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 501

District of Timaru Quarter ending 30 June 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

25 April 1903

Bartholomew Sheehan
Margaret Carroll

Bartholomew Sheehan
Margaret Carroll
💍 1903/3023

Widower
Spinster

Farmer
Domestic Servant

40
24

St Andrews
St Andrews

5 months
4 months

Roman Catholic Church, Timaru

03/2865

25 April 1903

Rev. John Tubman, Roman Catholic Priest

No	31
Date of Notice	25 April 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Bartholomew Sheehan	Margaret Carroll
	💍 1903/3023
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Domestic Servant
Age	40	24
Dwelling Place	St Andrews	St Andrews
Length of Residence	5 months	4 months
Marriage Place	Roman Catholic Church, Timaru
Folio	03/2865
Consent
Date of Certificate	25 April 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. John Tubman, Roman Catholic Priest

25 April 1903

Hugh Ritchie Bush
Marion Widerell

Hugh Ritchie Bush
Marion Wederell
💍 1903/3036

Bachelor
Spinster

Stationmaster
Domestic duties

29
26

St Andrews
St Andrews

2 1/2 years
18 years

St Andrews Church of England

03/2855

25 April 1903

Rev. L. C. Brady, Church of England Clergyman

No	32
Date of Notice	25 April 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Hugh Ritchie Bush	Marion Widerell
BDM Match (97%)	Hugh Ritchie Bush	Marion Wederell
	💍 1903/3036
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Stationmaster	Domestic duties
Age	29	26
Dwelling Place	St Andrews	St Andrews
Length of Residence	2 1/2 years	18 years
Marriage Place	St Andrews Church of England
Folio	03/2855
Consent
Date of Certificate	25 April 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. L. C. Brady, Church of England Clergyman

28 April 1903

Valentine Perniskic
Mary Ellen McTonna

Valentine Perneskie
Mary Ellen McKenna
💍 1903/3024

Bachelor
Spinster

Police Constable
Saleswoman

30
24

Timaru
Timaru

3 days
6 years

Roman Catholic Church, Timaru

03/2866

28 April 1903

Rev. John Tubman, Roman Catholic Priest

No	33
Date of Notice	28 April 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Valentine Perniskic	Mary Ellen McTonna
BDM Match (89%)	Valentine Perneskie	Mary Ellen McKenna
	💍 1903/3024
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Police Constable	Saleswoman
Age	30	24
Dwelling Place	Timaru	Timaru
Length of Residence	3 days	6 years
Marriage Place	Roman Catholic Church, Timaru
Folio	03/2866
Consent
Date of Certificate	28 April 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. John Tubman, Roman Catholic Priest

2 May 1903

John Young
Isabel Louise Ellis

John Young
Isabel Louise Ellis
💍 1903/3040

Bachelor
Spinster

Engineer
Domestic duties

36
23

Timaru
Timaru

2 years
23 years

Dwellinghouse of Rev. Thomas Stinson, Russell Square, Timaru

03/2859

2 May 1903

Rev. Thomas Stinson, Presbyterian Minister

No	34
Date of Notice	2 May 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Young	Isabel Louise Ellis
	💍 1903/3040
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Engineer	Domestic duties
Age	36	23
Dwelling Place	Timaru	Timaru
Length of Residence	2 years	23 years
Marriage Place	Dwellinghouse of Rev. Thomas Stinson, Russell Square, Timaru
Folio	03/2859
Consent
Date of Certificate	2 May 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. Thomas Stinson, Presbyterian Minister

8 May 1903

John Wilson
Margaret McMillan

John Wilson
Margaret McMillan
💍 1903/3017

Bachelor
Widow

Farmer
Domestic duties

56
48

Timaru
Timaru

3 days
3 days

Registrars Office, Timaru

03/2851

8 May 1903

Alexander Montgomery, Registrar

No	35
Date of Notice	8 May 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Wilson	Margaret McMillan
	💍 1903/3017
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Farmer	Domestic duties
Age	56	48
Dwelling Place	Timaru	Timaru
Length of Residence	3 days	3 days
Marriage Place	Registrars Office, Timaru
Folio	03/2851
Consent
Date of Certificate	8 May 1903
Officiating Minister	Alexander Montgomery, Registrar

16 May 1903

Francis Patrick McTague
Margaret Ann McCarthy

Francis Patrick McTague
Margaret Ann McCarthy
💍 1903/3025

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer
Domestic Duties

24
21

Pareora
Otaio

24 years
21 years

Roman Catholic Church, St Andrews

03/2867

16 May 1903

Rev. John Tubman, Roman Catholic Priest

No	36
Date of Notice	16 May 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Francis Patrick McTague	Margaret Ann McCarthy
	💍 1903/3025
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer	Domestic Duties
Age	24	21
Dwelling Place	Pareora	Otaio
Length of Residence	24 years	21 years
Marriage Place	Roman Catholic Church, St Andrews
Folio	03/2867
Consent
Date of Certificate	16 May 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. John Tubman, Roman Catholic Priest

21 May 1903

Ernest Alfred Christie
Margaret Emma Jones

Ernest Alfred Christie
Margaret Emma Jones
💍 1903/3032

Bachelor
Spinster

Manufacturers Agent
Domestic duties

36
25

Wellington
Timaru

6 years
25 years

Dwellinghouse of Hon. Hall Jones, Scarborough, Timaru

03/2874

21 May 1903

Rev. Samuel J. Scripell, Wesleyan Minister

No	37
Date of Notice	21 May 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Ernest Alfred Christie	Margaret Emma Jones
	💍 1903/3032
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Manufacturers Agent	Domestic duties
Age	36	25
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Timaru
Length of Residence	6 years	25 years
Marriage Place	Dwellinghouse of Hon. Hall Jones, Scarborough, Timaru
Folio	03/2874
Consent
Date of Certificate	21 May 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. Samuel J. Scripell, Wesleyan Minister

29 May 1903

James Webb
Hanora Donovan

James Webb
Hanora Donovan
💍 1903/3026

Widower
Spinster

Farmer
Domestic Servant

52
34

St Andrews
St Andrews

8 years
10 days

Roman Catholic Church, Timaru

03/2868

29 May 1903

Rev. John Tubman, Roman Catholic Priest

No	38
Date of Notice	29 May 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Webb	Hanora Donovan
	💍 1903/3026
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Domestic Servant
Age	52	34
Dwelling Place	St Andrews	St Andrews
Length of Residence	8 years	10 days
Marriage Place	Roman Catholic Church, Timaru
Folio	03/2868
Consent
Date of Certificate	29 May 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. John Tubman, Roman Catholic Priest

30 May 1903

Thomas Mortin Doughton
Isabella Eleanor Nixon

Thomas Mortin Houghton
Isabella Eleanor Nixon
💍 1903/3028

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Dressmaker

24
26

Timaru
Timaru

3 days
9 months

Registrars Office, Timaru

03/2852

30 May 1903

Alexander Montgomery, Registrar

No	39
Date of Notice	30 May 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas Mortin Doughton	Isabella Eleanor Nixon
BDM Match (98%)	Thomas Mortin Houghton	Isabella Eleanor Nixon
	💍 1903/3028
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Dressmaker
Age	24	26
Dwelling Place	Timaru	Timaru
Length of Residence	3 days	9 months
Marriage Place	Registrars Office, Timaru
Folio	03/2852
Consent
Date of Certificate	30 May 1903
Officiating Minister	Alexander Montgomery, Registrar

30 May 1903

James Renwick Harry
Emma Stowell

James Renwick Harvey
Emma Stowell
💍 1903/3018

Widower
Spinster

Farmer
Domestic Duties

42
27

St Andrews
St Andrews

3 years
20 years

Presbyterian Church, St Andrews

03/2860

30 May 1903

Rev. Thomas Stinson, Presbyterian Minister

No	40
Date of Notice	30 May 1903
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Renwick Harry	Emma Stowell
BDM Match (95%)	James Renwick Harvey	Emma Stowell
	💍 1903/3018
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Domestic Duties
Age	42	27
Dwelling Place	St Andrews	St Andrews
Length of Residence	3 years	20 years
Marriage Place	Presbyterian Church, St Andrews
Folio	03/2860
Consent
Date of Certificate	30 May 1903
Officiating Minister	Rev. Thomas Stinson, Presbyterian Minister

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).