Canterbury Celebrated 100 Years – 16th December 1950

On 16th December 1950, Canterbury celebrated the centennial anniversary of the arrival of the ‘Charlotte Jane’, the first of our First Four Ships – the first ship from the Canterbury Association. The celebrations and acknowledgements carried on well into 1951. The planned celebrations were named ‘Thanksgiving for One Hundred Years of Progress’. 30,000 Cantabs surrounded …

New Zealand’s First International Airport Opened – 16th December 1950

On 16th December 1950, on Canterbury’s 100th anniversary of settlement, a newly redeveloped Christchurch Airport become New Zealand’s first International airport. The first trans-Tasman flight took place the following year. Firstly known as the Harewood Airport, the first 230 hectares were purchased by the C.C.C. off the Boag Family – the land still being a …