Our guide to our resources, the information you'll find in them and when to try elsewhere
Digitised Resources
Items from our collection made available online covering topics as varied as Christchurch's first newspaper, a notorious murder, New Zealand's worst ever fire, early art catalogues and more.
New
Gallipoli papers
Gallipoli campaign : operation and transport orders, memoranda and other papers issued to the Canterbury Infantry Battalion at Lemnos, January-September 1915. Copies of official orders issued to the Battalion during the Gallipoli landings.
The Kiwi
A troopship magazine from World War I. Front four pages are headed Shipmates O' Mine and contain signatures and names.
The Canterbury Aviation (N.Z.) Co.: the first hundred pilots
A brief history by Henry Wigram recounting the beginnings of the Canterbury Aviation Company. Notes on training pilots for defence purposes during World War I, and prospects for future. Includes a list of the first hundred pilots trained by the company.
The Canterbury (New Zealand) Aviation Co. Limited
Details of services and training offered by the company following World War I.
Christchurch War Memorial: Bridge of Remembrance
The history and symbolic features of the Bridge of Remembrance opened By Viscount Jellicoe of Scapa, on Armistice Day, November 11, 1924. Extracts from the address of J. Wyn Irwin, of the Bridge of Remembrance Committee.
Memorial Service held on Anzac Day, 1916
The first annual commemoration of the landing of the men of New Zealand on the Gallipoli Peninsula, April 25th, 1915, and of the lives laid down on that day and during the ensuing campaign. Service held in Christchurch Cathedral.
Seditious prisoners and conscientious objectors fund
By Edwin Howard. A history and accounting of the fund, which was set up in December 1916, to provide for objectors arrested under the War Regulations.
Diggers' poems
A small collection of poems by returned soldiers published after World War I.
Winning through from war to peace: New Zealand, 1919 edited by L.S. Fanning
Cover subtitle: this illustrated book, edited by L. S. Fanning, shows the wide range of help given to discharged soldiers by the New Zealand Government in the re-establishment of the men in civilian life.
Gordon M. Gee botanical illustrations
This collection of botanical illustrations is the work of Gordon Gee who for 18 years worked at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens as a sign writer. His skill as an artist was recognized and he was encouraged to produce drawings and paintings of specimens at the Gardens.
Architectural Plans of Christchurch Buildings
A selection of architectural plans and drawings from the collection of the Strategy and Planning Group Heritage Archives, Christchurch City Council. The plans and drawings are of a range of buildings in Christchurch, dating from 1909 to 1968.
Contents
Images
Images of early Christchurch and Canterbury that have been digitised
from our collections. They have been sourced from newspapers, archives, books, reports and donations from
private collections.
Initially launched as a part of our Imprints collection.
Maps
A collection of historical maps mostly of Christchurch and Canterbury. The digital copies of the maps are from originals held by Christchurch City Libraries, Christchurch City Archives, and from the Cartographic Collection at the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand.
Posters
Our initial online collection of posters are the 1980s Christchurch Rock posters, digitised from the libraries' ephemera collection for New Zealand Music Month, May 2007.
Publications
A selection of publications, pamphlets and booklets from various sources including library and City Council publications and items from our collection.
Emigration
Documents and ship-board diaries relating to emigration to Christchurch and Canterbury.
Wars & Conflicts
Includes fundraising booklets, a troop ship newletter, an early Canterbury militia list and more.
News & events
Ballantynes Fire - Christchurch, 18 November, 1947
The Ballantyne's fire was the worst fire in New Zealand history. Sources for this resource include contemporary accounts in the The Press, The Star, The Star-Sun and New Zealand Weekly News, the 1948 Report of the Royal Commission of inquiry and later articles.
Christchurch Chronology to 1990
A timeline of Christchurch events in chronological order from pre-European
times to 1990. Includes this week in history and Christchurch's firsts,
bests, worsts and lasts.
Initially launched as a part of our Imprints collection.
New Zealand International Exhibition 1906
The New Zealand International Exhibition held in Christchurch 1906-7 showcased art and culture from around the world and had nearly 2 million visitors.
The Christchurch
Star and the assassination of John F. Kennedy, 1963
The November 23, 1963 edition of the Star newspaper has been digitised. Preoccupation with the Christchurch Star connection intensified with the release in 1992 of Oliver Stone's movie JFK, which uses, as part of its evidence, the front page of the Star of 23 November 1963.
Lyttelton Times
A copy of the first issue of the fledgling colony's first newspaper.
The first issue of the Lyttelton Times presented here, appeared
on January 11 1851 just 26 days after the printing presses arrived
on board the Charlotte
Jane on December 16 1850.
Initially launched as a part of our Imprints collection.
Parker - Hulme Murder Case 1954
Pauline Parker, 16, and Juliet Hulme, 15, were young women whose families, though successful, had secrets and lifestyles that must have affected their behaviour which led to them savagely killing Pauline's mother with a brick in a sock. This information mainly comes from Christchurch newspapers at the time of the trial and articles written since.
Art & Architecture
Art Works
The Bricks: painting of the first settlement on the Plains, 1851 / Durey, John, 1833-1920
Volunteer encampment and inspection, Christchurch, 15th April 1865
Posters
Our initial online collection of posters are the 1980s Christchurch Rock posters, digitised from the libraries' ephemera collection for New Zealand Music Month, May 2007.
Art Publications
A collection of visual arts publications mostly digitised in partnership with the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu.
The architectural heritage of Christchurch
An occasional series published by the Christchurch City Council's Heritage team. Titles include Cranmer Club, Church of the Good Shepherd, Government Buildings, Legacy of Thomas Edmonds, McLeans Mansion, Nurses' Memorial Chapel, Normal School, Pavilions, temples & four square walls: Christchurch pump houses and substations, Woods Mill.
Architectural Plans of Christchurch Buildings
A selection of architectural plans and drawings from the collection of the Strategy and Planning Group Heritage Archives, Christchurch City Council. The plans and drawings are of a range of buildings in Christchurch, dating from 1909 to 1968.
Canterbury Society of Arts Catalogues, 1881 - 1914
The Canterbury Society of Arts was founded in 1880 and held its first annual exhibition in 1881. Catalogues for 1881 and 1883 have not been found and instead reconstructions based on other contemporary sources are presented.
Gordon M. Gee botanical illustrations
This collection of botanical illustrations is the work of Gordon Gee who for 18 years worked at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens as a sign writer. His skill as an artist was recognized and he was encouraged to produce drawings and paintings of specimens at the Gardens.
The Group Catalogues
1927 - 1977
The Group was an informal art association formed in Christchurch in 1927 by seven ex-students of the Canterbury College of Art. The Group exhibited annually in Christchurch from 1927 to 1977, quickly gaining a reputation for representing the latest trends in contemporary New Zealand art and attracting artists from around the country.
Government
Canterbury Police Gazette
The Canterbury Police Gazette was published monthly from 1863 until 1876. They contain lists of stolen items and of other crimes, warrants of arrest with descriptions of the criminals, lists of apprehensions for the month, and of discharges from gaols, and results from court trials.
Christchurch City Council publications
Our digitised publications include the 1906-7 yearbook and a booklet celebrating the opening of the Civic Offices in 1980.
Christchurch Militia List 1860
An alphabetical list of all Persons, between the ages of 18 and 60 years, residing within 15 miles from the Land Office, at Christchurch, and liable to serve as Militiamen for the year 1860-61 (ending 31st March, 1861) in the Militia District of Christchurch.
Fragments from the official career of John Dwyer, Superintendent of Police, 1878 to 1921
John Dwyer’s 43 year policing career began in New Zealand in Dunedin in 1878. He was associated with many notable cases throughout his career. His memoirs focus on some of these incidents, and provide insight into policing in late nineteenth and early twentieth century New Zealand.
The North Canterbury Hospital Board : fragments of history : hospitals : tuberculosis and benevolent institutions and miscellaneous
Unpublished manuscript by Winifred Norris, detailing the history of selected hospitals, orphanages, sanatoriums, and benevolent institutions, in and around Christchurch and Lyttelton.
Ordinances of the Canterbury
Province
A record of the legislation enacted by the provincial government
during the years 1853 and 1875. Canterbury was one of six provinces
created under the New Zealand Constitution Act of 1852. Each province
was governed by a Superintendent and Provincial Council. Transcribed
from the original documents.
Initially launched as a part of our Imprints collection.
From the Collection
Burke manuscript
A lively hand-written account of Christchurch events and personalities
during the 1850s and 1860s. The text is interspersed with hundreds
of cuttings from books and magazines. Many cuttings are portraits
or caricatures, not always of the person described but regarded by
Burke as having their characteristics.
Initially launched as a part of our Imprints collection.
Christchurch Writers' Trail
"The Canterbury Branch of the New Zealand Society of Authors has, with generous assistance from The Community Trust, now laid 32 writer's plaques in various parts of Christchurch. This booklet features brief writers’ biographies and photographs, and includes a map to help you find the plaques commemorating each writer."
Fragments from the official career of John Dwyer, Superintendent of Police, 1878 to 1921
John Dwyer’s 43 year policing career began in New Zealand in Dunedin in 1878. He was associated with many notable cases throughout his career. His memoirs focus on some of these incidents, and provide insight into policing in late nineteenth and early twentieth century New Zealand.
Norfolk Island diary and other jottings, World War II, 1941-1943.
Notebook diary written by George Whitley, N.Z.E. (Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers), who was posted to Norfolk Island during World War II. Diary begins in September 1942 and ends in April 1943.
