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Christchurch City Council. Municipal Electricity Department. (1920-1989)

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1920 - 1989

Parallel Names

  • MED

Biography

In 1903 the Christchurch City Council established a small scale public supply of electricity. In subsequent years other local councils established similar departments. The Electricity Department was restructured in 1920 and was renamed the Municipal Electricity Department in 1922.The Municipal Electricity Department took over the responsibility for the distribution of electricity to Waimairi County in 1946.

On 1 February 1989, the new company, Southpower, was officially formed by the amalgamation of the Christchurch Municipal Electricity Board and the Central Canterbury Electric Power Board. With the addition of the Port Hills Energy Authority and then Riccarton Electricity in November, it became the second largest supply authority for electricity in New Zealand.

Southpower was both a lines company and a retailer of electricity. Following government reform of the sector, in 1998 Southpower sold its retail activities and retained its network activities. In December 1998 the company was renamed Orion New Zealand Limited.

Orion New Zealand is a community owned entity with two key shareholders - the Christchurch City Council, through its subsidiary Christchurch City Holdings Ltd (89.3%) and the Selwyn District Council (10.7%).

Found in 124 Collections and/or Records:

Final MED Board Photograph, 1993

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1050/5/37
Scope and Contents

Framed photograph - Colour print - Final MED Board photograph 1993

Dates: 1993
Found in: Christchurch City Libraries Archives Collection / Municipal Electricity Department records / Series 5, Framed photographs, staff portraits

Financial statements, correspondence, 1920 - 1950

 Item
Identifier: Arch 10501/7
Scope and Contents

Financial statements and correpondence 1920-1950

Dates: 1920 - 1950
Found in: Christchurch City Libraries Archives Collection / Municipal Electricity Department records / Series 1, Company records and photographs

Gas and Electricity Acts, 1935 - 1972

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1050/1/16
Scope and Contents

Copies of Gas & Elecricity Act NSW, UK, British Colombia 1935 - 1972

Dates: 1935 - 1972
Found in: Christchurch City Libraries Archives Collection / Municipal Electricity Department records / Series 1, Company records and photographs

Graphs: Price of Lead and Copper, papers, negatives, 1964 - 1967

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1050/1/6
Scope and Contents

Various paperwork incliding 4 x graphs with price of Lead and Copper 1964-1967 and negatives

Dates: 1964 - 1967
Found in: Christchurch City Libraries Archives Collection / Municipal Electricity Department records / Series 1, Company records and photographs

Historical photographs from an album titled Miscellaneous, 1903 - 1981

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1050/1/2
Scope and Contents File 1 - 1903-1926 [13 black and white photographs] includes cable laying and a staff photogaph from 1919. File 2 - 1926-1930 [16 black and white photographs] includes aerial view of Oxford Terrace and Manchester Streets 1929 and portrait of Dr H.T.J Thacker [MED Chairman] 1930 and Lines Departmentn staff 1930. File 3 - 1931-1935 [17 black and white photographs] includes Cathedral Square showing Godley plot, 1933 and portrait of Daniel Giles Sullivan, Mayor of Christchurch. File 4 -...
Dates: 1903 - 1981
Found in: Christchurch City Libraries Archives Collection / Municipal Electricity Department records / Series 1, Company records and photographs

Historical photographs including horse and cart

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1050/2/5
Scope and Contents From the Collection: A collection of published and unpublished material relating to the Municipal Electricity Department including photographs of Christchurch and surrounds taken in the course of the business from its formation in 1903. It also includes material from bodies that merged into the department as local body reorganisation, and electricity reform occurred up to the formation of Orion New Zealand.The images document the building of the M.E.D. building in the 1930s, various types of the...
Dates: Majority of material found within 1920 - 1980
Found in: Christchurch City Libraries Archives Collection / Municipal Electricity Department records / Series 2, Photographs, Film, Digitised content

Hot Water Shower: Promotional Contact Sheets, 1970 - 1985

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1050/1/30
Scope and Contents

7 x contact sheets of bw and colour of promotional hot water shower shots

Dates: 1970 - 1985
Found in: Christchurch City Libraries Archives Collection / Municipal Electricity Department records / Series 1, Company records and photographs

Index to contracted work, 1918 - 1932

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1050/1/3
Scope and Contents

8 sheets of paper listing contracts of work undertaken 1918-1932

Dates: 1918 - 1932
Found in: Christchurch City Libraries Archives Collection / Municipal Electricity Department records / Series 1, Company records and photographs

Index to historical photographs, 1903 - 1981

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1050/1/2a
Scope and Contents

Photocopies and references to M.E.D photographs in 1050/1/2

Dates: 1903 - 1981
Found in: Christchurch City Libraries Archives Collection / Municipal Electricity Department records / Series 1, Company records and photographs

J Strassmeyer Store: Print

 Item
Identifier: Arch 1050/1/31
Scope and Contents

Bw print on card of shop called J Strassmeyer cabinet maker

Dates: Majority of material found within 1920 - 1980
Found in: Christchurch City Libraries Archives Collection / Municipal Electricity Department records / Series 1, Company records and photographs

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