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 1273

District of Masterton Quarter ending 31 March 1917 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

5 January 1917

Ralph Lionel Himan
Myra Baselberg

Ralph Lionel Ziman
Myra Caselberg
💍 1917/1902

Bachelor
Spinster

Solicitor

32
23

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
23 years

The house of M. Baselberg, Worksop Road, Masterton

1087

5 January 1917

Rev H. Van Staveren, Hebrew

No	1
Date of Notice	5 January 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Ralph Lionel Himan	Myra Baselberg
BDM Match (94%)	Ralph Lionel Ziman	Myra Caselberg
	💍 1917/1902
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Solicitor
Age	32	23
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	23 years
Marriage Place	The house of M. Baselberg, Worksop Road, Masterton
Folio	1087
Consent
Date of Certificate	5 January 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev H. Van Staveren, Hebrew

6 January 1917

Albert Tom Walker
Margaret Ivy Meale

Albert Tom Walker
Margaret Ivy Meak
💍 1917/1908

Bachelor
Spinster

Railway Relieving Officer

31
21

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
9 months

Knox Church, Masterton

1094

6 January 1917

Rev G. T. Brown, Presbyterian

No	2
Date of Notice	6 January 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Albert Tom Walker	Margaret Ivy Meale
BDM Match (94%)	Albert Tom Walker	Margaret Ivy Meak
	💍 1917/1908
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Railway Relieving Officer
Age	31	21
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	9 months
Marriage Place	Knox Church, Masterton
Folio	1094
Consent
Date of Certificate	6 January 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev G. T. Brown, Presbyterian

10 January 1917

Albert Tom Walker
Margaret Ivy Meale

Albert Tom Walker
Margaret Ivy Meak
💍 1917/1908

Bachelor
Spinster

Railway Clerk

31
21

Masterton
Masterton

8 days
9 months

St. Matthew's Church, Masterton

1094

10 January 1917

Rev J. Walker, Anglican

No	3
Date of Notice	10 January 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Albert Tom Walker	Margaret Ivy Meale
BDM Match (94%)	Albert Tom Walker	Margaret Ivy Meak
	💍 1917/1908
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Railway Clerk
Age	31	21
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	8 days	9 months
Marriage Place	St. Matthew's Church, Masterton
Folio	1094
Consent
Date of Certificate	10 January 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev J. Walker, Anglican

10 January 1917

John Roland Hayes
Olive May Bannister

John Roland Hayes
Olive May Bannister
💍 1917/1919

Bachelor
Spinster

Mail Contractor
Milliner

24
24

Masterton
Masterton

14 years
24 years

St. Matthew's Church, Masterton

1082

10 January 1917

Rev J. Walker, Anglican

No	4
Date of Notice	10 January 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Roland Hayes	Olive May Bannister
	💍 1917/1919
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Mail Contractor	Milliner
Age	24	24
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	14 years	24 years
Marriage Place	St. Matthew's Church, Masterton
Folio	1082
Consent
Date of Certificate	10 January 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev J. Walker, Anglican

31 January 1917

Charles Barrie McClymont
Kate Shaw

Charles Barrie McClymont
Kate Shaw
💍 1917/1904

Bachelor
Spinster

Shop Assistant

27
22

Masterton
Masterton

4 years
22 years

Knox Church, Masterton

1089

31 January 1917

Rev G. T. Brown, Presbyterian

No	5
Date of Notice	31 January 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Charles Barrie McClymont	Kate Shaw
	💍 1917/1904
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Shop Assistant
Age	27	22
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	4 years	22 years
Marriage Place	Knox Church, Masterton
Folio	1089
Consent
Date of Certificate	31 January 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev G. T. Brown, Presbyterian

3 February 1917

Joseph Jones
Lillian Alice Bagley

Joseph Jones
Lillian Alice Bagley
💍 1917/1917

Bachelor
Spinster

Soldier
Lady Help

26
30

Featherston Camp
Masterton

3 months
6 years

St. Matthew's Church, Masterton

1080

3 February 1917

Rev J. Walker, Anglican

No	6
Date of Notice	3 February 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Joseph Jones	Lillian Alice Bagley
	💍 1917/1917
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Soldier	Lady Help
Age	26	30
Dwelling Place	Featherston Camp	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 months	6 years
Marriage Place	St. Matthew's Church, Masterton
Folio	1080
Consent
Date of Certificate	3 February 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev J. Walker, Anglican

8 February 1917

George William Baird
Mary Ann Walsh

George William Baird
Mary Ann Walsh
💍 1917/1909

Bachelor
Divorced

Station-manager
Housekeeper

45
29

Bideford
Bideford

2 years
5 years

The Registrar's Office, Masterton

1095

8 February 1917

Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

No	7
Date of Notice	8 February 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	George William Baird	Mary Ann Walsh
	💍 1917/1909
Condition	Bachelor	Divorced
Profession	Station-manager	Housekeeper
Age	45	29
Dwelling Place	Bideford	Bideford
Length of Residence	2 years	5 years
Marriage Place	The Registrar's Office, Masterton
Folio	1095
Consent
Date of Certificate	8 February 1917
Officiating Minister	Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

10 February 1917

John Frederick Keen
Annie Sewell

John Frederick Keen
Annie Sewill
💍 1917/1907

Bachelor
Spinster

Hairdresser

21
21

Masterton
Masterton

3 days
21 years

House of John Keen, 8 Smith Street, Masterton

1093

10 February 1917

Rev B. L. Thomas, Congregationalist

No	8
Date of Notice	10 February 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Frederick Keen	Annie Sewell
BDM Match (96%)	John Frederick Keen	Annie Sewill
	💍 1917/1907
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Hairdresser
Age	21	21
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	3 days	21 years
Marriage Place	House of John Keen, 8 Smith Street, Masterton
Folio	1093
Consent
Date of Certificate	10 February 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev B. L. Thomas, Congregationalist

14 February 1917

Arthur Sydney Richardson
Ellen Margaret Brocherie

Arthur Sydney Richardson
Ellen Margaret Brochirie
💍 1917/923

Bachelor
Spinster

Soldier

26
27

Featherston Camp
Masterton

10 weeks
3 days

St. Patrick's Church, Masterton

1092

14 February 1917

Rev J. McKenna, Roman Catholic

No	9
Date of Notice	14 February 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	Arthur Sydney Richardson	Ellen Margaret Brocherie
BDM Match (98%)	Arthur Sydney Richardson	Ellen Margaret Brochirie
	💍 1917/923
Condition	Bachelor	Spinster
Profession	Soldier
Age	26	27
Dwelling Place	Featherston Camp	Masterton
Length of Residence	10 weeks	3 days
Marriage Place	St. Patrick's Church, Masterton
Folio	1092
Consent
Date of Certificate	14 February 1917
Officiating Minister	Rev J. McKenna, Roman Catholic

16 February 1917

John Bertram Johns
Dorothea Wilson Hartley

John Bertram Johns
Dorothea Wilson Hartley
💍 1917/1906

Bachelor
Widow

Soldier
Housekeeper

30
34

Masterton
Masterton

7 days
4 years

Registrar's Office, Masterton

1091

16 February 1917

Wm. M. Easthope, Registrar

No	10
Date of Notice	16 February 1917
	Groom	Bride
Names of Parties	John Bertram Johns	Dorothea Wilson Hartley
	💍 1917/1906
Condition	Bachelor	Widow
Profession	Soldier	Housekeeper
Age	30	34
Dwelling Place	Masterton	Masterton
Length of Residence	7 days	4 years
Marriage Place	Registrar's Office, Masterton
Folio	1091
Consent
Date of Certificate	16 February 1917
Officiating Minister	Wm. M. 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).