Canterburys early history

By Laura54321
  • Jan 1, 1000

    First people of Christchurch

    The first people to live in Canterbury were Moa hunters. The hunters cleared large areas of native forest quickly killing off the moa.
  • Jan 1, 1450

    Moa become extinct

    The moa quickly became extinct due to the high demand of Moa hunters in the Canterbury region.

  • First Canterbury sighting

    James Cook first sighted Canterbury from his ship the Endevour. He thought it was an island so named it Banks island after Joseph Banks the ships botanist.

  • First Canterbury school

    Canterburys first offical school opened in Lyttelton by the reverened Henry Jacobs.

  • Canterburys first anniversary

    On the 16th of December 1851 Canterburys first ever anniversary was celebrated.

  • Canterburys first super intendant

    Under the new provincial system Canterburys first super intendent was James Edwards Fitzgerald.

  • First city

    In 1856 Christchurch became New Zealands first city under the terms of a royal charter.

  • Road connecting Christchurch and Lyttelton complete

    On 24 of August Fitzgerald was the first person to drive over the road that now connected Christchurch and Lyttelton.

  • First railway tunnel open

    In 1867 the railway tunnel that now connected Lyttelton and Christchurch opened. It was opened and was then New Zealands first railway tunnel.

  • First telephone exchange in NZ

    In 1881 New Zealands first ever telephone exchange opened in Christchurch.

  • Canterbury frozen meat company set up

    In 1882 Canterburys first ever freezing works was set up.

  • Spire of Cathedral damaged

    In 1888 after anothe rearthquake Christchurchs cathedrals spire was damaged in an earthquake for the second time.

  • Canterburys Jubilee

    In 1900 Canterbury celebrated its first jubilee of 50 years.