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1881
- February 24
- First century in first class cricket scored by George Watson for Canterbury.
- May 18
- Christchurch Boys High School (designed by W. B. Armson) opens in Worcester Street. The school moved to the present Straven Road site in 1926, and the old building is now part of the Arts Centre.
- September
- Christchurch Lawn Tennis Club formed. Its first courts were in Cranmer Square. Star, Issue 4179, 12 September 1881, Page 4
- September 24
- Telephone exchange (the first in New Zealand) begins operation.
- October 15
- Lancaster Park opens. This privately owned development was built so that sports clubs could charge admission fees to games.
- November 1
- Christchurch Cathedral (still uncompleted) dedicated.
- November 24
- St Albans Borough formed.
- December 5
- Earthquake damages Cathedral spire.
- December
- Canterbury Frozen Meat Company formed.
- (no date)
- Ceremony in the Provincial Chambers confers degrees on Helen Connon (later Mrs McMillan Brown) and Kate Edger, the first women university graduates in New Zealand. Edger was the first assistant of Christchurch Girls High School, and Connon was shortly to become headmistress.
