Intentions to Marry, 1917 Aria to Masterton

Reference: Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Notices of intention to marry, Series 8937, R2840471, Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington

1917 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.

1917c contains pages 862-1282, covering districts from Aria to Masterton

Page 1207

District of Feilding Quarter ending 31 March 1917 Registrar E. G. Stake

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

13 January 1917

William Anderson
Phoebe Prentice

William Anderson
Phoebe Prentice
💍 1917/1875

Bachelor
Spinster

Labourer
Domestic Duties

34
19

Beaconsfield
Feilding

7 days
3 months

The manse Queen Street Feilding

1060

John Prentice Father

13 January 1917

Rev. Ernest Nicholls Baptist

No	1
Date of Notice	13 January 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	William Anderson	Phoebe Prentice
	💍 1917/1875
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Labourer	Domestic Duties
Age	34	19
Dwelling Place	Beaconsfield	Feilding
Length of Residence	7 days	3 months
Marriage Place	The manse Queen Street Feilding
Folio	1060
Consent	John Prentice Father
Date of Certificate	13 January 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev. Ernest Nicholls Baptist

18 January 1917

Robert William Sinclair
Edith Lobb

Robert William Sinclair
Edith Lobb
💍 1917/1876

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Domestic Duties

22
22

Feilding
Feilding

3 days
2 years

Residence of J. Lobb Feilding

1061

18 January 1917

Rev. W. W. Jones Methodist

No	2
Date of Notice	18 January 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Robert William Sinclair	Edith Lobb
	💍 1917/1876
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Domestic Duties
Age	22	22
Dwelling Place	Feilding	Feilding
Length of Residence	3 days	2 years
Marriage Place	Residence of J. Lobb Feilding
Folio	1061
Consent
Date of Certificate	18 January 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev. W. W. Jones Methodist

9 February 1917

Louis George Henry London
Mabel Jane Gatchell

Louis George Henry London
Mabel Jane Gatewell
💍 1917/1898

Bachelor
Spinster

Soldier
Domestic Duties

23
20

Featherston Military Camp
Cheltenham

1 day
2 years

Presbyterian Manse Feilding

1059

Nathaniel Henry Gatchell, Father

9 February 1917

Rev Thomas Miller Presbyterian

No	3
Date of Notice	9 February 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Louis George Henry London	Mabel Jane Gatchell
BDM Match (95%)	Louis George Henry London	Mabel Jane Gatewell
	💍 1917/1898
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Soldier	Domestic Duties
Age	23	20
Dwelling Place	Featherston Military Camp	Cheltenham
Length of Residence	1 day	2 years
Marriage Place	Presbyterian Manse Feilding
Folio	1059
Consent	Nathaniel Henry Gatchell, Father
Date of Certificate	9 February 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev Thomas Miller Presbyterian

10 February 1917

Ainsleigh Bertram Power
Elizabeth Campbell

Ainsleigh Bertram Power
Elizabeth Campbell
💍 1917/2245

Bachelor
Spinster

Motor mechanic
Domestic duties

25
23

Feilding
Feilding

1 week
2 weeks

Roman Catholic Church, Feilding

1424

10 February 1917

Rev M. O'Dwyer Roman Catholic

No	4
Date of Notice	10 February 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Ainsleigh Bertram Power	Elizabeth Campbell
	💍 1917/2245
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Motor mechanic	Domestic duties
Age	25	23
Dwelling Place	Feilding	Feilding
Length of Residence	1 week	2 weeks
Marriage Place	Roman Catholic Church, Feilding
Folio	1424
Consent
Date of Certificate	10 February 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev M. O'Dwyer Roman Catholic

12 February 1917

Robert John McCulloch
Henrietta Thelma Fisher

Robert John McCulloch
Henrietta Thelma Fisher
💍 1917/1897

Bachelor
Spinster

machinery agent
Law clerk

24
24

Feilding
Feilding

18 months
24 years

Church of England Feilding

1058

12 February 1917

Rev. A. S. Innes Jones Church of England

No	5
Date of Notice	12 February 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Robert John McCulloch	Henrietta Thelma Fisher
	💍 1917/1897
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	machinery agent	Law clerk
Age	24	24
Dwelling Place	Feilding	Feilding
Length of Residence	18 months	24 years
Marriage Place	Church of England Feilding
Folio	1058
Consent
Date of Certificate	12 February 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev. A. S. Innes Jones Church of England

20 February 1917

Sydney Fisher
Eleanor Amelia Webster

Sydney Fisher
Eleanor Amelia Webster
💍 1917/2014

Bachelor
Spinster

Printer
Dressmaker

29
25

Feilding
Palmerston North

24 years

Church of England Palmerston North

1128

20 February 1917

Rev. F. G. Harvie Church of England

No	6
Date of Notice	20 February 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Sydney Fisher	Eleanor Amelia Webster
	💍 1917/2014
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Printer	Dressmaker
Age	29	25
Dwelling Place	Feilding	Palmerston North
Length of Residence	24 years
Marriage Place	Church of England Palmerston North
Folio	1128
Consent
Date of Certificate	20 February 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev. F. G. Harvie Church of England

23 February 1917

Ernest Ebenezer Short
Vera Florence McBeth

Ernest Ebenzer Short
Vera Florence McBeth
💍 1917/1952

Bachelor
Spinster

Farmer
Domestic Duties

21
26

Kimbolton
Kiwitea

3 days
26 years

Church of England Kimbolton

1040

23 February 1917

Rev. J. F. Mayo Church of England

No	7
Date of Notice	23 February 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Ernest Ebenezer Short	Vera Florence McBeth
BDM Match (98%)	Ernest Ebenzer Short	Vera Florence McBeth
	💍 1917/1952
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Farmer	Domestic Duties
Age	21	26
Dwelling Place	Kimbolton	Kiwitea
Length of Residence	3 days	26 years
Marriage Place	Church of England Kimbolton
Folio	1040
Consent
Date of Certificate	23 February 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev. J. F. Mayo Church of England

26 February 1917

Herbert Erubean Ward
Hannah Louisa Adsett

Herbert Erubean Ward
Hannah Louisa Adsett
💍 1917/1896

Bachelor
Spinster

Soldier
Domestic Duties

27
23

Feilding
Feilding

3 days
9 years

Presbyterian Church Feilding

1057

26 February 1917

Rev. Thomas Miller Presbyterian

No	8
Date of Notice	26 February 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Herbert Erubean Ward	Hannah Louisa Adsett
	💍 1917/1896
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Soldier	Domestic Duties
Age	27	23
Dwelling Place	Feilding	Feilding
Length of Residence	3 days	9 years
Marriage Place	Presbyterian Church Feilding
Folio	1057
Consent
Date of Certificate	26 February 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev. Thomas Miller Presbyterian

12 March 1917

Leonard Chenery Luggate
Merau Catherine Stringer

Leonard Chenery Suggate
Marau Catherine Stringer
💍 1917/1895

Bachelor
Spinster

Civil Engineer Soldier
Domestic Duties

28
19

Feilding
Feilding

1 day
2 years

Church of England Feilding

1056

Herbert George Stringer Father

12 March 1917

Rev A S Innes Jones Anglican

No	9
Date of Notice	12 March 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Leonard Chenery Luggate	Merau Catherine Stringer
BDM Match (96%)	Leonard Chenery Suggate	Marau Catherine Stringer
	💍 1917/1895
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Civil Engineer Soldier	Domestic Duties
Age	28	19
Dwelling Place	Feilding	Feilding
Length of Residence	1 day	2 years
Marriage Place	Church of England Feilding
Folio	1056
Consent	Herbert George Stringer Father
Date of Certificate	12 March 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev A S Innes Jones Anglican

20 March 1917

Howard Ray Jones
Carmen Winston Inman

Howard Roy Jones
Carmen Winton Inman
💍 1917/2346

Bachelor
Spinster

Clerk
Domestic Duties

26
20

Wanganui
Feilding

3 days
3 days

Church of England Feilding

1509

Harry Inman Father

20 March 1917

Rev A S Innes Jones Anglican

No	10
Date of Notice	20 March 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Howard Ray Jones	Carmen Winston Inman
BDM Match (94%)	Howard Roy Jones	Carmen Winton Inman
	💍 1917/2346
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Clerk	Domestic Duties
Age	26	20
Dwelling Place	Wanganui	Feilding
Length of Residence	3 days	3 days
Marriage Place	Church of England Feilding
Folio	1509
Consent	Harry Inman Father
Date of Certificate	20 March 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev A S Innes Jones Anglican

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).