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 Colombo”, the shelf

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

7,216 records matching 99 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
18 Dec 1873
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 18 December 1873) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Dec 1873
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 22 December 1873) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Dec 1873
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 29 December 1873) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Dec 1873
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 29 December 1873) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Dec 1873
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 31 December 1873) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Jan 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 03 January 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Jan 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 05 January 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
6 Jan 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 06 January 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Jan 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 07 January 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Jan 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 08 January 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Jan 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 20 January 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Jan 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 21 January 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Jan 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 31 January 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Jan 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 31 January 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Feb 1874
MAGISTERIAL. (Star, 06 February 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
7 Feb 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 07 February 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Feb 1874
MAGISTERIAL. (Star, 12 February 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Feb 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 19 February 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Feb 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 25 February 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Feb 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 27 February 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Apr 1874
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 02 April 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Apr 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 02 April 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Apr 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 10 April 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Apr 1874
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 11 April 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Apr 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 16 April 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Apr 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 17 April 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Apr 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 24 April 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Apr 1874
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 25 April 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Apr 1874
ANNUAL LICENSING MEETING. (Star, 28 April 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Apr 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 30 April 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Apr 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 30 April 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 May 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 01 May 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 May 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 06 May 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 May 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 06 May 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 May 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 14 May 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 May 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 18 May 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 May 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 21 May 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 May 1874
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 22 May 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 May 1874
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 23 May 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 May 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 23 May 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 May 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 25 May 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 May 1874
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 25 May 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jun 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 02 June 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
7 Jul 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 07 July 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Jul 1874
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 10 July 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Jul 1874
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 22 July 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jul 1874
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 24 July 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
25 Jul 1874
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Star, 25 July 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Aug 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 03 August 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Aug 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 12 August 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Aug 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 13 August 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Aug 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 29 August 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Sept 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 01 September 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Sept 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 02 September 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Sept 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 03 September 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Sept 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 10 September 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Sept 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 17 September 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Sept 1874
BOARD OF EDUCATION. (Star, 22 September 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Sept 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 24 September 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Sept 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 30 September 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Oct 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 01 October 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Oct 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 03 October 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Oct 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 03 October 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Oct 1874
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Star, 07 October 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Oct 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 08 October 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Oct 1874
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Timaru Herald, 09 October 1874) Timaru Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
12 Oct 1874
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Timaru Herald, 12 October 1874) Timaru Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 3 places
15 Oct 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 15 October 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Oct 1874
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Star, 21 October 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Nov 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 09 November 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Nov 1874
CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION. (Star, 13 November 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Dec 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 05 December 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Dec 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 10 December 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Dec 1874
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 17 December 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Dec 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 18 December 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Dec 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 21 December 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Dec 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 31 December 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Jan 1875
Colombo Street, Christchurch (looking south) Hocken Digital Collections · Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago; University of Otago
4 Jan 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 04 January 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Jan 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 26 January 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Jan 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 28 January 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
2 Mar 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 02 March 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Mar 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 09 March 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Mar 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 15 March 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Mar 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 18 March 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Apr 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 01 April 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Apr 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 15 April 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Apr 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 20 April 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 May 1875
PROVINCIAL COUNCIL. (Star, 12 May 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
27 May 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 27 May 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Jun 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 07 June 1875) Star · Papers Past · no. 9.1 · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Jun 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 07 June 1875) Star · Papers Past · no. 14.3 · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Jun 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 08 June 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Jun 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 11 June 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Jun 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 17 June 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Jun 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 22 June 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jun 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 24 June 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Jun 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 29 June 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Jul 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 01 July 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Jul 1875
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 06 July 1875) 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 Colombo”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch