Te Kopuru/Tokatoka Marriage Registers
Heather Geddes made this Official Information request to Department of Internal Affairs
This request has an unknown status. We're waiting for Heather Geddes to read recent responses and update the status.
From: Heather Geddes
Dear Department of Internal Affairs
While this may not be the correct avenue to view the records I would like to I have run out of options having requested on previous occasions to have my request considered in regard to the terms set out by NZ Archives to be granted permission these are:
Access restriction only - The BDM registers are restricted indefinitely. Those researchers seeking access to the local registers will require the written authority of the Registrar-General to access specified records.
Initially I made my request at Archives Auck followed up by a written request emailed as instructed to the Registrar-General on each occasion the response/advice was that I order the certificate through the normal BDM certificate service however I'm unable to do that without seeing first if it was recorded and then seeing the accurate names it may have on the record. Both may be in te reo or one may be an Anglicised name without confirming the names I can't find them on the BDM index to order them
I have the newspaper report of the marriage and who officiated, the date would have been going by that report within a couple of weeks preceding Nov 11 1872 when the newspaper account appeared.
The marriage was a first marriage for my gr-grandfather and meets all the time and privacy requirements being now over 150 years ago - I doubt there would be more than one age for the relevant time period to check to confirm that the marriage was recorded and so I can confirm the names and order and pay for a marriage certificate as advised.
There are 2 items it may be recorded in and I can be fairly specific to the dates - I would be happy to pay Archives any research fees. I am also aware they no longer offer offer a digitisation service so if I were given permission to view the record I realise I may need to travel to the Auckland branch of Archives to view it personally.
Because I'm familiar from my ongoing research with the names the marriage may have recorded by viewing the register myself I would be confident of recognising the names if they are there. While a local official conducted the marriage not all marriages were required to be registered at that time so it may not have been.
The Archives item numbers are
ID: 13313
Dates: 1872 - 1982
ID: R2630530
Dates: 1872 - 1883
The page or pages I wish the details of fall into a very small time frame that should be easy to check so as they are "official records" I can't see why if I'm not able to do so myself I can't have permission to commission Archives research staff to check for the names and details I can supply to them.
I welcome any advice on this
Yours faithfully,
Marilyn Geddes
From: RIS Official Correspondence
Department of Internal Affairs
Kia ora Marilyn,
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).
The information you are seeking relates to records held by Births, Deaths
and Marriages (BDM). These records are not subject to the OIA because they
are available through an existing statutory process.
To enable us to search for a marriage record, you will need to request a
Printout/copy of record through BDM.
You can do this by:
o Phone order, or
o Lodging a request by mail, including all the details you know about
the marriage.
Please note:
o There is a $25 search fee if the record cannot be located.
Contact details for BDM:
o Telephone:
0800 22 52 52 (New Zealand only)
+64 9 339 0852 (Outside New Zealand)
o Email: [1][email address]
o Postal address:
Births, Deaths, Marriages and Citizenship
PO Box 10-526
Wellington 6143
New Zealand
o
For further information, visit: [2]www.bdm.govt.nz
Ngā mihi
Krystle Courtier ([3]she/her) | Advisor Official Correspondence
Regulatory and Identity Services
The Department of Internal Affairs | Te Tari Taiwhenua
[4]www.dia.govt.nz
*If you’re wondering about the use of pronouns she/her on this signature
you can find more information about how sharing pronouns can help to
create a sense of belonging and respect [5]here.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.bdm.govt.nz/
3. https://ssc.govt.nz/our-work/diversity-a...
4. http://www.dia.govt.nz/
5. https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/our-wo...
From: Heather Geddes
Dear RIS Official Correspondence,
Thank you for your reply - the advice to order a certificate or request a search at BDM is pretty much the same advice I have been given every time I have requested help with this but as I've explained it is not possible to provide the information they would need to do so
Any information that may enable that is possibly only in the actual original Te Kopuru Register 1872 Item Code: 13313 held at Auckland Archives
Other than that I only have an approximate date of the weeks prior to the newspaper account I have on Nov 11 1872 and no certainty it was even officially registered as not all marriages were required to be at that time along with no certainty of the names which makes any search of the BDM index impossible
I see in 1872 there were a total 2,504 marriages registered in New Zealand I am only seeking one of that number in the particular Te Kopuru register & I believe the number in that particular register would be very, very few
I have read on the Archives website permission to view the record can be given by "written authority of the Registrar-General to access specified records" and I'm not sure my request has ever been elevated to have the Registrar-General consider my request
Being able to see what was written in the register and whether this particular marriage was recorded there at all is the only way I am able to order any record for it from BDM
Yours sincerely,
Heather Geddes
From: RIS Official Correspondence
Department of Internal Affairs
Kia ora Heather,
Thank you for your reply.
Ive passed your email onto BDM to assist you with your search for BDM records.
Ngâ mihi
Michael Mahoney | Advisor| Kaitohutohu
Official Correspondence | Reta Ôkawa
Regulatory and Identity Services | Taituarâ
The Department of Internal Affairs | Te Tari Taiwhenua
dia.govt.nz | Facebook | LinkedIn
-----Original Message-----
From: Heather Geddes <[FOI #32840 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 15 January 2026 9:50 am
To: RIS Official Correspondence <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Official Information request - Te Kopuru/Tokatoka Marriage Registers
Dear RIS Official Correspondence,
Thank you for your reply - the advice to order a certificate or request a search at BDM is pretty much the same advice I have been given every time I have requested help with this but as I've explained it is not possible to provide the information they would need to do so
Any information that may enable that is possibly only in the actual original Te Kopuru Register 1872 Item Code: 13313 held at Auckland Archives
Other than that I only have an approximate date of the weeks prior to the newspaper account I have on Nov 11 1872 and no certainty it was even officially registered as not all marriages were required to be at that time along with no certainty of the names which makes any search of the BDM index impossible
I see in 1872 there were a total 2,504 marriages registered in New Zealand I am only seeking one of that number in the particular Te Kopuru register & I believe the number in that particular register would be very, very few
I have read on the Archives website permission to view the record can be given by "written authority of the Registrar-General to access specified records" and I'm not sure my request has ever been elevated to have the Registrar-General consider my request
Being able to see what was written in the register and whether this particular marriage was recorded there at all is the only way I am able to order any record for it from BDM
Yours sincerely,
Heather Geddes
-----Original Message-----
Kia ora Marilyn,
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).
The information you are seeking relates to records held by Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM). These records are not subject to the OIA because they are available through an existing statutory process.
To enable us to search for a marriage record, you will need to request a Printout/copy of record through BDM.
You can do this by:
o Phone order, or
o Lodging a request by mail, including all the details you know about the marriage.
Please note:
o There is a $25 search fee if the record cannot be located.
Contact details for BDM:
o Telephone:
0800 22 52 52 (New Zealand only)
+64 9 339 0852 (Outside New Zealand)
o Email: [1][email address]
o Postal address:
Births, Deaths, Marriages and Citizenship PO Box 10-526 Wellington 6143 New Zealand o
For further information, visit: [2]http://www.bdm.govt.nz/
Ngâ mihi
Krystle Courtier ([3]she/her) | Advisor Official Correspondence
Regulatory and Identity Services
The Department of Internal Affairs | Te Tari Taiwhenua
[4]http://www.dia.govt.nz/
*If you’re wondering about the use of pronouns she/her on this signature you can find more information about how sharing pronouns can help to create a sense of belonging and respect [5]here.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.bdm.govt.nz/
3. https://ssc.govt.nz/our-work/diversity-a...
4. http://www.dia.govt.nz/
5. https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/our-wo...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #32840 email]
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
hide quoted sections
From: RIS Official Correspondence
Department of Internal Affairs
Kia ora Heather,
I am following up with you again as I have been advised further by the BDM office that you will need to make an application and pay the fee before we can look into a search for you, as earlier advised.
I am aware that you have stated that you are unsure of the details however, we ask that you state all the information you know about the marriage and family as this will form the basis of our search. For example, listing all the varieties of possible spellings for both bride & groom etc. parants names if known, place of marriage, date of death if known, childrens names if known.
I trust this information has been of use and all the best of luck with your search.
Ngâ mihi
Michael Mahoney | Advisor| Kaitohutohu
Official Correspondence | Reta Ôkawa
Regulatory and Identity Services | Taituarâ
The Department of Internal Affairs | Te Tari Taiwhenua
dia.govt.nz | Facebook | LinkedIn
-----Original Message-----
From: Heather Geddes <[FOI #32840 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 15 January 2026 9:50 am
To: RIS Official Correspondence <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Official Information request - Te Kopuru/Tokatoka Marriage Registers
Dear RIS Official Correspondence,
Thank you for your reply - the advice to order a certificate or request a search at BDM is pretty much the same advice I have been given every time I have requested help with this but as I've explained it is not possible to provide the information they would need to do so
Any information that may enable that is possibly only in the actual original Te Kopuru Register 1872 Item Code: 13313 held at Auckland Archives
Other than that I only have an approximate date of the weeks prior to the newspaper account I have on Nov 11 1872 and no certainty it was even officially registered as not all marriages were required to be at that time along with no certainty of the names which makes any search of the BDM index impossible
I see in 1872 there were a total 2,504 marriages registered in New Zealand I am only seeking one of that number in the particular Te Kopuru register & I believe the number in that particular register would be very, very few
I have read on the Archives website permission to view the record can be given by "written authority of the Registrar-General to access specified records" and I'm not sure my request has ever been elevated to have the Registrar-General consider my request
Being able to see what was written in the register and whether this particular marriage was recorded there at all is the only way I am able to order any record for it from BDM
Yours sincerely,
Heather Geddes
-----Original Message-----
Kia ora Marilyn,
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).
The information you are seeking relates to records held by Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM). These records are not subject to the OIA because they are available through an existing statutory process.
To enable us to search for a marriage record, you will need to request a Printout/copy of record through BDM.
You can do this by:
o Phone order, or
o Lodging a request by mail, including all the details you know about the marriage.
Please note:
o There is a $25 search fee if the record cannot be located.
Contact details for BDM:
o Telephone:
0800 22 52 52 (New Zealand only)
+64 9 339 0852 (Outside New Zealand)
o Email: [1][email address]
o Postal address:
Births, Deaths, Marriages and Citizenship PO Box 10-526 Wellington 6143 New Zealand o
For further information, visit: [2]http://www.bdm.govt.nz/
Ngâ mihi
Krystle Courtier ([3]she/her) | Advisor Official Correspondence
Regulatory and Identity Services
The Department of Internal Affairs | Te Tari Taiwhenua
[4]http://www.dia.govt.nz/
*If you’re wondering about the use of pronouns she/her on this signature you can find more information about how sharing pronouns can help to create a sense of belonging and respect [5]here.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.bdm.govt.nz/
3. https://ssc.govt.nz/our-work/diversity-a...
4. http://www.dia.govt.nz/
5. https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/our-wo...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #32840 email]
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
hide quoted sections
Things to do with this request
- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
- Download a zip file of all correspondence (note: this contains the same information already available above).
Offensive? Unsuitable?
Requests for personal information and vexatious requests are not considered valid requests for Official Information (read more).
If you believe this request is not suitable, you can report it for attention by the site administrators
Report this requestAct on what you've learnt
Similar requests
My wife's marital status as per NZ immigration
To Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment by Pavan Challa
