How many records does the archive hold?

60,434 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.

“e-nails”, the shelf

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

300 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
1 Mar 1851
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 01 March 1851) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
26 Jul 1851
Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 26 July 1851) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Nov 1851
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 29 November 1851) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Dec 1851
Page 7 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 13 December 1851) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Apr 1852
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 03 April 1852) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
17 Apr 1852
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 17 April 1852) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Jun 1852
Page 11 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 19 June 1852) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Oct 1852
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 30 October 1852) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Apr 1853
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 23 April 1853) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Jun 1853
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 11 June 1853) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Jul 1853
Page 11 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 30 July 1853) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Jul 1854
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 22 July 1854) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 May 1855
Page 7 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 05 May 1855) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Nov 1855
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 10 November 1855) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
26 Dec 1855
Page 11 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 26 December 1855) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
30 Jan 1856
Page 7 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 30 January 1856) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Sept 1857
Page 7 Advertisements Column 5 (Lyttelton Times, 19 September 1857) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 Sept 1857
Page 7 Advertisements Column 5 (Lyttelton Times, 23 September 1857) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Oct 1857
Page 7 Advertisements Column 5 (Lyttelton Times, 03 October 1857) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Nov 1857
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 11 November 1857) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Nov 1857
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 18 November 1857) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Nov 1857
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 21 November 1857) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
10 Apr 1858
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 10 April 1858) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
15 May 1858
Shipping News. (Lyttelton Times, 15 May 1858) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
16 Apr 1859
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 16 April 1859) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
25 May 1859
Page 6 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 25 May 1859) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 May 1859
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 25 May 1859) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
4 Jun 1859
Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 04 June 1859) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
17 Aug 1859
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 17 August 1859) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
the 1860s
5 May 1860
Page 7 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 05 May 1860) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 May 1860
Page 7 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 09 May 1860) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 May 1860
Shipping News. (Lyttelton Times, 12 May 1860) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
12 May 1860
Page 7 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 12 May 1860) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 May 1860
Page 7 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 16 May 1860) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 May 1860
Page 7 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 19 May 1860) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Dec 1860
Page 6 Advertisements Column 5 (Lyttelton Times, 05 December 1860) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jan 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 02 January 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Apr 1861
Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 06 April 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Apr 1861
Page 6 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 24 April 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Apr 1861
Page 7 Advertisements Column 5 (Lyttelton Times, 27 April 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
12 Jun 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 12 June 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Jun 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 22 June 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
13 Jul 1861
Page 2 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 13 July 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
27 Jul 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 27 July 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
3 Aug 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 03 August 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
7 Aug 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 07 August 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Aug 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 14 August 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
17 Aug 1861
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 17 August 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Aug 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 21 August 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Aug 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 24 August 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Aug 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 24 August 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Aug 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 28 August 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Aug 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 31 August 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
31 Aug 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 31 August 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
7 Sept 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 07 September 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
11 Sept 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 11 September 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Sept 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 14 September 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Sept 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 18 September 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
18 Sept 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 18 September 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Nov 1861
Page 5 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 02 November 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Dec 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 14 December 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
21 Dec 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 21 December 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
25 Dec 1861
Page 8 Advertisements Column 3 (Lyttelton Times, 25 December 1861) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Jan 1862
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 29 January 1862) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
9 Apr 1862
Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 (Lyttelton Times, 09 April 1862) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
12 Apr 1862
Page 9 Advertisements Column 1 (Lyttelton Times, 12 April 1862) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
3 May 1862
Page 6 Advertisements Column 4 (Lyttelton Times, 03 May 1862) Lyttelton Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
8 Aug 1863
Shipping Summary. (Hawke's Bay Herald, 08 August 1863) Hawke's Bay Herald · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
2 Jul 1864
News of the Week. (Otago Witness, 02 July 1864) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
25 Jun 1866
POST OF AUCKLAND. MISCELLANEOUS. (Daily Southern Cross, 25 June 1866) Daily Southern Cross · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Oct 1866
PORT OF HOKITIKA. (West Coast Times, 01 October 1866) West Coast Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Dec 1866
SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE PORT OF AUCKLAND. (Daily Southern Cross, 01 December 1866) Daily Southern Cross · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Dec 1866
PORT OF AUCKLAND. MISCELLANEOUS. (Daily Southern Cross, 26 December 1866) Daily Southern Cross · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
1 Apr 1867
PORT OF AUCKLAND. (Daily Southern Cross, 01 April 1867) Daily Southern Cross · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Jan 1869
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 18 January 1869) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
19 Jan 1869
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 19 January 1869) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
22 Jan 1869
Page 1 Advertisements Column 5 (Star, 22 January 1869) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
18 Feb 1869
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 18 February 1869) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
29 Mar 1869
Page 1 Advertisements Column 3 (Star, 29 March 1869) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
16 Jul 1869
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 16 July 1869) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Aug 1869
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 28 August 1869) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
the 1870s
3 Sept 1870
Local and General. (Star, 03 September 1870) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 May 1874
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 06 May 1874) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
23 May 1874
Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 23 May 1874) Star · 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
27 Mar 1875
Telegrams. (Otago Witness, 27 March 1875) Otago Witness · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
3 Dec 1875
LOCAL AND GENERAL. (Star, 03 December 1875) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 2 places
22 May 1876
West Coast Times. MONDAY, MAY 22, 1876. (West Coast Times, 22 May 1876) West Coast Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
20 Apr 1878
Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 (Star, 20 April 1878) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
5 Apr 1879
MEETING OF CREDITORS. MR. R. J. DUNCAN. (Evening Post, 05 April 1879) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
18 Jun 1879
Page 3 Advertisements Column 3 (Otago Daily Times, 18 June 1879) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
4 Aug 1879
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Otago Daily Times, 04 August 1879) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
5 Sept 1879
Page 4 Advertisements Column 3 (Otago Daily Times, 05 September 1879) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read · about 1 place
the 1880s
21 Jun 1880
CHRISTCHURCH. (Star, 21 June 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
26 Jun 1880
Page 1 Advertisements Column 4 (Star, 26 June 1880) Star · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
6 Oct 1880
Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 (Otago Daily Times, 06 October 1880) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Jan 1881
The Otago Daily Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1881. (Otago Daily Times, 14 January 1881) Otago Daily Times · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
28 Mar 1881
THE PROPERTY TAX RETURNS. (Evening Post, 28 March 1881) Evening Post · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
24 Jan 1882
Page 1 Advertisements Column 7 (Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, 24 January 1882) Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser · Papers Past · National Library of New Zealand · text read
14 Feb 1882
Page 1 Advertisements Column 1 (Star, 14 February 1882) 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.

“e-nails”, the shelf

The shelf

Its patch