Solving History’s Mysteries
This site will introduce you to historical evidence about the Canterbury Settlement taken from primary sources and presented in a way that is easy to read at home or school on your computer. For example handwritten text is presented as a ‘typescript’, and may include extracts rather than the full original content.
We also recommend some secondary sources including books and links to websites which will give you background information on the primary sources you are looking at on this site.
What is a Primary Source?
Primary sources make up the raw material or direct evidence found by historians in places such as people’s homes, historic buildings, by talking to people themselves, museums, galleries and archives. Primary sources include:
- Photographs
- Recorded interviews
- Paintings
- Diaries
- Films
- Original printed documents
- Hand written or typed letters
- Memorabilia
- The original or archived version of a digital file.
Solving history’s mysteries Historians look at many primary sources together and think about what they tell us about the past, and what they don’t tell us. They also consider whether the different primary sources tell the same story or different versions of a story about something which happened in the past. This is called historical analysis and interpretation.
Where do I find the original sources on this site?
If you want to view the original primary, (and secondary) sources on this site you may have to visit a museum, library or archive in Christchurch or Wellington, New Zealand. Primary sources are often looked after in one place and cannot be borrowed, and sometimes there are conditions around viewing them. This is so that the original can be looked after for the future for everyone.
On each web page you will see a source listed with a web link to the place where it is held. You can contact the museum, library or library you see listed. For example:
Source: J.R, Godley,Chief Surveyor’s and Agent Letter Book 1848 - 1851, Lyttelton,
Archives New Zealand - Christchurch
Special Conditions:
It is important to contact a museum, library or archive first to see if they have any special conditions about finding or viewing primary sources that they look after. These organisations must also be contacted for information about their conditions around the reproduction of images from their collection.
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