File:1856 Map of the Province of Canterbury (9404578992).jpg

Christchurch was established as a city by Royal Charter on July 31 1856, the first city to be established in New Zealand. Being ‘chartered’ as a city meant that a seat was established for a bishop in that region. This post which was first filled by Bishop Henry John Chitty Harper, who arrived in Christchurch later that year and was an influential force behind the building of the Christchurch Cathedral.The city was named by the Canterbury Association, which settled the surrounding province of Canterbury. The name of Christchurch was agreed on at the first meeting of the association on 27 March 1848. It was suggested by John Robert Godley, who had attended Christ Church, Oxford. Some early writers called the town Christ Church, but it was recorded as Christchurch in the minutes of the management committee of the association. John Robert Godley was an Irish statesman and bureaucrat who had been asked by the New Zealand Company to found a colony in New Zealand that would follow the beliefs of the Church of England. Despite founding Canterbury, Godley only lived in New Zealand for two years before returning to Britain.

This map from 1856 is a Department of Internal Affairs map highlighting sections of land for sale in the wider Canterbury region and within the township of Christchurch. The upper left of the map shows an early design for Christchurch, with three canal reserves indicated to the north, south-east and west of the central city. The south-east canal can be seen today running parallel to Linwood Avenue. Nearby on Ferry Road is the ‘Christchurch Quay’ where boats on the Heathcote River could dock and off-load cargo. This was a vital means of transporting goods from Lyttelton Harbour into Christchurch before the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel was built in 1867.

This series of records, series 8368 has many maps from the 1850's of various districts across New Zealand.

Item reference: AGCO 8368 IA36 4/12 (R22420403)