A timeline of Christchurch events in chronological order from pre-European times to 1989.

Go to a year between 1700 & 1989

Choose a specific day

Choose a day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Choose another month January February March April May June July August September October November December

Begin at the beginning

This week in history

January 6, 1851

The first school (which became Christ’s College) opens in Lyttelton.

January 7, 1844

First European child (Jeannie Manson) born at Riccarton.

January 8, 1877

First trial of harvesting machines at Riccarton.

January 8, 1979

First women bus drivers on Transport Board buses.

January 9, 1871

"Park Terrace" murder. Manservant Simon Cadeno was later hanged for murdering a woman servant and injuring another.

January 10, 1830

“Antarctic” (Captain Morrell) anchors in Lyttelton Harbour, which he names Cook’s Harbour.

January 10, 1867

European birds introduced on ”Matoaka“ to Lyttelton. Species include pheasants, partridges, blackbirds, thrushes, linnets, skylarks, chaffinches, and starlings. The destruction of native insect eating birds by hunting and fire had caused disastrous crop infestations in Canterbury.

January 10, 1887

Tramway to New Brighton completed.

January 11, 1851

First copy of the “Lyttelton Times”, edited by J.E. FitzGerald.

January 11, 1984

A live 30cm snake is found in a driveway in Parklands. A second snake is found the following day.

January 12, 1985

The first South Island "In Vitro" baby is born at Christchurch Womens Hospital.

Notes

• This resource includes images from our photographs collection - clicking on the image will take you to a larger version of that image.
• This resource links to various other local history resources on our website.