Intentions to Marry, 1914 Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Westland

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840455, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

1914 is bound in three volumes - Auckland, Taranaki (1914a), Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Westland (1914b), and Canterbury, Otago, Southland, Chatham Islands (1914c).

Page 1335

District of Masterton Quarter ending 31 March 1914 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

27 January 1914

Albert Hawken Eddy
Elsie Rebecca Bannister

Albert Hawken Eddy
Elsie Rebecca Bannister
💍 1914/7318

Bachelor
Spinster

Telegraphist
Saleswoman

27
20

Masterton
Masterton

6 years
20 years

St. Matthews Church Masterton

1167

Henry Bannister, father

27 January 1914

Rev B. D. Ashcroft, Anglican

No	1
Date of Notice	27 January 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Albert Hawken Eddy	Elsie Rebecca Bannister
	💍 1914/7318
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Telegraphist	Saleswoman
Age	27	20
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	6 years	20 years
Marriage Place	St. Matthews Church Masterton
Folio	1167
Consent	Henry Bannister, father
Date of Certificate	27 January 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev B. D. Ashcroft, Anglican

28 January 1914

Albert Maguire
Edith Bragg

Albert Maguire
Edith Cragg
💍 1914/6542

Divorced
Widow

Bricklayer
Tobacconist

39
39

Masterton
Masterton

1 year
20 years

The Office of the Registrar Masterton

343

28 January 1914

William Miller Easthope, Registrar

No	2
Date of Notice	28 January 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Albert Maguire	Edith Bragg
BDM Match (95%)	Albert Maguire	Edith Cragg
	💍 1914/6542
Condition	Divorced	Widow
Profession	Bricklayer	Tobacconist
Age	39	39
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	1 year	20 years
Marriage Place	The Office of the Registrar Masterton
Folio	343
Consent
Date of Certificate	28 January 1914
Officiating Minister	William Miller Easthope, Registrar

31 January 1914

Alfred Davenport
Marie Drusilla Robbins

Alfred Davenport
Marie Drusilla Robbins
💍 1914/7305

Bachelor
Spinster

Station Clerk
Domestic duties

59
42

Masterton
Masterton

4 years
1 year

St Matthews Church Masterton

1166

31 January 1914

Rev H. Watson, Anglican

No	3
Date of Notice	31 January 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Alfred Davenport	Marie Drusilla Robbins
	💍 1914/7305
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Station Clerk	Domestic duties
Age	59	42
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	4 years	1 year
Marriage Place	St Matthews Church Masterton
Folio	1166
Consent
Date of Certificate	31 January 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev H. Watson, Anglican

14 February 1914

George James Heaven
Martha Elizabeth Wakefield Gibbs

George James Heaven
Martha Elizabeth Gibbs Wakefield
💍 1914/7304

Bachelor
Spinster

Storeman
Domestic duties

25
21

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
2 years

Congregational Church Masterton

1165

14 February 1914

Rev E. Swinerd, Baptist

No	4
Date of Notice	14 February 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George James Heaven	Martha Elizabeth Wakefield Gibbs
BDM Match (81%)	George James Heaven	Martha Elizabeth Gibbs Wakefield
	💍 1914/7304
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Storeman	Domestic duties
Age	25	21
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	2 years
Marriage Place	Congregational Church Masterton
Folio	1165
Consent
Date of Certificate	14 February 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev E. Swinerd, Baptist

20 February 1914

Thomas Daniel Street
Mysie Hyndman

Thomas Daniel Street
Mysie Hyndman
💍 1914/6541

Bachelor
Spinster

Engine-driver
Servant

28
20

Masterton
Masterton

4 weeks
3 days

The Office of the Registrar Masterton

342

William James Hyndman, father

20 February 1914

William Miller Easthope, Registrar

No	5
Date of Notice	20 February 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas Daniel Street	Mysie Hyndman
	💍 1914/6541
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Engine-driver	Servant
Age	28	20
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	4 weeks	3 days
Marriage Place	The Office of the Registrar Masterton
Folio	342
Consent	William James Hyndman, father
Date of Certificate	20 February 1914
Officiating Minister	William Miller Easthope, Registrar

7 March 1914

Godfrey Leonard Thomas
Matilda May Evans

Godfrey Leonard Thomas
Matilda May Evans
💍 1914/9621

Bachelor
Spinster

Accountant
Domestic duties

29
29

Masterton
Wellington

7 years
24 years

St Pauls Church Wellington

1014

7 March 1914

Rev A. M. Johnson, Masterton

No	6
Date of Notice	7 March 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Godfrey Leonard Thomas	Matilda May Evans
	💍 1914/9621
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Accountant	Domestic duties
Age	29	29
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Wellington
Length of Residence	7 years	24 years
Marriage Place	St Pauls Church Wellington
Folio	1014
Consent
Date of Certificate	7 March 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev A. M. Johnson, Masterton

10 March 1914

Ernest Edward Napier
Alma Ellaline Blinkhorne

Ernest Edward Napier
Alma Ellaline Blinkhorne
💍 1914/6543

Bachelor
Spinster

Picture-framer
Housekeeper

23
20

Masterton
Masterton

7 months
20 years

The Office of the Registrar Masterton

344

John Kite Blinkhorne, father

10 March 1914

William Miller Easthope, Registrar

No	7
Date of Notice	10 March 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Ernest Edward Napier	Alma Ellaline Blinkhorne
	💍 1914/6543
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Picture-framer	Housekeeper
Age	23	20
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	7 months	20 years
Marriage Place	The Office of the Registrar Masterton
Folio	344
Consent	John Kite Blinkhorne, father
Date of Certificate	10 March 1914
Officiating Minister	William Miller Easthope, Registrar

12 March 1914

Wilfred Rigg
Lily Louisa Swanson

Wilfred Rigg
Lily Louisa Swanson
💍 1914/7306

Bachelor
Spinster

Builder
Milliner

26
22

Masterton
Masterton

25 years
12 years

The Methodist Church Kuripuni Masterton

1168

12 March 1914

Rev S. J. Serpell, Wesleyan

No	8
Date of Notice	12 March 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Wilfred Rigg	Lily Louisa Swanson
	💍 1914/7306
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Builder	Milliner
Age	26	22
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	25 years	12 years
Marriage Place	The Methodist Church Kuripuni Masterton
Folio	1168
Consent
Date of Certificate	12 March 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev S. J. Serpell, Wesleyan

14 March 1914

William Philip Glover
Rose May Forster

William Philip Glover
Rose May Forster
💍 1914/6540

Bachelor
Spinster

Contractor
Housekeeper

35
27

Masterton
Masterton

5 months
3 months

The Office of the Registrar Masterton

341

14 March 1914

William Miller Easthope, Registrar

No	9
Date of Notice	14 March 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Philip Glover	Rose May Forster
	💍 1914/6540
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Contractor	Housekeeper
Age	35	27
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	5 months	3 months
Marriage Place	The Office of the Registrar Masterton
Folio	341
Consent
Date of Certificate	14 March 1914
Officiating Minister	William Miller Easthope, Registrar

16 March 1914

Herbert Frederick Bird
Alfreda Lydia Pansy Jones Ralph

Herbert Frederick Bird
Alfreda Lydia Pansy Jones Ralph
💍 1914/6544

Bachelor
Spinster

Carrier
Domestic duties

23
17

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
7 days

The Office of the Registrar Masterton

345

Fanny Elizabeth Kirton Ralph, mother

16 March 1914

William Miller Easthope, Registrar

No	10
Date of Notice	16 March 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Herbert Frederick Bird	Alfreda Lydia Pansy Jones Ralph
	💍 1914/6544
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carrier	Domestic duties
Age	23	17
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	7 days
Marriage Place	The Office of the Registrar Masterton
Folio	345
Consent	Fanny Elizabeth Kirton Ralph, mother
Date of Certificate	16 March 1914
Officiating Minister	William Miller Easthope, 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).