How many records does the archive hold?

72,593 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.

“J Books”, the shelf

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

2,291 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
20 Jan 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Hawera & Normanby Star, 20 January 1902) Hawera & Normanby Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Jan 1902
Page 3 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 21 January 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jan 1902
LOCAL AND GENERAL (Wanganui Chronicle, 24 January 1902) Wanganui Chronicle · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Jan 1902
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 27 January 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Jan 1902
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 30 January 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Feb 1902
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 07 February 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
1 Mar 1902
Page 5 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 01 March 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Mar 1902
Untitled (Mataura Ensign 20-3-1902) Mataura Ensign · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Apr 1902
The Wanganui Herald. (Wanganui Herald, 03 April 1902) Wanganui Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Apr 1902
SPORT AND PASTIME. (Evening Post, 05 April 1902) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Apr 1902
Page 9 Advertisements Column 1 (Otago Witness, 30 April 1902) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 May 1902
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Evening Post, 02 May 1902) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
24 May 1902
Page 7 Advertisements Column 3 (Auckland Star, 24 May 1902) Auckland Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 May 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 27 May 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Jun 1902
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 18 June 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Jun 1902
LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK. (Otago Witness, 18 June 1902) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Jun 1902
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Marlborough Express, 23 June 1902) Marlborough Express · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jul 1902
OTAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL SOCIETY. (Otago Witness, 02 July 1902) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Jul 1902
Page 8 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 05 July 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Jul 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 11 July 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
12 Jul 1902
Page 8 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 12 July 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
22 Jul 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 22 July 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Aug 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 01 August 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
5 Aug 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 05 August 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Aug 1902
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 25 August 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Sept 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 04 September 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Sept 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 11 September 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Sept 1902
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 12 September 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Sept 1902
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 18 September 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
14 Oct 1902
RUSSIAN UNREST. (Wanganui Herald, 14 October 1902) Wanganui Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Nov 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 06 November 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
6 Nov 1902
SPORTING. MASTERTON SPRING MEETING. (Evening Post, 06 November 1902) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Nov 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 07 November 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
13 Nov 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 13 November 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
3 Dec 1902
Page 3 Advertisements Column 6 (Marlborough Express, 03 December 1902) Marlborough Express · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Dec 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Hawera & Normanby Star, 13 December 1902) Hawera & Normanby Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Dec 1902
Page 5 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 13 December 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Dec 1902
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 22 December 1902) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 3 places
25 Feb 1903
LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK. (Otago Witness, 25 February 1903) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Mar 1903
Page 5 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 14 March 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
18 Mar 1903
LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK. Motto:—We write.for the benefit of others, not for ourselves. (Otago Witness, 18 March 1903) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Mar 1903
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 27 March 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
27 Mar 1903
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Wanganui Herald, 27 March 1903) Wanganui Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Mar 1903
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Wanganui Herald, 30 March 1903) Wanganui Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Mar 1903
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Southland Times, 31 March 1903) Southland Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Apr 1903
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 01 April 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Apr 1903
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Otago Daily Times 4-9-1903) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Apr 1903
All Sorts Of People (New Zealand Free Lance, 11 April 1903) New Zealand Free Lance · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
6 May 1903
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 06 May 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 May 1903
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 20 May 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 May 1903
Page 4 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 26 May 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 May 1903
LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK. (Otago Witness, 27 May 1903) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Jun 1903
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 04 June 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Jun 1903
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 09 June 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Jun 1903
AN ATTRACTIVE EXHIBITION. (Otago Witness, 10 June 1903) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
13 Jun 1903
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 13 June 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Jul 1903
LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK (Otago Witness, 01 July 1903) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
18 Jul 1903
Page 8 Advertisements Column 5 (Evening Post, 18 July 1903) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
25 Jul 1903
Page 5 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 25 July 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Aug 1903
Untitled (Southland Times, 08 August 1903) Southland Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Aug 1903
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Wairarapa Daily Times, 15 August 1903) Wairarapa Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Aug 1903
SPORTING. (Taranaki Herald, 31 August 1903) Taranaki Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Sept 1903
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Star, 10 September 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Sept 1903
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Evening Post, 16 September 1903) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Sept 1903
Page 3 Advertisements Column 5 (Evening Post, 17 September 1903) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Sept 1903
Page 6 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 19 September 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Sept 1903
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Star, 30 September 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Oct 1903
Page 5 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 10 October 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Oct 1903
Untitled (Colonist, 23 October 1903) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Nov 1903
DOT'S LITTLE FOLK. (Otago Witness, 25 November 1903) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Dec 1903
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 03 December 1903) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Dec 1903
LOCAL AND GENERAL (Wanganui Chronicle, 11 December 1903) Wanganui Chronicle · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Dec 1903
AN EMINENT PHILOSOPHER. (Manawatu Standard, 12 December 1903) Manawatu Standard · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Dec 1903
Page 16 Advertisements Column 1 (New Zealand Tablet, 17 December 1903) New Zealand Tablet · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Jan 1904
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Star, 07 January 1904) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Jan 1904
CONTINUES TO SPREAD. (Star, 18 January 1904) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Jan 1904
PERSONAL MATTERS. (Evening Post, 29 January 1904) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
13 Feb 1904
Page 5 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 13 February 1904) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
2 Mar 1904
LETTERS FROM THE LITTLE FOLK. (Otago Witness, 02 March 1904) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Mar 1904
NOTES AMD QUERIES. The Otago Witness, THE WEEK. SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES. SHOOTING AT A CHINAMAN SPORTING. TALK OF THE DAY. IN A NUTSHELL CANTERBURY DOINGS. WELLINGTON NOTES. AUCKLAND TOPICS. SPORTING NOTES FROM AUSTRALIA. (Otago Witness, 23 March 1904) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
23 Mar 1904
PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS. LITERARY NOTES. Comparisons NOT ALWAYS ODIOUS. GLENMARK. PERSONAL NOTES. IN OLD LINLITHGOW. THREE VALUABLE REPRINTS. ART ANts ARTISTS. (Otago Witness, 23 March 1904) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Apr 1904
They Say (Observer, 23 April 1904) Observer · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 May 1904
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Wairarapa Daily Times, 04 May 1904) Wairarapa Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
20 May 1904
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 20 May 1904) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 May 1904
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Star, 21 May 1904) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 May 1904
Page 8 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 28 May 1904) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
6 Aug 1904
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Star, 06 August 1904) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
13 Aug 1904
Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1904 (Poverty Bay Herald, 13 August 1904) Poverty Bay Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Aug 1904
Page 78 Advertisements Column 1 (Otago Witness, 24 August 1904) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Aug 1904
Page 1 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 29 August 1904) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
3 Sept 1904
Untitled (Poverty Bay Herald, 03 September 1904) Poverty Bay Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Oct 1904
AVONDALE JOCKEY CLUB'S SPRING MEETING. (Observer, 01 October 1904) Observer · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Oct 1904
Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 22 October 1904) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
29 Oct 1904
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Wairarapa Daily Times, 29 October 1904) Wairarapa Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
31 Oct 1904
Page 1 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 31 October 1904) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Nov 1904
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Wairarapa Daily Times, 05 November 1904) Wairarapa Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
28 Nov 1904
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 28 November 1904) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Dec 1904
Borough Council. (Ashburton Guardian, 06 December 1904) Ashburton Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Dec 1904
Page 8 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 17 December 1904) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Dec 1904
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 21 December 1904) 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.

“J Books”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch