Great news for family historians, students and researchers – more of the Ellesmere Guardian has been digitised and can be viewed online at Papers Past. This means papers from 1891 until 1945 can now be seen online.
This project has been a partnership between the National Library and Waihora Ellesmere Trust with financial assistance from Lincoln University Library, Christchurch City Libraries, Selwyn District Council, and the Ellesmere Historical Society.
Collated and curated by the National Library, Papers Past includes regional papers from all over New Zealand. Some key features include:
- 63 titles, with more being added regularly.
- Includes New Zealand’s earliest newspapers — the oldest listed is New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, August 21, 1839
- Features full-page and article images plus a powerful keyword search engine.
- Browsing lets you look at all the newspapers, starting with a year, a region, or a newspaper title.
Christchurch City Libraries Blog 
Hello, I am hoping, fingers crossed that the guardians of The Guardian can help me to find better photos than my two newsprint ones which have almost disappeared because they have not been stored properly. Both show the double wedding in Leeston of the Amor Sisters, Isabella and Allison. Isabella married John Thomas Millar, and Allison married George Nairn, my grandfather’s brother.
The wedding was in 1906 and shows everybody in their splendour in front of the Leeston Hall. In front of the participants is my grandfather’s Ford car which my family believes was the first demonstration Ford in Canterbury. (Amazing placement of a car at a wedding!!!) I don’t know when the photo was published, but I assume close to the exact wedding date, which I can send when I find it again. Alternatively I can send a copy of the fading images I have.
The second image is a more intimate one, assumedly of the immediate families indoors. This one is now almost invisible. I think that Gwen Gilbert, my cousin, cut this out of the Guardian in about 1981 when historical images were being presented.
These images are to me like treasure. I would so like to have real photos. I am happy to pay for copies or make a donation to your group.
I also have a very large photo which commemorates my grandmother’s membership of a Methodist Women’s Group. The very large group image is accompanied by the women’s names. I would like to give this photo to a local group or museum.
Sincerely.
.
Kia ora Mary – can you submit your query and someone might be able to help. https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/contact-us/ ^Donna