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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
- February 3, 1915
- Canterbury Battalion sustains New Zealand’s first casualties of W.W.I at Suez Canal.
- February 3, 1962
- Peter Snell sets new world records for the half mile and 800 metres at Lancaster Park.
- February 4-14, 1971
- Great Moscow Circus performs in North Hagley Park.
- February 4-5, 1868
- Severe storm and gales. Several ships wrecked, floods throughout Canterbury. Waimakariri River overflows into the Avon causing serious flooding. Water flows a metre deep in Market Square (now Victoria Square).
- February 4, 1876
- Railway south completed to Timaru.
- February 4, 1907
- Serious fire on the Port Hills. Victoria Park plantation destroyed.
- February 6, 1866
- Telegraph to the West Coast (Hokitika) opens.
- February 6, 1908
- Stranges fire destroys buildings in High, Cashel and Lichfield Streets. Stranges Department Store was New Zealand’s biggest in the early days of this century. The early morning blaze spread to the DIC, Ashby Berghs and the White Hart Hotel. Damage was over £300,000, New Zealand’s worst to that date.
- February 6, 1914
- New evening paper, the "Sun" appears. This independent paper caused a sensation in the newspaper industry because of its modern style and lavish use of illustrations.
- February 7, 1851
- “Castle Eden” arrives with settlers. There had been trouble on the voyage, and her crew was arrested and imprisoned for mutiny.
- February 8, 1857
- St Andrews Presbyterian Church opens.
- February 8, 1864
- George Parr’s “All England” cricket team defeats a Canterbury side.
- February 8, 1870
- Opening of Christchurch’s first art exhibition.
- February 9, 1898
- "Black Wednesday" - Canterbury skies darkened by smoke from Australian bush fires.
- February 9, 1917
- Scott statue, sculpted by his widow, unveiled opposite the (then) Municipal Offices in Oxford Terrace.
