How many records does the archive hold?

63,896 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.

“Corner House Restaurant”, the shelf

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

253 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 1850s
7 Dec 1859
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 07 December 1859) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Dec 1859
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 10 December 1859) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1860s
16 Jun 1866
THE MONTH. (West Coast Times, 16 June 1866) West Coast Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Jun 1866
THE MONTH. (West Coast Times, 18 June 1866) West Coast Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1870s
30 Dec 1871
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Otago Daily Times, 30 December 1871) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Mar 1872
EVENTS OF THE MONTH. (West Coast Times, 09 March 1872) West Coast Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Nov 1872
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 16 November 1872) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jan 1875
News of the Week. (Otago Witness, 02 January 1875) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Jan 1875
News of the Week. (Otago Witness, 09 January 1875) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Sept 1875
Page 4 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 17 September 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
23 Jan 1877
THE TRADE OF OUR PORT. (Colonist, 23 January 1877) Colonist · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
4 Sept 1877
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 04 September 1877) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Jan 1878
Page 9 Advertisements Column 1 (Timaru Herald, 01 January 1878) Timaru Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 01 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 02 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 09 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 09 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 10 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 11 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 11 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 13 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 May 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 31 May 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Jun 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 01 June 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Jun 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 05 June 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Jun 1878
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 18 June 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jul 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 02 July 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Jul 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 18 July 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jul 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 24 July 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jul 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 24 July 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Aug 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 13 August 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Aug 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 14 August 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Aug 1878
LOCAL AMD GENERAL. (Star, 17 August 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 02 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
3 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 03 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 07 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 09 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 10 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
12 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 12 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
13 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 13 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 17 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
20 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 20 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
21 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 21 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
24 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 24 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 25 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 26 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Sept 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 30 September 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
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
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
12 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 12 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
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
18 Oct 1878
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 18 October 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
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
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
the 1880s
8 Jun 1881
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 08 June 1881) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 May 1882
News of the Week. (Otago Witness, 13 May 1882) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
25 May 1882
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Otago Daily Times, 25 May 1882) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
20 Dec 1882
Page 2 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 20 December 1882) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Mar 1883
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 29 March 1883) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Feb 1884
SPORTING. (Otago Daily Times, 02 February 1884) Otago Daily Times · 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
9 Apr 1884
Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 09 April 1884) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Jan 1885
Page 2 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 23 January 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
5 Feb 1885
Page 1 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 05 February 1885) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Dec 1886
Page 2 Advertisements Column 6 (Star, 23 December 1886) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Mar 1887
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1887. (Otago Daily Times, 23 March 1887) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
the 1890s
11 Jul 1893
ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. (Auckland Star, 11 July 1893) Auckland Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
19 Sept 1893
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 19 September 1893) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Jan 1896
THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1896. (Otago Daily Times, 21 January 1896) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
22 Aug 1896
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 22 August 1896) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Sept 1896
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 26 September 1896) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Sept 1897
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Otago Daily Times, 06 September 1897) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
10 Sept 1897
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Otago Daily Times, 10 September 1897) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
20 Sept 1897
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 20 September 1897) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Jul 1898
Page 1 Advertisements Column 6 (Evening Post, 18 July 1898) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
10 Oct 1898
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Otago Daily Times, 10 October 1898) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
29 Apr 1899
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 29 April 1899) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 May 1899
Page 8 Advertisements Column 5 (Evening Post, 06 May 1899) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jun 1899
Page 5 Advertisements Column 7 (Star, 24 June 1899) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
16 Aug 1899
Page 3 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 16 August 1899) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Aug 1899
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 17 August 1899) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Sept 1899
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 23 September 1899) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
9 Oct 1899
Page 2 Advertisements Column 1 (Otago Daily Times, 09 October 1899) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Oct 1899
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 24 October 1899) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Oct 1899
Page 5 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 28 October 1899) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Nov 1899
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 11 November 1899) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1900s
31 Mar 1900
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 31 March 1900) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
8 Nov 1902
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 08 November 1902) Star · 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.

“Corner House Restaurant”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch