Early Divorces in NZ

[spades]

Hi Jeanette,

I'll get the ITM for you on my next visit to Archives NZ.

Spades

[Jeanette]

Thanks for all info. Delighted to have found the marriage of Christina Johnston. Will check further on papers past for other children. Has been difficult with no second names and common surname of Johnston.
No Christopher Johnston and Margaret Mcalpine did not stay together, it all ended badly in court, then Christopher took off to Hobart, ended up in prison not supporting children. He died in Hobart at the age of 89. Trouble seemed to follow Margaret Johnston where ever she went.
Cheers Jeanette

[spades]

Hi Jeanette,

Can you tell me where John VIETCH and Mary WILSON married, please? I'll need the location to search for the Intention to Marry notice.

Spades

[Jeanette]

Hi there
I believe John Watson Veitch and Mary Wilson were married in Dunedin. I dont have the marriage certificate to be able to be sure.
Many thanks for checking.

Jeanette

[spades]

Hi Jeanette,

I'm sorry, but I can't find an Intention to Marry Notice for this couple in Dunedin. Using BDM Historical Indexes online I found that they married on 23 December 1885.

I checked the ITM Register back as far as the middle of October.

Spades

[Jeanette]

Many thanks Spades for your time and effort.

Cheers Jeanette

[SignalHill]

Hi Jeanette

There are three John VEITCHs recorded as Presbyterian Marriages in Otago Southland

VEITCH John 28y   MATHIESON Elizabeth 21y    20 Jan 1890   Limeston Plains   Western Southland
VEITCH John  full age   McALPINE Margaret Stewart   full age  16 Apr 1872     Knox Church   Dunedin
VEITCH John Thomas    29y   WALKER Agnes Fitzroy 29y   3 Dec 1919   Knox Church    Invercargill

I think Knox Church in Dunedin has retained all its Marriage Registers and it should have been sent a notice of divorce to be attached to the Marriage Register

McIvor & Veitch is a longstanding Motorcycle business in Dunedin   Several John Veitch s also appeared in later generations in Dunedin

Signal

[Jeanette]

Many thanks Signal
I do have the marriage cert of John Veitch and Margaret Mcalpine. Interestingly the Certificate states they were married at Morningside Dunedin, which was John Veitchs home. He died in 1888 in Dunedin. Very short marriage to Mary Wilson.

Cheers Jeanette

[SignalHill]

Those days marriage at home was common but the Marriage Registers were kept by churches as they had been for centuries in Europe.  Registry Office Marriage registers were a recent innovation then.
In NZ until quite recently (when  Marriages became loose-leaf) The Primary record was the Church Register and signed copies of that entry were sent on to the Registrar General.   At one stage the Certificates supplied to Churches lines were out of sync with Marriage Registers in use and Ministers who copied material across line by line could get caught out.
Signal