McLeans Mansion, 387 Manchester Street, Christchurch
McLeans Mansion, 387 Manchester Street, Christchurch
[ca. 1900]
In 1899, 78-year old bachelor and former Waikakahi runholder, Allan McLean (1822-1907), employed Robert West England (1863-1908) as architect for a Jacobean-style, three-storeyed wooden house of 53 rooms. It was completed in 1900 and McLean named it Holly Lea. At 23,000 square feet, it was probably the largest wooden residence in New Zealand. It was used as a private home for only 13 years. Over the years it has been a home (until 1955) for genteel women down on their luck, unable to be accommodated with women of a lower socio-economic background as it was felt the two groups would not get on; a dental nurses' hostel; a Salvation Army rest home; leased for a time by the St Vincent de Paul Society. In 2005 it is the home of Academy New Zealand, Christchurch, a private training establishment offering entry level vocational training. The mansion has a Category One rating from the Historic Places Trust.
File Reference CCL Photo Collection 22, Img02343
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