Isaac Luck, the man destined to become the most forgotten architectural influence on Christchurch, arrived in Lyttelton 9th June 1851, aboard the Canterbury Association’s 9th ship, the ‘Steadfast’. As Luck stepped ashore, the man who would play an interesting role in his future was just a few buildings away, selling stationery and giving drawing lessons. …
Just love these old Christchurch photos!!! Here’s Armagh Street with Riccarton Bush in the background @ 1860. This photo was taken by Dr. A.C. Barker from the roof of the Provincial Council Buildings.
The design and the build of the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings were such a great achievement for the young colony of Christchurch. The designer, Benjamin Woolfield Mountfort, I’m sure had plans for a clock tower from the time he began to draw up the plans. As Benjamin designed the iron work that would encase the …
As the citizens of Christchurch went about their business at the Land Office (which is now a part of the Canterbury Provincial Chambers), upstairs, in a very small room sat four of our founding fathers, squished in side by side behind a small table. They were John Robert Godley (founder of Canterbury), Mark Stoddart (first …
On 3 December 1867, in an upstairs room in the Canterbury Provincial Chambers, German explorer, Sir Julius von Haast put his personal collections of geological finds on display, in what would become known as the Canterbury Museum. In his role of Provincial Geologist and Surveyor General, Julius explored the great rivers of Canterbury; drawing maps …
On 21st November 1865, the construction of the Canterbury Provincial Chambers (which had been started in 1858) was completed. When the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 was established, New Zealand was split up into six provinces. Each province was its own sub-government and these were built around the six original settlements. The Canterbury Province sat …
