Intentions to Marry, 1911 Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, Westland

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840446, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

1911 is bound in three volumes - Auckland, Taranaki, (1911a), Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, Westland (1911b), and Canterbury, Otago, Chatham Islands (1911c).

Page 278

District of Masterton Quarter ending 31 March 1911 Registrar William 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

11 January 1911

Laurence Ackworth Denton
Nellie Maud Daniell

Laurence Ackworth Denton
Nellie Maud Daniell
💍 1911/1455

Bachelor
Spinster

Ironmonger
Domestic duties

26
29

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
19 years

The house of G. E. Daniell, Albert Street Masterton

11/874

11 January 1911

Rev. J. N. Buttle, Wesleyan

No	1
Date of Notice	11 January 1911
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Laurence Ackworth Denton	Nellie Maud Daniell
	💍 1911/1455
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Ironmonger	Domestic duties
Age	26	29
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	19 years
Marriage Place	The house of G. E. Daniell, Albert Street Masterton
Folio	11/874
Consent
Date of Certificate	11 January 1911
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. N. Buttle, Wesleyan

12 January 1911

Thomas Kilgarriff
Mary Ferguson

Thomas Kilgarriff
Mary Ferguson
💍 1911/4184

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer
Domestic duties

31
25

Masterton
Masterton

6 years
1 month

St. Patrick's Church, Masterton

11/4019

12 January 1911

Rev. Dean McKenna, Roman Catholic

No	2
Date of Notice	12 January 1911
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas Kilgarriff	Mary Ferguson
	💍 1911/4184
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer	Domestic duties
Age	31	25
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	6 years	1 month
Marriage Place	St. Patrick's Church, Masterton
Folio	11/4019
Consent
Date of Certificate	12 January 1911
Officiating Minister	Rev. Dean McKenna, Roman Catholic

18 January 1911

William John Blinkhorne
Annie Woods

William John Blinkhorne
Annie Woods
💍 1911/1556

Bachelor
Spinster

Painter & Paperhanger
Domestic servant

21
18

Masterton
Masterton

21 years
1 year

The Office of the Registrar, Masterton

11/925

James Woods, Father

18 January 1911

Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

No	3
Date of Notice	18 January 1911
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William John Blinkhorne	Annie Woods
	💍 1911/1556
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Painter & Paperhanger	Domestic servant
Age	21	18
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	21 years	1 year
Marriage Place	The Office of the Registrar, Masterton
Folio	11/925
Consent	James Woods, Father
Date of Certificate	18 January 1911
Officiating Minister	Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

20 January 1911

William Henry Stych
Henrietta Palmerdouse Moore

William Henry Stych
Henrietta Palmer Louise Moore
💍 1911/1249

Bachelor
Spinster

Hairdresser
Music teacher

29
32

Masterton
Wellington

3 weeks
12 years

St. Mark's Church, Wellington

11/792

20 January 1911

Rev. A. M. Johnson, Anglican

No	4
Date of Notice	20 January 1911
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Henry Stych	Henrietta Palmerdouse Moore
BDM Match (95%)	William Henry Stych	Henrietta Palmer Louise Moore
	💍 1911/1249
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Hairdresser	Music teacher
Age	29	32
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Wellington
Length of Residence	3 weeks	12 years
Marriage Place	St. Mark's Church, Wellington
Folio	11/792
Consent
Date of Certificate	20 January 1911
Officiating Minister	Rev. A. M. Johnson, Anglican

30 January 1911

Harry Hayward Blade
Ellen Staffans

Harry Hayward Blade
Ellen Staffans
💍 1911/1557

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Domestic duties

22
21

Kopouaranga
Kopouaranga

3 days
1 month

The Office of the Registrar, Masterton

11/926

30 January 1911

Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

No	5
Date of Notice	30 January 1911
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Harry Hayward Blade	Ellen Staffans
	💍 1911/1557
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Domestic duties
Age	22	21
Dwelling Place	Kopouaranga	Kopouaranga
Length of Residence	3 days	1 month
Marriage Place	The Office of the Registrar, Masterton
Folio	11/926
Consent
Date of Certificate	30 January 1911
Officiating Minister	Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

2 February 1911

Hans Peter Petersen
Mary Ann House

Hans Peter Petersen
Mary Ann Howse
💍 1911/1559

Bachelor
Divorced

Farmer

28
30

Opaki, Masterton
Opaki, Masterton

1 year
1 year

The Office of the Registrar, Masterton

11/927

2 February 1911

Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

No	6
Date of Notice	2 February 1911
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Hans Peter Petersen	Mary Ann House
BDM Match (96%)	Hans Peter Petersen	Mary Ann Howse
	💍 1911/1559
Condition	Bachelor	Divorced
Profession	Farmer
Age	28	30
Dwelling Place	Opaki, Masterton	Opaki, Masterton
Length of Residence	1 year	1 year
Marriage Place	The Office of the Registrar, Masterton
Folio	11/927
Consent
Date of Certificate	2 February 1911
Officiating Minister	Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

8 February 1911

Edmund Reilly
Lilian Stempa

Edmund Reilly
Lilian Stempa
💍 1911/4183

Bachelor
Spinster

Railway Storeman
Clerk

34
26

Masterton
Masterton

3½ years
26 years

St. Patrick's Church, Masterton

11/4018

8 February 1911

Rev. Dean McKenna

No	7
Date of Notice	8 February 1911
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Edmund Reilly	Lilian Stempa
	💍 1911/4183
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Railway Storeman	Clerk
Age	34	26
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3½ years	26 years
Marriage Place	St. Patrick's Church, Masterton
Folio	11/4018
Consent
Date of Certificate	8 February 1911
Officiating Minister	Rev. Dean McKenna

20 February 1911

Charlie Vivian Yates
Hilda Elizabeth Boyes Berry

Charlie Vivian Yates
Hilda Elizabeth Boyce Berry
💍 1911/1763

Bachelor
Spinster

Clerk
Domestic duties

21
22

Masterton
Masterton

21 years
10 years

St. Matthew's Church, Masterton

11/1334

20 February 1911

Rev. H. Watson, Anglican

No	8
Date of Notice	20 February 1911
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charlie Vivian Yates	Hilda Elizabeth Boyes Berry
BDM Match (96%)	Charlie Vivian Yates	Hilda Elizabeth Boyce Berry
	💍 1911/1763
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Clerk	Domestic duties
Age	21	22
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	21 years	10 years
Marriage Place	St. Matthew's Church, Masterton
Folio	11/1334
Consent
Date of Certificate	20 February 1911
Officiating Minister	Rev. H. Watson, Anglican

23 February 1911

Charles James Braggins
Ellen See

Charles James Braggins
Ellen Lee
💍 1911/1764

Bachelor
Spinster

Carpenter
Domestic duties

29
23

Masterton
Masterton

29 years
3 days

St. Matthew's Church, Masterton

11/1335

23 February 1911

Rev. D. O. Hampton, Anglican

No	9
Date of Notice	23 February 1911
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charles James Braggins	Ellen See
BDM Match (94%)	Charles James Braggins	Ellen Lee
	💍 1911/1764
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carpenter	Domestic duties
Age	29	23
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	29 years	3 days
Marriage Place	St. Matthew's Church, Masterton
Folio	11/1335
Consent
Date of Certificate	23 February 1911
Officiating Minister	Rev. D. O. Hampton, Anglican

23 February 1911

William John Henry Golder
Emily Bowyer

William John Henry Golder
Emily Bowyer
💍 1911/1079

Bachelor
Spinster

Sawmill hand
Domestic duties

23
17

Masterton
Masterton

4 days
4 days

Knox Church, Masterton

11/532

Joseph Bowyer, Father

23 February 1911

Rev. A. T. Thompson, Presbyterian

No	10
Date of Notice	23 February 1911
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William John Henry Golder	Emily Bowyer
	💍 1911/1079
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Sawmill hand	Domestic duties
Age	23	17
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	4 days	4 days
Marriage Place	Knox Church, Masterton
Folio	11/532
Consent	Joseph Bowyer, Father
Date of Certificate	23 February 1911
Officiating Minister	Rev. A. T. 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).