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 Salisbury Hotel”, the shelf

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

618 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 1880s
23 Feb 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 23 February 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
25 Feb 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 25 February 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Feb 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 28 February 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Apr 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 23 April 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 May 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 02 May 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 May 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 03 May 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
6 May 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 06 May 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 May 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 16 May 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 May 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 17 May 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 May 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 21 May 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 May 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 22 May 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 May 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 23 May 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 May 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 24 May 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 May 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 26 May 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 May 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 28 May 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Jun 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 05 June 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Jun 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 06 June 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Jun 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 09 June 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
12 Jun 1884
Page 4 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 12 June 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Jul 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 08 July 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Sept 1884
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 18 September 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
20 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 20 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Oct 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 21 October 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
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
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
2 Dec 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 02 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Dec 1884
February (Star, 31 December 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
2 Feb 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 02 February 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
13 Apr 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 13 April 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Apr 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 16 April 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 May 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 22 May 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Jun 1885
The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 1885. (Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, 30 June 1885) Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Jul 1885
The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. WEDNESDAY, JULY 15,1855. (Inangahua Times, 15 July 1885) Inangahua Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Sept 1885
Local & General. (Star, 11 September 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Oct 1885
LOCAL & GENERAL (Otago Witness, 17 October 1885) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Oct 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 24 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Nov 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 07 November 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Dec 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 01 December 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Dec 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 02 December 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Dec 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 08 December 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Dec 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 14 December 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Jan 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 13 January 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Jan 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 27 January 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Feb 1886
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 16 February 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 May 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 18 May 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Jun 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 03 June 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Jul 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 16 July 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
24 Jul 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 24 July 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
27 Jul 1886
THE OTOGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1886. (Otago Daily Times, 27 July 1886) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
28 Jul 1886
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 28 July 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Aug 1886
LOCAL & GENERAL. (Otago Witness, 27 August 1886) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Oct 1886
LOCAL & GENERAL (Otago Witness, 08 October 1886) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Dec 1886
LOCAL & GENERAL. (Otago Witness, 03 December 1886) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Jan 1887
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 08 January 1887) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Mar 1887
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 21 March 1887) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 May 1887
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 16 May 1887) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 May 1887
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 17 May 1887) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
31 May 1887
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Timaru Herald, 31 May 1887) Timaru Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Jul 1887
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 06 July 1887) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
15 Jul 1887
LOCAL & GENERAL. (Otago Witness, 15 July 1887) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
19 Jul 1887
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 19 July 1887) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Jul 1887
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 28 July 1887) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
29 Oct 1887
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 29 October 1887) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Dec 1888
Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1888. "MEASURES, NOT MEN." GOOD ADVICE. Local and General Intelligence. (Tuapeka Times, 26 December 1888) Tuapeka Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Jun 1889
MISCELLANEOUS. (Inangahua Times, 03 June 1889) Inangahua Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Oct 1889
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Otago Witness, 24 October 1889) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1890s
20 Jan 1890
The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1890. (Auckland Star, 20 January 1890) Auckland Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Mar 1890
Untitled (Auckland Star, 07 March 1890) Auckland Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Mar 1890
COMMERCIAL. (Star, 15 March 1890) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Mar 1890
Untitled (Auckland Star, 22 March 1890) Auckland Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jun 1890
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 02 June 1890) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Oct 1890
TELEGRAMS (Southland Times, 07 October 1890) Southland Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Dec 1890
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 04 December 1890) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
8 Jun 1891
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 08 June 1891) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Jul 1891
ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. (Auckland Star, 17 July 1891) Auckland Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Sept 1891
Local & General. (Star, 28 September 1891) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Oct 1891
MAGISTERIAL. CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 15 October 1891) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 May 1892
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 14 May 1892) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Oct 1892
Births,Marriages, andDeaths. (Colonist, 31 October 1892) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Jul 1893
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 10 July 1893) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Jan 1894
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Nelson Evening Mail, 20 January 1894) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
22 Jan 1894
Page 1 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 22 January 1894) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Feb 1894
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 06 February 1894) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Feb 1894
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Nelson Evening Mail, 12 February 1894) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
31 Mar 1894
Page 7 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 31 March 1894) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
3 Apr 1894
Page 1 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 03 April 1894) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
20 Jul 1894
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Evening Post, 20 July 1894) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Aug 1894
Page 4 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 20 August 1894) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Dec 1894
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 11 December 1894) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Dec 1894
Evening Post. MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1894. 1894. (Evening Post, 31 December 1894) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
5 Jan 1895
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 05 January 1895) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Jul 1895
MAGISTERIAL. (Star, 08 July 1895) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Jan 1896
CABLED TOPICS. (Evening Post, 25 January 1896) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Mar 1896
ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. (Auckland Star, 21 March 1896) Auckland Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Feb 1897
LOCAL & GENERAL. (Otago Witness, 11 February 1897) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Oct 1897
Irish News. (New Zealand Tablet, 29 October 1897) New Zealand Tablet · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Apr 1898
CURRENT TOPICS. (Otago Daily Times, 09 April 1898) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place

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 Salisbury Hotel”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch