Christchurch: New Zealand firsts, bests, worsts and lasts.

1837

First German settlers

1853

First "rugby" game

1854

First jockey club

1856

First city

1857

First reaping machine

1861

First rowing club

1862

Oldest established choral society

First telegraph

First rowing regatta

First professional boxing

1863

First railway

1864

First hansom cab

First steel bridge

1865

First medical association

First steam fire engine

1866

First chess by telegraph

1867

Worst crime and drink record

First temperance movement

First public statue

First museum

1869

First bicycle

First bicycle race

1875

Unhealthiest city (worst fever deaths)

1876

Best linguist

1877

First training college

1879

First rugby football association

First telephones

1880

First amateur swimming club

First agricultural college

First brass band competition

1881

First telephone exchange

First century in

First class cricket

1882

First sewage farm

1884

First first-aid examinations

1886

First N.Z. swimming championships

1889

First N.Z. built locomotive

1890

First inter-provincial soccer match Winners

First polo tournament

1891

First phonograph

First agricultural conference

1892

First water polo championships

1894

First radio waves transmitted

1896

First movies (possibly)

First meeting National Council of Women

1897

First (and only) reading of the Riot Act

1898

First Australasian swimming championships

1900

Biggest private house

1902

First N.Z. boxing championships

1904

First coin-in-the-slot franking machine

First all women school committee

1905

First official car race

1906

First pipe band contest

1907

First Plunket Shield cricket match

1908

First Boy Scouts

1909

First retail rubber store

1910

First croquet association

1912

First croquet championships

1913

First inter-collegiate rowing championships

1915

First N.Z. W.W.I casualties

First WEA

1917

First airport

1919

First commercial aviation accident

1920

First Cook Strait flight

1921

First regular air mail

First provincial defeat of Springboks

1922

Best school attendance

1924

Last leper colony

1925

First Labour mayor

First public radio company

1926

First sports broadcast

First aerial mapping

First vocational guidance

1927

First modern theatre

1928

First speedway

First woman pilot

First trans-Tasman flight

1930

First country library service

First speech therapy

First regular air service

1931

First remedial teaching

1933

First woman MP: Mrs E. R. McCombs

1935

First women’s cricket test match

Worst Newspaper war

1936

First plastic products Winners

First national contract bridge

1938

First inter-Dominion trotting

1939

First local body pensioner housing

1940

Rail speed record

1947

First woman cabinet minister

First ticketed international flight

Worst fire

First women’s pipe band

1949

First large town community centre (see 1943)

First true motor racing circuit

First commercial aerial topdressing

First tyre manufacture

1950

First international airport

1951

First meals on wheels

Worst yachting disaster

1952

First TV transmissions

1953

Last great air race

First Round Table

1955

First flights to Antarctica

1959

First woman minister of religion

1960

First jury forewoman; Longest lawsuit

1964

Longest road tunnel

1965

First jet airport

1967

First paraplegic sports

First defeat of Australia in cricket

1969

First traffic control computer

1971

First building insulation by-law

1973

Hottest day

Biggest temperature change

Worst road accident record

1974

Biggest sporting event

1975

First N.Z. Games

First mini roundabout

Worst smog

Youngest city councillor

1977

Biggest high school (see 1960)

First traffic TV monitors

1978

First religious radio station

1982

Biggest musical stage show

1983

Most golf courses (see 1873)

Only city without fluoridation (see 1965)

First "test tube" twins

Highest Ranfurly Shield rugby score

Related

• Year by Year List
• Firsts, bests, worsts and lasts
• Sources
• About the Christchurch Chronology.