Welcome to the Archives section of the website for the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch
The Christchurch Anglican Diocesan Archives are open for researchers on the first Wednesdays from 1.00pm-4.30pm. The current schedule is
- February 7 and 14
- March 6 and 13
- April 10 and 17
Access is by appointment only and only on the days listed. Appointments should be made by email—archivesdiochch@anglicanlife.org.nz— a fortnight in advance.
Diocesan Boundaries
The Diocese of Christchurch currently covers the area shown on the map.
The area now known as the Diocese of Christchurch was originally part of the Diocese of New Zealand. From the time of the arrival of the Canterbury Association ships from 1850-1852, and their chaplains, the archival records have been held both in the Diocesan Archives and at Archives New Zealand, Christchurch where they can be search via their website: https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/.
1856-1868: The first bishop of the diocese arrived in 1856 was responsible for the area south of the Hurinui River on the east coast, and on the west coast south of the Teramakau River. The records of the Rural Deanery Board for this period are held in the Hocken Library, Dunedin http://hakena.otago.ac.nz.
1868-1990: 1868 saw the establishment of the Diocese of Dunedin and from this date onwards the records for the parishes south of the Waitaki River are held at the Hocken Library, Dunedin. http://hakena.otago.ac.nz. The area bounded by the Waitaki River in the south, and the Hurinui River in the north, and the West Coast, including Kumara, Hokitika and Ross and South Westland became the Diocese of Christchurch.
1990: The Parishes of Cheviot, Amuri and Hanmer Springs were transferred from the Diocese of Nelson.
2000: The Parish of Kumara, which had been ministered to by the Parish of Greymouth for many years was formally transferred to the Diocese of Nelson.