Christchurch: A Chronology to 1989

A timeline of some Christchurch events in chronological order from 1700s to 1989.

Go to a year between 1700 & 1989

April 24, 1858: Contract let for fortnightly mail service between Christchurch and Timaru.
April 25, 1850: Canterbury Association settlers meet in London.
April 25, 1854: Coal from the Malvern Hills on sale in Christchurch at £5-10s a ton.
April 25, 1864: Canterbury Horticultural and Acclimatisation Society formed. This group introduced many animals, birds and fish to Canterbury, and helped to establish the Government Gardens, which eventually became the Botanic Gardens.
April 25, 1977: Bridge of Remembrance becomes a pedestrian precinct.
April 25, 1981: New $16 million postal centre in Hereford Street in operation. A determined fight by civic groups had failed to prevent its siting next to the old Public Library.
April 26, 1852: Christ’s College moves from Lyttelton to Christchurch.
April 27, 1872: Railway north open to Kaiapoi.
April 28-29, 1983: Visit of Prince and Princess of Wales.
April 29, 1925: Rev J.K. Archer becomes Mayor of Christchurch, New Zealand’s first Labour mayor.
April 29, 1974: Cr. David Caygill, aged 25, becomes the city’s youngest ever acting Mayor (for 5 days).
April 30, 1875: New library building completed on the corner of Cambridge Terrace and Hereford Street. Designed by W.B. Armson, the building is now part of the Library Chambers.
April 30, 1971: 6000 protesters march against the war in Vietnam.