10 August 1840
Captain Owen Stanley in HMS Britomart dashes to Akaroa and raises the British flag to proclaim sovereignty over the South Island. Read our digitised copy of Mission of the Britomart at Akaroa.
10 August 1932
Statue of Captain James Cook unveiled in Victoria Square.
11 August 1923
Christchurch Radio Society begins regular radio transmission with station 3AC.
15 August 1872
Novelist Anthony Trollope visits. Search DigitalNZ for information on his trip.
15 August 1945
V.J. (Victory over Japan) day celebrations. View more photos of V.J. Day in Christchurch.
![Some of the crowd who celebrated VJ Day (14 August 1945) shown at the corner of Strowan and Normans Roads, Bryndwr [Aug. 1945]](https://christchurchcitylibraries.com/heritage/photos/collection22/02312.jpg)
Massive demonstrations in Christchurch against rugby test between All Blacks and Springboks. See our collection of posters.
![They've brought their National Sport with them. [1981]](https://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Posters/1981SpringbokTour/1981-08-15-EPH06-01.jpg)
Tsunami (“tidal wave”) in Lyttelton Harbour. Part of the harbour bottom was laid bare, then a wave swept in, damaging the “Novelty”. Read Bank Peninsula Impact 1868, Willem de Lange and Eileen McSaveney. ‘Tsunamis – New Zealand’s tsunami history’, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 9-Jul-13
16 August 1890
First inter-provincial soccer match held in Christchurch. Canterbury beat Wellington 2-0
More August events in the Christchurch chronology: a timeline of Christchurch events in chronological order from pre-European times to 1989.
Add a comment to: This week in Christchurch history (10 to 16 August)