Heritage

Christchurch: a chronology

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

Go to a year between 1700 & 1989

Begin at the beginning Start here

This week in history

November 6, 1830
Te Rauparaha’s war party massacres the inhabitants of Akaroa and returns to Kapiti Island with captives and a cargo of human flesh.
November 6, 1852
First Canterbury sitting of the Supreme Court at Lyttelton.
November 6, 1866
Serious fire on the north-east corner of Armagh and Colombo Streets.
November 6, 1899
Addington Raceway holds inaugural meeting.
November 6, 1918
Beginning of the influenza epidemic which was eventually to kill 466 people in Christchurch.
November 6, 1930
Weekly air service (New Zealands first regular service) begins to Dunedin.
November 7, 1896
First commercial screening of "Edison’s Cinematograph".
November 8, 1918
Huge crowds gather in streets after false reports of World War I armistice. The Canterbury Battalion’s losses in the war had been 2353 dead.
November 8, 1956
Last trolley bus runs.
November 8, 1983
Opening of Canterbury Centre. The building (55m) becomes the city’s tallest, above the Police Station (53m) and the University Hight Library (51m). But the Cathedral spire at 62m remains the highest structure.
November 9, 1965
Opening of the city’s first parking building on the corner of Manchester and Gloucester Streets.
November 10, 1839
Captain William B. Rhodes lands 50 cattle at Akaroa.
November 10, 1863
First Cobb & Co. coach to Timaru.
November 10, 1958
Museum centennial extensions open.
November 11-13, 1980
Visit by Duke and Duchess of Kent.
November 11, 1880
Christchurch Amateur Swimming Club formed (the first in New Zealand).
November 11, 1904
Christchurch Cathedral completed. Architect George Gilbert Scott.
November 11, 1924
Bridge of Remembrance opens.
November 11, 1929
Edmonds band rotunda opens.
November 11, 1978
Radio Rhema, New Zealand’s first religious radio station, begins regular transmission.
November 11, 1980
$25 million Thyssen Bornemisza exhibition of modern painting opens at Robert McDougall Art Gallery.
November 12, 1918
Armistice officially announced. But this time, there was little public celebration in a city now stricken by the full effects of the ‘flu epidemic.
November 12, 1980
New Civic Offices (formerly Millers Department Store) officially open.
November 12, 1988
Richard Hadlee takes his 374th test wicket at Bangalore, India setting a new world record.

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