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Snowflake

Snowflake

I've heard most of the English psych hospitals closed during the holiday season, and it seems evident from the garland and decorations hung from the theater at Whittingham. Unfortunately the theater was sealed up from inside the building when I visited, so I was only able to take this shot from the projection room.
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AHHHH, NOW IM HAPPY! YAY, THE THEATRE, SOOOO BEAUTIFUL! LOVE IT!
JAVA
Thu 12-14-2006
It's hauntingly eerie to see holiday decorations left behind, just lost in time. Especially as it is so relevant to the current season.
Barbara
Thu 12-14-2006
This is so beautiful. It's like it's been sitting there, frozen in time, just waiting for someone to come back and care. This room is so beautifully preserved, it seems like you could just sweep the little debris up off the floor, turn on the lights, and it would be all ready for a holiday ball.
GirlJaye
Thu 12-14-2006
Its perfect.....
Tony C.
Thu 12-14-2006
LOVE that ceiling!
Jude
Thu 12-14-2006
I would hope that the developers would see the beauty in this and save it to use for a ballroom but most likely not...sad.

I can almost hear the music and see people dancing.
Cyber
Fri 12-15-2006
Boy, it's in pretty good shape!
Vaughn
Fri 12-15-2006
What a pretty theatre. And those beautiful lights and shades still there : ) Thats always nice to see.
Kadee
Fri 12-15-2006
Ahhh ............... at least you got to see it from the projection room ;O)
lillimouse
Fri 12-15-2006
I wonder if those arched buttresses are wood! If so, what amazing workmanship. What it took to build this amazing room. So beautiful!
Janice
Fri 12-15-2006
Beautiful.
Chrissie
Fri 12-15-2006
i can imagine how clean and uplifting that place probably looked when it was new... and now its all old and grim... strange how time alters things.
Kemper
Fri 12-15-2006
If i ever get my ass in gear into getting to these places....i think id have to take my badminton gear with me...the courts are all there ready...and in good condidtion :P

but on a seriosu note: love it.
Tommeh!!!
Fri 12-15-2006
Um, this may sound stupid but how could a hospital close for the holidays? If the patients lived there some staff had to be there surely.

Btw, fantastic shot Motts, I wonder how long that snowflake has been there.
Long Island Irish
Fri 12-15-2006
Bad wording... the hospitals closed permanently around the end of December and early January. :-)
Motts
Fri 12-15-2006
oooo thanks for clearing that up. When I read it at first I was like...."um, okay so it was patient free for all time?" LOL, somehow I didn't think that was right. :-D
Long Island Irish
Fri 12-15-2006
Another shot that makes me want to cry. For some reason abandoned toys and Christmas decorations will do that to me. Go figure.
Florida Jen
Fri 12-15-2006
wow this is such a sad picture. Makes you wonder if they had a party and then they closed down or they strung up the decorations but never had the party. If these walls could talk I wonder what they would say
Joe
Sat 12-16-2006
OHOH, happy christmas!!...or something like that:-/.*lol*.
sad and beautiful pictures though.
MissValentine
Sat 12-16-2006
This room is beautiful! I agree with GirlJaye, it looks like it could be swept up and ready for a holiday ball, just in time for Christmas!
It also reminds me a little of the haunted house at Disney World, with the ghosts dancing in the ballroom!
Rapunzel's Wish
Sat 12-16-2006
Oh, absolutely gorgeous~!
Michele
Sun 12-17-2006
When I saw the picture all I could saw is WOW HOLY SH@T D$M that is beatiful after reading the other posts it almost brings me to tears I can feel them in my chest coming up. Most Staff at the hospitals try to provide the best care and help them to celebrate the holidays even though the patients don't get to go home they decorate and have patients make craft to make it feel more like christmas. sorry to rant.
kim
Sun 12-17-2006
What a starkly beautiful room!!
Frank-pgh
Tue 12-19-2006
Did they just leave the snowflake up after they made it? Unless that was put up the last winter for the hospital. I'd be afraid of it dropping on me.
andrew
Sun 12-24-2006
All I can think is ..............WOW
rachel
Mon 12-25-2006
wow interesting picture!

Regards--- jgurbisz

Vacant NJ: web.mac.com/jgurbisz/iweb
Vacant NJ
Tue 12-26-2006
Why does this shot bring The Shining to mind?
Vee
Tue 12-26-2006
NO FAIR!
GirlJaye & Rapunzel's Wish stole my thoughts on this one & used 'em before I could. REALLY! LOL
Seriously though, once again BIG kudos to Motts for providing these sorts of stunning shots that speak to some of us in the same exact way , while evolking a different, yet just as relevent reaction from others.
Thus, some of us wanting to grab up a broom & duster to then let the party begin, while others are struck by the poignance of the image ...
Jim Allcorn
Wed 12-27-2006
A good sweep of the floor and this room could be back in business by New Years!
silkster40z
Thu 12-28-2006
This really looks in good condition. But it won't for long; especially if they tear everything down.
Nance
Sat 01-06-2007
I agree with Florida Jen, abandoned toy photos are somehow sadder for me than other things. What really gets me is photos of a single, broken doll. There is something 'war-like' about the image.
Debi G from Oz
Sun 01-07-2007
i go here reguraly , the ballroom is now open, but people have wrecked it all and pulled the snowflake and the discoball dwn! the best time to go is at night well funny when theres other ppl there n u get scared
Grace
Tue 01-16-2007
the more theatres you take pictures of, the happier you make me!
Rheavon
Wed 01-17-2007
I did work in group 4 back in 1977 thru 1985 had good experience / I do miss the employee & think of the patients.
Helen M Mattson
Wed 01-17-2007
hey! wanna know somethin freaky? when i was a kid my dad played badminton here every week and we joined him as mum was at work! it hasnt changed a bit! freaky as hell! i blame my dad for my obssession with old buildings and freaky photos!!
we used to play around on the stage when we got bored and occassionally wander the nearby halls! we even bumped into a patient or two! that place always freaked me out but im fascinated by it!! and now im doing a project on it for my art degree! i wanna visit the site!
darladelusion
Thu 02-01-2007
I worked here nearly 30 years ago . Had to take patients to a dance here every week - foxtrot, quick step etc - It was the worst part of the job for me I hated it. There was also films shown here as well which wqas great - getting paid to watch films,
Richard Crookes
Fri 02-02-2007
Why the worst bit Richard?

I love this shot! It amazes me to think that there are buildings like this, just left to rot, when we have so many homeless.
Honie
Fri 02-02-2007
Crikey I remember performing a few songs here in 1981 and forgetting the words! What an atmosphere.
MickAd
Mon 02-19-2007
Those two extra large snowflakes hanging from the ceiling somehow seem to overshadow the would be Holiday activities.

They are very out of place.

Signed: An American Soldier stationed in Germany.
Joseph
Sun 03-18-2007
It is truly a stunning picture. But what strikes me as well is it looks like it is an abandoned gym from the 50's just after a winter dance.
C-Note
Mon 04-09-2007
They are still waiting for SANTA
Nevermore
Sat 04-28-2007
one of the other maitainance men, a bricklayer called jimmy fletcher, had a great sense of humour, he used to make garden gnomes from a mould and plaster, paint them and then install them all over the hospital. in the top right hand corner as this pic faces, is a shelf, just below the roof, and standing on the shelf, watching the ballroom are two gnomes, two more are diagonally opposite them. if they could tell tales eh!!!!
johnr
Fri 06-08-2007
and the floor i have to asy(because ive been below it many times) is a propper sprung dancehall floor. the pic might not show how huge the place is either, the two spekers hung either side of the stage are about 8 feet high and the stage is getting on for 40 feet across. there are 3 full size badminton courts layed out on the floor. we used to skive off sometimes and go and watch the films in there, and the xmas dances were always good fun. happy days indeed!!!
johnr
Fri 06-08-2007
we visited this place on 4th sep we went into this hall and saw the decorations it was really eiry it was weid to stand there and imagine it all come to life,bit like the film ghostship really,we going bk b4 it gets knocked down nxt yr,so ne1 who hasnt been go!!! bt b careful coz flooring is rotting so no fatties please.
charli
Fri 09-07-2007
Excellent Picture !!!!!!!!!!
stephen21
Fri 11-09-2007
You are so lucky to get inside and take these photos. I worked in the new secure unit for two years and used to walk past these derelict beautiful looking buildings every day, always wanted to go inside and take some photos.

Now I often meet inpatients and the smaller units dotted around and some were patients in Whittingham for years, they speak fondly of the dances, plays and other events that would take place in the theatre/ball room.

These are lovely photos.
Steve
Tue 11-13-2007
its like all the people who was here, suddenly dis aper completely, terrible dream, with music of Chopin
ursula
Fri 11-23-2007
What a christmas card!!! I'm soooooo happy it was locked up so that the decorations were still there for you to photograph :)
Miracula
Sat 11-24-2007
hey steve,

i'm helping a city clinic dispose of an x-ray machine, picker corp, cat 6139. How do I locate pcb's in the unit?

any other disposal ideas? 415/252-3976
jeff sf dph
Wed 11-28-2007
Well at least that pics something.
Guitorman
Mon 12-17-2007
Mr Adamson! Surely you didn't forget the words?..........ah I remember it well, the Christmas Review.
AussiePool
Thu 01-03-2008
Just think of all things that went on inside here. makes you wonder
Katie
Wed 02-06-2008
this was the main hall in the hospital i will always remember bonfire night i lived in the village next to whittingham me mum and dad went here with alot of other people from the village we had hotpot and sat and chatted to the people who lived here then there were fireworks in the garden next to it it was so not SCARY at all it will be now cause no one lives hare
hudson
Thu 02-21-2008
ok ok im dozy dora i take back the comment of coming to uk........doh...........so there are places here that i can go see.......how about the north east of england do we have anything? or shall i eat my words again later? lol
joolz.uk
Fri 07-25-2008
Java calm down. That's not beautiful. Its random.
Kvnt
Wed 09-10-2008
does anyone know exactly where on the site the ballroom is located please?
iain duncan
Thu 11-06-2008
This looks like the hall that was used in the film Session 9
Haggis
Thu 11-27-2008
can you imagine what Christmas time would've been like here?
mrsloureed
Tue 12-09-2008
heres a hanky florida jan.
swamp thing fla
Sat 03-28-2009
the ballroom was situated in st Lukes in from the "front" as it was called at the end of the corridor oposite to the staff canteen and next to the chapel
June
Mon 05-04-2009
I got my qialification documents in that ballroom from Sister Hough
June
Mon 05-04-2009
Ooooooh! It's in such good condition. It's so pretty!
Kathy W.
Sat 11-07-2009
went to lovely xmas concert many years ago, such a shame to see the state of things now. Why leave such a lovely buliding like whittingham to rot like this??????
juli preston
Sat 11-14-2009
spent 20 years at whittingham nursing happiest time of my working life by far. its sad to see the place now it did not close for the patients benefit but a lot of greedy fat cat managers made a killing.
however good memories live on thanks to these sites
bill hardman
Sun 11-29-2009
-confusing-how or why would ALL of them be closed and done with in the same season?
STL girl
Tue 03-16-2010
I remember dancing on this stage. And been presented with my nursing qualifications
Margaret
Mon 05-17-2010
you lot forget that this was not a nice place to be, be it christmas or not my great nan was there as a mental patient trust me not a nice place at all. asylum, institution mental do these sound like nice words???? because these are the words used to describe the hell hole that is WHITTINGHAM MENTAL HOSPITAL...
bryan
Tue 06-22-2010

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