How many records does the archive hold?

80,797 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 Free Theatre”, the shelf

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

863 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 1900s
15 Aug 1908
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 15 August 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Aug 1908
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Poverty Bay Herald, 19 August 1908) Poverty Bay Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Aug 1908
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 22 August 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
22 Aug 1908
Page 5 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 22 August 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Aug 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 26 August 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Aug 1908
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 29 August 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
29 Aug 1908
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 29 August 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
4 Sept 1908
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 04 September 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Sept 1908
Page 5 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 05 September 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 3 places
5 Sept 1908
Page 5 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 05 September 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
5 Sept 1908
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 05 September 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Sept 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 07 September 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Sept 1908
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 12 September 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
14 Sept 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 14 September 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Sept 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 15 September 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Sept 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 16 September 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Sept 1908
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 26 September 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
26 Sept 1908
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 26 September 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Oct 1908
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 15 October 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Oct 1908
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 17 October 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Oct 1908
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 22 October 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
24 Oct 1908
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 24 October 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Nov 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 03 November 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Nov 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 04 November 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Nov 1908
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 14 November 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Nov 1908
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 21 November 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Nov 1908
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 28 November 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
2 Dec 1908
OMNIUM GATHERUM. (Otago Witness, 02 December 1908) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Dec 1908
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 02 December 1908) Star · 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
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
5 Jan 1909
LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS. (Marlborough Express, 05 January 1909) Marlborough Express · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Jan 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 09 January 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Jan 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 16 January 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Jan 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 23 January 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Feb 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 20 February 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Mar 1909
Page 8 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 06 March 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Mar 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 16 March 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
19 Mar 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 19 March 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
10 Apr 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 10 April 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 May 1909
Page 5 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 01 May 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 May 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 08 May 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 May 1909
Page 7 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 15 May 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 May 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 21 May 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 May 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 22 May 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Jun 1909
ANDREWS & BEAVEN, LTD., CHRISTCHURCH. (Otago Witness, 16 June 1909) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Jun 1909
PERSONAL ITEMS. (Otago Witness, 23 June 1909) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Jun 1909
Page 5 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 26 June 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 4 places
22 Jul 1909
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 22 July 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
26 Jul 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 26 July 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
14 Aug 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 14 August 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Aug 1909
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 20 August 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Aug 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 24 August 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
24 Aug 1909
Untitled (Poverty Bay Herald, 24 August 1909) Poverty Bay Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
28 Aug 1909
Page 6 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 28 August 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
15 Sept 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 15 September 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Sept 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 22 September 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Sept 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 24 September 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
25 Sept 1909
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 25 September 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
9 Oct 1909
Page 9 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 09 October 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Oct 1909
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 16 October 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
20 Oct 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 20 October 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Nov 1909
Page 9 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 06 November 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Nov 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 09 November 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Nov 1909
Page 9 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 13 November 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Nov 1909
Page 11 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 20 November 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Dec 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 03 December 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Dec 1909
TELEGRAMS. CLEANLINESS OF OUR TRAMS. (Evening Post, 04 December 1909) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Dec 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 07 December 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Dec 1909
Page 9 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 11 December 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
15 Dec 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 15 December 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Dec 1909
Page 10 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 24 December 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
the 1910s
28 May 1910
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Evening Post, 28 May 1910) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
4 Jun 1910
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (NZ Truth, 04 June 1910) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Jul 1910
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (NZ Truth, 23 July 1910) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
27 Dec 1910
Page 9 Advertisements Column 4 (Evening Post, 27 December 1910) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Jun 1911
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Ashburton Guardian, 21 June 1911) Ashburton Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Jul 1911
Untitled (Poverty Bay Herald, 17 July 1911) Poverty Bay Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Nov 1911
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Ashburton Guardian, 01 November 1911) Ashburton Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Dec 1911
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (NZ Truth, 16 December 1911) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Dec 1911
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (NZ Truth, 30 December 1911) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Jan 1912
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (NZ Truth, 13 January 1912) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Apr 1912
Untitled (Poverty Bay Herald, 22 April 1912) Poverty Bay Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Sept 1912
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Wairarapa Daily Times, 20 September 1912) Wairarapa Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Nov 1912
ACROSS THE STRAIT. (Marlborough Express, 15 November 1912) Marlborough Express · 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
6 Jul 1913
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Taranaki Daily News 7-6-1913) Taranaki Daily News · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Sept 1913
THE CITY. (Ashburton Guardian, 22 September 1913) Ashburton Guardian · 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
8 Oct 1914
LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS. (Marlborough Express, 08 October 1914) Marlborough Express · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Mar 1915
Page 9 Advertisements Column 3 (NZ Truth, 27 March 1915) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 May 1915
Page 9 Advertisements Column 3 (NZ Truth, 15 May 1915) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 May 1915
Page 9 Advertisements Column 5 (NZ Truth, 22 May 1915) NZ Truth · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Aug 1915
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Taranaki Daily News 17-8-1915) Taranaki Daily News · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Jan 1916
WOMEN IN PRINT. (Evening Post, 31 January 1916) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Mar 1916
OMNIUM GATHERUM. (Otago Daily Times 3-4-1916) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 May 1916
Page 1 Advertisements Column 5 (Ashburton Guardian, 23 May 1916) Ashburton Guardian · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Oct 1916
Page 10 Advertisements Column 8 (Evening Post, 23 October 1916) Evening Post · 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 Free Theatre”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch