How many records does the archive hold?

70,536 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.

“The Salisbury Hotel”, the shelf

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

611 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
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
3 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 03 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 09 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 2 (Star, 10 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
11 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 11 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 11 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 13 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
16 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 16 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 20 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 30 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
29 Jun 1878
News of the week. (Otago Witness, 29 June 1878) Otago Witness · 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
4 Jul 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 04 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 Jul 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 29 July 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Aug 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 06 August 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Aug 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 08 August 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
4 Sept 1878
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 04 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
13 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 13 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
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
4 Oct 1878
CHRISTCHURCH. (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
15 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 15 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
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
6 Nov 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 06 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
25 Nov 1878
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 25 November 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Dec 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 27 December 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Jan 1879
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 13 January 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jan 1879
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 24 January 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Jul 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 18 July 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Jul 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 22 July 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Jul 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 23 July 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jul 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 24 July 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Sept 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 04 September 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Oct 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 25 October 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
27 Oct 1879
The Otago Daily Times. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE OTAGO GUARDIAN. MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1879. (Otago Daily Times, 27 October 1879) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Oct 1879
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 28 October 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Nov 1879
LOCAL AND GENERAL (Star, 21 November 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Nov 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 27 November 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Dec 1879
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Star, 03 December 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1880s
2 Oct 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 02 October 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
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
20 Sept 1881
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 20 September 1881) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Jan 1882
Local & General. (Star, 11 January 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Aug 1882
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 24 August 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Aug 1882
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 30 August 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Sept 1882
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 05 September 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Sept 1882
Local & General. (Star, 20 September 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
22 Sept 1882
Local & General. (Star, 22 September 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Jan 1883
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 19 January 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Apr 1883
News Of The Week. (New Zealand Tablet, 27 April 1883) New Zealand Tablet · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 May 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 24 May 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
11 Jun 1883
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 11 June 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
16 Jul 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 16 July 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Sept 1883
The Otago Daily Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1883. (Otago Daily Times, 08 September 1883) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
15 Feb 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 15 February 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Feb 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 16 February 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Feb 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 18 February 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Feb 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 19 February 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Feb 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 20 February 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
22 Feb 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 22 February 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.

“The Salisbury Hotel”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch