The papers

Christchurch in print, 278 newspapers and periodicals the archive holds, shelved under the names they were printed in. Each links out to Papers Past, where the original page sits. A record here is a lead, not a claim.

Mastheads: 278
Records held: 51,178
The span: 1800–2026
Heaviest file: Star

The mastheads that carry the record

Paper	Ran	Records
Star	1868–1909	11,327
Evening Post	1865–1945	5,960
Lyttelton Times	1851–1862	3,453
Auckland Weekly News	1898–1945	3,032
Ellesmere Guardian	1891–1945	1,788
Photographs / He Whakaahua	1850–1981	1,685
Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser	1877–1920	1,117
Photography	1800–1999	1,096
Ashburton Guardian	1887–1921	1,083
Otago Witness	1852–1909	997
Samuel Anstey collection	1900–1906	993
Archives NZ Collections search	1900–1986	878

The 1800s 2

Paper	Ran	Records
Photography	1800–1999	1,096
Auckland Art Gallery Collection	1801–1940	46

The 1820s 1

Paper	Ran	Records
Mackelvie Trust Collection	1826	1

The 1840s 5

Paper	Ran	Records
Wellington Independent	1849–1874	76
Daily Southern Cross	1849–1876	42
New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian	1848–1853	4
New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser	1843	1
New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator	1841	1

The 1850s 13

Paper	Ran	Records
Lyttelton Times	1851–1862	3,453
Photographs / He Whakaahua	1850–1981	1,685
Otago Witness	1852–1909	997
Colonist	1858–1920	639
2019 Photo Hunt	1856–1950	162
2013 Photo Hunt	1850–1946	160
1860 - 1900 Christchurch Star photographs	1859–1983	60
2010 Photo Hunt	1850–1940	44
2023 Photo Hunt	1850–1940	36
William Travers photograph album	1850–1880	26
Archives	1851–1941	14
Smyth family collection	1850–1926	14
Heritage Maps / He Mahere Tuku Iho	1856–1950	6

The 1860s 34

Paper	Ran	Records
Star	1868–1909	11,327
Evening Post	1865–1945	5,960
Otago Daily Times	1862–1920	812
Timaru Herald	1864–1900	667
Grey River Argus	1866–1920	473
Marlborough Express	1868–1920	429
North Otago Times	1866–1900	403
West Coast Times	1866–1909	300
Wanganui Herald	1867–1909	295
Nelson Evening Mail	1866–1909	209
Christchurch and Banks Peninsula glass plate collection	1860–1911	151
Taranaki Herald	1862–1909	151
Hawke's Bay Herald	1860–1900	136
Human History	1861–2007	125
Southland Times	1862–1905	113
Log book, May 1862 to May 1864	1862	91
Documentary Heritage	1862–1989	88
Log on board the S.S. Somersetshire, 1869	1860	87
NZmuseums	1860–1994	84
Rowley family letters	1860–1894	78
Philatelic	1860–1943	69
Charles E. D. Goff shipboard diary	1864	63
Okains Bay Museum collection	1860–1939	63
Ship's diary on the Blue Jacket, 1866	1866	55
Museum Archives	1865–1930	54
Christchurch Drainage Board, plans, maps and drawings	1862–1924	43
Portraits, Christchurch Mayors	1863–1950	36
Bruce Herald	1868–1903	33
2022 Photo Hunt	1860–2016	32
John Richardson shipboard diary	1864	30
Craw family photograph collection	1868–1950	29
City Surveyor plans	1864–1920	20
Wood Brothers' flour mill, Riccarton	1862–1895	6
Henry Smith papers, shipboard diary and photographs	1869–1890	5

The 1870s 25

Paper	Ran	Records
Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser	1877–1920	1,117
Wanganui Chronicle	1874–1919	517
Poverty Bay Herald	1879–1920	487
Auckland Star	1871–1903	410
Jan Shuttleworth Collection	1870–1978	162
New Zealand Tablet	1878–1909	153
Art	1876–1969	137
Thames Star	1875–1920	115
Matapihi	1879–2000	73
Local people and functions	1870–1942	70
Clutha Leader	1876–1920	50
Local scenes and places	1870–1938	41
Tuapeka Times	1873–1919	37
Christchurch bridges: plans and drawings	1870–1929	31
Waikato Times	1874–1886	28
Maps, plans and drawings	1874–1942	19
Heathcote Road Board rural sections	1877	15
Canterbury Public Library architectural drawings	1870–1924	14
Shipboard diary, Henry Bottle	1879	11
Henry Bottle papers	1879	4
Mary Anne McCrystal shipboard diary	1874	4
My dear Papa, 10 February 1879	1879	3
My dear Papa, 13 August 1879	1879	3
My dear Papa, 18 June 1879	1879	3
My dear Papa, 24 April 1879	1879	3

The 1880s 29

Paper	Ran	Records
Ashburton Guardian	1887–1921	1,083
Hawera & Normanby Star	1881–1924	485
Plants	1889–2009	469
Feilding Star	1882–1920	205
Pioneer Amateur Sports club images	1880–1939	156
Mataura Ensign	1888–1914	150
Observer	1880–1920	91
Ernest Smith, photographs and papers	1886–1952	85
Bush Advocate	1888–1909	73
Hanmer Springs	1881–1933	68
Henry Smith diary	1880	67
Daily Telegraph	1881–1901	58
2016 Photo Hunt	1880–1942	47
Manawatu Standard	1884–1905	46
Manawatu Times	1884–1905	36
Inangahua Times	1882–1899	30
No. 1 Pumphouse	1880–1900	19
Christchurch photographs and postcards	1885–1932	14
2020 Photo Hunt	1889–1940	12
Panorama of Christchurch, New Zealand, from Cathedral tower	1881	12
2024 Photo Hunt	1880–1941	11
Kaputone Wool Works	1880–1930	9
Te Aroha News	1884–1889	9
All Saints Church, Burwood collection	1882–1921	8
Molluscs	1880–2007	7
WCC, Library Photograph Collection copy negatives	1885–1934	5
My dear Fred, 12 September 1884	1884	3
Our stories	1880	1
Publications	1882	1

The 1890s 28

Paper	Ran	Records
Auckland Weekly News	1898–1945	3,032
Ellesmere Guardian	1891–1945	1,788
Natural Science	1893–2009	415
The imperial album of New Zealand scenery	1896	139
2014 Photo Hunt	1890–1960	134
Northern Advocate	1898–1920	123
Gimblett family collection	1890–1953	78
2021 Photo Hunt	1896–1986	77
Further jottings, no. 2	1890	64
Reminiscences of early days at Brookside	1890	63
Queen Mary Hospital	1897–1940	55
2015 Photo Hunt	1890–1940	20
Oxford Observer	1892–1901	15
Part of Photograph Collection	1899–1944	15
Waimate Daily Advertiser	1899–1900	14
Kaputone Wool Works album	1890	12
Early photographs, Christchurch and Canterbury	1899–1921	10
Letter from Thomas Conway	1896	10
New Zealand views	1890	7
Extracts	1896–1897	6
NZ Graphic Collection	1893	4
Part of Photograph Series	1890–1970	4
Manawatu Herald	1892–1899	3
WCC, photographic glass plate negatives of Wellington scenes and events	1895–1924	3
Fair Play	1894	2
Letter with a photograph, from Thomas Conway	1896	2
Winkelmann Collection	1897	2
Webb Collection	1890	1

The 1900s 38

Paper	Ran	Records
Samuel Anstey collection	1900–1906	993
Archives NZ Collections search	1900–1986	878
Photographic Archive	1907–1974	764
NZ Truth	1906–1930	734
MED Historical Photographs	1900–1950	257
Jessie Buckland collection	1900–1934	254
Wairarapa Daily Times	1902–1919	189
Wildey collection	1900–1957	176
Sutton glass plates	1900–1950	153
Taranaki Daily News	1900–1920	153
Parks and gardens : glass slides	1900–1953	113
Progress	1906–1910	64
2025 Photo Hunt	1900–2025	49
Photographs	1900–1945	49
Lilian Beaumont postcard collection	1900–1925	44
Demicheli photos and glass plates	1900–1939	39
History	1900–1954	33
1900 - 1939 Christchurch Star photographs	1900–1936	30
MED negatives	1900–1938	26
New Zealand Free Lance	1900–1909	24
North Beach photographs	1900–1926	23
2018 Photo Hunt	1900–1944	22
Drayton album	1900	20
MuseumArchives	1906	17
Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle	1906–1929	17
House and building plans	1906–1950	14
Bill Buckland collection	1902–1917	13
2009 Photo Hunt	1906–1984	12
Local clubs and sports	1900–1942	12
The Lodge, Hanmer Springs	1900–1932	9
Heney family album	1900–1908	8
Hanmer Springs Forest	1900–1903	6
Ohinemuri Gazette	1909–1921	6
CEISMIC	1901–1955	5
New Zealand Illustrated Magazine	1900–1904	4
Riccarton House Trust collection	1900–1902	4
Pioneer Amateur Sports Club records	1900	2
Summit Road scrapbook	1900	2

The 1910s 14

Paper	Ran	Records
Cashmere Sanatorium album and photographs, 1913-1933	1910–1940	72
Waiapu Church Gazette	1911–1945	46
Photograph album	1913–1930	44
Christchurch, New Zealand : the garden city of the Dominion	1917	17
Photographs and memorabilia	1915–1920	17
2017 Photo Hunt	1915–1942	11
Glass plates	1919	9
Newspaper extracts	1910	8
Thomas Borthwick & Sons Ltd	1910–1934	8
Canterbury Times	1910–1917	5
Roll of Honour	1914	5
Devonvale Dairy	1910	2
Garden city of the Dominion. Leaves 25 to 26	1917	1
Radcliffe Collection	1910	1

The 1920s 19

Paper	Ran	Records
Clarence Walker collection	1920–1956	77
Notebook	1920–1927	77
Christchurch 1926 aerial photomosaics	1926	42
1940s Centennial exhibition	1923–1939	36
Photographs from the report on petrol stations	1928	33
Millbrook Reserve and other Christchurch landscapes	1922–1928	26
Phillipstown School collection	1920–1954	19
Central city block plans	1920–1938	16
Genet and Macefield collection	1928–1937	16
Arthurs Pass photograph album	1920	13
Insects	1922–1999	13
Photograph album, mountains	1920–1928	13
Zealandia Soap and Candle Works	1920–1930	12
Photograph album, tramping and camping	1920–1930	10
Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette	1929–1945	5
William Trethewey papers	1920–1937	3
Between The Waters - Polish Legacy in New Zealand collection	1927	1
Hugh Brown collection	1920	1
WCC, ephemeral or estray items	1927	1

The 1930s 11

Paper	Ran	Records
The Romance of New Regent Street	1932	60
Stanley McKay's Gaieties	1936	12
Hanmer Springs Golden Jubilee Celebrations	1933	11
New Regent Street	1930–1931	10
2008 Photo Hunt	1930–1940	9
Cinema advertising slides	1930–1931	6
Harley Chambers, drawings and plans	1934	5
State Library of NSW	1939–1992	5
Birds	1930–2009	4
Photograph album, skiing	1936–1938	4
Harry Ell papers	1930	1

The 1940s 6

Paper	Ran	Records
1940s Christchurch Star photographs	1940–1945	98
Photograph album, Alamein to Tripoli	1942–1943	18
Photograph album, life in Egypt	1940	16
Photograph album, Tripoli	1943	14
Photograph album: Cairo and Palestine	1940	3
Richard Heney collection	1942	2

The 1950s 3

Paper	Ran	Records
50th Anniversary: annual meeting and function	1959	7
CollectedArchives	1950	1
Operation Deep Freeze papers	1955	1

The 1960s 2

Paper	Ran	Records
1965 - 1969 Christchurch Star photographs	1965	1
Journals / He Hautaka	1964	1

The 1970s 7

Paper	Ran	Records
WCC, City Photographer's photographic negatives	1970	80
1971 Christchurch Star negative strips	1971	5
1972 Christchurch Star negative strips	1972	2
1974 Christchurch Star negative strips	1974	2
1977 Christchurch Star negative strips	1977	2
1973 Christchurch Star negative strips	1973	1
1976 Christchurch Star negative strips	1976	1

The 1980s 8

Paper	Ran	Records
Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense	1980–2005	277
Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration	1981	75
Christchurch city and buildings, 1970s to 1980s	1980–1988	15
Part of Map Collection	1986–2004	3
2026 Photohunt	1980	2
Barry Wells collection	1989	1
Digital Map Drawer	1981	1
Kevin Hill collection	1982	1

The 2000s 8

Paper	Ran	Records
Greg O’Beirne collection	2004–2011	437
Heritage buildings documentation	2001–2011	41
Shrove Tuesday in Cathedral Square	2008	13
UC QuakeStudies	2008–2016	11
Cafe Cecil collection	2005–2017	9
Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings	2006	9
Removals	2001	1
Ron Fensom, Q.S.M. collection	2002	1

The 2010s 14

Paper	Ran	Records
Earthquake damage	2011	19
Gina Hubert earthquake collection	2010–2012	12
Wayne Field earthquake collection	2010	6
Akaroa	2019	5
Brendon Haughey collection	2015	3
Transitional Cathedral	2012–2013	3
Ashburton clubs	2019	2
Activities of RAD Bikes	2018	1
Bankruptcies	2015	1
Cathy White Earthquake collection	2011	1
Chris Portwine collection	2011	1
David Ayling earthquake collection	2011	1
Jane and Mike Rodgers collection	2013	1
Moata Tamaira collection	2010	1

The 2020s 11

Paper	Ran	Records
Simon Daisley collection	2024–2025	6
Applications for Winding up/Liquidations	2026	2
Brian McElwaine collection	2026	2
Canterbury Museum	2022	2
Christchurch Memorial RSA Collection	2021	1
Godley Cliffs 2021	2021	1
Other	2026	1
Secondary Legislation	2026	1
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre	2022	1
The New Zealand Gazette	2026	1
The stores of Scorpio Books	2024	1

Questions, answered briefly

How many old Christchurch newspapers does the archive hold?

278 mastheads, 51,178 records that mention Christchurch, printed 1800–2026. Each masthead opens its own shelf.

What is the oldest paper on the shelf?

Photography, its records reach 1800–1999, 1,096 of them.

Where do the paper records link to?

Papers Past, the National Library’s newspaper archive, every row links the issue it came from. A record here is a lead, not a claim.

The whole shelf → · The register →