Located on Tuakiri | Identity, Level 2, Tūranga, Kōrero o nehe ā-whānau / Family History holds mainly New Zealand material, with an emphasis on Canterbury.
Resources held in this area include:
- A unique index of baptismal, marriage and burial records for this region, transcribed from church registers
- Headstone transcripts and cemetery records.
- The Registrar-General’s index of births, deaths and marriages.
- Electoral rolls – parliamentary and local
- The Alexander Turnbull biographies index
- Published family histories, and whakapapa resources
For information on how to use the Family History resources in this area see our online Family History guide.
Microfiche & microfilm
- contains a wide range of resources on microfilm or microfiche including newspapers, electoral rolls, shipping lists, birth, death and marriage indexes
- equipment is available to read from these items
- you are able to scan images to a USB, or print from our readers
- see our printing and photocopying charges
The Family History area also has resources of a more general nature, with a local history focus.
Newspapers and newspaper indexes
- Early Christchurch newspapers including the Lyttelton Times (from 1851); The Press (from 1861); The Star; The Sun; the Weekly Press and the Canterbury Times.
- A selection of other Christchurch, Canterbury and New Zealand newspapers – contemporary and historical holdings.
- An index to the contents of a Christchurch daily newspaper has been maintained since 1851. There is an online Index from 1995 for the Press and October 1998 for The Star
- Some of our newspapers are held on microfilm.
For more information about using newspapers at Christchurch City Libraries please refer to our newspapers guide.
Maps
- Contemporary and historical maps of Christchurch and Canterbury. Some of the historical maps have been digitised.
- Current New Zealand topographical maps.
- Current New Zealand street maps.
- National Park and track maps.
- Soil maps.
- Geological maps.
- Nautical charts for local areas (not updated for navigation).
Find out more about our Maps collection.
Photographs
- The photograph collection is searchable through our catalogue and many images are available on our web site.
- Depictions of major events, social conditions, street scenes, architecture, fashion etc.
- Photographic print service available
