Image collection: Ballantynes’ Fire

This is a sample of photographs of the Ballantynes’ Fire disaster of 18 November 1947. You can search the catalogue for more photographs.

• Ballantynes’ Fire factsheet – An easy to read summary of this disaster.
• Ballantynes’ Fire resource –Transcripts of articles from newspapers and other sources regarding the Ballantynes’ Fire.

More images

• Other photographs of Ballantynes’ Department Store.
• A DigitalNZ set of images of the Ballantynes’ Fire.
• Kete Christchurch images of the funeral procession for Ballantynes’ Fire victims.
• Ballantyne Memorial Rose Garden – Images of the plaques and roses of the Ballantyne Memorial Rose Garden in the Ruru Lawn Cemetery.

A Salvation Army worker provides tea for firemen and volunteers battling the fire	Battling the flames: tense firefighters in action	Rescuing Mr K. Ballantyne from the burning building on Colombo Street, Christchurch
Firemen battling the blaze : directing jets on the furniture department	Sailors of the ships Bellona and Arbytus (Royal New Zealand Navy) help to attack the flames	Firemen, servicemen and civilians fighting the fire
Firemen dampening down Ballantyne’s building	Firemen dampening down the main entrance of Ballantyne’s	Firemen dampening down the main entrance of Ballantyne’s building
View of still-smoking Ballantynes after the fire	Aerial view of the gutted shell of the three-storied department building	View of the central area of the gutted building: little remains except for the brick dividing walls and twisted roof iron
Aftermath of Ballantyne’s Fire, view from Cashel Mall 1947	Aftermath of Ballantyne’s Fire, view from Colombo Street	Aftermath of Ballantyne’s Fire, view from crane demolishing wreckage
Soldiers work amongst the debris	A city mourns the 41 victims as they are carried through the streets of Christchurch on the way to the civic funeral	Funeral for the Ballantynes Fire Victims at Ruru Lawn Cemetery, Christchurch. Forty one coffins are laid out with flowers. Taken by an unknown photographer - an acquaintance of Arthur Cyril Pearce. Cyril was a driver of dignitaries to the funeral. 23 November 1947

Ballantynes fire, Christchurch. New Zealand Free Lance : Photographic prints and negatives.
Ref: PAColl-8163-27. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23204872

Trucks with wreaths in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, during the funeral service for victims of the Ballantyne's Department Store fire,. New Zealand Free Lance : Photographic prints and negatives. Ref: PAColl-7171-90. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22739444

Funeral for the victims of the Ballantyne’s Department Store fire, Ruru Lawn Cemetery, Christchurch. New Zealand Free Lance : Photographic prints and negatives. Ref: PAColl-7171-88. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22322125

Ballantyne Memorial Rose Garden

Images of the plaques and roses of the Ballantyne Memorial Rose Garden in the Ruru Lawn Cemetery, Christchurch.

The Christchurch City Council website's Memorials section has information about the Ballantyne Memorial Rose Garden.