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 039

District of Napier Quarter ending 31 March 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

11 March 1912

Archibald Little Falls
Catherine Ashton

Archibald Little Fallp
Catherine Ashton
💍 1912/1319

Bachelor
Spinster

Starch Manufacturer
Milliner

32
24

Napier
Napier

6 years
24 years

St. Pauls Presbyterian Church Napier

12/995

11 March 1912

Rev. J. A. Asher

No	40
Date of Notice	11 March 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Archibald Little Falls	Catherine Ashton
BDM Match (98%)	Archibald Little Fallp	Catherine Ashton
	💍 1912/1319
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Starch Manufacturer	Milliner
Age	32	24
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	6 years	24 years
Marriage Place	St. Pauls Presbyterian Church Napier
Folio	12/995
Consent
Date of Certificate	11 March 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. A. Asher

12 March 1912

William Thomas Prince
Jeanie Young White

William Thomas Prince
Jeanie Young White
💍 1912/1320

Bachelor
Spinster

Contractor
Domestic Duties

33
33

Tologa Bay
Napier

2 years
3 months

St. Pauls Presbyterian Church Napier

12/996

12 March 1912

Rev. J. A. Asher

No	41
Date of Notice	12 March 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Thomas Prince	Jeanie Young White
	💍 1912/1320
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Contractor	Domestic Duties
Age	33	33
Dwelling Place	Tologa Bay	Napier
Length of Residence	2 years	3 months
Marriage Place	St. Pauls Presbyterian Church Napier
Folio	12/996
Consent
Date of Certificate	12 March 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. A. Asher

13 March 1912

William Henry Edmund Fenwick
Catherine Wilhelmina McAllister

William Henry Edmund Fenwick
Catherine Wilhelmina McAllister
💍 1912/1317

Bachelor
Spinster

Stevedore
Domestic Duties

25
26

Napier
Napier

25 years
26 years

Presbyterian Church

12/994

13 March 1912

Rev. Thos. Tait

No	42
Date of Notice	13 March 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Henry Edmund Fenwick	Catherine Wilhelmina McAllister
	💍 1912/1317
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Stevedore	Domestic Duties
Age	25	26
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	25 years	26 years
Marriage Place	Presbyterian Church
Folio	12/994
Consent
Date of Certificate	13 March 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Thos. Tait

16 March 1912

James Bickerstaff
Mary Evelyn Exeter

James Bickerstaff
Mary Evelyn Exeter
💍 1912/1316

Bachelor
Spinster

Blacksmith
Tailoress

30
24

Napier
Napier

28 years
24 years

Congregational Church Napier

12/993

16 March 1912

Rev. Alfred Hodge

No	43
Date of Notice	16 March 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Bickerstaff	Mary Evelyn Exeter
	💍 1912/1316
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Blacksmith	Tailoress
Age	30	24
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	28 years	24 years
Marriage Place	Congregational Church Napier
Folio	12/993
Consent
Date of Certificate	16 March 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Alfred Hodge

19 March 1912

Albert Hester
Annie Marie Olsen

Albert Hester
Annie Marie Olsen
💍 1912/1329

Bachelor
Spinster

Driver
Domestic Duties

33
32

Napier
Napier

33 years
32 years

Dwelling Government Lines Hastings

12/982

19 March 1912

Rev. T. J. Wallis

No	44
Date of Notice	19 March 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Albert Hester	Annie Marie Olsen
	💍 1912/1329
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Driver	Domestic Duties
Age	33	32
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	33 years	32 years
Marriage Place	Dwelling Government Lines Hastings
Folio	12/982
Consent
Date of Certificate	19 March 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. T. J. Wallis

19 March 1912

James Frederick McCartney
Edith May Ashton

James Frederick McCartney
Edith May Ashton
💍 1912/1352

Bachelor
Spinster

Railway Employee
Dressmaker

30
26

Napier
Napier

3 days
26 years

St. Augustines Church Napier

12/1006

19 March 1912

Rev. Canon Tuke

No	45
Date of Notice	19 March 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Frederick McCartney	Edith May Ashton
	💍 1912/1352
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Railway Employee	Dressmaker
Age	30	26
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	3 days	26 years
Marriage Place	St. Augustines Church Napier
Folio	12/1006
Consent
Date of Certificate	19 March 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Canon Tuke

19 March 1912

Frank Clifford A'Court
Evelyn Beatrice Robjohns

Frank Clifford A'Court
Evelyn Beatrice Robjohns
💍 1912/2270

Bachelor
Spinster

Doctor of Dentistry
Domestic Duties

27
24

Christchurch
Napier

27 years
24 years

St. Johns Cathedral Christchurch

12/1652

19 March 1912

Rev. Canon Mayne

No	46
Date of Notice	19 March 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Frank Clifford A'Court	Evelyn Beatrice Robjohns
	💍 1912/2270
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Doctor of Dentistry	Domestic Duties
Age	27	24
Dwelling Place	Christchurch	Napier
Length of Residence	27 years	24 years
Marriage Place	St. Johns Cathedral Christchurch
Folio	12/1652
Consent
Date of Certificate	19 March 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Canon Mayne

20 March 1912

Francis Humphrey Buchanan
Florence Harriet Sutton

Francis Humphrey Buchanan
Florence Harriet Sutton
💍 1912/699

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Housekeeper

31
42

Eskdale
Eskdale

6 months
3 years

In Office of Registrar of Marriages Napier

12/371

20 March 1912

W. Buchanan, Registrar

No	47
Date of Notice	20 March 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Francis Humphrey Buchanan	Florence Harriet Sutton
	💍 1912/699
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Housekeeper
Age	31	42
Dwelling Place	Eskdale	Eskdale
Length of Residence	6 months	3 years
Marriage Place	In Office of Registrar of Marriages Napier
Folio	12/371
Consent
Date of Certificate	20 March 1912
Officiating Minister	W. Buchanan, Registrar

25 March 1912

John Barlow Paton
Christina Phyllis Skjottrup

John Barlow Paton
Christina Phyllis Skjottrup
💍 1912/1323

Bachelor
Spinster

Driver
Domestic Duties

23
21

Napier
Napier

23 years
6 years

House of Rev. Alfred Hodge Napier

12/999

25 March 1912

Rev. Alfred Hodge

No	48
Date of Notice	25 March 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Barlow Paton	Christina Phyllis Skjottrup
	💍 1912/1323
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Driver	Domestic Duties
Age	23	21
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	23 years	6 years
Marriage Place	House of Rev. Alfred Hodge Napier
Folio	12/999
Consent
Date of Certificate	25 March 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. Alfred Hodge

26 March 1912

Frederick James Titter (Titter)
Eleanor Bertha Callaghan

Frederick James Titter
Eleanor Bertha Callaghan
💍 1912/1341

Bachelor
Spinster

Contractor
Domestic Duties

25
19

Wanganui
Napier

20 years
3 months

House of Rev. J. K. Archer Wanganui

12/1018

Alex. Callaghan, Father

26 March 1912

Rev. J. K. Archer

No	49
Date of Notice	26 March 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Frederick James Titter (Titter)	Eleanor Bertha Callaghan
BDM Match (86%)	Frederick James Titter	Eleanor Bertha Callaghan
	💍 1912/1341
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Contractor	Domestic Duties
Age	25	19
Dwelling Place	Wanganui	Napier
Length of Residence	20 years	3 months
Marriage Place	House of Rev. J. K. Archer Wanganui
Folio	12/1018
Consent	Alex. Callaghan, Father
Date of Certificate	26 March 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. K. Archer

28 March 1912

Arthur Horace Tomoana Wood
Flora Juliana Schierning

Arthur Horace Tormoana Wood
Flora Juliana Schierning
💍 1912/3512

Bachelor
Spinster

Clerk
Domestic Duties

28
29

Napier
Napier

27 years
29 years

House of Rev. J. A. Asher, Napier

12/3191

28 March 1912

Rev. J. A. Asher

No	50
Date of Notice	28 March 1912
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Arthur Horace Tomoana Wood	Flora Juliana Schierning
BDM Match (98%)	Arthur Horace Tormoana Wood	Flora Juliana Schierning
	💍 1912/3512
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Clerk	Domestic Duties
Age	28	29
Dwelling Place	Napier	Napier
Length of Residence	27 years	29 years
Marriage Place	House of Rev. J. A. Asher, Napier
Folio	12/3191
Consent
Date of Certificate	28 March 1912
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. A. Asher

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).