Intentions to Marry, 1916 Aria to Masterton

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840465, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

1916 is bound in six volumes (a to f) with continuous page numbers. Each volume contains a different set of districts, going from north to south.

1916c contains pages 931-1380, covering districts from Aria to Masterton

Page 1368

District of Masterton Quarter ending 31 March 1916 Registrar Wm. M. 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

7 February 1916

James Andrew Ash
Ethel Enid Devenport

James Andrew Ash
Ethel Ensa Devenport
💍 1916/3525

Bachelor
Spinster

Locomotive Fireman
Dressmaker

23
23

Wellington
Masterton

2 years
23 years

Knox Church, Masterton

627

7 February 1916

Rev. G. T. Brown, Presbyterian

No	11
Date of Notice	7 February 1916
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	James Andrew Ash	Ethel Enid Devenport
BDM Match (95%)	James Andrew Ash	Ethel Ensa Devenport
	💍 1916/3525
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Locomotive Fireman	Dressmaker
Age	23	23
Dwelling Place	Wellington	Masterton
Length of Residence	2 years	23 years
Marriage Place	Knox Church, Masterton
Folio	627
Consent
Date of Certificate	7 February 1916
Officiating Minister	Rev. G. T. Brown, Presbyterian

12 February 1916

Ronald Miller
Jessie McGregor

Ronald Miller
Jessie McGregor
💍 1916/3538

Bachelor
Spinster

Expeditionary Force

26
29

Levin
Masterton

2 months
29 years

Knox Church, Masterton

634

12 February 1916

Rev. G. T. Brown, Presbyterian

No	12
Date of Notice	12 February 1916
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Ronald Miller	Jessie McGregor
	💍 1916/3538
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Expeditionary Force
Age	26	29
Dwelling Place	Levin	Masterton
Length of Residence	2 months	29 years
Marriage Place	Knox Church, Masterton
Folio	634
Consent
Date of Certificate	12 February 1916
Officiating Minister	Rev. G. T. Brown, Presbyterian

14 February 1916

Richard Cleverdon
Eleanor Daisy Carter

Richard Cleverdon
Eleanor Daisy Carter
💍 1916/3552

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Nurse

31
32

Masterton
Masterton

6 weeks
7 years

St Matthews Church, Masterton

621

14 February 1916

Rev. J. Walker, Anglican

No	13
Date of Notice	14 February 1916
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Richard Cleverdon	Eleanor Daisy Carter
	💍 1916/3552
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Nurse
Age	31	32
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	6 weeks	7 years
Marriage Place	St Matthews Church, Masterton
Folio	621
Consent
Date of Certificate	14 February 1916
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Walker, Anglican

15 February 1916

Carl Andricksen
Eva Lydia Jones

Carl Andricksen
Eva Lydia Jones
💍 1916/3547

Bachelor
Spinster

Linotype Operator

24
32

Masterton
Masterton

20 years
32 years

The Methodist Church, Kuripuni Masterton

617

15 February 1916

Rev. S. J. Serpell, Wesleyan

No	14
Date of Notice	15 February 1916
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Carl Andricksen	Eva Lydia Jones
	💍 1916/3547
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Linotype Operator
Age	24	32
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	20 years	32 years
Marriage Place	The Methodist Church, Kuripuni Masterton
Folio	617
Consent
Date of Certificate	15 February 1916
Officiating Minister	Rev. S. J. Serpell, Wesleyan

21 February 1916

John Thomas Kite
Ivy Hazel Woolf

John Thomas Kite
Ivy Hazel Woolf
💍 1916/3537

Widower
Spinster

Painter
Waitress

29
24

Masterton
Masterton

29 years
6 months

The Registrar's Office, Masterton

633

21 February 1916

Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

No	15
Date of Notice	21 February 1916
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Thomas Kite	Ivy Hazel Woolf
	💍 1916/3537
Condition	Widower	Spinster
Profession	Painter	Waitress
Age	29	24
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	29 years	6 months
Marriage Place	The Registrar's Office, Masterton
Folio	633
Consent
Date of Certificate	21 February 1916
Officiating Minister	Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

22 February 1916

Edward Newland
Lily Christina Jorgensen

Edward Newland
Lily Christina Jorgensen
💍 1916/3553

Bachelor
Spinster

Tinsmith
Domestic duties

20
19

Masterton
Masterton

20 years
5 days

St Matthews Church, Masterton

632

Lucy Newland, Mother; Peter Christian Jorgensen, Father

22 February 1916

Rev. J. Walker, Anglican

No	16
Date of Notice	22 February 1916
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Edward Newland	Lily Christina Jorgensen
	💍 1916/3553
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Tinsmith	Domestic duties
Age	20	19
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	20 years	5 days
Marriage Place	St Matthews Church, Masterton
Folio	632
Consent	Lucy Newland, Mother; Peter Christian Jorgensen, Father
Date of Certificate	22 February 1916
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Walker, Anglican

29 February 1916

Arthur Edwin O'Connor
Elsie Adeline Basthope

Arthur Edwin O'Connor
Elsie Adeline Easthope
💍 1916/3534

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Domestic duties

31
26

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
26 years

St Patricks Church, Masterton

630

29 February 1916

Rev. T. Guinane, Roman Catholic

No	17
Date of Notice	29 February 1916
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Arthur Edwin O'Connor	Elsie Adeline Basthope
BDM Match (98%)	Arthur Edwin O'Connor	Elsie Adeline Easthope
	💍 1916/3534
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Domestic duties
Age	31	26
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	26 years
Marriage Place	St Patricks Church, Masterton
Folio	630
Consent
Date of Certificate	29 February 1916
Officiating Minister	Rev. T. Guinane, Roman Catholic

6 March 1916

Elias William Reid
Annie Jane Dodds

Elias William Reid
Annie Jane Dodds
💍 1916/3533

Bachelor
Spinster

Ironmonger
Lady-help

34
30

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
3 days

The Presbyterian Manse, Lansdowne Masterton

629

6 March 1916

Rev. J. Halliday, Presbyterian

No	18
Date of Notice	6 March 1916
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Elias William Reid	Annie Jane Dodds
	💍 1916/3533
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Ironmonger	Lady-help
Age	34	30
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	3 days
Marriage Place	The Presbyterian Manse, Lansdowne Masterton
Folio	629
Consent
Date of Certificate	6 March 1916
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Halliday, Presbyterian

6 March 1916

Alexander Keith
Emma Mildred Morgan

Alexander Keith
Emma Mildred Morgan
💍 1916/3554

Bachelor
Spinster

Accountant
Law Clerk

31
27

Masterton
Masterton

26 years
11 years

St Matthews Church, Masterton

623

6 March 1916

Rev. J. Walker, Anglican

No	19
Date of Notice	6 March 1916
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Alexander Keith	Emma Mildred Morgan
	💍 1916/3554
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Accountant	Law Clerk
Age	31	27
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	26 years	11 years
Marriage Place	St Matthews Church, Masterton
Folio	623
Consent
Date of Certificate	6 March 1916
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. Walker, Anglican

10 March 1916

Oliver Everick William Olsen
Christina Finlayson Graham

Oliver Everick William Olsen
Christina Finlayson Graham
💍 1916/3532

Bachelor
Spinster

Soldier
Telephone Cadette

25
26

Featherston Camp
Masterton

4 months
14 years

Knox Church, Masterton

628

10 March 1916

Rev. G. T. Brown, Presbyterian

No	20
Date of Notice	10 March 1916
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Oliver Everick William Olsen	Christina Finlayson Graham
	💍 1916/3532
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Soldier	Telephone Cadette
Age	25	26
Dwelling Place	Featherston Camp	Masterton
Length of Residence	4 months	14 years
Marriage Place	Knox Church, Masterton
Folio	628
Consent
Date of Certificate	10 March 1916
Officiating Minister	Rev. G. T. Brown, Presbyterian

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).