Heritage

Christchurch: a chronology

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

Go to a year between 1700 & 1989

Begin at the beginning Start here

This week in history

February 21, 1853
Inwoods flour mill in operation in Straven Road.
February 21, 1910
Visit by Lord Kitchener.
February 21, 1949
City coat of arms granted armorial bearings.
February 21, 1972
Adelaide (Australia) becomes Christchurch’s first sister city.
February 21, 1983
Friendship link with Gansu Province (China) established under sister city programme.
February 21, 1987
Plans for 152 metre high observation/tourist tower revealed by Christchurch businessman Jamie Tulloch.
February 22, 1893
Linwood Borough formed.
February 22, 1909
New "Press" building in operation in Cathedral Square. Designed by J.J. Collins and R.D. Harman, it was the city’s first ferro-concrete building.
February 22, 1960
New airport terminal (designed by Paul Pascoe) opens.
February 22, 1965
Opening of first Pan-Pacific Arts Festival. Artists include singer Inia Te Wiata (in "Porgy and Bess") and conductor Sir Malcolm Sargent.
February 23, 1877
Lillywhite’s ”All England“ cricket team visits.
February 23, 1916
Red Cross Society (N.Z. Branch) and the Central Council of the Order of St John hold their first meeting in Christchurch.
February 24, 1881
First century in first class cricket scored by G. Watson for Canterbury.
February 25, 1908
Theatre Royal opens. This is the building which exists today, the third to bear the name.
February 25, 1948
Picton to Christchurch express derailed at Seddon. 6 people killed.
February 25, 1978
New Brighton Mall opens.
February 25, 1979
Concert by jazzman "Count" Basie and his orchestra.
February 26, 1898
First Australasian swimming championships held in City.
February 26, 1931
Bowker Fountain in Victoria Square in operation.
February 26, 1938
Summit Road opens.
February 26, 1947
First ticketed airline flight from New Zealand - Lancastrian "City of London" flies from Harewood to Sydney.
February 26, 1974
World’s biggest plane, a USN Lockheed Galaxy, lands at airport.
February 26, 1977
New Durham Street bridge over the Avon opens.
February 27, 1964
Lyttelton road tunnel opens, New Zealand’s longest.

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