Intentions to Marry, 1909 Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, Westland

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840440, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

1909 is bound in three volumes - Auckland, Taranaki, Hawke's Bay (1909a), Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, Westland (1909b), and Canterbury, Otago, Chatham Islands (1909c).

Page 139

District of Masterton Quarter ending 31 March 1909 Registrar Wm. Miller Easthope

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

4 February 1909

Reuben Allen Benbrook
Isabella Jones

Reuben Allen Benbrook
Isabella Jones
💍 1909/800

Bachelor
Spinster

Butcher
Cook

24
24

Masterton
Masterton

9 months
4 months

The Office of the Registrar, Masterton

09/646

4 February 1909

Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

No	11
Date of Notice	4 February 1909
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Reuben Allen Benbrook	Isabella Jones
	💍 1909/800
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Butcher	Cook
Age	24	24
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	9 months	4 months
Marriage Place	The Office of the Registrar, Masterton
Folio	09/646
Consent
Date of Certificate	4 February 1909
Officiating Minister	Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

8 February 1909

George Henry Graham
Sarah Dagg

George Henney Graham
Sarah Dagg
💍 1909/835

Bachelor
Spinster

Clerk
Domestic Duties

46
44

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
Lifetime

The house of Robert D. Dagg, Upper Plain, Masterton

09/709

8 February 1909

Rev. J. Newman Buttle, Wesleyan

No	12
Date of Notice	8 February 1909
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George Henry Graham	Sarah Dagg
BDM Match (95%)	George Henney Graham	Sarah Dagg
	💍 1909/835
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Clerk	Domestic Duties
Age	46	44
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	Lifetime
Marriage Place	The house of Robert D. Dagg, Upper Plain, Masterton
Folio	09/709
Consent
Date of Certificate	8 February 1909
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Newman Buttle, Wesleyan

8 February 1909

George Alexander Dawson
Harriet Jane Brown

George Alexander Dawson
Harriet Jane Brown
💍 1909/881

Bachelor
Spinster

Draper
Dressmaker

36
32

Masterton
Masterton

4 years
4 years

The Presbyterian Manse, Masterton

09/740

8 February 1909

Rev. Alex. J. Thompson, Presbyterian

No	13
Date of Notice	8 February 1909
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George Alexander Dawson	Harriet Jane Brown
	💍 1909/881
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Draper	Dressmaker
Age	36	32
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	4 years	4 years
Marriage Place	The Presbyterian Manse, Masterton
Folio	09/740
Consent
Date of Certificate	8 February 1909
Officiating Minister	Rev. Alex. J. Thompson, Presbyterian

9 February 1909

John William Bowen
Lily Blanche Hammond

John William Bowen
Ivy Blanche Hammond
💍 1909/687

Widower
Spinster

Farmer
Domestic Duties

38
20

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
2 years

Knox Church, Masterton

09/558

Jane Kirk Hammond, Mother

9 February 1909

Rev. Alex. J. Thompson, Presbyterian

No	14
Date of Notice	9 February 1909
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John William Bowen	Lily Blanche Hammond
BDM Match (93%)	John William Bowen	Ivy Blanche Hammond
	💍 1909/687
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Domestic Duties
Age	38	20
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	2 years
Marriage Place	Knox Church, Masterton
Folio	09/558
Consent	Jane Kirk Hammond, Mother
Date of Certificate	9 February 1909
Officiating Minister	Rev. Alex. J. Thompson, Presbyterian

9 February 1909

Charles Henry Corhill
Alice Hannah Sayer

Charles Henry Corkill
Alice Hannah Sayer
💍 1909/836

Bachelor
Spinster

Baker
Dressmaker

25
30

Masterton
Masterton

13 years
16 years

The house of George Sayer, Church Street, Masterton

09/710

9 February 1909

Rev. J. Newman Buttle, Wesleyan

No	15
Date of Notice	9 February 1909
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charles Henry Corhill	Alice Hannah Sayer
BDM Match (98%)	Charles Henry Corkill	Alice Hannah Sayer
	💍 1909/836
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Baker	Dressmaker
Age	25	30
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	13 years	16 years
Marriage Place	The house of George Sayer, Church Street, Masterton
Folio	09/710
Consent
Date of Certificate	9 February 1909
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Newman Buttle, Wesleyan

10 February 1909

Joseph Kirkwood Carpenter
Sarah Devina McKenzie Hammond

Joseph Kirkwood Carpenter
Sarah Devina McVenie Hammond
💍 1909/688

Bachelor
Spinster

Bootmaker
Domestic Duties

24
26

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
2 years

Knox Church, Masterton

09/559

10 February 1909

Rev. Alex. J. Thompson, Presbyterian

No	16
Date of Notice	10 February 1909
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Joseph Kirkwood Carpenter	Sarah Devina McKenzie Hammond
BDM Match (97%)	Joseph Kirkwood Carpenter	Sarah Devina McVenie Hammond
	💍 1909/688
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Bootmaker	Domestic Duties
Age	24	26
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	2 years
Marriage Place	Knox Church, Masterton
Folio	09/559
Consent
Date of Certificate	10 February 1909
Officiating Minister	Rev. Alex. J. Thompson, Presbyterian

22 February 1909

Henry Smith Stanhope
Elsie Martha Emma Jeasey

Henry Smith Stanhope
Elsie Martha Emma Feasey
💍 1909/1011

Bachelor
Widow

Hairdresser
Domestic Duties

25
23

Masterton
Masterton

1 year
9 Months

St. Matthews Church, Masterton

09/998

22 February 1909

Rev. Herbert Watson, Anglican

No	17
Date of Notice	22 February 1909
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Henry Smith Stanhope	Elsie Martha Emma Jeasey
BDM Match (98%)	Henry Smith Stanhope	Elsie Martha Emma Feasey
	💍 1909/1011
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Hairdresser	Domestic Duties
Age	25	23
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	1 year	9 Months
Marriage Place	St. Matthews Church, Masterton
Folio	09/998
Consent
Date of Certificate	22 February 1909
Officiating Minister	Rev. Herbert Watson, Anglican

1 March 1909

Francis Henry Townsend
Charlotte Ellen Wickens

Francis Henry Townsend
Charlotte Ellen Wickens
💍 1909/1013

Bachelor
Spinster

Police Constable
Domestic Duties

28
25

Masterton
Masterton

1 year
15 years

St. Matthews Church, Masterton

09/799

1 March 1909

Rev. Herbert Watson, Anglican

No	18
Date of Notice	1 March 1909
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Francis Henry Townsend	Charlotte Ellen Wickens
	💍 1909/1013
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Police Constable	Domestic Duties
Age	28	25
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	1 year	15 years
Marriage Place	St. Matthews Church, Masterton
Folio	09/799
Consent
Date of Certificate	1 March 1909
Officiating Minister	Rev. Herbert Watson, Anglican

1 March 1909

James McGovern
Catherine Isabella McKenzie

James McGovern
Catherine Isabella McKenzie
💍 1909/883

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Domestic Duties

30
25

Bideford
Wangaehu

30 years
25 years

The Dwelling house of Donald McKenzie, Wangaehu

09/742

1 March 1909

Rev. Alex. J. Thompson, Presbyterian

No	19
Date of Notice	1 March 1909
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James McGovern	Catherine Isabella McKenzie
	💍 1909/883
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Domestic Duties
Age	30	25
Dwelling Place	Bideford	Wangaehu
Length of Residence	30 years	25 years
Marriage Place	The Dwelling house of Donald McKenzie, Wangaehu
Folio	09/742
Consent
Date of Certificate	1 March 1909
Officiating Minister	Rev. Alex. J. Thompson, Presbyterian

1 March 1909

John Belmore Rue
May Doe

John Belmore Rue
May Doe
💍 1909/882

Bachelor
Spinster

Clerk
Saleswoman

28
21

Masterton
Masterton

6 years
1 year

Knox Church, Masterton

09/741

1 March 1909

Rev. Alex. J. Thompson, Presbyterian

No	20
Date of Notice	1 March 1909
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Belmore Rue	May Doe
	💍 1909/882
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Clerk	Saleswoman
Age	28	21
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	6 years	1 year
Marriage Place	Knox Church, Masterton
Folio	09/741
Consent
Date of Certificate	1 March 1909
Officiating Minister	Rev. Alex. J. Thompson, Presbyterian

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 1908. 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).