Sharing Memories

Articles, Lost Christchurch

In response to the loss of our inner city of Christchurch, we were inspired to create this website, Lost Christchurch, as a freely accessible archive of photographs, social history and memories of …

Tributes paid at London vigil

Audio, Radio New Zealand

In London's Westminster Cathedral about 1500 people have just finished a vigil in memory of the victims of the Christchurch earthquake.

Five thousand attend vigil in London for quake victim

Audio, Radio New Zealand

About five thousand people have attended a vigil in memory of the victims of the Christchurch earthquake at London's Westminster Cathedral.

2011 - Engineering Bridge Challenge Photograph 2

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of students falling through a bridge into the Avon River, outside the UCSA building. The photograph was taken in 2011 during the annual Civil Engineering Bridge Challenge event.

2011 - Engineering Bridge Challenge Photograph 1

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of students walking on a bridge across the Avon River, outside the UCSA building. The photograph was taken in 2011 during the annual Civil Engineering Bridge Challenge event.

Photograph of St Paul's-Trinity-Pacific Church, 236 Cashel Street (91)

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of a screen inside St Paul's-Trinity-Pacific Church, erected in memory of members on the congregation who lost their lives during World War I.

Fairfax Video, February 2011 (3)

Videos, UC QuakeStudies

A video showing members of the SPCA standing for two minutes in silence a week after the 22 February 2011 earthquake, in memory of those who lost their lives. A pigeon, found in the ChristChurch Cathedral after the quakes, is released at the end of the two-minutes' silence.

The Vault - The Press: Christchurch

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Despite a hasty retreat from its iconic building in Christchurch's Square following the February earthquake, 'The Press', is in celebration mode. It's 150 years since the paper began with a six page edition that sold for six pence. It's first pages warned of the crippling cost of a new tunnel and rail line connecting Lyttelton to Christchurch, and on the back, a for sale ad for 100,000 gorse plants! Deb Nation finds the paper celebrated their centenary 50 years earlier, with memories of pigeon post and paper boys.

Chimney Book

Videos, NZ On Screen

Chimney Book takes rubble from the Christchurch earthquake, and turns it into the building blocks of a film exploring life in the quake zone. Christchurch musician Blair Parkes took bricks from his chimney — destroyed in the 22 February 2011 aftershocks — painted a letter or symbol on each, then scanned them into his computer. Sound and word form the spine of the result, which is part diary, part experimental film. Parkes explores his experiences of living in Christchurch since the quake through words like 'dust', 'memory', 'place', and a question: 'is it over?'

Media7 - Series Seven, Episode 13

Videos, NZ On Screen

This 2011 episode of the Russell Brown-fronted media commentary show examines how Christchurch is dealing with the aftermath of two devastating earthquakes. First up: the CEISMIC Digital Archive is working to preserve the memories and experiences of Cantabrians, and The Press editor Andrew Holden explains why his newspaper is donating everything it has published to the project. Then CERA CEO Roger Sutton talks about the key role of media relations, and filmmaker Gerard Smyth describes shooting his acclaimed chronicle of the quakes: When a City Falls.