• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Ghost signs of Birmingham

Nico said:
One of my birth great grandmothers lived in Tarry Road but I think there are more than one Tarry Roads. Was it the Tailors' quarter?
Click to expand...
Not sure where Tailors' quarter is/was. Gowan and Tarry Roads are in Alum Rock. When I searched it only gave me one option.
 
pjmburns said:
Not sure where Tailors' quarter is/was. Gowan and Tarry Roads are in Alum Rock. When I searched it only gave me one option.
Click to expand...
I asked where the Tailors' quarter might be before and the Forum gave me Newton, Balsall Heath and by The Hippodrome as possibles. And lots of tailors dotted about. It's just that I was told there was a clothing and tailoring area. I can only see one Tarry road now, I did think there were two. It's something I never got to the bottom of and every so often I am reminded of it. Thanks for reminding me though.
 
SteveBhx said:
Soho Hill , used to be a cinema I believe - not old enough to remember;), actually not my area.

The old Palladium?
View attachment 153486
Click to expand...
Was that on the right hand side going down Soho Hill? If so for 1/9d (o.9p) you got a seat circa 1960 to 1961 often to see 2 A movies, instead of the usual A and B starter. One Friday night, we went in at 1830 to see A Town like Alice and The Glenn Miller Story, no break between the two films, Came out at 2230 and we did this on a number of occasions, Good value for money.

Bob
 
Last edited:
Frothblower said:
I brought a lot of my CB stuff from Hewards (Rob Dog's) on the Kingstanding circle now Ladbrokes. Notice the ghost sign above.
Click to expand...
I noticed that ghost sign today. I can't fully make out what it was on the first floor, would love to know what the sign said. Would it predate Hewards do you think?
 
SteveBhx said:
Soho Hill , used to be a cinema I believe - not old enough to remember;), actually not my area.

The old Palladium?
View attachment 153486
Click to expand...

thats my neck of the woods steve and ive photographed it many time over the past 10 years..apparently the inside is not in bad shape although to look at the outside you would not think so...i have feared for this building for many years now and i still do...so sad

lyn
 
Astoness said:
thats my neck of the woods steve and ive photographed it many time over the past 10 years..apparently the inside is not in bad shape although to look at the outside you would not think so...i have feared for this building for many years now and i still do...so sad

lyn
Click to expand...

The outside is looking much worse that I last saw it, about 4 or 5 years ago - so sad.
 
Andy1 said:
I noticed that ghost sign today. I can't fully make out what it was on the first floor, would love to know what the sign said. Would it predate Hewards do you think?
Click to expand...
Not sure about the sign. Can't check every year as not all phone books are online but 1968 is Hewards, 1963 is Knights Cycles
1940 Kelly's directory:
1614194148765.png
 
Evidence of a few layers of signs on this one at 289 Golden Hillock Road. Thanks to SteveBHx for the B&W photo and to pjmburns for locating it on Streetview. Viv.6B7A86FC-E26D-4DC7-99BA-532516978934.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • E3397368-22B8-4085-94E3-650CEEE05D49.jpeg
    E3397368-22B8-4085-94E3-650CEEE05D49.jpeg
    860.3 KB · Views: 11
SteveBhx said:
Not strictly Ghost sign but as the building is locked up and the windows broken may not be around for much long 186 Soho Road -if there is a something more appropriate feel free to move

View attachment 153485
Click to expand...
This is an amazing building spent much of my youth inside as my dad owned a toolmaking business that based here in the 70’s 80’s it’s huge and goes back so far behind the facade bloody spooky at night though
 
stumbled on this one today not exactly brum but along the stratford road shirley....not very easy to get clear camera shots as its down an alley with a shop on the other side think it reads HAROLD F WARDLE FOR ALL ELECTRICALS MURPHY..HMV..PYE

.ghost sign 2.jpgghost sign 6.jpg
 
I remember the shop and Mr Ward but always thought his name was Wardle. I suppose it was misunderstanding, as a child, what people said.
The shop is a vague memory but I can clearly picture him pushing his wife in a wheelchair.
Just looked in the phone book and although a business of Harold F Ward (electrical eng) is listed 1957 and beyond it is not at the address of the shop. I am now left wondering if I just remember the person rather than the actual shop.
 
Last edited:
Not really a ghost sign, and not Birmingham, but notice this while looking on Google Earth at Cressbrook Dale in The Peaks. We love the NHS.

B3C5F03A-DA6B-4519-BEB2-A22466D5996B.jpeg
 
Hi, I think I have found the right thread to post in (apologies if I haven't!). I found a ghost sign recently and would love to know what it originally said and/or what it relates to. It's on the end of a terraced house, on Hampton Road (off Slade Road, Erdington). I have had to resize my photos for the site to allow me to upload, but hope quality isn't too affected. I think I can make out cars? or caps? maybe. I can see the last word is road (Rd) in bottom right hand corner, but that is about it. Maybe a long shot, but thought it worth an ask. Many thanks, Andrea.
 

Attachments

  • hampton street - ghost sign on terraced house 1.JPG
    hampton street - ghost sign on terraced house 1.JPG
    309.1 KB · Views: 21
  • hampton street - ghost sign on terraced house 2.JPG
    hampton street - ghost sign on terraced house 2.JPG
    475.1 KB · Views: 21
  • hampton street - road sign - re, ghost sign.JPG
    hampton street - road sign - re, ghost sign.JPG
    393.2 KB · Views: 21
Andy1 said:
Hi, I think I have found the right thread to post in (apologies if I haven't!). I found a ghost sign recently and would love to know what it originally said and/or what it relates to. It's on the end of a terraced house, on Hampton Road (off Slade Road, Erdington). I have had to resize my photos for the site to allow me to upload, but hope quality isn't too affected. I think I can make out cars? or caps? maybe. I can see the last word is road (Rd) in bottom right hand corner, but that is about it. Maybe a long shot, but thought it worth an ask. Many thanks, Andrea.
Click to expand...
Andy, I think your ghost sign is at 5 Hampton Road, Erdington.
In 1955 it was owned by Zacaroli Pasquale an ICE CREAM MANUFACTURER

In 1930 No.3 & 5 was a DAIRY, owned by Wm Haywood

Might help identifying ghost sign
 
Last edited:
Certainly looks like 'CARS', the bottom bit has been abbreviated to 'IRd' (like abbreviated Road) but I don't think it is Road I think they just ran out of space and abbreviated a longer word.
 

Attachments

  • Image5.jpg
    Image5.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 10
A little further along the road is a single storey building that might once have been a repair garage or workshop (green doors). Viv.

8A4BFD36-5D51-4490-A09F-4FEBBEE66E02.jpeg
 
Last edited:
The house next door seems to be a much later build and is covering much of the original sign although it looks as though we are trying to interpret several overlaid signs. In 1921 Kelly's it was Albert Wiggin (pianaforte dealer). In 1932 Nos. 3 & 5 were William Haywood (dairy). I can't see where either of those fit in though to be honest.
 
RobT said:
Andy, I think your ghost sign is at 5 Hampton Road, Erdington.
In 1955 it was owned by Zacaroli Pasquale an ICE CREAM MANUFACTURER

In 1930 No.3 & 5 was a DAIRY, owned by Wm Haywood

Might help identifying ghost sign
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for this information, Rob T!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top