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 043

District of Napier Quarter ending 30 June 1912 Registrar William Buchanan

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

22 April 1912

Robert John Gardiner
Margaret Lloyd Bradley

Robert John Gardiner
Margaret Lloyd Bradly
💍 1912/6499

Bachelor
Spinster

Clerk
Domestic Duties

28
28

Napier
Napier

4 days
4 days

Cathedral Napier

12/6240

22 April 1912

Rev. Canon Mayne

No	65
Date of Notice	22 April 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Robert John Gardiner	Margaret Lloyd Bradley
BDM Match (98%)	Robert John Gardiner	Margaret Lloyd Bradly
	💍 1912/6499
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Clerk	Domestic Duties
Age	28	28
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	4 days	4 days
Marriage Place	Cathedral Napier
Folio	12/6240
Consent
Date of Certificate	22 April 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Canon Mayne

22 April 1912

Samuel Stuart Heath
Rose Ellen McShane

Samuel Stuart Heath
Rose Ellen McShane
💍 1912/3430

Bachelor
Spinster

Clerk
Music Teacher

24
25

Napier
Napier

18 months
25 years

Roman Catholic Church Napier

12/3210

22 April 1912

Rev. Father O'Sullivan

No	66
Date of Notice	22 April 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Samuel Stuart Heath	Rose Ellen McShane
	💍 1912/3430
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Clerk	Music Teacher
Age	24	25
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	18 months	25 years
Marriage Place	Roman Catholic Church Napier
Folio	12/3210
Consent
Date of Certificate	22 April 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Father O'Sullivan

24 April 1912

Michael Gleeson
Mary Catherine Kilkenny

Michael Gleeson
Mary Catherine Kilkenny
💍 1912/8048

Bachelor
Spinster

Railway Surfaceman
Domestic Duties

32
34

Waikenae Manawatu
Tharerange Pukatapu

15 days
34 years

St. Marys R.C. Church Meanee

12/6486

24 April 1912

Rev. Dean Grogan

No	67
Date of Notice	24 April 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Michael Gleeson	Mary Catherine Kilkenny
	💍 1912/8048
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Railway Surfaceman	Domestic Duties
Age	32	34
Dwelling Place	Waikenae Manawatu	Tharerange Pukatapu
Length of Residence	15 days	34 years
Marriage Place	St. Marys R.C. Church Meanee
Folio	12/6486
Consent
Date of Certificate	24 April 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Dean Grogan

24 April 1912

Robert Henry Rawlinson
Martha Alexander

Robert Henry Rawlinson
Martha Alexander
💍 1912/3516

Bachelor
Spinster

Draper
Domestic Duties

24
23

Wanganui
Napier

5 months
23 years

St. Pauls Presbyterian Church Napier

12/3195

24 April 1912

Rev. J. A. Asher

No	68
Date of Notice	24 April 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Robert Henry Rawlinson	Martha Alexander
	💍 1912/3516
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Draper	Domestic Duties
Age	24	23
Dwelling Place	Wanganui	Napier
Length of Residence	5 months	23 years
Marriage Place	St. Pauls Presbyterian Church Napier
Folio	12/3195
Consent
Date of Certificate	24 April 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. A. Asher

25 April 1912

David Fernie
Alice Elizabeth Arnott

David Fernie
Alice Elizabeth Arnott
💍 1912/3523

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Domestic Duties

48
26

Pakowhai
Petane

4 years
19 years

House of Mrs. Arnott Petane

12/3201

25 April 1912

Rev. J. Lait

No	69
Date of Notice	25 April 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	David Fernie	Alice Elizabeth Arnott
	💍 1912/3523
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Domestic Duties
Age	48	26
Dwelling Place	Pakowhai	Petane
Length of Residence	4 years	19 years
Marriage Place	House of Mrs. Arnott Petane
Folio	12/3201
Consent
Date of Certificate	25 April 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Lait

26 April 1912

Arthur Henry Ferguson
Elizabeth Bowden

Arthur Henry Ferguson
Elizabeth Bowden
💍 1912/3414

Bachelor
Spinster

Clerk
Domestic Duties

39
33

Napier
Napier

25 years
6 years

St. Andrews Church Port Ahuriri

12/3218

26 April 1912

Rev. O. Dean

No	70
Date of Notice	26 April 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Arthur Henry Ferguson	Elizabeth Bowden
	💍 1912/3414
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Clerk	Domestic Duties
Age	39	33
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	25 years	6 years
Marriage Place	St. Andrews Church Port Ahuriri
Folio	12/3218
Consent
Date of Certificate	26 April 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. O. Dean

29 April 1912

Frederick Burley Sutton
Agnes Julia Smith

Frederick Burley Sutton
Agnes Julia Smith
💍 1912/3395

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer
Domestic Duties

28
34

Poukawa H.B.
Poukawa H.B.

7 years
3 years

St. Augustines Church Napier

12/3173

29 April 1912

Rev. Canon Tuke

No	71
Date of Notice	29 April 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Frederick Burley Sutton	Agnes Julia Smith
	💍 1912/3395
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer	Domestic Duties
Age	28	34
Dwelling Place	Poukawa H.B.	Poukawa H.B.
Length of Residence	7 years	3 years
Marriage Place	St. Augustines Church Napier
Folio	12/3173
Consent
Date of Certificate	29 April 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Canon Tuke

3 May 1912

John Primrose Liston
Mary Emily Ethel Burt

John Primrose Liston
Marie Emiline Ethel Burt
💍 1912/3411

Bachelor
Widow

Labourer
Household Duties

38
31

Napier
Napier

6 months
6 months

Baptist Church Napier

12/3215

3 May 1912

Rev. J. K. Archer

No	72
Date of Notice	3 May 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Primrose Liston	Mary Emily Ethel Burt
BDM Match (90%)	John Primrose Liston	Marie Emiline Ethel Burt
	💍 1912/3411
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Labourer	Household Duties
Age	38	31
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	6 months	6 months
Marriage Place	Baptist Church Napier
Folio	12/3215
Consent
Date of Certificate	3 May 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. K. Archer

3 May 1912

Edwin Elford
Ethel Gertrude Powell Symington

Edwin Elford
Ethel Gertrude Powell Symington
💍 1912/3396

Bachelor
Spinster

Storeman
Household Duties

27
23

Napier
Napier

18 months
1 month

St. Augustines Church, Napier

12/3174

3 May 1912

Rev. Canon Tuke

No	73
Date of Notice	3 May 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Edwin Elford	Ethel Gertrude Powell Symington
	💍 1912/3396
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Storeman	Household Duties
Age	27	23
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	18 months	1 month
Marriage Place	St. Augustines Church, Napier
Folio	12/3174
Consent
Date of Certificate	3 May 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Canon Tuke

8 May 1912

William George Nightingale
Christina Emma McVicar

William George Nightingale
Christina Emma McVicar
💍 1912/2367

Bachelor
Spinster

Barman
Domestic

25
19

Napier
Napier

17 years
2.5 years

Office of Registrar of Marriages Napier

12/2057

Frederick Neil McVicar, Father

8 May 1912

W. Buchanan, Registrar

No	74
Date of Notice	8 May 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William George Nightingale	Christina Emma McVicar
	💍 1912/2367
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Barman	Domestic
Age	25	19
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	17 years	2.5 years
Marriage Place	Office of Registrar of Marriages Napier
Folio	12/2057
Consent	Frederick Neil McVicar, Father
Date of Certificate	8 May 1912
Officiating Minister	W. Buchanan, Registrar

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).