Picturing Canterbury

Images from our digital collection.

Camping at Hanmer River: Picturing Canterbury

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Camping at Hanmer River 1958. Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt. CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 NZ CCL-PH16-080.

Family camping at Hanmer River, Christmas/New Year 1958.  Annual event with often three generations present.

Do you have any photographs of camping in Canterbury? If so, feel free to contribute to our collection.

The Discovery Wall is a large interactive exhibition which allows several people to simultaneously explore images and stories of the history of the people and places of Christchurch. It is viewable on the ground floor of Tūranga, 60 Cathedral Square, Christchurch, New Zealand. Images displayed on the Wall can also be found on the Discovery Wall website.

Safety Week – The elephant never forgets: Picturing Canterbury

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Safety Week – The elephant never forgets. Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt. CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 NZ CCL-Kete-6257.

Do you have any photographs of parades in Christchurch? If so, feel free to contribute to our collection.

The Discovery Wall is a large interactive exhibition which allows several people to simultaneously explore images and stories of the history of the people and places of Christchurch. It is viewable on the ground floor of Tūranga, 60 Cathedral Square, Christchurch, New Zealand. Images displayed on the Wall can also be found on the Discovery Wall website.

Picturing Canterbury: University students champagne breakfast on roundabout

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Black and white photo showing University students champagne breakfast on roundabout. 1983
University students champagne breakfast on roundabout. Discovery Wall. CCL-StarP-01616A. Copyright Christchurch Star

3 March 1983.

Students, Tim Brooks, Karen O’Donnell, Richard Lake, Carol Hooke, Mark Alexander, and Shona Osmond having a champagne breakfast at Deans Avenue-Blenheim Road roundabout.

Do you have any photographs of student life in Christchurch? If so, feel free to contribute to our collection.

The Discovery Wall is a large interactive exhibition which allows several people to simultaneously explore images and stories of the history of the people and places of Christchurch. It is viewable on the ground floor of Tūranga, Central Library, 60 Cathedral Square, Christchurch, New Zealand. Images displayed on the Wall can also be found on the Discovery Wall website.

Bharatanatyam Group: Picturing Canterbury

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Bharatanatyam Group. Discovery Wall. CCL-FlKr-6973578025. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 NZ.

Bharatanatyam Group

Date: 10 March 2012

A Bharatanatyam group performing a traditional South Indian dance, at Culture Galore 2012. Bharatanatyam is one of the Indian classical and traditional dance forms from South India.

Do you have any photographs of traditional Indian performances in Christchurch? If so, feel free to contribute to our collection.

The Discovery Wall is a large interactive exhibition which allows several people to simultaneously explore images and stories of the history of the people and places of Christchurch. It is viewable on the ground floor of Tūranga, Central Library, 60 Cathedral Square, Christchurch, New Zealand. Images displayed on the Wall can also be found on the Discovery Wall website.

Phyllis Hartigan, born 1912: Picturing Canterbury

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Phyllis Hartigan, born 1912. Kete Christchurch. Entry in the 2016 Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand License.

Photo of Phyllis in a Boer War uniform.

On the back of the photo:” Happy Returns Tom,  April 27th 1915, from sister Phyllis.”

Date: 7 April 1915.

Entry in the 2016 Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt by Beverley Dickson.

About Photo Hunt

October is Photo Hunt month at Christchurch City Libraries. We invite you to share any of your photos and help grow the city’s photographic archive. All entries must be received by 31 October.

Share your photos and help us to create a true picture of our city’s rich history. Anyone can contribute.

Castle Hill Hotel, West Coast Road: Picturing Canterbury

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Castle Hill Hotel, West Coast Road. File Reference CCL Photo Collection 22, Img02341.

Castle Hill Hotel, West Coast Road [ca. 1890].

The original hotel on this site was built in 1865. It was replaced by another, built by Fred Harris, in 1871. A second storey was added to the building in 1881 and increased the size of the hotel to 28 rooms. It was a favourite stopping place for the West Coast coaches and was particularly renowned for the hot scones and tea it supplied to travellers. Although it was built of stone, the hotel was destroyed by fire in 1904. At this time it was owned by Messrs Fletcher, Humphries & Co. of Christchurch.

Do you have any photographs of the Castle Hill area? If so, feel free to contribute to our collection.

Share your photos and help us to create a true picture of our city’s rich history. Anyone can contribute.

Find out more

On Sumner Beach: Picturing Canterbury

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On Sumner Beach. Kete Christchurch. PH16-046. Entry in the 2016 Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand License.

As described by the Photo Hunt entrant in 2016, “This is my father and mother on Sumner Beach just before dad went for about (I think over) four years to the Second World War. They married just before he went. The war affected them both as my mother said it was like a stranger she met after four years. I feel the beach photo shows a vulnerability of the unknown to come in both their faces. I think she was opening her purse to get her lipstick for the photos!”

Date: 1940s.

Highy Commended entry in the 2016 Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt.

Do you have any photographs of people’s lives in Christchurch during the Second World War? If so, feel free to contribute to our collection.

About Photo Hunt

October is Photo Hunt month at Christchurch City Libraries. We invite you to share any of your photos and help grow the city’s photographic archive. All entries must be received by 31 October.

Share your photos and help us to create a true picture of our city’s rich history. Anyone can contribute.

Charlie Sumner: Picturing Canterbury

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Charlie Sumner. Kete Christchurch. Cathedral-Square-4. Entry in the 2013 Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand License.

Mr. Charlie Sumner, holding pipe, in Cathedral square, circa 1958.

Entry in the 2013 Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt.

Do you have any photographs of people in Cathedral Square ? If so, feel free to contribute to our collection.

Kete Christchurch is a collection of photographs and stories about Christchurch and Canterbury, past and present. Anyone can join and contribute.

Replica Leper’s Cottage, Quail Island, Lyttelton Harbour: Picturing Canterbury

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Replica Leper’s Cottage, Quail Island, Lyttelton Harbour. Kete Christchurch. Replica-Leper_s-Cottage-Quail-Island-31-March-2013. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand License.

Date: 31 March 2013

Entry in the 2014 Christchurch City Libraries Photo Hunt by Jane Rodgers.

Quail Island was proclaimed a quarantine station on 11 February 1875. The first leprosy patient was Willa Vallane, who was confined to the island in 1906. A second was admitted in 1908, with a third in 1909. By 1925 there were eight patients in residence (a ninth, George Philips, made an escape after having being certified as cured). In that year the eight patients were relocated from Quail Island to a new “leper colony” on Makogai Island in the Pacific.

Do you have any photographs of Quail Island? If so, feel free to contribute to our collection.

Kete Christchurch is a collection of photographs and stories about Christchurch and Canterbury, past and present. Anyone can join and contribute.

A Sandwich-board Man Advertising Dancing Shoes In Cathedral Square, Christchurch: Picturing Canterbury

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A sandwich-board man advertising dancing shoes in Cathedral Square, Christchurch [1927]. File Reference CCL PhotoCD 6, IMG0041.
A sandwich-board man advertising dancing shoes in Cathedral Square, Christchurch [1927].

Do you have any photographs of people working in Cathedral Square ? If so, feel free to contribute to our collection.

Kete Christchurch is a collection of photographs and stories about Christchurch and Canterbury, past and present. Anyone can join and contribute.