et_phone_home's experience @ Sunnyside Asylum

Old Grey Building

rating: 52.5%
log in to vote
votes: 3

old bakery hatchbutchery signvisitors male side sign?Lincoln Road end of main block. Previously demolished building connected near here.C & A wards upstairs signrear of main blockwater toweranyone 4 chess?view from Annex RoadSeager gravestone

The photos were taken in April 1999 when I worked at Sunnyside. I believe there was an earlier building that was demolished in the 60’s or 70’s that connected to the Lincoln Road end of the main block – otherwise known as “the old grey building”. When the admin building was added onto the main block, it contained a kitchen, bakery, and butchery. Evidence of this is in the photos. I have never been through the main block, which was abandoned in the 80’s, but would have loved to. The first superintendent of Sunnyside was Edward Seager, who was previously the Lyttelton gaoler. In 1863 Seager and 17 patients moved from Lyttelton gaol to Sunnyside. I found his gravestone at St Peters at Church Corner. Even today within ChCh Mental Health Services there is still a Seager ward.

  • dirtyfilthy (2 months ago)

    the dude who designed sunnyside’s creepy horror movie mental asylum look, Benjamin Mountfort, also did pretty much all the other neo-gothic buildings in chch, christs college, cathedral, provincal chambers etc etc, a serial genius, which is why its such a crime it got bowled.

    reply
  • rob (2 months ago)

    \

    One of New Zealand’s most prominent 19th century architects and the first official Provincial Architect of Canterbury.

    reply