Overview

The Cathedral Archives contains an extensive collection of written material and photographs documenting the history and development of the Cathedral.
 

The Cathedral Archives reside with the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch. The archives are generally open for viewing and research on Wednesday’s 9am-12:30pm and 1pm-4pm at the Anglican Centre, Allan Pyatt House, 153 Hereford Street, Christchurch. This building currently sits inside the RED ZONE following Feb 22nd. A date for re-opening is not yet available.

For more information please contact Jane Teal, the Diocese Archivist ~ phone (03) 3795950, email archives@chch.ang.org.nz

Following are a selection of photographs from the Cathedral Archives

Bishopscourt Garden Party - celebrating the completion of the Cathedral in 1881
 ChristChurch Cathedral Collection

 Cathedral Choir Outing 1910
 ChristChurch Cathedral Collection

The Cathedral during construction, April 1878
 ChristChurch Cathedral Collection

Letters Patent

Following is the founding document for the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch and the City.

Letters Patent
 ChristChurch Cathedral Collection

The transcript of the Letters Patent:

Victoria by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain Queen Defender of the faith To all whom these presents shall come Greeting Whereas in and by certain Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Our said United Kingdom bearing date at Westminster the sixteenth dayof December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty and in the fourth year of Our Reign we did erect the Islands of New Zealand and all other the Islands adjacent thereto and lying between the thirty fourth degree thirty minutes north to the forty seventh degree ten minutes South latitude and between the One hundred and sixty sixth degree five minutes to the one hundred and seventy ninth degree of latitude of East longitude (reckoning from the meridian of Greenwich) into a separate Colony And whereas we did also in and by our letters Patent under the Great Seal of our said United Kingdom bearing date the fourteenth day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty one and in the fifth year of Our Reign erect found make ordain and institute the said Colony of New Zealand into a Bishop’s See or Diocese and did erect and ordain That the same should be styled “The Bishopric of New Zealand”, and did nominate and appoint George Augustus Selwyn Clerk to be the Bishop and Ordinary Pastor of the said See so that that said George Augustus Selwyn should be and be taken to be Bishop of the see of New Zealand and might by virtue of our nomination and appointment enter into and possess the said Bishop’s See without any let or impediment of us our heirs and successors for the term of his natural life, Subject however to such provisions as to his resignation as in the said Letters Patent are more particularly expressed And whereas the said George Augustus Selwyn having been first duly consecrated thereto took upon himself the office and became Bishop of the said See so as aforesaid constituted And whereas it hath been represented unto us that the said See or Diocese so as aforesaid constituted is of inconvenient extent, and that for the due spiritual care of the Inhabitants thereof and for the maintenance and doctrine and discipline of the United Church of England and Ireland within the said Colony, it is expedient and desirable that the same should be divided into several distinct and separate Sees or Dioceses, and that one of such Sees or Diocese should comprise All that portion of the Middle Island of New Zealand which lies to the Southward of a Geographical line drawn across the said Middle Island at the northern boundary of the Territory set apart for the Canterbury Settlement under the provisions of an act passed for that purpose in the thirteenth and fourteenth year of Our Reign and which line is the forty third degree five minutes parallel of South Latitude (being about the latitude of Double Corner mentioned in the said Act) and also the Southern Island of New Zealand, and the Auckland Islands and all adjacent islands lying to the southward of the forty third degree five minutes parallel of South Latitude; and should be styled and designated “The Bishopric of Christchurch”; And whereas the said George Augustus Selwyn hath by an Instrument under his hand and seal bearing date the ninth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty one resigned and surrendered so much of the said See or Diocese of New Zealand as lies to the Southward of a Geographical line drawn across the Middle Island otherwise called New Munster at the north western boundary of the Canterbury Territory as then defined by Act of Parliament and all rights powers privileges functions and jurisdictions belong or in anywise appertaining to him as Bishop in respect of such surrendered portion of the said Diocese which said portion of the said See of New Zealand so by him resigned and surrendered includes the portion thereof thereby erected unto and comprised in the district or separate See and Diocese and Bishopric of Christchurch; And whereas under and by virtue of the provisions of a certain Statute duly made and passed in the Parliament held in the fifteenth and sixteenth years of Our Reign entitled “An Act to remove doubts as to the constitution of the Bishopric of Christchurch in New Zealand and to enable Her Majesty to constitute such Bishopric and to subdivide the Diocese of New Zealand” the said Instrument of resignation is declared to be valid and effectual for the purpose of enabling Us to erect and constitute the said surrendered portion of the said Diocese of New Zealand into a distinct See or Diocese Now know ye that we taking the premises into Our Royal consideration do by these Our Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland erect found make ordain and constitute all that portion of the Middle Island of New Zealand which lies to the Southward of a Geographical line drawn across the said middle Island at the northern boundary of the Territory set apart for the Canterbury Settlement under the provisions of an Act passed in the thirteenth and fourteenth year of Our Reign and which line is the forty third degree five minutes parallel of Southern Latitude being about the Latitude of Double Corner mentioned in the said Act and also the Southern Island of New Zealand and the Auckland Islands and All adjacent Islands lying to the Southward of the forty third degree five minutes parallel of South Latitude unto a distinct and separate See or Diocese and do declare and ordain that the same shall be styled “The Bishopric of Christchurch” saving nevertheless to Us our heirs and successors the power of altering from time to time with the consent of the Archbishop of Canterburyand the of the Bishop of Sydney Metropolitan of all Australia for the time being (if the said See be vacant) or otherwise of the said Archbishop of Canterbury and of the said Bishop of Sydney and of the Bishop of Christchurch of the said See of Christchurch for the time being the limits of the said Diocese of Christchurch and of the jurisdiction of the Bishop thereof And we do further by these Our Letters Patent ordain and constitute the Town of Christchurch in the said Diocese of Christchurch to be a Bishops See and the seat of the said Bishop and do ordain that the said Town of Christchurch shall be a City And we do further thereby ordain and declare that the Church of Christ Church in the said Town or City shall be the Cathedral Church and the See of the said Bishop of Christchurch and his successors And to the end that this our intention may be duly carried into effect we having great confidence in the learning and morials and piety of our well beloved Henry John Chitty Harper Doctor in Divinity do name and appoint him to be Bishop and Ordinary Pastor of Christchurch so that the said Henry John Chitty Harper shall be and taken to be Bishop of the Bishops See of Christchurch and may be by virtue of this our nomination and appointment enter into and possess the said Bishop’s See as the Bishop therefore without any let or impediment of us our heirs or successors for the term of his natural life subject nevertheless to the right of resignation herein after more particularly expressed. Moreover we do by these Our Letters Patent ordain that the said Bishop shall be a Body Corporate and do constitute him to be a perpetual Corporation and to have perpetual succession and that he and his successors be for ever after called by the name or title of the Bishop of Christchurch and in that name shall be able and capable in Law to have full power to purchase have take hold and enjoy all manner of real and personal property whatsoever and to sue and be sued implead and be impleaded in all our Courts upon all causes as well Spiritual as temporal and in all other matters whatsoever and shall and may have and use a corporate Seal and the said Seal shall and may from time to time break alter or renew as he or they may deem expedient. Moreover we do by these Our Letters Patent ordain that the Bishop of the said see of Christchurch and his successors shall be subject and subordinate to the Archiepiscopal See of Canterbury and to the Most Reverend Father in God John Bird by Divine Providence Archbishop of Canterbury and his successors and to the Bishop of Sidney (sic) Metropolitan of Australia and his successors, in such and the same manner as any Bishop of any See within the Province of Australia is under or subject to the authority of the said Archbishop and Bishop respectively And we do hereby further will and ordain that every Bishop of Christchurch shall at the time of his consecration take an oath of due obedience to the saidArchbishop of Canterbury for the time being in the words or the to effect following videlicet ”I appointed Bishop of Christchurch do profess and promise all our due obedience and reverence to the Most Reverend Father in God by Divine Providence Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of All England and Metropolitan and to his successors so help me God through Jesus Christ” which oath shall and may be administered by the said Archbishop or Bishops ministering at such consecration or any one of them And we do further will and ordain that the said Bishop of Christchurch and his successors shall be suffragan Bishops to the Bishop of Sydney and his successors and shall be subject to the Metropolitan jurisdiction and authorities of the See of Sydney in the same manner as the Bishops of Newcastle Adelaide Melbourne and Tasmania are now subject thereto subject nevertheless to the general superintendence and revision of the Archbishop of Canterbury for the time being and subordinate to the Archiepiscopal See of the Province of Canterbury. And to the end that all the matters and things therein may have their due effect we do hereby signify to the Most Reverend Father in God John Bird Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of All England and Metropolitan that we have erected and founded the aforesaid Episcopal See of Christchurch and have named and preferred the aforesaid Henry John Chitty Harper to the said Bishopric and have appointed him Bishop and ordinary Pastor thereof requiring and by the faith and love whereby he is bound to us commanding the said John Bird Archbishop of Canterbury forthwith to consecrate the said Henry John Chitty Harper Bishop of Christchurch in manner accustomed and diligently to do and perform all other matters appertaining to his office in this behalf with effect And we do by these presents give and grant to the said Henry John Chitty Harper and his successors the Bishop of Christchurch full power and authority to admit into Holy Orders of Deacons and Priests respectively any person whom he or they shall upon examination occur only qualified especially for taking upon himself the cure of Souls or of officiating in any spiritual capacity within the limits of the said Diocese of Christchurch and residing therein And we do by these presents will and ordain that a Declaration of such purpose and a written engagement to perform the same under the hand of such person being deposited in the hand of such Bishop shall be held to be a sufficient title with a view to such ordination and that in every such case it shall be distinctly stated in the letters of Ordination of every person so admitted to Holy Orders that he has been ordained to the cure of Souls within the limits of the said Diocese of Christchurch and that unless such person shall be a British subject he shall not be required to take the oath of allegiance to us. And we do further ordain that the said Bishop of Christchurch shall have full power and authority to perform all the functions peculiar and incident to the office of Ordinary and Diocesan within the limits of the of the said See of Christchurch And for a Declaration of the spiritual causes matters and things in which the aforesaid authority and jurisdiction may be more especially exercised We do by these presents further declare that the said Bishop of Christchurch and his successors may exercise and enjoy the full power and authority by himself or themselves or by the Archdeacon or Archdeacons or the Vicar General or other Officer or Officers hereinafter mentioned to give institution to Benefices to grant licenses to officiate to all Rectors Curates Ministers and Chaplains of all the Churches or Chapels or other places within the said Diocese wherein Divine Service shall be celebrated according to the rights and liturgy of the united Church of England and Ireland and to visit all Rectors Curates Ministers and Chaplains and all Priests and Deacons in Holy Orders of the United Church of England and Ireland resident within the said Diocese as also to call before him or them or before the Archdeacon or Archdeacons or before the Vicar General or other Officer or Officers hereinafter mentioned at such competent days hours or places when and so often as to him or them shall seem meet and convenient the aforesaid Rectors Curates Ministers Chaplains Priests and Deacons or any of them and to enquire and visit as well as concerning their morals as their behaviour in the said Offices and Stations respectively subject nevertheless to such rights and review and repeal as are hereinafter given and reserved And for the better accomplishment of these purposes aforesaid we do further give grant and declare that the said Bishop of Christchurch and his successors may found and constitute one or more Dignitaries in his Cathedral Church and also one or more Archdeaconry or Archdeaconries within the said Diocese and may collate fit (p4)And proper persons to be the Dignitaries of the Cathedral Church and one or more fit and proper person or persons to be Archdeacon or Archdeacons of the said Archdeaconry or Archdeaconries respectively Provided always that such dignitaries and Archdeacons respectively shall exercise such jurisdiction only as shall be remitted to him by the said Bishop and his successors and the said Bishop and his successors may also from time to time nominate and appoint fit and proper persons to be the Officers herein after mentioned that is to say to be Vicar General Official Principal Rural Dean and Commissary either general or special and may also appoint fit and proper persons to be Registrar and Actuaries Provided always that the Dignitaries and Archdeacons aforesaid shall be subject and subordinate to the said Bishop of Christchurch and his Successors and shall be assisting to him in or them in the exercise of his or their jurisdiction and functions And we will and declare that during a vacancy of the said See of Christchurch by the demise of the Bishop thereof or otherwise the dignitaries and Archdeacons and Vicar General and other Officers respectivelyappointed as aforesaid shall continue to exercise so far as by law they may or can the jurisdiction and functions delegated to them and that the said Registrar and Actuaries shall respectively continue to discharge the duties whereunto they have been appointed until a new Bishop of the said See of Christchurch shall have been nominated and consecrated and his arrival within the limits of the said Diocese shall have been notified to such parties respectively And we further will and do so by these presents declare and ordain that it shall be lawful for any party against whom any judgement decree or sentence shall be pronounced by the Bishop or his successors to appeal to the Bishop of Sydney Metropolitan of all Australia and his successors subject nevertheless to further appeal to the Archbishop of Canterbury or his successors who shall finally decide and determine such Appeals Provided always that in such case of appeal or review notice of an intention of the party to make such appeal or demand such a review shall be given to the Bishop or subordinate Judge by whom the Sentence or decree appealed from or to be reviewed shall have been procured within fifteen days from the promulgation thereof And we do further by these presents ordain that in all cases in which an appeal shall be made or a review demanded as aforesaid a copy of the Judgement or Sentence in such case promulgated or given setting forth the grounds thereof together with a copy of the evidence on which the same was founded shall without delay be ratified and transmitted by the Bishop or subordinate Judge as the case may be to the said Bishop of Sydney Metropolitan of all Australia or to the Archbishop of Canterbury as the case may require Moreover it is our will and pleasure And we do hereby decree and ordain that nothing in these presents shall extend or be construed to extend to repeal vary or alter the provisions of any Charter whereby Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction has been given to any Court of Juridicature within the limits of the said Diocese or Colony And for removing doubts with respect to the validity of the resignation of the said Office and dignity of Bishop of Christchurch it is our further will that if the said Bishop shall by Instrument under his hand and seal delivered or sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury for the time being and by him accepted and registered in his office of Faculties resign the said Office of Bishop of Christchurch such Bishop shall from the time of such acceptance and resignation cease to be Bishop of Christchurch to all intents and purposes but without prejudice to any responsibility to which he may be liable in law or equity in respect of his conduct in his said office And lastly to the end that all things aforesaid may be firmly holden and done We will and grant to the aforesaid Henry John Chitty Harper that he shall have Our Letters Patent under our Great Seal of Our said United Kingdom only made and sealed In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made Patent Witness Ourself at Westminster the thirty first day of July in the twentieth year of our reign.

By Warrant under the Queen’s Sign Manual C Romilly

ChristChurch Cathedral Collection

• There are evident mistakes in the Letter Patent in both spelling and sense. The transcript has not changed these.

The Cathedral's Foundation Stone

The original Cathedral Foundation Stone went missing during the construction of the Cathedral, however the original text of the stone in both English and Latin was recorded in the Bishop's Register, 16th December 1864