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A timeline of some Christchurch events in chronological order from 1700s to 1989.
Go to a year between 1700 & 1989
Begin at the beginning 
This week in history
- April 9, 1934
- Visit by George Bernard Shaw. He gave a nationwide radio broadcast from his civic reception in Christchurch.
- April 10-12, 1981
- Visit by Prince of Wales.
- April 10, 1882
- Joubert and Twopenny’s New Zealand International Exhibition opens in South Hagley Park. The exhibition, complete with an educated pig and an armless lady drew a total attendance of over 250,000 until it closed on July 15.
- April 10, 1965
- Airport becomes New Zealand’s first jet airport with the inauguration of the first regular jet flights from Christchurch to Australia.
- April 11, 1968
- "Wahine" storm (the city’s worst recorded storm) causes one death and widespread wind and flood damage.
- April 11, 1975
- Visit by Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore.
- April 11, 1982
- Waimairi becomes a District Council.
- April 12, 1840
- “Sarah and Elizabeth” lands Herriot, McGillivray, Ellis, Shaw (and wife) and McKinnon (with his wife and child) who try to establish a farm at Riccarton. They are the first European settlers on the plains. (See 1841)
- April 12, 1850
- John Robert Godley, first leader of the Canterbury Association settlers, arrives with his wife in Lyttelton on “Lady Nugent”. He quarrels with Thomas, and departs for Wellington, not returning until November 28. (It appears that he had no intention of settling permanently in the new colony.)
- April 13-14, 1983
- Visit of Chinese Premier, Zhao Ziyang.
- April 13, 1876
- Visit of tightrope walker Blondin.
- April 13, 1896
- City hosts the first meeting of the National Council of Women.
- April 15, 1971
- Christchurch production of Jenny Mcleod’s "Earth and Sky" in Civic Theatre.
