Digitised Resources
Items from our collection made available online covering topics as varied as Christchurch's first newspaper, a notorious murder, New Zealand's worst ever fire, early art catalogues and more.
New
Unpublished manuscript by Winifred Norris, detailing the history of selected hospitals, orphanages, sanatoriums, and benevolent institutions, in and around Christchurch and Lyttelton.
John Dwyer’s 43 year policing career began in New Zealand in Dunedin in 1878. He was associated with many notable cases throughout his career. His memoirs focus on some of these incidents, and provide insight into policing in late nineteenth and early twentieth century New Zealand.
Contents
Images of early Christchurch and Canterbury that have been digitised
from our collections. They have been sourced from newspapers, archives, books, reports and donations from
private collections.
Initially launched as a part of our Imprints collection.
A collection of historical maps mostly of Christchurch and Canterbury. The digital copies of the maps are from originals held by Christchurch City Libraries, Christchurch City Archives, and from the Cartographic Collection at the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand.
Our initial online collection of posters are the 1980s Christchurch Rock posters, digitised from the libraries' ephemera collection for New Zealand Music Month, May 2007.
A selection of publications, pamphlets and booklets from various sources including library and City Council publications and items from our collection.
Documents and ship-board diaries relating to emigration to Christchurch and Canterbury.
Includes fundraising booklets, a troop ship newletter, an early Canterbury militia list and more.
News & events
The Ballantyne's fire was the worst fire in New Zealand history. Sources for this resource include contemporary accounts in the The Press, The Star, The Star-Sun and New Zealand Weekly News, the 1948 Report of the Royal Commission of inquiry and later articles.
A timeline of Christchurch events in chronological order from pre-European
times to 1990. Includes this week in history and Christchurch's firsts,
bests, worsts and lasts.
Initially launched as a part of our Imprints collection.
The New Zealand International Exhibition held in Christchurch 1906-7 showcased art and culture from around the world and had nearly 2 million visitors.
The November 23, 1963 edition of the Star newspaper has been digitised.
Preoccupation with the Christchurch Star connection intensified with
the release in 1992 of Oliver Stone's movie JFK, which uses, as part
of its evidence, the front page of the Star of 23 November 1963.
A copy of the first issue of the fledgling colony's first newspaper.
The first issue of the Lyttelton Times presented here, appeared
on January 11 1851 just 26 days after the printing presses arrived
on board the Charlotte
Jane on December 16 1850.
Initially launched as a part of our Imprints collection.
Pauline Parker, 16, and Juliet Hulme, 15, were young women whose families, though successful, had secrets and lifestyles that must have affected their behaviour which led to them savagely killing Pauline's mother with a brick in a sock. This
information mainly comes from Christchurch newspapers at the time
of the trial and articles written since.
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Art & Architecture
Art Works
 The Bricks: painting of the first settlement on the Plains, 1851 / Durey, John, 1833-1920
Volunteer encampment and inspection, Christchurch, 15th April 1865
Our initial online collection of posters are the 1980s Christchurch Rock posters, digitised from the libraries' ephemera collection for New Zealand Music Month, May 2007.
Art Publications
A collection of visual arts publications mostly digitised in partnership with the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu.
An occasional series published by the Christchurch City Council's Heritage team. Titles include Cranmer Club, Church of the Good Shepherd, Government Buildings, Legacy of Thomas Edmonds, McLeans Mansion, Nurses' Memorial Chapel, Normal School, Pavilions, temples & four square walls: Christchurch pump houses and substations, Woods Mill.
The Canterbury Society of Arts was founded in 1880 and held its first annual exhibition in 1881. Catalogues for 1881 and 1883 have not been found and instead reconstructions based on other contemporary sources are presented.
The Group was an informal art association formed in Christchurch
in 1927 by seven ex-students of the Canterbury College of Art. The
Group exhibited annually in Christchurch from 1927 to 1977, quickly
gaining a reputation for representing the latest trends in contemporary
New Zealand art and attracting artists from around the country.
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Government
Our digitised publications include the 1906-7 yearbook and a booklet celebrating the opening of the Civic Offices in 1980.
The Canterbury Police Gazette was published monthly from 1863 until 1876. They contain lists of stolen items and of other crimes, warrants of arrest with descriptions of the criminals, lists of apprehensions for the month, and of discharges from gaols, and results from court trials.
An alphabetical
list of all Persons, between the ages of 18 and 60 years, residing
within 15 miles from the Land Office, at Christchurch, and liable
to serve as Militiamen for the year 1860-61 (ending 31st March,
1861) in the Militia District of Christchurch.
A record of the legislation enacted by the provincial government
during the years 1853 and 1875. Canterbury was one of six provinces
created under the New Zealand Constitution Act of 1852. Each province
was governed by a Superintendent and Provincial Council. Transcribed
from the original documents.
Initially launched as a part of our Imprints collection.
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From the Collection
A lively hand-written account of Christchurch events and personalities
during the 1850s and 1860s. The text is interspersed with hundreds
of cuttings from books and magazines. Many cuttings are portraits
or caricatures, not always of the person described but regarded by
Burke as having their characteristics.
Initially launched as a part of our Imprints collection.
"The Canterbury Branch of the New Zealand Society of Authors has, with generous assistance from The Community Trust, now laid 32 writer's plaques in various parts of Christchurch. This booklet features brief writers’ biographies and photographs, and includes a map to help you find the plaques commemorating each writer."
John Dwyer’s 43 year policing career began in New Zealand in Dunedin in 1878. He was associated with many notable cases throughout his career. His memoirs focus on some of these incidents, and provide insight into policing in late nineteenth and early twentieth century New Zealand.
Notebook diary written by George Whitley, N.Z.E. (Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers), who was posted to Norfolk Island during World War II. Diary begins in September 1942 and ends in April 1943.
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Fragments from the official career of John Dwyer, Superintendent of Police, 1878 to 1921
Ballantynes Fire - Christchurch, 18 November, 1947
Christchurch Chronology to 1990
The Christchurch
Star and the assassination of John F. Kennedy, 1963
Lyttelton Times
Parker - Hulme Murder Case 1954
The architectural heritage of Christchurch
Canterbury Society of Arts Catalogues, 1881 - 1914
The Group Catalogues
1927 - 1977
Canterbury Police Gazette
Ordinances of the Canterbury
Province
Burke manuscript