Explore our resources on the history of Christchurch organisations and businesses.
Libraries
- A brief history of Christchurch City Libraries
- Burwood Public Library
- Linwood Public Library
- Lyttelton Library
- The Mechanics’ Institute
- Library 150 - celebrating 150 years of Christchurch Libraries
Businesses and Industry
- The Carlton Hotel
- Christchurch Symphony Orchestra
- Hay's Limited
- The Hillsborough Tavern
- Hornby's First Department Store
- Early Industry in Hornby
- Municipal Electricity Department (MED) Building
- Riccarton Flour Mill
- Shand's Emporium
- Strange & Company department store
- Templeton Chicory Industry
- Walker Electric Truck
Cemeteries
- Addington Cemetery
- Avonside Cemetery
- Barbadoes Street Cemetery
- Burwood Anglican Cemetery
- Linwood Cemetery
- Waimairi Cemetery
Churches & alternative communities
- Shirley Methodist Church
- S. Michael and All Angels Oxford Terrace
- Alternative communities of Christchurch and Canterbury
Hospitals
Schools & education
Hornby and Wigram
Venues: sports and events
Digital Collection
We have digitised many items from our archives that relate to various organisations and businesses from early Canterbury such as:
- Christchurch Militia List
- In 1860, the following men were called upon to serve in the Christchurch Militia: a 'home guard' for settlers.
- The Group Catalogues 1927 - 1977
- The Group was an informal art association formed in Christchurch in 1927 by seven ex-students of the Canterbury College of Art.
- The New Zealand Division in France and Flanders, May 1916 to November 1918
- A contemporary diary of pilgrimages in their footsteps April 2002 and July 2005 by John H. Gray.
- Christchurch Lunatic Asylum Annual Report, 1868
- The Asylum’s second annual report for 1868 written by E.W. Seager, the asylum superintendent. The report lists registration, treatments, entertainments and employment for the patients, as well as a case study of a cure and statistics.
