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 1339

District of Masterton Quarter ending 30 June 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

1 June 1914

John Henry O'Hara
Ethel May Johnson

John Henry O'Hara
Ethel May Johnson
💍 1914/2842

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Domestic duties

25
22

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
22 years

Knox Church, Masterton

6694

1 June 1914

Rev. A. T. Thompson, Presbyterian

No	35
Date of Notice	1 June 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Henry O'Hara	Ethel May Johnson
	💍 1914/2842
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Domestic duties
Age	25	22
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	22 years
Marriage Place	Knox Church, Masterton
Folio	6694
Consent
Date of Certificate	1 June 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev. A. T. Thompson, Presbyterian

2 June 1914

Thomas Shout
Olive Elizabeth Gledhill

Thomas Shout
Olive Elizabeth Gledhill
💍 1914/9358

Bachelor
Spinster

Hairdresser
Tailoress

26
22

Masterton
Masterton

4 days
4 days

The Catholic Presbytery, Masterton

4351

1 June 1914

Rev. Father Guinane, Roman Catholic

No	36
Date of Notice	2 June 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas Shout	Olive Elizabeth Gledhill
	💍 1914/9358
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Hairdresser	Tailoress
Age	26	22
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	4 days	4 days
Marriage Place	The Catholic Presbytery, Masterton
Folio	4351
Consent
Date of Certificate	1 June 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev. Father Guinane, Roman Catholic

2 June 1914

James Edgar Mason
Ethel Merewood

James Edgar Mason
Ethel Merewood
💍 1914/8745

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Dressmaker

26
26

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
6 months

St. Matthews Church, Masterton

2565

1 June 1914

Rev. H. Watson, Anglican

No	37
Date of Notice	2 June 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Edgar Mason	Ethel Merewood
	💍 1914/8745
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Dressmaker
Age	26	26
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	6 months
Marriage Place	St. Matthews Church, Masterton
Folio	2565
Consent
Date of Certificate	1 June 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev. H. Watson, Anglican

16 June 1914

Evan Backhouse Smith
Myrtle Solene Jane Renall

Evan Bacchouse Smith
Myrtle Iolene Jane Renall
💍 1914/8748

Bachelor
Spinster

Carpenter
Domestic duties

21
22

Masterton
Masterton

5 weeks
22 years

St. Matthews Church, Masterton

2568

16 June 1914

Rev. H. Watson, Anglican

No	38
Date of Notice	16 June 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Evan Backhouse Smith	Myrtle Solene Jane Renall
BDM Match (96%)	Evan Bacchouse Smith	Myrtle Iolene Jane Renall
	💍 1914/8748
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Carpenter	Domestic duties
Age	21	22
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	5 weeks	22 years
Marriage Place	St. Matthews Church, Masterton
Folio	2568
Consent
Date of Certificate	16 June 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev. H. Watson, Anglican

17 June 1914

William Parker
Jessie Marion Petrie

William Parker
Jessie Marion Petrie
💍 1914/2884

Bachelor
Spinster

Clerk
Milliner

26
23

Masterton
Wellington

6 years
8 months

The house of Edward Petrie, Wellington

6711

17 June 1914

Rev. J. Paterson, Presbyterian

No	39
Date of Notice	17 June 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Parker	Jessie Marion Petrie
	💍 1914/2884
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Clerk	Milliner
Age	26	23
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Wellington
Length of Residence	6 years	8 months
Marriage Place	The house of Edward Petrie, Wellington
Folio	6711
Consent
Date of Certificate	17 June 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Paterson, Presbyterian

20 June 1914

Thomas Wyeth
Ivy Benson Thompson

Thomas Wyeth
Ivy Benson Thompson
💍 1914/8749

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Household duties

25
23

Masterton
Masterton

25 years
23 years

St. Matthews Church, Masterton

2569

20 June 1914

Rev. B. D. Ashcroft, Anglican

No	40
Date of Notice	20 June 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Thomas Wyeth	Ivy Benson Thompson
	💍 1914/8749
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Household duties
Age	25	23
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	25 years	23 years
Marriage Place	St. Matthews Church, Masterton
Folio	2569
Consent
Date of Certificate	20 June 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev. B. D. Ashcroft, Anglican

22 June 1914

Richmond Vernon Hooper
Mabel Constance Sutton

Richmond Vernon Hooper
Mabel Constance Sutton
💍 1914/8747

Bachelor
Spinster

Dentist
Domestic duties

26
26

Masterton
Masterton

3 weeks
26 years

St. Matthews Church, Masterton

2567

22 June 1914

Rev. H. Watson, Anglican

No	41
Date of Notice	22 June 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Richmond Vernon Hooper	Mabel Constance Sutton
	💍 1914/8747
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Dentist	Domestic duties
Age	26	26
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 weeks	26 years
Marriage Place	St. Matthews Church, Masterton
Folio	2567
Consent
Date of Certificate	22 June 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev. H. Watson, Anglican

23 June 1914

John Robert Robertson
Norah Isabel Walker

John Robert Robertson
Norah Isabel Walker
💍 1914/2844

Bachelor
Spinster

Railway Clerk
Domestic duties

30
24

Masterton
Masterton

4 days
12 months

Knox Church, Masterton

6695

23 June 1914

Rev. A. T. Thompson, Presbyterian

No	42
Date of Notice	23 June 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Robert Robertson	Norah Isabel Walker
	💍 1914/2844
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Railway Clerk	Domestic duties
Age	30	24
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	4 days	12 months
Marriage Place	Knox Church, Masterton
Folio	6695
Consent
Date of Certificate	23 June 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev. A. T. Thompson, Presbyterian

26 June 1914

Stuart Macdonald Baird
Doris Pilmer

Stuart Macdonald Baird
Doris Pilmer
💍 1914/1879

Bachelor
Spinster

Motor Engineer
Domestic duties

29
23

Masterton
Masterton

15 years
13 years

St. Matthews Church, Masterton

5550

26 June 1914

Rev. H. Watson, Anglican

No	43
Date of Notice	26 June 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Stuart Macdonald Baird	Doris Pilmer
	💍 1914/1879
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Motor Engineer	Domestic duties
Age	29	23
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	15 years	13 years
Marriage Place	St. Matthews Church, Masterton
Folio	5550
Consent
Date of Certificate	26 June 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev. H. Watson, Anglican

27 June 1914

Angus Frank Scott
Clara Oulton

Angus Frank Scott
Clara Oulton
💍 1914/9357

Bachelor
Spinster

Shepherd
Domestic duties

23
26

Masterton
Masterton

3 weeks
4 weeks

St. Patricks Church, Masterton

4350

27 June 1914

Rev. Dean McKenna, Roman Catholic

No	44
Date of Notice	27 June 1914
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Angus Frank Scott	Clara Oulton
	💍 1914/9357
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Shepherd	Domestic duties
Age	23	26
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 weeks	4 weeks
Marriage Place	St. Patricks Church, Masterton
Folio	4350
Consent
Date of Certificate	27 June 1914
Officiating Minister	Rev. Dean McKenna, Roman Catholic

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).