Intentions to Marry, 1912 Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, Westland

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840449, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

1912 is bound in three volumes - Auckland, Taranaki, Gisborne (1912a), Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, Westland (1912b), and Canterbury, Otago, Southland, Chatham Islands (1912c).

Page 917

District of Grey Quarter ending 30 September 1912 Registrar Benjamin Harper

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 July 1912

David Swayn
Clara Christina Kilpatrick

David Swayn
Clara Christina Kilpatrick
💍 1912/7832

Bachelor
Spinster

Laborer

33
29

Greymouth; Hastings
Greymouth

3 days; 1 1/2 yrs
4 years

Residence of Mr. Alexander Kilpatrick, Boddytown

12/6060

5 July 1912

Rev. Robert Stewart

No	44
Date of Notice	5 July 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	David Swayn	Clara Christina Kilpatrick
	💍 1912/7832
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Laborer
Age	33	29
Dwelling Place	Greymouth; Hastings	Greymouth
Length of Residence	3 days; 1 1/2 yrs	4 years
Marriage Place	Residence of Mr. Alexander Kilpatrick, Boddytown
Folio	12/6060
Consent
Date of Certificate	5 July 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Robert Stewart

12 July 1912

Emil Percival Peters
Hilda Elizabeth Jack

Emil Percival Peters
Hilda Elizabeth Jack
💍 1912/5992

Bachelor
Spinster

Draper
Dressmaker

27
25

Greymouth
Cobden

3 years
about 6 yrs

Church of England, Greymouth

12/5032

12 July 1912

Rev. Geo. W. York

No	45
Date of Notice	12 July 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Emil Percival Peters	Hilda Elizabeth Jack
	💍 1912/5992
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Draper	Dressmaker
Age	27	25
Dwelling Place	Greymouth	Cobden
Length of Residence	3 years	about 6 yrs
Marriage Place	Church of England, Greymouth
Folio	12/5032
Consent
Date of Certificate	12 July 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Geo. W. York

12 July 1912

William Muir
Ellen Jane Cockerell

William Muir
Ellen Jane Cockerell
💍 1912/5990

Bachelor
Spinster

Millhand

29
21

Greymouth
Greymouth

4 years
10 months

Roman Catholic Presbytery, Greymouth

12/5030

12 July 1912

Dean D. Carew

No	46
Date of Notice	12 July 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Muir	Ellen Jane Cockerell
	💍 1912/5990
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Millhand
Age	29	21
Dwelling Place	Greymouth	Greymouth
Length of Residence	4 years	10 months
Marriage Place	Roman Catholic Presbytery, Greymouth
Folio	12/5030
Consent
Date of Certificate	12 July 1912
Officiating Minister	Dean D. Carew

18 July 1912

Peter Joseph McGuire
Sarah Ellen Carmichael Garvin

Peter Joseph McGuire
Sarah Ellen Carmichael Garvin
💍 1912/4886

Bachelor
Spinster

Railway Ganger
Domestic Duties

42
30

Greymouth; Stillwater
Greymouth; Stillwater

3 days; 18 mos
3 days; 2 1/2 yrs

Registrar's Office, Greymouth

12/4785

18 July 1912

Registrar of Marriages

No	47
Date of Notice	18 July 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Peter Joseph McGuire	Sarah Ellen Carmichael Garvin
	💍 1912/4886
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Railway Ganger	Domestic Duties
Age	42	30
Dwelling Place	Greymouth; Stillwater	Greymouth; Stillwater
Length of Residence	3 days; 18 mos	3 days; 2 1/2 yrs
Marriage Place	Registrar's Office, Greymouth
Folio	12/4785
Consent
Date of Certificate	18 July 1912
Officiating Minister	Registrar of Marriages

20 July 1912

George Frederick Dobson
Isabel Gear

George Frederick Dobson
Isabel Gear
💍 1912/4887

Bachelor
Spinster

Billiard Marker
Waitress

22
20

Greymouth
Greymouth

4 months
3 months

Registrar's Office, Greymouth

12/4786

Under Sec. 27

12 August 1912

Registrar of Marriages

No	48
Date of Notice	20 July 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George Frederick Dobson	Isabel Gear
	💍 1912/4887
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Billiard Marker	Waitress
Age	22	20
Dwelling Place	Greymouth	Greymouth
Length of Residence	4 months	3 months
Marriage Place	Registrar's Office, Greymouth
Folio	12/4786
Consent	Under Sec. 27
Date of Certificate	12 August 1912
Officiating Minister	Registrar of Marriages

22 July 1912

Francis William Murphy
Winifred Millar

Francis William Pointon
Ellen Millar
💍 1912/7026

Bachelor
Spinster

Miner
School Teacher

28
22

Runanga
Dunollie

4 years
7 years

The Deanery, Greymouth

12/5031

22 July 1912

Rev. Dean D. P. Carew

No	49
Date of Notice	22 July 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Francis William Murphy	Winifred Millar
BDM Match (61%)	Francis William Pointon	Ellen Millar
	💍 1912/7026
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Miner	School Teacher
Age	28	22
Dwelling Place	Runanga	Dunollie
Length of Residence	4 years	7 years
Marriage Place	The Deanery, Greymouth
Folio	12/5031
Consent
Date of Certificate	22 July 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Dean D. P. Carew

29 July 1912

John Vine Hall
Hannah Maria Curnick or Woolhouse

John Vine Hall
Hannah Maria Woolhouse
💍 1912/4888

Bachelor
Divorced

Labourer
Hotelkeeper

33
42

Greymouth; Inchbonnie
Greymouth; Hokitika

3 days; 6 mos
3 days; about 20 yrs

Registrar's Office, Greymouth

12/4787

29 July 1912

Registrar of Marriages

No	50
Date of Notice	29 July 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Vine Hall	Hannah Maria Curnick or Woolhouse
BDM Match (83%)	John Vine Hall	Hannah Maria Woolhouse
	💍 1912/4888
Condition	Bachelor	Divorced
Profession	Labourer	Hotelkeeper
Age	33	42
Dwelling Place	Greymouth; Inchbonnie	Greymouth; Hokitika
Length of Residence	3 days; 6 mos	3 days; about 20 yrs
Marriage Place	Registrar's Office, Greymouth
Folio	12/4787
Consent
Date of Certificate	29 July 1912
Officiating Minister	Registrar of Marriages

31 July 1912

Herbert Henry Hart
Sarah Jane Smith

Herbert Henry Hart
Sarah Jane Smith
💍 1912/5995

Bachelor
Spinster

Engine Driver
Domestic Duties

30
22

Runanga
Runanga

1 year
5 years

St. Thomas's Church, Runanga

12/5035

31 July 1912

Rev. Tom F. Taylor

No	51
Date of Notice	31 July 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Herbert Henry Hart	Sarah Jane Smith
	💍 1912/5995
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Engine Driver	Domestic Duties
Age	30	22
Dwelling Place	Runanga	Runanga
Length of Residence	1 year	5 years
Marriage Place	St. Thomas's Church, Runanga
Folio	12/5035
Consent
Date of Certificate	31 July 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Tom F. Taylor

1 August 1912

John Duncan
Rosalie Katherine Morganti

John Duncan
Rosalia Katharine Morganti
💍 1912/5993

Widower
Widow

Laborer
Domestic Duties

57
45

Greymouth; Westport
Greymouth; Westport

3 days; 20 yrs
3 days; 12 yrs

Holy Trinity Church, Greymouth

12/5033

1 August 1912

Rev. Geo. W. York

No	52
Date of Notice	1 August 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Duncan	Rosalie Katherine Morganti
BDM Match (96%)	John Duncan	Rosalia Katharine Morganti
	💍 1912/5993
Condition	Widower	Widow
Profession	Laborer	Domestic Duties
Age	57	45
Dwelling Place	Greymouth; Westport	Greymouth; Westport
Length of Residence	3 days; 20 yrs	3 days; 12 yrs
Marriage Place	Holy Trinity Church, Greymouth
Folio	12/5033
Consent
Date of Certificate	1 August 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Geo. W. York

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).

Primary digitisation of registers between 1855 and 1925 is now complete. Our digitisation volunteers are now working on verifying the currently digitised pages against printed district/page indexes, to identify pages which may have been missed or out of focus. These pages can be re-imaged as required.

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.

How can I help?

You can sign up to correct errors in the transcribed records and match ITMs with registered marriages.

You can also support this project by ☕ Buying us a coffee 🌳

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).