Christchurch: A Chronology to 1989

A timeline of some Christchurch events in chronological order from 1700s to 1989.

Go to a year between 1700 & 1989

April 27, 1872: Railway north open to Kaiapoi.
April 28-29, 1983: Visit of Prince and Princess of Wales.
April 29, 1925: Rev J.K. Archer becomes Mayor of Christchurch, New Zealand’s first Labour mayor.
April 29, 1974: Cr. David Caygill, aged 25, becomes the city’s youngest ever acting Mayor (for 5 days).
April 30, 1875: New library building completed on the corner of Cambridge Terrace and Hereford Street. Designed by W.B. Armson, the building is now part of the Library Chambers.
April 30, 1971: 6000 protesters march against the war in Vietnam.
May 1, 1975: Canterbury University completes its move from city to Ilam campus.
May 2, 1872: New St Michael’s Anglican Church opens.
May 3, 1851: George Gould opens shop in Christchurch. The business eventually became part of Pyne Gould Guinness and Co.
May 3, 1865: First Catholic school opens in a small cottage in Lichfield Street.
May 3, 1985: 6,000 Christchurch citizens rally against the All Black tour of South Africa.