How many records does the archive hold?

62,792 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.

“"Bridge Street"”, the shelf

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

133 records matching 98 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 1850s
14 Jun 1859
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Colonist, 14 June 1859) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1860s
13 Oct 1860
RETURNED LETTERS (Lyttelton Times, 13 October 1860) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Feb 1861
Page 5 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 13 February 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
5 Jul 1861
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Wellington Independent, 05 July 1861) Wellington Independent · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Nov 1861
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 06 November 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Nov 1861
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 23 November 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Aug 1869
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Colonist, 17 August 1869) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1870s
30 Mar 1872
Untitled (Grey River Argus, 30 March 1872) Grey River Argus · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Jun 1872
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Nelson Evening Mail, 22 June 1872) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Apr 1877
EXPRESS" TELEGRAMS. (Marlborough Express, 18 April 1877) Marlborough Express · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1880s
27 Apr 1883
News Of The Week. (New Zealand Tablet, 27 April 1883) New Zealand Tablet · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Sept 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Nelson Evening Mail, 05 September 1883) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Oct 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 02 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
3 Oct 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 03 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
6 Oct 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 06 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
8 Oct 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 08 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
13 Oct 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 13 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Oct 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 14 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
15 Oct 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 15 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Oct 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 16 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Oct 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 17 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Oct 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 22 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Oct 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 23 October 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Jan 1889
Trafalgar Street, Nelson Hocken Digital Collections · Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago; University of Otago
the 1890s
19 Nov 1891
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Inangahua Times, 19 November 1891) Inangahua Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Dec 1891
Untitled (Nelson Evening Mail, 11 December 1891) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 May 1892
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Nelson Evening Mail, 03 May 1892) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 May 1892
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Nelson Evening Mail, 05 May 1892) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 May 1892
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Nelson Evening Mail, 06 May 1892) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Jul 1892
LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS. (Marlborough Express, 07 July 1892) Marlborough Express · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Aug 1893
TELEGRAMS. (Otago Daily Times, 23 August 1893) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Jun 1894
Irish News. (New Zealand Tablet, 08 June 1894) New Zealand Tablet · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Nov 1894
Untitled (Nelson Evening Mail, 19 November 1894) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Jun 1896
Untitled (Nelson Evening Mail, 06 June 1896) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Jul 1899
Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1899. (Nelson Evening Mail, 21 July 1899) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1900s
10 Apr 1901
LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS. (Poverty Bay Herald, 10 April 1901) Poverty Bay Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
20 Sept 1901
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 20 September 1901) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
22 Oct 1903
Untitled (Colonist, 22 October 1903) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
27 Jun 1904
Page 3 Advertisements Column 5 (Colonist, 27 June 1904) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Dec 1904
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Nelson Evening Mail, 28 December 1904) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
16 Oct 1905
MISCELLANEOUS. (Colonist, 16 October 1905) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Jan 1906
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Nelson Evening Mail, 10 January 1906) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Feb 1906
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Nelson Evening Mail, 27 February 1906) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Feb 1906
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Nelson Evening Mail, 28 February 1906) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Jun 1906
LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS. (Marlborough Express, 05 June 1906) Marlborough Express · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Nov 1906
Untitled (Colonist, 16 November 1906) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
4 Dec 1906
OPENING OF THE NEW POST OFFICE. (Colonist, 04 December 1906) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
21 Sept 1907
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Nelson Evening Mail, 21 September 1907) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Dec 1907
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Colonist, 21 December 1907) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Mar 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Nelson Evening Mail, 14 March 1908) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Jun 1908
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Colonist, 16 June 1908) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Sept 1908
Page 5 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 26 September 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Oct 1908
Page 4 Advertisements Column 9 (Nelson Evening Mail, 27 October 1908) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Oct 1908
Page 5 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 31 October 1908) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Nov 1908
Page 4 Advertisements Column 7 (Nelson Evening Mail, 05 November 1908) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Dec 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 8 (Colonist, 11 December 1908) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Dec 1908
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Colonist, 14 December 1908) Colonist · 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
3 May 1909
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Nelson Evening Mail, 03 May 1909) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 May 1909
FOOTBALL. (Nelson Evening Mail, 25 May 1909) Nelson Evening Mail · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Oct 1909
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 16 October 1909) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1910s
7 Feb 1911
Page 3 Advertisements Column 7 (Colonist, 07 February 1911) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Feb 1911
Page 3 Advertisements Column 8 (Colonist, 11 February 1911) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Jun 1912
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Mataura Ensign 6-1-1912) Mataura Ensign · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 May 1913
ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES. (Wanganui Chronicle, 19 May 1913) Wanganui Chronicle · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Oct 1914
NEWS OF THE DAY. (Colonist, 17 October 1914) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Jan 1915
Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 (Colonist, 15 January 1915) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Jan 1915
Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 (Colonist, 16 January 1915) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Jun 1915
ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 10 June 1915) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Aug 1915
ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 23 August 1915) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Jun 1916
THE ROLL OF HONOUR (Otago Daily Times 14-6-1916) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Oct 1916
ROLL OF HONOUR (Otago Daily Times 23-10-1916) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Feb 1917
WELLINGTON RECRUITING DISTRICT (No. 5) (Evening Post, 13 February 1917) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Sept 1917
15000 MEN CALLED UP (Evening Post, 03 September 1917) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
2 Oct 1917
FIRST DIVISION (Evening Post, 02 October 1917) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
11 May 1918
Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 (Colonist, 11 May 1918) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
15 Nov 1918
Page 7 Advertisements Column 2 (Colonist, 15 November 1918) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1920s
1 Jan 1926
Aerial photomosaic of South New Brighton Christchurch 1926 aerial photomosaics · Canterbury Stories · Christchurch City Libraries
the 1930s
9 Mar 1931
BLACK CAT ART UNION (Evening Post, 09 March 1931) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Sept 1932
NO. 18" ART UNION (Evening Post, 24 September 1932) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 5 places
19 Nov 1935
THE ART UNION (Evening Post, 19 November 1935) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Apr 1938
ART UNION DRAW (Evening Post, 12 April 1938) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1940s
27 May 1941
NEW ZEALAND CASUALTIES (Evening Post, 27 May 1941) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 4 places
30 May 1941
FURTHER LISTS OF MISSING (Evening Post, 30 May 1941) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Jun 1941
TODAY'S LIST (Evening Post, 03 June 1941) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Jun 1941
ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 26 June 1941) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 3 places
30 Jun 1941
PRISONERS OF WAR (Evening Post, 30 June 1941) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jul 1941
ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 02 July 1941) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 4 places
12 Jul 1941
N.Z.E.F. CASUALTIES (Evening Post, 12 July 1941) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
5 Aug 1941
N.Z.E.F. CASUALTIES (Evening Post, 05 August 1941) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Oct 1941
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Evening Post, 18 October 1941) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
10 Dec 1941
ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 10 December 1941) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Dec 1941
ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 31 December 1941) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Jan 1942
ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 05 January 1942) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Jan 1942
SERVICE OVERSEAS (Evening Post, 13 January 1942) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Jan 1942
ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 17 January 1942) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
21 Jan 1942
N.Z.E.F. CASUALTIES (Evening Post, 21 January 1942) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 4 places
29 Jul 1942
KILLED IN ACTION. (Evening Post, 29 July 1942) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
30 Jul 1942
N.Z.E.F. ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 30 July 1942) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
31 Jul 1942
N.Z.E.F. ROLL OF HONOUR (Evening Post, 31 July 1942) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 4 places

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.

“"Bridge Street"”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch