Story: Marriage and partnering

First civil marriage celebrant

First civil marriage celebrant

Clothing Workers’ Union leader Frank Thorn was the first civil marriage celebrant (rather than a church minister) to conduct a wedding ceremony in New Zealand. He is shown here officiating at the marriage of Neddy Paraha and Perise Tuisaulu in August 1977.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1977/3334/20-F
Photograph by Alan Stevenson

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Megan Cook, 'Marriage and partnering - Loosening rules, expanding choices: partnering from the late 1960s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/30787/first-civil-marriage-celebrant (accessed 18 April 2024)

Story by Megan Cook, published 5 May 2011, updated 1 May 2017