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.

“"Colombo Street"”, the shelf

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

6,046 records matching 94 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 1880s
6 Sept 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 06 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Sept 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 09 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Sept 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 10 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Sept 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 12 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Sept 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 15 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Sept 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 15 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Sept 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 16 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Sept 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 19 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Sept 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 20 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Sept 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 23 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Sept 1884
Sydenham Borough Council. (Star, 23 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Sept 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 25 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
25 Sept 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 25 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Sept 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 25 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Sept 1884
Local & General. (Star, 26 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
26 Sept 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 26 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Sept 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 26 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Sept 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 27 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
27 Sept 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 27 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Sept 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 29 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
29 Sept 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 29 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Sept 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 30 September 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 01 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
1 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 01 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 02 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
2 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 02 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 03 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
4 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 04 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
6 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 06 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Oct 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 07 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 07 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 08 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
8 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 08 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 09 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Oct 1884
MAGISTERIAL. (Star, 09 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 10 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 11 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 11 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 13 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Oct 1884
Public Meeting at Sydenham. (Star, 16 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Oct 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 16 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Oct 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 18 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 20 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 22 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
24 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 24 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 25 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Oct 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 27 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Nov 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 01 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Nov 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 03 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Nov 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 03 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Nov 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 08 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Nov 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 10 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Nov 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 12 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Nov 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 13 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Nov 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 13 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Nov 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 17 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Nov 1884
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 17 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Nov 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 18 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Nov 1884
Latest Locals. (Star, 18 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Nov 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 19 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Nov 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 20 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Nov 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 22 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Nov 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 22 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Nov 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 24 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Nov 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 24 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Nov 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 26 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Nov 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 28 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Nov 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 29 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
29 Nov 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 29 November 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Dec 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 01 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Dec 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 01 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Dec 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 8 (Star, 01 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Dec 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 02 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Dec 1884
Tramway to New Brighton. (Star, 03 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Dec 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 04 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Dec 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 05 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Dec 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 08 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Dec 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 11 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
13 Dec 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 13 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Dec 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 24 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Dec 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 26 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Dec 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 27 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Dec 1884
Latest Locals (Star, 29 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Dec 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 30 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Dec 1884
Page 1 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 31 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Jan 1885
Morton's Block, Colombo Street by M. Mosley · Matapihi · New Zealand Electronic Text Collection · Victoria University of Wellington
1 Jan 1885
Looking south from Cathedral Square by Christchurch Star · 1860 - 1900 Christchurch Star photographs · Canterbury Stories · Christchurch City Libraries
1 Jan 1885
Colombo Street looking south from Cathedral Square by Christchurch Star · 1860 - 1900 Christchurch Star photographs · Canterbury Stories · Christchurch City Libraries
1 Jan 1885
Three men with penny-farthings outside Cyclists Exchange Pioneer Amateur Sports club images · Canterbury Stories · Christchurch City Libraries
1 Jan 1885
Three unidentified males outside A. E. Preece’s Cyclists’ Exchange Pioneer Amateur Sports club images · Canterbury Stories · Christchurch City Libraries
1 Jan 1885
Eleven people outside A. E. Preece’s Cyclists’ Exchange Pioneer Amateur Sports club images · Canterbury Stories · Christchurch City Libraries
2 Jan 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 02 January 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Jan 1885
Latest Locals. (Star, 03 January 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Jan 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 03 January 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Jan 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 06 January 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Jan 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 07 January 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Jan 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 13 January 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Jan 1885
Untitled (Grey River Argus, 15 January 1885) Grey River Argus · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Jan 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 16 January 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Jan 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 19 January 1885) 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.

“"Colombo Street"”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch