How many records does the archive hold?

77,260 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.

2,721 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 1920s
15 Aug 1929
WOMEN IN PRINT (Evening Post, 15 August 1929) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Aug 1929
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Ellesmere Guardian, 23 August 1929) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Aug 1929
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Ellesmere Guardian, 27 August 1929) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Oct 1929
LOCAL AND GENERAL (Ellesmere Guardian, 11 October 1929) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Oct 1929
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Ellesmere Guardian, 29 October 1929) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
14 Nov 1929
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Ellesmere Guardian, 14 November 1929) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
13 Dec 1929
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Ellesmere Guardian, 13 December 1929) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Dec 1929
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Ellesmere Guardian, 20 December 1929) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Dec 1929
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Ellesmere Guardian, 31 December 1929) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1930s
1 Jan 1930
Central City. Building. Edmonds Band Rotunda, viewed from Oxford Terrace, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. Canterbury Photography Museum · Canterbury Photography Museum · about 1 place
28 Feb 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 28 February 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Mar 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 11 March 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Mar 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 18 March 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Apr 1930
LOCAL AND GENERAL (Ellesmere Guardian, 08 April 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Apr 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 11 April 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 May 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 02 May 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 May 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 06 May 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 May 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 16 May 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 May 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 20 May 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 May 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 23 May 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 May 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 27 May 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 May 1930
Page 3 Advertisements Column 5 (Evening Post, 31 May 1930) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
10 Jun 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 10 June 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Jun 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 13 June 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Jun 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 20 June 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jun 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 24 June 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Jul 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 04 July 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Jul 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 08 July 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Jul 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 29 July 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Aug 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 05 August 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Aug 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 08 August 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Aug 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 12 August 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Aug 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 15 August 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Aug 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 19 August 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Aug 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 29 August 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Sept 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 02 September 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Sept 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 05 September 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Sept 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 23 September 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Oct 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 28 October 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Oct 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 31 October 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Nov 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 07 November 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Nov 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 11 November 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Nov 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 13 November 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Nov 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 18 November 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Nov 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 21 November 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Nov 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 25 November 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Nov 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 28 November 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Dec 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 02 December 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Dec 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 05 December 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Dec 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 09 December 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Dec 1930
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 12 December 1930) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Jan 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 09 January 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Jan 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 16 January 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Jan 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 20 January 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Jan 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 23 January 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Jan 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 27 January 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Jan 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 30 January 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Jan 1931
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Evening Post, 31 January 1931) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
6 Feb 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 06 February 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Feb 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 10 February 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Feb 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 17 February 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Feb 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 20 February 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Feb 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 24 February 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Feb 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 27 February 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Mar 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 03 March 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Mar 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 06 March 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Mar 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 20 March 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Mar 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 24 March 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Mar 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 27 March 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Mar 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 31 March 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Apr 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 02 April 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Apr 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 07 April 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Apr 1931
Page 2 Advertisements Column 8 (Evening Post, 14 April 1931) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
11 May 1931
RADIO PROGRAMMES (Evening Post, 11 May 1931) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Jul 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Evening Post, 22 July 1931) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Nov 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 24 November 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Nov 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 27 November 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Dec 1931
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 04 December 1931) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Feb 1932
Page 1 Advertisements Column 5 (Ellesmere Guardian, 09 February 1932) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Apr 1932
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Ellesmere Guardian, 01 April 1932) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 May 1932
RUGBY SUB-UNION (Ellesmere Guardian, 10 May 1932) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
20 Sept 1932
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 20 September 1932) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
10 May 1933
NEWS OF THE DAY (Evening Post, 10 May 1933) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 May 1933
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 19 May 1933) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Dec 1933
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Evening Post, 09 December 1933) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Dec 1933
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Ellesmere Guardian, 12 December 1933) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Dec 1933
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Ellesmere Guardian, 12 December 1933) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Jan 1934
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Ellesmere Guardian, 12 January 1934) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Feb 1934
PERSONAL NOTES (Evening Post, 07 February 1934) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Feb 1934
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Evening Post, 17 February 1934) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Mar 1934
STAGE AND SCREEN (Evening Post, 29 March 1934) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Sept 1934
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Ellesmere Guardian, 14 September 1934) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Oct 1934
THOMPSON MEMORIAL LIBRARY (Ellesmere Guardian, 09 October 1934) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Jun 1935
PERSONAL AND GENERAL. (Waiapu Church Gazette, 01 June 1935) Waiapu Church Gazette · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
2 Jul 1935
ENTERTAINMENTS (Evening Post, 02 July 1935) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Aug 1935
CURRENT ENTERTAINMENTS (Evening Post, 10 August 1935) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Aug 1935
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Ellesmere Guardian, 23 August 1935) Ellesmere Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Aug 1935
TOPICS FOR WOMEN BASKETBALL DANCE CHEAP READING I OBITUARY ENGAGEMENT. HOUSE OF ROTHSSCHILD WEDDING PERSONAL NOTES COLOURED FLOORS SMART CLOTHES DEBUTANTE'S CAREER PLEASANT RECEPTION SYMPATHY WITH THE YOUNG HERE AND THERE LATEST IN JEWELLERY (Evening Post, 29 August 1935) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Sept 1935
RADIO PROGRAMMES (Evening Post, 09 September 1935) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Sept 1935
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Evening Post, 11 September 1935) Evening Post · 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.

“J Books”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch