History 1880 to 1900

Canterbury Cricket and Athletics Sports Co Ltd established. The company purchased 10 acres, 3 roods 30 perches of the Lancaster Estate for £2,841. (£260 per acre)

The new sports ground adopted the name Lancaster Park, after Benjamin Lancaster of Bournemouth England, whom previously owned the land.

A cricket match was scheduled for the opening on 8th October but was canceled due to rain. An athletics meeting organised by the Canterbury Amateur Athletics Club became the first event held on the ground on 15th October and the first gate receipts for the park were received (£78 2s)

Shaw and Lillywhites England XI vs Canterbury drew crowds of up to 5,000.

The Canterbury Rugby Union, the first to be formed in New Zealand, organised an England vs Colonies match.  The match was variously recorded as an unsatisfactory one "..a number of the Englishmen did not turn up so their places had to be filled by Colonials, and a lamentable display of kicking achieved one goal from ten touchdowns..."

The Southern Rugby Union of NSW vs Canterbury was recorded as the first important game of rugby at Lancaster Park

between rugby and cricket resulted in cricket being stopped for 2 hours while a rugby game was played.

was laid to cater for the popularity of cycling events at the park - Cash Amateur Cycling Club held a pennyfarthings race, winners were offered £10 trophy or 5 cash.

The initial meeting of the Lancaster Park Trotting Club was to take place on Saturday 15th May, but with the death of Mr H.P. Lance the prominent citizen named as judge for the day caused the meeting to be postponed until 22 May. By which time a southwest storm brought so much rain that the Avon River overflowed and large areas of the city were flooded. Eventually the first meeting was held Saturday afternoon, 29 May 1886

played Canterbury and wins.

became joint owners. The rugby union declined the offer to join them.

to play a match against New South Wales. 

Rugby pulling in the big crowds.

Doubles play at the Davis Cup Final.

played against New South Wales and won by 140 runs. 

was constructed in the north east corner of the ground.

Captain Charles Lorraine attempted to break the world record of 20,000 feet for the greatest height reached by a hot air balloon. He dropped his landing parachute on take off and ended up crashing into the ocean near the entrance to Port Levy. His body was never recovered.

The Trotting came to an end, at which time there were at least 4 meeting held a year. Changing its name to New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, and amalgamating with Canterbury Trotting Club, the club moved to Addington Racecourse and became the headquarters of trotting throughout New Zealand.

was held (and again in 1903). Advertisement for the event read "Tena Koutou, Tena Koutou. Haere Mai, Haere Mai. Kapai the Pakehas, Kapai the Maoris of the North Island"