How many records does the archive hold?

79,613 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 Grand Hotel”, the shelf

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

2,380 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 1900s
21 Nov 1908
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 21 November 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Dec 1908
OMNIUM GATHERUM. (Otago Witness, 02 December 1908) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Dec 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Colonist, 07 December 1908) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Dec 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 08 December 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Dec 1908
LOCAL & GENERAL. (Otago Witness, 09 December 1908) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
11 Dec 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 8 (Colonist, 11 December 1908) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Dec 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Colonist, 12 December 1908) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Dec 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Colonist, 14 December 1908) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Dec 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Colonist, 15 December 1908) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Dec 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Colonist, 16 December 1908) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Dec 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 6 (Colonist, 21 December 1908) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jan 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 5 (Colonist, 02 January 1909) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Jan 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Colonist, 04 January 1909) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Jan 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 09 January 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Jan 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 12 January 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Jan 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 13 January 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Jan 1909
Page 5 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 23 January 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Jan 1909
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 29 January 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Jan 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 30 January 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Feb 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 06 February 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Feb 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 08 February 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
10 Feb 1909
TABLE TALK (Otago Witness, 10 February 1909) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Feb 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 18 February 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Feb 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 19 February 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Mar 1909
Page 7 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 06 March 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Mar 1909
All Sorts of People (New Zealand Free Lance, 20 March 1909) New Zealand Free Lance · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Mar 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 24 March 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Mar 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 25 March 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
26 Mar 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 26 March 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
30 Mar 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 30 March 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Apr 1909
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, 06 April 1909) Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Apr 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 07 April 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Apr 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 10 April 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Apr 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 13 April 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 May 1909
Page 1 Advertisements Column 9 (Evening Post, 22 May 1909) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 May 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 31 May 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Jun 1909
Page 7 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 12 June 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Jul 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 09 July 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
28 Jul 1909
TABLE TALK (Otago Witness, 28 July 1909) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Aug 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 09 August 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
10 Aug 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 10 August 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Aug 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 18 August 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Aug 1909
Page 5 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 21 August 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
11 Sept 1909
Page 7 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 11 September 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Sept 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 13 September 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Oct 1909
Page 9 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 16 October 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Oct 1909
TABLE TALK (Otago Witness, 20 October 1909) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Nov 1909
TABLE TALK. (Otago Witness, 03 November 1909) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
5 Nov 1909
Page 9 Advertisements Column 3 (Evening Post, 05 November 1909) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Nov 1909
TABLE TALK. (Otago Witness, 10 November 1909) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Nov 1909
LOCAL & GENERAL (Otago Witness, 24 November 1909) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 3 places
30 Nov 1909
BOROUGH MATTERS. (West Coast Times, 30 November 1909) West Coast Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Dec 1909
Page 10 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 04 December 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Dec 1909
Page 10 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 11 December 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Dec 1909
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 18 December 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1910s
1 Jan 1910
Two boys walking on Rue Lavaud outside Roche’s Grand HotelJan Shuttleworth collection Bill Buckland collection · Canterbury Stories · Christchurch City Libraries
26 Mar 1910
Page 15 Advertisements Column 4 (Evening Post, 26 March 1910) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Apr 1910
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (NZ Truth, 30 April 1910) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Jun 1910
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (NZ Truth, 04 June 1910) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Jun 1910
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (NZ Truth, 25 June 1910) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Sept 1910
THE DASH FOR DECREES. (NZ Truth, 03 September 1910) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Sept 1910
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Feilding Star, 21 September 1910) Feilding Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Nov 1910
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Colonist, 28 November 1910) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Dec 1910
Page 9 Advertisements Column 4 (Evening Post, 27 December 1910) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Jan 1911
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Mataura Ensign 1-11-1911) Mataura Ensign · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Feb 1911
THIRTY-SEVEN YEARS SINCE (Ashburton Guardian, 16 February 1911) Ashburton Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jun 1911
RACING COMMISSION REPORT, (Grey River Argus, 24 June 1911) Grey River Argus · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
22 Nov 1911
LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS. (Marlborough Express, 22 November 1911) Marlborough Express · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 May 1912
Page 6 Advertisements Column 5 (NZ Truth, 11 May 1912) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 May 1912
Page 7 Advertisements Column 5 (NZ Truth, 25 May 1912) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Aug 1912
PERSONAL. (Wanganui Chronicle, 31 August 1912) Wanganui Chronicle · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Sept 1912
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Wairarapa Daily Times, 13 September 1912) Wairarapa Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Oct 1912
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (NZ Truth, 12 October 1912) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
9 Nov 1912
Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 (NZ Truth, 09 November 1912) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
21 Nov 1912
Page 6 Advertisements Column 5 (Grey River Argus, 21 November 1912) Grey River Argus · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Mar 1913
THE WEEK IN WELLINGTON. (Wairarapa Daily Times, 05 March 1913) Wairarapa Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 May 1913
WOMEN IN PRINT. (Evening Post, 14 May 1913) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Jun 1913
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Ashburton Guardian, 04 June 1913) Ashburton Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Jun 1913
Page 6 Advertisements Column 4 (NZ Truth, 07 June 1913) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
4 Oct 1913
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (NZ Truth, 04 October 1913) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Oct 1913
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (NZ Truth, 11 October 1913) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
22 Oct 1913
Untitled (Evening Post, 22 October 1913) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Apr 1914
Page 3 Advertisements Column 6 (NZ Truth, 25 April 1914) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 May 1914
Page 5 Advertisements Column 4 (Evening Post, 06 May 1914) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
5 Aug 1914
Page 5 Advertisements Column 4 (Evening Post, 05 August 1914) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Aug 1914
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (NZ Truth, 08 August 1914) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Aug 1914
CAP AND JACKET Late Racing. (Observer, 22 August 1914) Observer · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Feb 1915
Page 12 Advertisements Column 3 (Evening Post, 17 February 1915) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Apr 1915
Untitled (Evening Post, 20 April 1915) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Sept 1915
ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 03 September 1915) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Sept 1915
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 11 September 1915) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
27 Sept 1915
ROLL OF HONOUR NEW ZEALAND CASUALTIES (Evening Post, 27 September 1915) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Nov 1915
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Grey River Argus, 03 November 1915) Grey River Argus · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Jan 1916
Page 7 Advertisements Column 1 (Otago Daily Times 19-1-1916) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Apr 1916
Page 8 Advertisements Column 5 (Otago Daily Times 17-4-1916) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 May 1916
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Otago Daily Times 5-7-1916) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 May 1916
AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL. (Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, 09 May 1916) Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
24 Jun 1916
Page 9 Advertisements Column 3 (Otago Daily Times 24-6-1916) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Jul 1916
MILLS, THE MORMON (NZ Truth, 29 July 1916) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Sept 1916
Page 1 Advertisements Column 6 (Otago Daily Times 9-2-1916) Otago Daily Times · 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 Grand Hotel”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch