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An entry from Ruth Gardner's Blog for 19 February 2014 entitled, "Spires Sculpture".
Spire removed for safety
Christ Church Cathedral, Christchurch, with spire being rebuilt after the 1901 earthquake. Photographer unidentified. The nave, tower and spire of Christchurch Cathedral was completed in 1881. Work on completeing the rest of the building began in 1900. In 1902 the transcepts were finished and work started on the chancel and apse. An earthquake in 1901 cracked the upper part of the spire in two places. In this photograph which dates from late 1902/1903 (see scaffolding beyond the transcept indicating work on chancel) the upper part of the spire has been removed by Messrs Graham and Greig in preparation for replacing this section with a copper covered wooden structure. The Cathedral was completed in 1904. (Information from "Vision and Reality; Christchurch Cathedral in the Square," Colin Brown, Christchurch, 2000 and "A Dream of Spires," Ian Lochhead, Canterbury University Press, 1999, page 153.) Preparation for erecting the scaffolding was reported in the Christchurch Star 15 January 1902. The cross was replaced on the top of the new copper covered wooden section of the spire on 29 June 1903. Source of descriptive information - Notes on file print. Source of title - Title supplied by Library Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Glass negative
A photograph of the ChristChurch Cathedral in Cathedral Square with the tower and spire still intact.
This winter-eve is warm, Humid the air! leafless, yet soft as spring, The tender purple spray on copse and briers! And that sweet city with her dreaming spires, She needs not June for beauty's heightening, Lovely all times she lies, lovely to-night!— From "Thyrsis: A Monody" by Matthew Arnold 1822–1888
A photograph of the ChristChurch Cathedral cross and spire, on display in the Canterbury Quakes exhibition at the Canterbury Museum.
A photograph of the ChristChurch Cathedral cross and spire, on display in the Canterbury Quakes exhibition at the Canterbury Museum.
A photograph of the spire of 109 Cambridge Terrace.
A photograph of the spire of 109 Cambridge Terrace.
A photograph of a spire on the ChristChurch Cathedral.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christ Church Cathedral with its spire missing".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Damage to St. Mary's Anglican Church Timaru resulting from 7.1 Magnitude Earthquake centred near Darfield. Damage can be seen to the spires on the church tower. The spire-tops were removed for safety and to be repaired".
A photograph of the spire of ChristChurch Cathedral sitting on the ground in Cathedral Square. The photograph is captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The dry summer grass shows the passing of the seasons while the top of the spire of the ChristChurch Cathedral stays still".
A photograph of St John's Anglican Church in Hororata. The spire of the church, which partially collapsed in the 4 September earthquake, has been boarded up in order to protect the building from rain. This photograph was modelled off an image taken by BeckerFraserPhotos in October 2010.
A photograph of a spire of the Cranmer Centre with the finial on top.
A photograph of a spire of the Cranmer Centre with the finial on top.
The spire of the ChristChurch cathedral, reflected in the windows of the Millennium hotel.
A photograph of the Christchurch Arts Centre taken from Rolleston Avenue. A spire has been removed from one of the towers and braced on the footpath in front of the building. Wire fencing and road cones have been used to cordon off one side of the road.
The magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck mid-Canterbury on Saturday 4 September 2010 broke the tip of the spire of the St John The Evangelist Catholic Church in Leeston
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The spires on the former Public Library on Hereford Street".
A photograph of the finial on top of one of the spires of the Cranmer Centre.
The west-side of the Arts Centre along Rolleston Avenue near the entrance to the Botanic Gardens. Wire fencing and road cones have been placed around the building as a cordon. To the left, a crane is parked next to the building. The spire has been removed and braced on the footpath to limit damage.
A photograph of a spire removed from the ChristChurch cathedral and protected with heavy steel bracing.
Damage to Holy Trinity Church in Lyttelton. Stonework around the windows has crumbled, and the spire has been removed.
The north-west end of the Arts Centre on the corner of Rolleston Avenue and Worcester Boulevard. The tip of the gable is missing as well as the spire which has been removed and braced on the footpath to limit damage. Wire fencing and road cones have been placed around the building as a cordon. In the distance, a crane is working on the building.
A photograph of a building on Oxford Terrace. In the foreground is a spire removed from Our City O-Tautahi.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Damage to St. Mary's Anglican Church Timaru resulting from 7.1 Magnitude Earthquake centred near Darfield. (L to R on ground): Archdeacon Andrew Starky; Vicar Indrea Alexander and Concillor Ray Bennett watch as Craig Perkins and Kevin Deam are hoisted by crane to remove damaged spires from the church tower. (L to R): Builder Kevin Deam and St. Mary's parishioner Craig Perkins inspect a damaged spire on the church tower".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "The Christchurch Chinese Methodist Church on Papanui Road having its spire carefully removed so that restoration work can be considered".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "The Christchurch Chinese Methodist Church on Papanui Road having its spire carefully removed so that restoration work can be considered".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "The Christchurch Chinese Methodist Church on Papanui Road having its spire carefully removed so that restoration work can be considered".