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 897

District of Oamaru Quarter ending 30 September 1903

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

2283

6 July 1903

William Joseph Shann
Margaret Mary McLendon

William Joseph Shaun
Margaret Mary McAlinden
💍 1903/5001

William Henry Spain
Margaret Mary Enright
💍 1904/2553

William George Sloan
Margaret Mary Thorne
💍 1903/1368

Bachelor
Spinster

Sheep Farmer
Domestic Duties

29
22

Oamaru
Oamaru

3 days
2 years

Roman Catholic Basilica Oamaru

03/4897

6 July 1903

Rev. J. J. O'Reilly

No	2283
Date of Notice	6 July 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Joseph Shann	Margaret Mary McLendon
BDM Match (89%)	William Joseph Shaun	Margaret Mary McAlinden
	💍 1903/5001
BDM Match (62%)	William Henry Spain	Margaret Mary Enright
	💍 1904/2553
BDM Match (62%)	William George Sloan	Margaret Mary Thorne
	💍 1903/1368
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Sheep Farmer	Domestic Duties
Age	29	22
Dwelling Place	Oamaru	Oamaru
Length of Residence	3 days	2 years
Marriage Place	Roman Catholic Basilica Oamaru
Folio	03/4897
Consent
Date of Certificate	6 July 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. J. O'Reilly

2284

6 July 1903

Richard Miller
Margaret Brims

Richard Miller
Margaret Brims
💍 1903/5130

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer

58
32

Oamaru
Oamaru

14 years
32 years

Residence of Mr Robert Brims of Arun Street Oamaru

03/4707

6 July 1903

Rev. W. Wright

No	2284
Date of Notice	6 July 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Richard Miller	Margaret Brims
	💍 1903/5130
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer
Age	58	32
Dwelling Place	Oamaru	Oamaru
Length of Residence	14 years	32 years
Marriage Place	Residence of Mr Robert Brims of Arun Street Oamaru
Folio	03/4707
Consent
Date of Certificate	6 July 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. W. Wright

2285

4 July 1903

Joseph Ward
Minnie Mora Smith

Joseph Ward
Minnie Nora Smith
💍 1903/5007

Joseph Shaw
Annie Smith
💍 1903/5512

Bachelor
Spinster

Shepherd
Domestic Servant

28
21

Oamaru
Oamaru

3 days
8 weeks

Residence of Mr Robert Brown at Avon St Oamaru

03/4897

4 July 1903

Rev. R. J. Porter

No	2285
Date of Notice	4 July 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Joseph Ward	Minnie Mora Smith
BDM Match (97%)	Joseph Ward	Minnie Nora Smith
	💍 1903/5007
BDM Match (61%)	Joseph Shaw	Annie Smith
	💍 1903/5512
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Shepherd	Domestic Servant
Age	28	21
Dwelling Place	Oamaru	Oamaru
Length of Residence	3 days	8 weeks
Marriage Place	Residence of Mr Robert Brown at Avon St Oamaru
Folio	03/4897
Consent
Date of Certificate	4 July 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. R. J. Porter

2286

7 July 1903

William Ernest Alexander De Noville
Alice Elizabeth Craig

William Ernest Alexander De Norville
Alice Elizabeth Craig
💍 1903/4755

Bachelor
Divorced

Canvasser
Dressmaker

31
35

Oamaru
Oamaru

14 days
7 days

Wesleyan Manse Oamaru

03/4711

7 July 1903

Rev. D. McNicoll

No	2286
Date of Notice	7 July 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Ernest Alexander De Noville	Alice Elizabeth Craig
BDM Match (99%)	William Ernest Alexander De Norville	Alice Elizabeth Craig
	💍 1903/4755
Condition	Bachelor	Divorced
Profession	Canvasser	Dressmaker
Age	31	35
Dwelling Place	Oamaru	Oamaru
Length of Residence	14 days	7 days
Marriage Place	Wesleyan Manse Oamaru
Folio	03/4711
Consent
Date of Certificate	7 July 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. D. McNicoll

2287

8 July 1903

Alexander Kennedy
Marion Anderson Bruce

Alexander Kennedy
Marion Anderson Bruce
💍 1903/5008

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer

34
30

Oamaru
Oamaru

10 years
20 years

Residence of Mrs Marion Bruce North Road Oamaru

03/4898

8 July 1903

Rev. R. J. Porter

No	2287
Date of Notice	8 July 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Alexander Kennedy	Marion Anderson Bruce
	💍 1903/5008
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer
Age	34	30
Dwelling Place	Oamaru	Oamaru
Length of Residence	10 years	20 years
Marriage Place	Residence of Mrs Marion Bruce North Road Oamaru
Folio	03/4898
Consent
Date of Certificate	8 July 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. R. J. Porter

2288

13 July 1903

John Thomas Currie
Elizabeth Collict

John Thomas Currie
Elizabeth Collict
💍 1903/4756

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer
Dressmaker

34
26

Ardgowan
Ardgowan

34 years
24 years

Residence of Mr Uriah Collict at Ardgowan

03/4712

13 July 1903

Rev. D. McNicoll

No	2288
Date of Notice	13 July 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Thomas Currie	Elizabeth Collict
	💍 1903/4756
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer	Dressmaker
Age	34	26
Dwelling Place	Ardgowan	Ardgowan
Length of Residence	34 years	24 years
Marriage Place	Residence of Mr Uriah Collict at Ardgowan
Folio	03/4712
Consent
Date of Certificate	13 July 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. D. McNicoll

2289

11 July 1903

William Edward Foster
Fanny Jones Mattinson

William Edward Foster
Fanny Jones Mattinson
💍 1903/4745

Bachelor
Spinster

Miner
Domestic Servant

25
23

Richmond
Richmond

14 days
14 days

Residence of Mrs Isabella Mattinson at Richmond

03/4705

14 July 1903

Rev. William Wright

No	2289
Date of Notice	11 July 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Edward Foster	Fanny Jones Mattinson
	💍 1903/4745
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Miner	Domestic Servant
Age	25	23
Dwelling Place	Richmond	Richmond
Length of Residence	14 days	14 days
Marriage Place	Residence of Mrs Isabella Mattinson at Richmond
Folio	03/4705
Consent
Date of Certificate	14 July 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. William Wright

2290

14 July 1903

Samuel Pocklington
Elizabeth Margaret Whitton

Samuel Pocklington
Elizabeth Margaret Whitton
💍 1903/5127

Bachelor
Spinster

Bootmaker
Domestic Servant

28
19

Oamaru
Oamaru

28 years
one year

Office of Registrar of Marriages Oamaru

03/4699

Charles Whitton, father

14 July 1903

Registrar of Marriages Oamaru

No	2290
Date of Notice	14 July 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Samuel Pocklington	Elizabeth Margaret Whitton
	💍 1903/5127
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Bootmaker	Domestic Servant
Age	28	19
Dwelling Place	Oamaru	Oamaru
Length of Residence	28 years	one year
Marriage Place	Office of Registrar of Marriages Oamaru
Folio	03/4699
Consent	Charles Whitton, father
Date of Certificate	14 July 1903
Officiating Minister	Registrar of Marriages Oamaru

2291

20 July 1903

George Knight
Isabel Henderson Frame

George Knight
Isabel Henderson Frame
💍 1903/5009

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer
Domestic Servant

29 years
27 years

Oamaru
Oamaru

two weeks
4 years

Presbyterian Manse Reed Street Oamaru

03/4899

20 July 1903

Rev. R. J. Porter

No	2291
Date of Notice	20 July 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George Knight	Isabel Henderson Frame
	💍 1903/5009
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer	Domestic Servant
Age	29 years	27 years
Dwelling Place	Oamaru	Oamaru
Length of Residence	two weeks	4 years
Marriage Place	Presbyterian Manse Reed Street Oamaru
Folio	03/4899
Consent
Date of Certificate	20 July 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. R. J. Porter

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).