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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
- December 26, 1863
- Opening of the Royal Princess Theatre, the city’s first true theatre. It had been the Canterbury Music Hall, see 1861.
- December 26, 1870
- First rowing regatta on the Avon.
- December 26, 1879
- Serious Catholic/Protestant riot in Manchester Street.
- December 26, 1905
- Automobile Association holds a "Great Automobile Gymkhana" at Addington trotting grounds. 30 cars took part, and the programme included New Zealand’s first official car race.
- December 27, 1850
- “Cressy” arrives. These 4 ships brought a total of 773 settlers. Although Cantabrians like to commemorate these “first four ships”, there were actually 8 chartered vessels which brought 1500 Canterbury Association settlers in the first few months. By the following December, 19 ships had brought over 3000 settlers.
- December 27, 1987
- Rewi Alley dies in Peking, China. He left Christchurch for China in 1926.
- December 28, 1912
- First New Zealand croquet championships held in City.
- December 30, 1978
- Canterbury Orchestra disbanded. The demise of this professional orchestra ended 6 years of acrimonious dispute which profoundly disrupted the musical scene in Christchurch.
- December 30, 1988
- Water restrictions in force for first time in City's history as water tables dropped to record low levels.
- December 31, 1984
- "Kiwi House" opened at Orana Park (first chick born in captivity in South Island, November 1989).
- January 1-3, 1912
- Davis Cup final (Australasia v USA) held at Lancaster Park.
- January 1, 1862
- New Zealand’s first rowing regatta held on Lyttelton Harbour.
- January 1, 1867
- Roller skating rink opens. Proprietor Richard Kohler had previously operated Kohler’s Pleasure Grounds.
- January 1, 1908
- Shackleton expedition sails for Antarctica in "Nimrod". A crowd estimated as high as 50,000 watched the departure - probably the largest in Lyttelton’s history.
- January 1, 1913
- Riccarton Borough formed.
- January 1, 1932
- Radio Broadcasting Company of N.Z. (owner of the YA stations) taken over by Government to form the nucleus of a State broadcasting system.
