How many records does the archive hold?

67,402 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.

“"Canterbury Street"”, 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 1870s
1 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 01 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 03 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 04 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 05 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 08 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 09 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 14 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 15 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 16 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 19 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
21 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 21 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
25 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 25 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
26 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 26 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 29 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
4 Nov 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 04 November 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Nov 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 05 November 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Nov 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 06 November 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Nov 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 08 November 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Jan 1879
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 13 January 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jan 1879
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 24 January 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Jul 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 12 July 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Jul 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 18 July 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Jul 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 22 July 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Jul 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 23 July 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jul 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 24 July 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Oct 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 25 October 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
13 Nov 1879
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 13 November 1879) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1880s
8 May 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 08 May 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Jun 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 25 June 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
29 Jul 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 29 July 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Oct 1880
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 08 October 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Jun 1882
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 17 June 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Dec 1882
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 20 December 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Jul 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 31 July 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Aug 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 01 August 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Aug 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 02 August 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Aug 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 03 August 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Aug 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 04 August 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Aug 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 06 August 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Aug 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 07 August 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Aug 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 08 August 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Feb 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 28 February 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Mar 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 17 March 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Mar 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 19 March 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 May 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 03 May 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Jul 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 19 July 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Aug 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 01 August 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Aug 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 14 August 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
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
27 Sept 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 27 September 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
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
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 16 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
9 Apr 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 09 April 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
9 May 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 09 May 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 May 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 20 May 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 May 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 21 May 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Jun 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 01 June 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Jul 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 06 July 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
5 Oct 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 05 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Feb 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 03 February 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
12 Feb 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 12 February 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
18 Feb 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 18 February 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Mar 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 05 March 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Mar 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 09 March 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Apr 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 8 (Star, 22 April 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 May 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 13 May 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 May 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 22 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
6 Aug 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 06 August 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
4 Nov 1886
Latest Locals. (Star, 04 November 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Oct 1887
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 29 October 1887) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Nov 1887
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 24 November 1887) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Jun 1888
Local & General, (Star, 28 June 1888) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Dec 1888
THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF NEW ZEALAND. (Auckland Star, 10 December 1888) Auckland Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
8 Mar 1889
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 08 March 1889) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
12 Nov 1889
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 12 November 1889) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1890s
7 Mar 1891
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 07 March 1891) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Apr 1891
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 01 April 1891) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Apr 1894
Local & General. (Star, 05 April 1894) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Mar 1895
Page 5 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 02 March 1895) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Feb 1896
Page 5 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 01 February 1896) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Apr 1896
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 04 April 1896) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jan 1897
Page 5 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 02 January 1897) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Oct 1897
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Star, 04 October 1897) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1900s
2 Nov 1900
CHRISTCHURCH NEWS. (Daily Telegraph, 02 November 1900) Daily Telegraph · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
11 Feb 1905
Page 6 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 11 February 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Apr 1905
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 14 April 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Jul 1905
AN OLD LYTTELTON MEMORY. (Star, 15 July 1905) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
6 Mar 1906
Page 3 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 06 March 1906) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Oct 1908
Page 7 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 31 October 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Nov 1908
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 06 November 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Mar 1909
Page 7 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 13 March 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1940s
22 Dec 1941
ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 22 December 1941) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
17 Sept 1942
ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 17 September 1942) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Dec 1942
FIRE AT LYTTELTON (Evening Post, 26 December 1942) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Mar 1944
ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 30 March 1944) 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.

“"Canterbury Street"”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch