke Polla Mounter	Florence Mabel Churcher
BDM Match (98%)	Luke Polla Mounter	Florence Mabel Churche
	💍 1897/4257
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Sign Writer
Age	24	19
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Wellington
Length of Residence	years	years
Marriage Place	House of Mrs. Churcher, Arthur St. Wellington
Folio	97/558
Consent	Jane Churcher, Mother
Date of Certificate	11 February 1897
Officiating Minister	Rev. James Guy

11 February 1897

Rivers Johnson Lee
Mary Elizabeth Stubbs

Rivers Johnson Loe
Mary Elizabeth Stubbs
💍 1897/3929

Bachelor
Spinster

Clerk

27
23

Wellington
Wellington

years
years

St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral, Wellington

97/509

11 February 1897

Rev. J. H. Sprott

No	51
Date of Notice	11 February 1897
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Rivers Johnson Lee	Mary Elizabeth Stubbs
BDM Match (97%)	Rivers Johnson Loe	Mary Elizabeth Stubbs
	💍 1897/3929
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Clerk
Age	27	23
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Wellington
Length of Residence	years	years
Marriage Place	St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral, Wellington
Folio	97/509
Consent
Date of Certificate	11 February 1897
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. H. Sprott

13 February 1897

George John Startup
Edith May Coppuss

George John Startup
Edith May Coppins
💍 1897/4300

Bachelor
Spinster

Draper

30
24

Wellington
Wellington

16 months
1 week

Wesleyan Methodist Church, Modesworth St. Wellington

97/572

13 February 1897

Rev. A. B. Chappell

No	52
Date of Notice	13 February 1897
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George John Startup	Edith May Coppuss
BDM Match (94%)	George John Startup	Edith May Coppins
	💍 1897/4300
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Draper
Age	30	24
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Wellington
Length of Residence	16 months	1 week
Marriage Place	Wesleyan Methodist Church, Modesworth St. Wellington
Folio	97/572
Consent
Date of Certificate	13 February 1897
Officiating Minister	Rev. A. B. Chappell

13 February 1897

Arthur George Murdoch
Barbara Cochrane

Arthur George Murdock
Barbara Cockrane
💍 1897/4258

Bachelor
Spinster

Builder

26
16

Wellington
Wellington

years
years

House of Rev. J. Guy, Cuba St. Wellington

97/559

Eliza Haggie, Mother

13 February 1897

Rev. James Guy

No	53
Date of Notice	13 February 1897
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Arthur George Murdoch	Barbara Cochrane
BDM Match (95%)	Arthur George Murdock	Barbara Cockrane
	💍 1897/4258
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Builder
Age	26	16
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Wellington
Length of Residence	years	years
Marriage Place	House of Rev. J. Guy, Cuba St. Wellington
Folio	97/559
Consent	Eliza Haggie, Mother
Date of Certificate	13 February 1897
Officiating Minister	Rev. James Guy

15 February 1897

Frederick Laurence Dean
Catherine Chisholm

Frederick Lawrence Dean
Catherine Chisholm
💍 1897/3845

Bachelor
Spinster

Musician

31
27

Wellington
Wellington

years
years

St. Joseph's Church, Buckle St. Wellington

97/542

15 February 1897

Rev. Thomas Devoy V.G.

No	54
Date of Notice	15 February 1897
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Frederick Laurence Dean	Catherine Chisholm
BDM Match (98%)	Frederick Lawrence Dean	Catherine Chisholm
	💍 1897/3845
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Musician
Age	31	27
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Wellington
Length of Residence	years	years
Marriage Place	St. Joseph's Church, Buckle St. Wellington
Folio	97/542
Consent
Date of Certificate	15 February 1897
Officiating Minister	Rev. Thomas Devoy V.G.

15 February 1897

Arthur Fitzroy Bonham King
Sophia Gainsford Bacon

Arthur Fitzroy Bonham King
Sophia Gainsford Bacon
💍 1897/3915

Bachelor
Widow

Bank Cashier

41
41

Wellington
Wellington

years
years

St. Mark's Church, Wellington

97/519

15 February 1897

Rev. R. Coffey

No	55
Date of Notice	15 February 1897
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Arthur Fitzroy Bonham King	Sophia Gainsford Bacon
	💍 1897/3915
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Bank Cashier
Age	41	41
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Wellington
Length of Residence	years	years
Marriage Place	St. Mark's Church, Wellington
Folio	97/519
Consent
Date of Certificate	15 February 1897
Officiating Minister	Rev. R. Coffey

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).