February 24, 1881
First century in first class cricket scored by G. Watson for Canterbury.
February 25, 1908
Theatre Royal opens. This is the building which exists today, the third to bear the name.
February 25, 1978
New Brighton Mall opens.
February 26, 1931
Bowker Fountain in Victoria Square in operation.
February 26, 1938
Summit Road opens.
February 26, 1947
First ticketed airline flight from New Zealand – Lancastrian “City of London” flies from Harewood to Sydney.
February 26, 1977
New Durham Street bridge over the Avon opens.
February 27, 1964
Lyttelton road tunnel opens, New Zealand’s longest.
February 28, 1853
Provincial boundary defined by proclamation. Westland (then called West Canterbury) included as part of Canterbury.
March 1, 1851
“Isabella Hercus” arrives with settlers.
March 1, 1865
Godley Head lighthouse in operation.
March 1, 1880
School for the Deaf (now Van Asch College) opens in Sumner. Director Gerrit van Asch introduced oral teaching methods to New Zealand.
March 1, 1930
Majestic Theatre opens – the city’s first steel frame building.
March 2, 1970
Amid mounting controversy, City Council begins construction of road deviation through Hagley Park. The work was stopped by March 7 for legal reasons, and the project was eventually scrapped.
March 2, 1974
Re-built Centennial Pool opens.
A general view of Victoria Square, Christchurch [1934]
A timeline of Christchurch events in chronological order from pre-European times to 1989.
More January and February events in our Christchurch chronology.
Christchurch City Libraries Blog 