Canterbury’s Oldest Surviving Original Church Is Built – 1854

In 1854, Canterbury’s oldest surviving original church, St Bartholomew’s of Kaiapoi is built on Cass Street – named after early surveyor, Thomas Cass. Although the church has had upgrades and additions over the years, some of its structure still dates back to 1854. It was designed by Benjamin Woolfield Mountfort, the architect behind the Canterbury …

New Zealand’s First Department Store Opened – 1854

In 1920, New Zealand’s first department store – that had been in the ownership of the Ballantyne family since 1872 – was formed into a company named J.Ballantyne and Co. It was 1854 when Esther Clarkson, her husband David and sister-in-law Elizabeth arrived in Christchurch. They settled in a small cottage on Cashel Street and …