On Tuesday I went to a meeting at the GuntTakers Arms (well actually in the brewery behind,, as the pub is being very heavily, renovated) on Ghost Signs, given by Tracey Thorne. In it she mentioned the sign referred to by Ellbrown, one of a number similar by Twinings around the city. Twinings took over the firm of Barbers, who apparently had a brand called Orange Tips, which is the lettering you can just see. Tracey has a particular affection for the female figure, "Little Miss Barber", which is often shown on them. there are also some for Lyons Tea, and Lilliput Magazine, originally for discerning ladies, though later for "gentlemen(?)".
Tracey first explained her interest, in that she was attracted to these signs, originally done in lead paint, which partly explains their retention, and then discovered that even when present and an added feature of a listed buildingm, there is not protection for the sign itself. She is putting together a report on this, which she hopes might influence this. She has found about 180 around the city so far, of which (I think but do not seem to written down) about 40 are on listed buildings,
Although signs often remain on wood and metal, and in fact the earliest signs advertising a shop usually were, Tracey is mainly (at present) concerned with those on brick. Many have disappeared, including a very good on advertising the Soho foundry, though on that site there still remains one saying "James Watt & Co", though this is not easily visible to those who stick to the normal highways. The actual signwriter who did the original skilled work is unfortunately always unknown, though signwriters advertised in directories and their trade cards can be found. Often the owner of the shop that put them there is not clear. In some cases the sign has been repainted, with varying degrees of skill, and in one case a Twinings sign has the name Twinings repainted and the lower half painted over completely. The oldest she has found is originally from 1840 on Constitution Hill for a Varnish Manufacturer though these very old ones are often difficult to detect. some of the most prolific were cigarette & tobacco adverts, Capstan Full Strength and Gold Flake for example and chemists had signs on their walls, while Lucas batteries has only one remaining sign, in what was Park Garage, but is now Presso's, where it has been preserved, though with a cigarette butt poked in a hole in it, this being sfter persuasion from Tracey. More recently some firms have "painted" new signs on brick to advertise their product, examples being at Regency Wharf, and a series of adverts for Jack Daniels, but these are usually stencilled on the wall with no great skill.
Tracey showed slides of many ghost signs in her talk, some of which have featured on this thread, including Taylor & Challen. This included some requiring the talking skills of Lyn to access, like that advertising "Body Repairs", which, perhaps inappropriately, is on the wall inside what is now a boxing gym.
Tracey does report on her finds, but unfortunately on the , to me, rather impermanant and mysterious Twitter & Tumblre.
It was a very interesting evening, and nice beer, though one customer did cause breath tonbe drawn when she asked for a lager !
