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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
- July 30, 1867
- ”Great Canterbury snowstorm“ begins. Although no accurate records are available, this may have been heavier than the record 1945 fall. Over 500,000 sheep and cattle died in Canterbury and Otago.
- July 30, 1911
- Over 40,000 people brave wet, cold weather to attend the funeral of Mayor T. E. Taylor (whose 6 weeks in office is the shortest on record).
- July 30, 1921
- Canterbury becomes the first New Zealand provincial rugby team to defeat the Springboks.
- July 30, 1976
- 7 Canterbury men in gold medal winning hockey team at the Montreal Olympics.
- July 31, 1856
- Christchurch became a City upon the issuing of Letters Patent on 31 July 1856. This was a practice under British law whereby the monarch could designate a town a city if it became the seat of a bishop.
- August 1, 1929
- "Lyttelton Times" re-named "Christchurch Times" after being taken over by Auckland interests. In fact, the paper had moved from Lyttelton to Christchurch in 1863.
- August 1, 1975
- Severe nor-west gale causes serious damage throughout city and province. Winds gust to a record 172 kilometres per hour (107 miles per hour). Over 250 injuries in Canterbury, and many forests devastated.
- August 3, 1910
- Canterbury Croquet Association (New Zealand’s first) formed in City.
- August 4, 1878
- Severe snowstorm over the South Island.
- August 4, 1923
- Railway to the West Coast opens. The much delayed opening of the Otira tunnel on June 18, 1918, had prevented earlier completion of the line.
