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 Piano”, the shelf

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

1,988 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 1900s
18 Jul 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 18 July 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Jul 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 22 July 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Jul 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 22 July 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Jul 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 22 July 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jul 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 24 July 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Jul 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 25 July 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Jul 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 28 July 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Jul 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 29 July 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
29 Jul 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 29 July 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Jul 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 31 July 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
4 Aug 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 04 August 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Aug 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 05 August 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
5 Aug 1905
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Evening Post, 05 August 1905) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Aug 1905
Untitled (Marlborough Express, 09 August 1905) Marlborough Express · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Aug 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 11 August 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Aug 1905
Untitled (Poverty Bay Herald, 18 August 1905) Poverty Bay Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 4 places
19 Aug 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 19 August 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
19 Aug 1905
Page 8 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 19 August 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
19 Aug 1905
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 19 August 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Aug 1905
LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK. (Otago Witness, 23 August 1905) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Aug 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 30 August 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Sept 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 06 September 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Sept 1905
TIMARU TO CHRISTCHURCH ROAD RACE. (Otago Witness, 06 September 1905) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Sept 1905
Page 5 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 09 September 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Sept 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 13 September 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Sept 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 18 September 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Sept 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 23 September 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
25 Sept 1905
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 25 September 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
28 Sept 1905
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 28 September 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Sept 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 30 September 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
30 Sept 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 30 September 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Oct 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 04 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Oct 1905
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 06 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Oct 1905
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 09 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Oct 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 14 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
14 Oct 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 14 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Oct 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 16 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Oct 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 17 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Oct 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 17 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Oct 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 21 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
21 Oct 1905
Page 5 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 21 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Oct 1905
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 21 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Oct 1905
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 23 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Oct 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 25 October 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
1 Nov 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 01 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Nov 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 02 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Nov 1905
Page 5 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 04 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 3 places
4 Nov 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 04 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Nov 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 08 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Nov 1905
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 13 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
18 Nov 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 18 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
20 Nov 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 20 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Nov 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 22 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
23 Nov 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 23 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Nov 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 24 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Nov 1905
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 25 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Nov 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 25 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Nov 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 27 November 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
1 Dec 1905
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 01 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Dec 1905
Page 5 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 02 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Dec 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 06 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Dec 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 07 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Dec 1905
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 09 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Dec 1905
Page 5 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 09 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Dec 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 11 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Dec 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 12 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Dec 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 15 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
16 Dec 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 16 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Dec 1905
Page 5 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 16 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Dec 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 16 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Dec 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 19 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Dec 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 22 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
23 Dec 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 23 December 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
2 Jan 1906
Applications for Patents. (Progress, 02 January 1906) Progress · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Jan 1906
Page 6 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 06 January 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
13 Jan 1906
Page 6 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 13 January 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
24 Jan 1906
TABLE TALK. (Otago Witness, 24 January 1906) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Jan 1906
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 27 January 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
27 Jan 1906
Page 6 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 27 January 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Jan 1906
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 30 January 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Feb 1906
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 02 February 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Feb 1906
Page 6 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 03 February 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
6 Feb 1906
Untitled (Nelson Evening Mail, 06 February 1906) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Feb 1906
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 07 February 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
9 Feb 1906
Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, FRIDAY, FEB. 9, 1906. (Poverty Bay Herald, 09 February 1906) Poverty Bay Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Feb 1906
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 15 February 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Feb 1906
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 17 February 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Feb 1906
Page 8 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 17 February 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Feb 1906
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Marlborough Express, 20 February 1906) Marlborough Express · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Feb 1906
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 24 February 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Feb 1906
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 24 February 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Feb 1906
Page 6 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 24 February 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Feb 1906
GOOD TEMPLARS' SOCIAL. (Colonist, 26 February 1906) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
28 Feb 1906
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 28 February 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
2 Mar 1906
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 02 March 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Mar 1906
Page 6 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 03 March 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
3 Mar 1906
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 03 March 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Mar 1906
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 05 March 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Mar 1906
Page 3 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 06 March 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Mar 1906
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 10 March 1906) 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 Piano”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch