Papers belonging to and collected by William James Arnold Brittenden. Includes family papers of the Brittenden family as well as a variety of collected papers relating to Christchurch including those relating to the railways in the Canterbury and Otago regions and documents of the Christchurch City Council.

Many of the documents are collected and include programmes of events and newspaper clippings. Subjects include Canterbury events; churches; education and schools; sport; tourism; military; Māori; British Royal Family; visitors to New Zealand; arts & media; Aviation/Space Travel/Shipping and ChristChurch Cathedral.

Includes a range of photographs of Christchurch people and places, some in albums. Also includes stories written at Aranui High School by Keri Hulme.