Intentions to Marry, 1903 South Island

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840424, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

Imaged by Carole at Archives NZ Wellington, October 10 2025.

1903 is bound in two volumes, North Island districts and South Island districts.

Page 498

District of Timaru Quarter ending 31 March 1903 Registrar Alexander Montgomery

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

5 January 1903

William Wentworth Ellis
Helen Auld

William Wentworth Ellis
Helen Auld
💍 1903/1877

Bachelor
Spinster

Carrier
Domestic duties

19 years
18 years

Timaru
Timaru

19 years
16 years

Dwellinghouse of William Auld, York Street Timaru

03/1147

Godfrey W Ellis father, William Auld father

5 January 1903

Rev Robert Jackson, Presbyterian Minister

No	1
Date of Notice	5 January 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Wentworth Ellis	Helen Auld
	💍 1903/1877
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carrier	Domestic duties
Age	19 years	18 years
Dwelling Place	Timaru	Timaru
Length of Residence	19 years	16 years
Marriage Place	Dwellinghouse of William Auld, York Street Timaru
Folio	03/1147
Consent	Godfrey W Ellis father, William Auld father
Date of Certificate	5 January 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev Robert Jackson, Presbyterian Minister

12 January 1903

Edward Havilland Rapsey
Ethel Maud Smith

Edward Havilland Rapsey
Ethel Maud Smith
💍 1903/1875

Bachelor
Spinster

Salesman
Saleswoman

30 years
23 years

Timaru
Timaru

11 years
10 years

Wesleyan Church, Timaru

03/1145

12 January 1903

Rev. Joseph Blight, Wesleyan Minister

No	2
Date of Notice	12 January 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Edward Havilland Rapsey	Ethel Maud Smith
	💍 1903/1875
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Salesman	Saleswoman
Age	30 years	23 years
Dwelling Place	Timaru	Timaru
Length of Residence	11 years	10 years
Marriage Place	Wesleyan Church, Timaru
Folio	03/1145
Consent
Date of Certificate	12 January 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. Joseph Blight, Wesleyan Minister

13 January 1903

Alexander Fraser
Sarah Jane Irwin

Alexander Fraser
Sarah Jane Irwin
💍 1903/1881

Alexander Miller
Hannah Edith Irwin
💍 1903/3741

Bachelor
Spinster

Watchmaker
Domestic duties

28 years
24 years

Timaru
Timaru

3 months
24 years

Dwellinghouse of Robert Irwin, West Belt Timaru

03/1150

13 January 1903

Rev. Thomas Stinson, Presbyterian Minister

No	3
Date of Notice	13 January 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Alexander Fraser	Sarah Jane Irwin
	💍 1903/1881
BDM Match (65%)	Alexander Miller	Hannah Edith Irwin
	💍 1903/3741
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Watchmaker	Domestic duties
Age	28 years	24 years
Dwelling Place	Timaru	Timaru
Length of Residence	3 months	24 years
Marriage Place	Dwellinghouse of Robert Irwin, West Belt Timaru
Folio	03/1150
Consent
Date of Certificate	13 January 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. Thomas Stinson, Presbyterian Minister

14 January 1903

James Cartwright
Lucy Brooks

James Cartwright
Lucy Brooks
💍 1903/1953

Bachelor
Spinster

School Teacher
Tailoress

23 years
25 years

Timaru
Timaru

3 weeks
25 years

Congregational Church, Timaru

03/1482

14 January 1903

Rev Archibald E Hunt, Congregational Minister

No	4
Date of Notice	14 January 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Cartwright	Lucy Brooks
	💍 1903/1953
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	School Teacher	Tailoress
Age	23 years	25 years
Dwelling Place	Timaru	Timaru
Length of Residence	3 weeks	25 years
Marriage Place	Congregational Church, Timaru
Folio	03/1482
Consent
Date of Certificate	14 January 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev Archibald E Hunt, Congregational Minister

24 January 1903

John Cameron
Mary Ann Morgan

John Cameron
Mary Ann Morgan
💍 1903/1882

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Domestic duties

34 years
34 years

Otaio
Timaru

16 years
14 years

Dwellinghouse of Geo White, Waimataitai Timaru

03/1151

27 January 1903

Rev. Thomas Stinson, Presbyterian minister

No	5
Date of Notice	24 January 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Cameron	Mary Ann Morgan
	💍 1903/1882
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Domestic duties
Age	34 years	34 years
Dwelling Place	Otaio	Timaru
Length of Residence	16 years	14 years
Marriage Place	Dwellinghouse of Geo White, Waimataitai Timaru
Folio	03/1151
Consent
Date of Certificate	27 January 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. Thomas Stinson, Presbyterian minister

29 January 1903

Thomas Arthur Walker
Annie Aitken

Thomas Arthur Walker
Annie Aitken
💍 1903/1869

Bachelor
Widow

Labourer
Nil

30 years
29 years

Timaru
Timaru

12 months
10 days

Registrar's Office, Timaru

03/1139

29 January 1903

Alex. Montgomery, Registrar

No	6
Date of Notice	29 January 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas Arthur Walker	Annie Aitken
	💍 1903/1869
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Labourer	Nil
Age	30 years	29 years
Dwelling Place	Timaru	Timaru
Length of Residence	12 months	10 days
Marriage Place	Registrar's Office, Timaru
Folio	03/1139
Consent
Date of Certificate	29 January 1903
Officiating Minister	Alex. Montgomery, Registrar

2 February 1903

David Byers
Isabella Strachan

David Byers
Isabella Strachan
💍 1903/1883

Bachelor
Spinster

Booksellers Assistant
Milliner

28 years
28 years

Timaru
Timaru

28 years
20 years

Dwellinghouse of James Strachan, Sarah Street Timaru

03/1152

2 February 1903

Rev. Thos. Stinson, Presbyterian minister

No	7
Date of Notice	2 February 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	David Byers	Isabella Strachan
	💍 1903/1883
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Booksellers Assistant	Milliner
Age	28 years	28 years
Dwelling Place	Timaru	Timaru
Length of Residence	28 years	20 years
Marriage Place	Dwellinghouse of James Strachan, Sarah Street Timaru
Folio	03/1152
Consent
Date of Certificate	2 February 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. Thos. Stinson, Presbyterian minister

6 February 1903

John William Coker
Elizabeth Hyndman

John William Coker
Elizabeth Hyndman
💍 1903/1879

Bachelor
Spinster

Fellmonger
Domestic duties

21 years
21 years

Timaru
Timaru

21 years
3 days

Dwellinghouse of John Watt, York Street Timaru

03/1148

6 February 1903

Rev. Robert Jackson, Presbyterian minister

No	8
Date of Notice	6 February 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John William Coker	Elizabeth Hyndman
	💍 1903/1879
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Fellmonger	Domestic duties
Age	21 years	21 years
Dwelling Place	Timaru	Timaru
Length of Residence	21 years	3 days
Marriage Place	Dwellinghouse of John Watt, York Street Timaru
Folio	03/1148
Consent
Date of Certificate	6 February 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. Robert Jackson, Presbyterian minister

10 February 1903

Valentine Rodgers
Edith Alice Battcock

Valentine Rodgers
Edith Alice Batterek
💍 1903/1874

Bachelor
Spinster

Baker
Domestic duties

23 years
25 years

Timaru
Timaru

23 years
25 years

Dwellinghouse of Rev. S. Buchanan, Russell Square Timaru

03/1144

10 February 1903

Rev. Samuel Buchanan, Primitive Methodist Minister

No	9
Date of Notice	10 February 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Valentine Rodgers	Edith Alice Battcock
BDM Match (93%)	Valentine Rodgers	Edith Alice Batterek
	💍 1903/1874
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Baker	Domestic duties
Age	23 years	25 years
Dwelling Place	Timaru	Timaru
Length of Residence	23 years	25 years
Marriage Place	Dwellinghouse of Rev. S. Buchanan, Russell Square Timaru
Folio	03/1144
Consent
Date of Certificate	10 February 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. Samuel Buchanan, Primitive Methodist Minister

13 February 1903

George Robert Neal Wright
Maud Archdall Raymond

George Robert Niel Wright
Maud Archdall Raymond
💍 1903/1871

Widower
Spinster

Clerk

48 years
24 years

Wellington
Timaru

45 years
24 years

English Church, St. Marys, Timaru

03/1141

13 February 1903

Archdeacon H. W. Harper, Church of England Clergyman

No	10
Date of Notice	13 February 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George Robert Neal Wright	Maud Archdall Raymond
BDM Match (96%)	George Robert Niel Wright	Maud Archdall Raymond
	💍 1903/1871
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Clerk
Age	48 years	24 years
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Timaru
Length of Residence	45 years	24 years
Marriage Place	English Church, St. Marys, Timaru
Folio	03/1141
Consent
Date of Certificate	13 February 1903
Officiating Minister	Archdeacon H. W. Harper, Church of England Clergyman

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).