How many records does the archive hold?

69,585 records about Christchurch, every one linked at the provider that keeps the original.

How far back does the archive reach?

1800, the oldest record on file.

Where do the records come from?

30 collections: council archives, Papers Past, DigitalNZ’s partners, cemetery registers, the heritage list itself. The shelf says what exists and where it lives.

Are these documents verified?

They are leads and citations, not evidence, a record says a document exists and where to read it. What a document actually says is only claimed once somebody has read it; those readings live on the place pages.

“"Chester Street"”, the shelf

Every record the archive holds about Christchurch, the oldest first. The originals live at the provider each row links to.

817 records matching 100 of these 100 with their text read Papers Past · Canterbury Stories · Kura Heritage Collections Online · Te Papa Collections Online · National Publicity Studios black and white file prints · TAPUHI · Canterbury Museum · Auckland Museum Collections · New Zealand Gazette · Digital Public Library of America · V.C. Browne & Son NZ Aerial Photograph Collection · Christchurch City Libraries Flickr · Hocken Digital Collections · Museums Victoria · Air Force Museum of New Zealand Photograph Collection · Wellington City Council Archives · The New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero · New Zealand Electronic Text Collection · Christchurch City Libraries Heritage Images Collection · Lincoln University Living Heritage: Tikaka Tuku Iho · Flickr · Radio New Zealand · Alexander Turnbull Library Flickr · Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki · Te Hikoi Museum · iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao · Manawatū Heritage · Canterbury Photography Museum · Akaroa Museum · Hawke's Bay Museum

the 1870s
9 Jul 1877
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 09 July 1877) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Apr 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 06 April 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Apr 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 08 April 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Apr 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 11 April 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Apr 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 12 April 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Apr 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 13 April 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Apr 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 16 April 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
18 Apr 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 18 April 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Apr 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 29 April 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Apr 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 30 April 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 01 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 02 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 09 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 10 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 May 1878
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Star, 10 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 13 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Jun 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 01 June 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Jun 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 05 June 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Jun 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 19 June 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jul 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 02 July 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Jul 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 18 July 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jul 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 24 July 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Aug 1878
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 29 August 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 02 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
3 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 03 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 07 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 09 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 10 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
12 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 12 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 17 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 20 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
21 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 21 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
23 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Timaru Herald, 23 September 1878) Timaru Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
24 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 24 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 25 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 26 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 30 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 01 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 03 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 04 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 05 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 08 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 09 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 12 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
14 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 14 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 16 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 18 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
18 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 18 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 19 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
21 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 21 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
25 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 25 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
26 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 26 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 29 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
4 Nov 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 04 November 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Nov 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 05 November 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Nov 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 08 November 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Nov 1878
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 16 November 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Mar 1879
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 28 March 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Apr 1879
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 10 April 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Apr 1879
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 17 April 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 May 1879
EXTENSION OF GAS MAINS. (Star, 14 May 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Jul 1879
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 10 July 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
25 Aug 1879
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 25 August 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Sept 1879
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 16 September 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
20 Oct 1879
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 20 October 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1880s
19 Jul 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 19 July 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Aug 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 27 August 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Sept 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 16 September 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 5 places
15 Oct 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 15 October 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Oct 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 22 October 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
23 Oct 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 23 October 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Oct 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 25 October 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
23 Nov 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 23 November 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Dec 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 02 December 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Aug 1881
Local & General. (Star, 01 August 1881) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Sept 1881
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 15 September 1881) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Nov 1881
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 30 November 1881) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Jan 1882
The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1882. THE CHRISTCHURCH EXHIBITION. (Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, 17 January 1882) Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
16 Mar 1882
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 16 March 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Apr 1882
Page 2 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 28 April 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 May 1882
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 25 May 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Jun 1882
Page 1 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 01 June 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Jun 1882
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 12 June 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Jun 1882
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 27 June 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Jul 1882
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 08 July 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Sept 1882
Local & General. (Star, 22 September 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jan 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 02 January 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Apr 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 8 (Star, 14 April 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Jun 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 30 June 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jul 1883
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 02 July 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Jul 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 16 July 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Nov 1883
Page 1 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 16 November 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jan 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 02 January 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Feb 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 28 February 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Mar 1884
DEATHS. (Star, 17 March 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Mar 1884
Latest Locals. (Star, 17 March 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Mar 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 26 March 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Mar 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 27 March 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Mar 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 28 March 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Mar 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 29 March 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read

Most of these originals are not republishable here, the link goes to the provider that keeps them. A search result is a lead, not evidence: what a document actually says is only claimed once somebody has read it, and those readings live on the place pages.

“"Chester Street"”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch