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Ghost signs of Birmingham

mikejee said:
It's Alma st in Smethwick. The Argyle works were originally a bedstead works, run by the Imperial Bedstead Co in 1900 and the Birmingham Bedstead Co in 1921
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ahh thanks mike..i looked at the photos and thought...thats not the alma st i know...glad i have not lost the plot then lol

lyn
 
Saw these while walking down the High Street in Harborne.

It is now Paradice Gelateria. It was formerly Webster & Co Solicitors



Also this one (didn't get the right angle as had to wait for a bus to go past)

Harborne Haberdashery

 
Like the look of the haberdashery sign Ell. Colourful.

No idea if these two signs are quite old or more modern. The first is "Quality ......" something or other at 89 Lozells Road. The other is on Villa Road - "Barber Shop Elegance" Viv
 

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Second one could be recent, if the barber shop closed down.

I think Moseley Wines closed down on St Mary's Row in Moseley Village, letters taken down, but left ghost sign behind where they were.

https://goo.gl/maps/EsW9d3Pv71E2

The letters have gradually disappeared over the last 5 years (if you check out the Google Street Map history)
 
Thanks Ell. Moseley Wines has a more modern look I guess.

Did you notice the old sign further up from Moseley Wines? A nice one which has been partially built over by the "Escape" building. Think the writing says "LILIAN FRE....." and she probably ran a haberdashery shop there as there seems to be the word "NEEDLES" near the bottom of the sign and "HAB...." a little further up. Viv.

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Yeah I've seen it before. On the no 1 bus, probably easier to see if heading back towards Acocks Green (if I'm looking at it) rather than if I was on the bus heading towards Five Ways.
 
50 St Mary Row. Miss Lilian Freeman, art needlework etc. The shop disappears between the 1943 & 1944 Kellys. She was there from the 1920s
 
Thanks Janice. I saw it again from the no 31 bus, but was not sitting at the front of the top of the bus.
 
image.jpeg image.jpeg William Ehrhardt's Time Works at 214-224 Barr Street, Hockley. Home of one of the first large scale manufacturers of machine-made gold and silver watches in England. The three-storey Victorian building has a Grade A local listing. Viv.
 
Thanks Dave. couldn't make that out! I assume it's a later addition as can't see the connection with watches. Maybe it was something connected to a later occupant of the building. Viv.
 
Bull Street looks sad these days. Blacks seems to have disappeared and Streetview has captured before and after views. There seems to be several ghost signs over the main entrance but unfortunately I can't make them out. Viv.

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Street view is out of date Viv. And as you know Bull Street tram stop is now open outside there.

Forbidden Planet is to the left of Colmore Gate. And is some kind of estate agents at the Temple Row corner.

I think you had a photo with a man dressed as Batman outside of there, or Horsencart did.


The building had scaffolding on it last week

 
image.jpeg The Bull Rng outdoor market in the 1960s. But what was written on the plaque on the bridge? Viv.
 
A sign of grander times - the Prince's Suite at the former New Inns Pub on the Holyhead Road. Viv.

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Stephen0002002 said:
Excellent. And great detective work to boot. Is "Ghost signs" coining a new word or is it in general use ?

I wonder why the bloke on the ladder had 2 ladders up the same bit of wall ?
( I'm sure the answer is simple - but I haven't spotted it )

I wonder if the Birmingham Household Supply Association was the forerunner to the Co-operative
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Hi Stephen, the use of a 2nd ladder is for a helper/labourer to bring up tools/paint Etc Etc that is need by the guy on the 1st ladder. ( It is very difficult and dangerous to try to both go up the same ladder. )
 
A sign for 'Market Place' on College Road Handsworth - opposite Somerset Road. I imagined the parade of shops would have once been much longer, as the sign would have been fixed to the centre of the parade. But the old photo below (left side) makes it's difficult to tell, I expect it was once longer as such designs would have had symmetry. The modern view shows there was at least one other unit attached to the end of the parade. Maybe this was due to WW2 bomb damage? Viv.
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According to Wikipedia Other notable buildings in Digbeth, include the now-defunct The Clothing Mart operated by George Makepeace at 135-6 Digbeth which was designed by James Patchett of Ombersley. Built in 1913, it is a steel framed structure with a mixture of façade materials. The façade consists of bright red brick and orange terracotta. The building is no longer used by George Makepeace and has changed hands, undergoing a variety of uses. Several aspects of its original architecture have been lost including a first floor iron balcony, above which electric lanterns with hooded lenses from two iron holders that remain. Either side of these were iron and glass lamps resembling Medici goblets. The orange pilasters sit on a key stone and pedimented blocks set with round pink granite stones and the parapet is of green glazed terracotta

Janice
 
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