# Ghost Ads



## Goldie87

I've been meaning to start documenting old adverts in Leicester for a long time, but never seemed to get the chance. Well today the ROC post hunt was canceled, so I set out to search for places to explore and also photo some old adverts on my journey. I found quite a few, but there are many more I didn't get the chance to photograph. I also found some possible explores, an abandoned school and nursing home 






A nice old decorators advert on the side of a house
"??Redfern Painter and Paperhanger 78 Dunster Street and 5 Chartley Road"





A more modern one in the next street





This one looks like it has been painted over with different ads three times or more
"Bovril The Essence Of Good Cooking (puts beef into it)"





This one is on the side of a factory we have explored before





Not sure why this one is where it is, but its great anyway
"Mack's Garage Automobile Engineers Phone Aylestone 44"





"A.Lord & Son, Corn & Seed Merchants. Specialists in pet foods, bird seeds, pigeon corn, poultry & horse feeds, horticultural supplies. Delivery service" 





On the end of a terraced house
"Leicester Co-operative Society Ltd, Stables. Offices- Union Street"





This was once a garage





An old newsagents, the shop has been closed for years and looks untouched like its stuck 20 years or more in the past!
"Picture Post"

Does anyone else have any pictures of this kind of thing?


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## MD

nice one mate 
great idea ill bet there are a few around the highfields end


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## goodeavens

Great idea & excellent pictures  
There`s not too many survived as well around Derby (I could be wrong)
There is a great one on Woods lane though




There is a newish housing development on the left of this picture, the site once belonged to a well known local mineral water manufacturer, Burrows & Sturgess. They had a factory on this site from about 1908 until well into the `30`s I think. Now there is an old factory I`d have loved a look at. 
Sadly I`ve never come across any of their wall adverts. 
I did come across this sign recently in a local village, more up to date, but still defunct


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## Goldie87

Thats a nice one in your first pic. You sometimes have to look very carefully in all the old terraced streets, i've found a few new ones recently doing that lol


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## RichardB

I think there are a few in Cupar. Most of the ground floor stuff has been obliterated but there are still some painted signs visible higher up. I'll try and remember to take pictures on Friday.


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## spacepunk

Hey, this is different! Good effort.


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## zimbob

Different 

I know of at least one good 'un in Kirkcaldy, must get a pic


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## Foxylady

concretegarden said:


> Great idea & excellent pictures



You mean there's pictures there? All I'm getting is (Blocked Ads).  Obviously my browser! 

Great idea for a thread though!


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## Sabtr

There is one near me. I'll get a pic.


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## phill.d

There cool aren't they?
I've been catching the good ones around Leeds for a while too!




Sup up old lad!!




Mmmm tasty!


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## phill.d

Double post lol


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## huggles

Possibly my favouritest thread at the moment. I'll have to join in.


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## phill.d

There's this old Headingley, Leeds 6 Kentucky fried chicken signs on one of the old Leeds backloader buses undergoing restoration.
It's a rather eerie one as it was were Peter Sutcliffe a.k.a the Yorkshire Ripper was eating when he spotted his last victim through the window.
*************************
He again ate at the Kentucky Fried Chicken shop. As he sat looking out of the window at 9:23 pm, Jacqueline Hill alighted from the number 1 bus at the stop opposite the Arndale shopping arcade, Headingley. She was returning home after attending a seminar on the probation service in Cookridge Street, Leeds. Jacqueline was a student at the University who had hoped to join the probation service when she graduated the following summer.

Peter Sutcliffe began to follow Jacqueline after she passed the Kentucky Fried Chicken shop. He was behind her as she entered the dimly lit Alma Road toward the Lupton Flats where she had recently moved. Her mother had been concerned about her living alone on the outskirts of town because of the Yorkshire Ripper attacks, so Jacqueline had decided to move to the all-girl flats in Lupton Court, which was part of a complex of university residences behind the Arndale Shopping Centre. Jacqueline was only 100 yards from her home when Peter Sutcliffe struck her on the back of the head.

********************************
It gave me the Goosebumps when I saw this sign, I'd only just read about it a few weeks earlier!


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## Bigjobs

> Possibly my favouritest thread at the moment



totally agree


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## MD

not sure about the bile beans

you got some good ones there phil


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## Mr Sam

good idea i snap the odd one i see, seen a few down backstreets in manchester one covering the whole side of an old warehouse type building but theres a bran new costcutter built a few yeards from it so its completly hidden from view unless you nosey down the alleyway


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## goodeavens

Another one from Derby, Strettons the brewers, Lower Dale Road


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## festcu

Goldie87 said:


> I've been meaning to start documenting old adverts in Leicester for a long time, but never seemed to get the chance. )



Nice, They bring back some memories - I know where each one of these is 

I never think that anyone else would notice this sort of thing, so it's nice they do


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## ml1275

Hi all

Just one pic to add as follows.

This used to be my grandads shop near Wakefield. He sold up in about 1985ish. Since then the once proud 'Self Service Store' has been through a good few hands, hacked about a lot and subsequently shut down. Upon removal of the awful 'Coca-Cola' branded frontage you can still make out where the original letters were. I seem to recall they were a pale grey with red raised borders.






Cheers
ML


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## randomnut

This is a great idea, could get really interesting. There's a few around Portsmouth, i'll take a few shots tomorrow.


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## johno23

These are great and really illustrate "gentler"times gone by when things and service mattered and goods were quality,unlike todays neon world of manic tat.

I have noticed that apart from the usual commercial premises and city centres,a good source is backstreets,especially on corners where old family run shops have closed down and been converted into houses.

We often spend ages trying to decipher the worn out ones,folks must wonder what we are doing staring up at their walls


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## Mr Sam

another leicester one.....i saw the bower one today!


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## goodeavens

Nice find, nice picture


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## goodeavens

ml1275 said:


> Hi all
> 
> Just one pic to add as follows.
> 
> This used to be my grandads shop near Wakefield. He sold up in about 1985ish. Since then the once proud 'Self Service Store' has been through a good few hands, hacked about a lot and subsequently shut down. Upon removal of the awful 'Coca-Cola' branded frontage you can still make out where the original letters were. I seem to recall they were a pale grey with red raised borders.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers
> ML



Interesting  nice to see a family connection


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## Goldie87

I had spotted this one a while back while looking out of the top floor window of a nearby factory we were exploring. I finally took a picture today 






Here is another one on the same building (you can see the first one top right) It was uncovered after some workshops were demolished. They both seem to be advertising '*unreadable* Barron Co Engineers' They are very faded but they must be extremely old as they are obscured by a factory which is at least 100 years old.


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## fatdeeman

There's a nice one been recently uncovered by the removal of a billboard in bitterne triangle in southampton, it says ecko radio or something like that, can't take a picture because I'm in wales.


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## fatdeeman

Found it on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnbullas/2286674252/


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## Andymacg

spotted this one in the week just up the road from the former Beans foundry site whilst I was on my travels


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## Goldie87

Some more interesting ones, thanks


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## Casper

I found this one in Newcastle


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## harroman

Knew there was a bile beans in York too


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## DogRecon

Here's one from Dudley


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## Goldie87

Some nice stuff people 

And another Leicester one...


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## MD

is that last one on knighton lane? measom dryliners?
my mam worked there


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## Goldie87

MD said:


> is that last one on knighton lane? measom dryliners?
> my mam worked there



Yeah its on knighton lane


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## Foxylady

Been dying to find one of these! 
On the side of the 'Crew Rest & Locker Room' on the WW2 site at Dunkeswell Airfield.
Now part of the industrial estate, this was presumably one of the industries that used this block...UDE Safe Stores.


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## ricasso

Foxylady said:


> Been dying to find one of these!
> On the side of the 'Crew Rest & Locker Room' on the WW2 site at Dunkeswell Airfield.
> Now part of the industrial estate, this was presumably one of the industries that used this block...UDE Safe Stores.



I was waiting for this  , knew you couldnt resist it!


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## Foxylady

ricasso said:


> I was waiting for this  , knew you couldnt resist it!



 Too right!


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## Richard Davies

I've seen a few around near me. 

Often old warehouses still have the original owners names on the walls, in Stockport the London & North Western Railway Company warehouse still has the name in big letters, though it's now a branch of Safe Store.

There's a building in Marple that has CAFE in big letters painted directly onto the pitched roof, though it's been a solicitor's office for as long as I can remember.

Another thing to spot, often on walls are former street names. A few names were changed in Stockport around the time postcodes were introduced, & the council often left the original signs up with the addtion of a "Late" sign between it and the new one. Some newer signs have both names on.


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## LOTUS

*Ad on back of victorian paintings*

Hello guys iv got an old pair of victorian paintings ,and they where painted on board.One is of an old ruined church.On the back of them is old victorian adverts for pigeon an d fowl feed.painters at teh time with limited money would use old board from any source to paint on rather than the more exspensive canvas,James/lotus


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## HOLES

I know its not your specific area but couldnt find one of these topics for wales but thought i would share, went for a walk along a disused railway and to check out a local viaduct (not sure of spelling), and found this 







there is what looks like a small disused industrial style building there but its attatched to a house which is being used haha


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## Andymacg

I ve found another one in Birmingham on the stratford road whilst on my travels


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## goodeavens

Mayfield, Staffordshire, "BASS"


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## Anthillmob74

Rosehill, Carshalton. im old enough to remember this being the site of the original co-op.






outside the dolphin in sutton


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## godzilla73

Aha - you beat me to that last one Anthillmob! I had my camera ready and everything! What about the one on the undertakers next to B&Q in Sutton? You can see it from the train.


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## Goldie87

HOLES said:


>



Ah its a shame thats pretty much had it, I used to go around places collecting enamel signs up but they are becoming hard to find now. 

Did find this recently though...






Not as old as some of my others, but an ok find anyway.


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## Anthillmob74

godzilla73 said:


> Aha - you beat me to that last one Anthillmob! I had my camera ready and everything! What about the one on the undertakers next to B&Q in Sutton? You can see it from the train.







ive not seen the one by the undertakers. i walked from burger king to the station today. theres the pretty painted windows on the side of the building by the lights crossing over by the 'c0ck' [sorry dont know if the proper spelling will be obliterated by a swear filter] but i dont think theyre old, theyre nice though. didnt get a pic of them.


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## Anthillmob74

godzilla73 said:


> Aha - you beat me to that last one Anthillmob! I had my camera ready and everything! What about the one on the undertakers next to B&Q in Sutton? You can see it from the train.



when you say you had your camera ready, were you walking behind me?


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## godzilla73

Anthillmob74 said:


> when you say you had your camera ready, were you walking behind me?



No - I wasn't on stalking duties yesterday I only read the thread yesterday morning, and then had intended to snap that one by the dolphin on my way home from work. However kids, shopping and a last minute work crisis meant it wasn't to be. I'll see if I can do the undertakers one at the weekend and stick it on here.


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## godzilla73

Here it is - bigger than I remembered as well!






I'm sure there's another one that actually on a roof near here as well, and thats what you can see from the train. Have to have a look next time I'm at the station


GDZ


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## Anthillmob74

excellent godzilla.

i work near the station so i may spend a lunch break on the platform having a gander. i know that sounds odd to most of you but having a 'freedom pass' i wont have to pay to go sit and be sad for a while.


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## godzilla73

Its gotta beat sitting in McDonalds!


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## Anthillmob74

oooh i spotted the literal ghost of one today, its on the side wall of the shop 'bon marche' in sutton high street, incase anyone can get back there with a camera before me. its as you walk towards asda at the bottom of the high street. it is very very faint but you can make out some of it, i didnt get a good look as was with me mother shopping and she thinks im odd anyway wandering around constantly looking for things. and not in the shopping sense.


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## TK421

This gem is near me, probably been up there since at least the 1960's, it's a large one, and obscured by a tree, which is rubbish for photos, but probably has saved it for many a year, here's 2 views:


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## goodeavens

TK421 said:


> This gem is near me, probably been up there since at least the 1960's, it's a large one, and obscured by a tree, which is rubbish for photos, but probably has saved it for many a year, here's 2 views:




Very nice TK421


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## ricasso

Barton st ,gloucester


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## boothy

nice one mr sam,the A E PIGGOT AND SONS LTD is defo one of my best,theres a great one ive spotted down aylestone rd.(whats the best way to upload) ?


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## Goldie87

boothy said:


> nice one mr sam,the A E PIGGOT AND SONS LTD is defo one of my best,theres a great one ive spotted down aylestone rd.(whats the best way to upload) ?



Cool theres a few down alyestone road way, Ive spotted another there today ive never noticed before. 
Get the pics onto photobucket or something mate


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## boothy

heres a few i took this morning


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## Goldie87

Cool my auntie used to live on the road with the off licence one. Did you also see the one opposite the tea & coffee one?


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## boothy

Missed it,got any photos.Ive been spotting them for years but never really took any pics until i seen the thread,so went on a memory tour.lol


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## sallybear

Came across this one in Holland, was in Amsterdam at the time on my way to Groningen. Dont know what it says in English though.


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## The_Revolution

sallybear said:


> Came across this one in Holland, was in Amsterdam at the time on my way to Groningen. Dont know what it says in English though.



Something about tents 

I'm sure one of the Dutch explorers on here can enlighten us.


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## Foxylady

*Exeter at last!!!*

I don't know! You wait for one for months, then three come along on top of each other! 

One large ad underneath, blacked out, then another smaller one for a dairy, then that one painted over again when the dairy changed owner.


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## Anthillmob74

for anyone who may live nearby, theres one of the wall outside a club called the watershed in wimbledon. its half obscured by an advertising hoarding. saw it as i went past on the bus yesterday and dont know when ill next if ever go past it again.


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## karltrowitz

Here's a pic for you, from Bergen Op Zoom in Holland. This has got a world war 2 flavour to it.......






"Wehrmacht
Bezirksverwaltung
Lager ..4"

German army regional office


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## Lightbuoy

A good idea for a thread Golds 

Finally gotten round to add a few.....

*Crystal Palace, Sydenham, London -May, 2009*













*Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex -May, 2009*


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## simundo

I really like this post: it's inspired me to document then ones i know about where i live in Plymouth


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## Anthillmob74

i got our councils monthly magazine through the post today. usually i dont even bother looking at it but i did and im glad as at the back there was a page to do with ghost ads.

if i scanned the doc you'd never make any of the type out so ill type it here for you, please excuse any spelling mistakes. it gives a website address for a man who loves ghost ads and stuff...



> SIGN OF THE TIMES
> 
> 'its not often you can claim to have spotted a real ghost but if youre looking for the right type theres a chance you could catch them on film!'
> 
> ghost hunting for examples of faded wall art, advertisements and street furniture from back in the day is gaining popularity with a number of locals who see the past time as a way of getting to know their ancestors and the wazy they lived.
> 
> clive yelf, a long term resident of morden and staff member at merton council, has been out on the hunt for examples of local history in south west london for the last four years.
> 
> ''its about picking up on all those threads of history that are all around us'' says clive. ''its archeology thats not buried and you get a sense of the environment and the area that youre walking through''.
> 
> clives love for ghost-sign spotting started as a boy when he walked past an old sign on his way to school every day in merton. over the years he watched it deteriorate and realised that he was seeing a piece of history disappear before his eyes. now, thanks to modern technology, clive and many other locals have started photographing these living pieces of local history before they disappear. ''theres so much out there'' says clive ''the nameplates of buildings, mosaics in shop fronts, hand painted designs and advertisements surround us every day. every now and then they peep through from behind new exteriors and give you an awareness of your environment and how things change and develop over the years''.
> 
> you can discover many of these archeological treasures for yourself by visiting the Faded London website
> 
> http://www.faded-london.blogspot.com/
> 
> the site hosts photos of the many different ghost-signs spotted in south west london so far. or you can download a map with the exact location of each piece allowing you to go and take a closer look. check the site regularly for updates and also for information on a treasure hunt with a difference taking place in wimbledon this summer.



http://www.faded-london.blogspot.com/ is ace from what ive seen so far.


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## Anthillmob74

mainly for godzilla as we seem to follow eachother ;-) the sutton one outside the dolphin, another has appeared, though extremely faint after being painted over/coveredf for years on the other side of that building, the corner of the road tyre building.


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## Melvin Faust

Should bring back memories for those of a certain age...from Bedlington, Northumberland


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## Foxylady

*Exmouth, Devon*

Walking around Exmouth a couple of days ago I came across no less than five!!! 
There's probably more, but I couldn't wander too far as I'd had a ride over with my mate, with just a certain amount of time whilst she went to an appointment.
















And best of all, two from this old bakery. 






This one was a 'Hygeinic Bakery'! How delightful!


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## simaving

*Pickering N.Yorks*

This one is on side of an old mill opposite my house (no access inside ive tried ha ha)






Still has waterwheel etc under it and is a cool looking mill  cheers simon


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## The_Revolution

simaving said:


> This one is on side of an old mill opposite my house (no access inside ive tried ha ha)



I can see an open window and a drainpipe


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## simaving

*old mill pickering*



The_Revolution said:


> I can see an open window and a drainpipe



Unfortunately approx 20 feet to left of said open window is a massive living room window belonging to the modern house built onto side of the mill in which the owners reside and you have to cross an open lawn in direct view (security light at night too) to attempt it,i approached owners when i first moved in and asked if there was anything interesting left inside - i got a blunt reply of "allsorts mate and no you cant have a nosey" so he must be used to enquiries the miserable sod


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## The_Revolution

I'll let you off then


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## simaving

*old mill pickering*



The_Revolution said:


> I'll let you off then




Only been living here 2 months though and my thinking is they gotta go on holiday sometime.....


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## Foxylady

simaving said:


> ... they gotta go on holiday sometime.....



I had a similar situation here. I found a mill that's derelict but adjoined to part of the millhouse that's lived in. I did ring the bell to ask permission to take a look but no-one answered, so I just walked around the back and had a mooch. No entry, but got pics of some of the millwheels, stones, winches and the mill race with an old wooden sluice gate.


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## simaving

*old mill pickering*

sounds identical foxy apart from this mill house has a victor meldrew clone residing in it ha ha,hopefuly he will go visiting relatives or sumat in near future ...


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## TK421

Not exactly ghost ad's, but spotted these two wonderful old street signs quietly dropping to bits:


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## Anthillmob74

some london ones and even a ghost shop


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## Richard Davies

Anthillmob74 said:


> some london ones and even a ghost shop



It's interesting when an old street sign has been retained when a new one with the same name on has been put up.


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## Urban Ghost

I see a fair few of these as I drive round London quite a bit, next time I'm passing I'll try and get a few shots. Quaility won't be great though as I'll have to use my trusty N95, just not practical to take a cam to work.


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## Apopcalyptic

There's a handful in Stockport, including a very nice Standard fireworks one. I'll take the camera next time I'm down there


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## Richard Davies

Apopcalyptic said:


> There's a handful in Stockport, including a very nice Standard fireworks one. I'll take the camera next time I'm down there



There's a few I've spotted around the market, but I've never had a camara with me when I've been there.


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## sigma925

Anthillmob74 said:


> some london ones and even a ghost shop



Thats the side of the Ten Bells Pub where victims of Jack The Ripper frequented.

Nice post.


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## Anthillmob74

sigma925 said:


> Thats the side of the Ten Bells Pub where victims of Jack The Ripper frequented.
> 
> Nice post.



thanks for that info!


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## Anthillmob74

on the wayt home from norwich i discovere these guys....near where i live lol. nowt that i saw through norwich but bear in mind i was the car passenger.

these were clapham and tooting and i saw a beauty in balham but we were going in the wrong direction. apols for the qualif#ty of the pics, was in a moving vehicle.


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## escortmad79

Couple from the former ABC Cinema in Kirkcaldy:


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## escortmad79

One from Plymouth Barbican:


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## night crawler

Ah must dig up some of mine and get others I know about.


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## waynezbitz1

mnyself and goldie87 were out and about last night and drove past this place, ive driven past it loads of times but this is the first time ive had my camera with me.


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## Anthillmob74

to quote myself from the thread in the offtopic forum because someone has queried 'why' its own thread



> find these absolutely fascinating and wondered if i may use the collection here for a bit on my blog? with credit to whoever took what pics. i wouldnt palm it off as all my own.
> 
> does anyone mind? any objections?
> __________________


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## waynezbitz1

feel free to use mine.


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## Anthillmob74

the one outside the watershed thats just had a ruddy new advertising thingy plonked on top of it. thanks to mr ant who took the photo for me when he went there the other night to a mates gig.


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## Anthillmob74

http://brickads.blogspot.com/

interesting


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## Anthillmob74

some ghost signs i got today in morden. not strictly 'ads' but these are of long gone shops etc

my mum gets her hair done here, i wanna know whats underneath, can make out the word 'chairs'






now a taekwandoo [sp?] place






wish i got this sooner as gs roofing have now stuck their banner over it






at my local shops, norrys is no more for a good while now






what does it say?


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## Richard Davies

It's quite common so see where there were once those plastic illuminated letters spelling out a company name.

The BBC building in Manchester has the outline of the early 1990s BBC logo semi hidden by the new one.


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## hunter101

*one from exeter*

Hi, i've been on here for a while, but this is my first post.... so HI!

Have done a few explores locally (Ilford Park, Grand Hotel and a derelict house already on here) but have never had the photos with me when i've had the time to upload them, will do soon!

Anyway, here's a ghost ad from the Cowley area of Exeter, near the derelict mansion owned by the university (also documented on here, and on the 'to do list).











Cheers, Rich


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## rp9524

just to add, from blyth market place


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## foz101

There's a great big Bovril ad in Redhill, Surrey atm. I didn't get a pic when I was last there but found one via www.ghostsigns.co.uk, a site which deserves a link on this thread I think.

Click the pic to see it bigger.


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## Locksley

hunter101 said:


>



Oh man I'm loving that Nissan Silvia!


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## hunter101

Locksley said:


> Oh man I'm loving that Nissan Silvia!



cheers dude! but its an R32 Skyline, so you were close!

had only just got it back about an hour before that pic was taken... had a drifting 'incident' in the woods a little while ago!! You cant really see it in the pic, but there's a big tree shaped dent behind the filler cap door!!!


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## Goldie87

Good to see some more ads


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## Anthillmob74

the sutton one [perry fruiteiers] has been covered up wth some plastic shit advertising a car repair shop.

im disgusted at this, are these beautiful things not sacred?


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## Marley85

Blyth town center, there was a bill board there as long as i remeber they took it down few years back and this was underneath.


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## harroman

There was a piece on Ghost Ads on BBC Radio 4s Making history programme this afternoon, you can listen here for a week

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qxrc

also linked to history of advertising trust ghost signs website

http://www.hatads.org.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=33

They are looking for ones they don't already have on their site.


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## TK421

Spotted these fellas from the car on a rare trip through my old stamping ground of Derby:

Something appeals to my childish sense of humour for a large advert proclaiming 'morning glory'






Something for the weekend sir?






Cheers


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## skeleton key

It realy is a great idea Goldie as they are everywhere .
Some of them are realy good.

SK


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## LucasKenna

There's a lot of ghost signs around the aylestone area, there are 2 railway bridges, one has already been posted but the other has a advert for a jaguar dealership


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## stavros

*Old Wall Sign Walsall*

Recently this site has now got a new buiding next to it. The guy there said it was now listed.

I like old signs like this.


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## RichardH

Oh that's really nice. I love how they just built right up to it. It would never have been preserved otherwise.


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## hamishsfriend

Excellent idea, thanks for "resurrecting" this thread (had not been aware of its existence). I do have a few, all from Norfolk (Reepham, New Buckenham and Outwell) .


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## burtonbrewery

Couple here for you, Joules ale stores stone staffs, and the old railway hotel ashbourne derbyshire (double whammy agost infront of a gost!) oh an three from when i visited springfield brewery.




























I love old brewery signs especially those of ind coope and ansell and those of the bass estates as work in the two breweries which owned and brewed these beers 

Cheers Burton Brewery


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## nelly

I was up in Bedford this evening and found these ones.

Something works?





Something & Wilkinson Bananas





You can read this one for yourself


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## skeleton key

When i was living up in Bedford nelly i remember there was quite alot of them and took a few pics will see if i can dig them up off the old hard drives 

SK / Neil


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## Curious Dragon

What an awesome thread!!!

Thanks for bringing it back into the daylight... I'm sure I have one to add to the collections too


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## Curious Dragon

I knew I had it somewhere....






This one is in Kingsteignton in Devon


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## Foxylady

Curious Dragon said:


> Thanks for bringing it back into the daylight... I'm sure I have one to add to the collections too


Seconded! 
I found one a couple of days ago, but it'll take a while to get my films processed...a very busy weekend, photographically!


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## kathyms

*adverts*

what a brilliant thread thank you, i have one next to my house i no what ill be doing tomorow.


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## oldscrote

Freshford Somerset on an old pub called the Greyhound now a private house,spot the greyhound on top of the old sign hanger.I believe the advert says Whitbread brewery Sparkling ales


----------



## Foxylady

Nice one, Oldscrote. 

This one is in Sidmouth. I must have walked past it a hundred times before actually spotting it a couple of weeks ago! I can't quite make out the name, but they sold Nursery Furniture Prams Toys.


----------



## oldscrote

I know what you mean Foxy I lived in Freshford at one point but only spotted this one today.I guess the adage about familiarity breeding etc runs true


----------



## Foxylady

oldscrote said:


> I guess the adage about familiarity breeding etc runs true


True! I always tend to look the other side where there's a gorgeous building, but having taken some pics of that one, I then looked over to see what else looked good rooftop-wise and saw the ghost ad. 
I was going to follow you again with some on the general urbex thread, but I'm still in the middle of scanning stacks of pics...the joys of film photography!


----------



## welshowen

Cardiff City's Ninian Park sign before the stadium was knocked down.


----------



## oldscrote

A few from Bath.The cleaning of the buildings over the years must have destroyed some but I I've spotted these over the years.

1 Nestles milk.




2 The old pet shop.




3 Garage and petrol, the site is now, inevitably offices.




4 They must have sold trusses,and everything else for the discerning student.




5 Book store and lending library with ghost window below.


 

6 close up of book store ad.




7 close up of ghost window.


----------



## godzilla73

A classic French Ghost ad, spotted through the trees at Champrepus, in Normandy. (Yes, you will be subjected to more of my holiday snaps shortly)


----------



## oldscrote

A few more from Bath

1 Why just fruit and spuds but not the rest of the veg I don't know.




2 Hetling pump room part of the old hot bath complex.




3 Brush manufactory.Odd to think that what is now Baths premier shopping street once contained a brush factory.




4 Adverts for fags Players Please on the left Gold Flake on the right.




5 This is a close up one that is mostly indecipherable but careful looking reveals Gas Fitter Bell Hanger and Workshop.




6 An unusual one, appears to painted on glass.




7 Cuppa tea anyone.




8 Beales of Bath closed a a few years ago and the shop now sells furniture.




9 My favourite so far, now a Jamie Oliver restaurant.




10 a bit faded but research shows it to read Dills Famous Bath Palonies.


----------



## oldscrote

Driving my cab round Bath I keep spotting more and more of the damn things,I guess because the stone is dressed smooth ads could be painted straight onto the surface rather than needing an easily removable board.
1 St Kildas dairy.




2 Another one painted on glass.Norton St Philip is a small village about 6 miles outside Bath.




3 Ice cream anyone.




4 Can't make out the firm but they were house,sign,and decorative painters.




5 Dillon and son purveyors of prime English meat,this one is painted over an earlier ad the word daily and part of a telephone number are visible.


----------



## themousepolice

*a dim and dark part of Coventry*




100_3241 by annoyingly good, on Flickr

not the best picture as access was limited and roadside double yellows and hoodies and stray dogs and oooh i love Coventry.............. not


----------



## Artypie

Lutterworth, by The Vaults


----------



## krela

oldscrote said:


> 7 close up of ghost window.



Bizarrely my mum mentioned this a few days after you posted it whe she noticed it as we walked past.


----------



## Artypie

The former Messengers foundry, Loughborough.











Oxford Street, Leicester. If anyone knows what this garage belonged to, please let me know as I haven't been able to find out. (I presume a pub or hotel?)


----------



## Acebikerchick

Im so loving this thread and will be out at the weekend on my very own estate, where we have quite a few ghost ads....


----------



## DJ-Jamster

Very nice! We too have loads around Gt Yarmouth, I will have a snoop around


----------



## maximus

DJ-Jamster said:


> Very nice! We too have loads around Gt Yarmouth, I will have a snoop around



Do we?!?! Can't wait to see them


----------



## banshee

*tooting*

on a tooting roof this morning about 7 ,i looked over to see this 




and driving up the high street i seen this one .




missed a great full side of a house one on a side street,will get this next time i'm down there.


----------



## Acebikerchick

Here are a few ghost signs from my area....


----------



## themousepolice

*suppliers to the brewery trade*

one from Derby




100_3254 by annoyingly good, on Flickr


----------



## oldscrote

I originally thought that as most of the stone in Bath had been cleaned over the last 30 years there wouldn't have been many left but the city just keeps on coming up trumps as far as ghost ads are concerned,here's another selection.

1 Not very distinct, one ad painted over the top of another.




2 Marsh son and Gibbs.




3 Hay hill dairy.




4 Argyll hotel.This to is painted over an earlier not readable sign.




5 Wills and son builders.




6 mend your bicycle sir?




7 Dunlop.




8 Next to the modern sign the word Jaguar is visible.




9 This is my favourite of all the Bath ones.




10 And just to prove somebody cares here's a refurbished one on a long running business.You would not be allowed to paint all over the walls in a heritage city any more so this is a rare survivor.


----------



## banshee

nice one at cedars road sw11 not far from clapham common.looked at it on google and it goes around the side too 













biggest one i've seen


----------



## Ramsgatonian

Here are some ghost ads outside my house in Ramsgate.

PICKFORD'S REMOVALS AND STORAGE





ANTIQUE AND MODERN FURNITURE BOUGHT FOR CASH


----------



## sparky.

Wow brilliant I love these sorts of things


----------



## nelly

Found this little beauty in Cheshunt, Herfordshire today.


----------



## imyimyimy

A few i've found this week, whilst roaming around as you do.. I know there are more, it's just being arsed to get there.. lols











Peace!


----------



## ablackwood

After seeing this post I remembered a great piece of 'Ghost Ad' just a few streets away from my house. Sod's law - a construction site had now appears around the building obscuring the ad slightly. Still an interesting example. 

In case you can't make it out it says Undertakers.


----------



## banshee

looks like you might have got the picture just before the painters arrive !


----------



## nelly

banshee said:


> looks like you might have got the picture just before the painters arrive !



Its so sad, these things must be getting covered over or demolished on a very regular basis


----------



## Acebikerchick

From Mellihah, Malta


----------



## oldscrote

Here's another one from Bath,all on the same building now a chemists

1




2 this and number 3 seem to have been restored




3




Gurgeons is an old word for coarse meal


----------



## krela

oldscrote said:


> Here's another one from Bath,all on the same building now a chemists



Oi, get out of my hood.


----------



## nelly

Found this fantastic double whammy when I was in Bedford this evening 





















Just done a little research into the Greys Tobacco one to try and date it and found this...........

"There's evidence that the sign was covered over by a larger wooden billboard for many decades. This must have protected the old paint underneath. Around the edges is a faint intermittent white line where the frame of the billboard was repainted white. I guess it was only removed a few years back."

Couldn't get a definite date, but Grey's were using the "Honest to goodness" slogan in a 1944 advert


----------



## skeleton key

Like that alot mate  Use to pass these on my way to work SK


----------



## nelly

Guys.

I am so impressed by this Ghost Ad malarkey that I've started a Facebook group called, yup you guessed it!! "Ghost Ads"

Love to see some of the photos on the previous pages there. If you join from DP then let me know who you are if your FB id is different from your DP name 

The link....................... http://www.facebook.com/groups/169104323181617/


----------



## PROSNIPER

*Manchester House ( godalming high street ) surrey*

Saw this in godalming high street today not sure of the history im hoping someone will tell me more ..


----------



## nelly

The George Hotel - Old Harlow. Circa 1800 and closed in 1948 now an estate agents.


----------



## krela

That's not a ghost sign that's masonry work.


----------



## nelly

krela said:


> That's not a ghost sign that's masonry work.



It's ghost masonry work


----------



## Foxylady

nelly said:


> It's ghost masonry work


----------



## oldscrote

Spotted a few more in Bath

The Limes guest house and boarding now a private house




now an off licence




and finally one for Nelly, more ghost masonry work although this is advertising beer as well as the pub.The pub is sadly closed and now a private residence


----------



## RustySmiff

definitely some of these around my area. shall start snapping some piccies.


----------



## nelly

Cool, go for it mate


----------



## wirelessmast

Ive always loved old signs like these, and today whilst visiting the library i thought i'd see if i could spot any around Selby, im glad i did! A couple are very faded, barely traces, on ther front of buildings. But what i thought was great were the two panels i discovered just inside an alleyway, i must have walked passed them dozens of times within inches.




























And finally, a 'ghost mosaic'! This is now a charity shop






Theres also the flour mill but without a telephoto lens i couldnt get an image


----------



## oldscrote

Spotted this one whilst on an abortive pillbox hunt around Devizes





It actually reads The Central Wiltshire Bacon Company Ltd but I failed to get the whole sign[it was sleeting it down,so I took the one quick shot and dived for cover.......what a wimp]


----------



## ArtfulDodger

damnit wirelessmast you beat me to it, i've always been facinated by that old plasterwork when doing my shopping, where is the tiled doorstep ? theres so many charity shops to choose from!


----------



## wirelessmast

ArtfulDodger said:


> damnit wirelessmast you beat me to it, i've always been facinated by that old plasterwork when doing my shopping, where is the tiled doorstep ? theres so many charity shops to choose from!



That was the first time i'd seen those, must have a good look down the alleys. Im planning some time taking a OS map and walking down every street and alley in the entire town, giving it a thorough going over!

The mosaic is either Age Concern or Heart Foundation i think, either way, its the shop next to the library as you head toward the post office.

I might get to do some of that walking next week, think i'll start with the area by the canal near the fire station, and have a mooch at BOCM at the same time


----------



## ArtfulDodger

wirelessmast said:


> That was the first time i'd seen those, must have a good look down the alleys. Im planning some time taking a OS map and walking down every street and alley in the entire town, giving it a thorough going over!
> 
> The mosaic is either Age Concern or Heart Foundation i think, either way, its the shop next to the library as you head toward the post office.
> 
> I might get to do some of that walking next week, think i'll start with the area by the canal near the fire station, and have a mooch at BOCM at the same time



Good plan! I look forward to getting some pics if santa brings me a camera!


----------



## flyboys90

Goldie87 said:


> I've been meaning to start documenting old adverts in Leicester for a long time, but never seemed to get the chance. Well today the ROC post hunt was canceled, so I set out to search for places to explore and also photo some old adverts on my journey. I found quite a few, but there are many more I didn't get the chance to photograph. I also found some possible explores, an abandoned school and nursing home
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A nice old decorators advert on the side of a house
> "??Redfern Painter and Paperhanger 78 Dunster Street and 5 Chartley Road"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A more modern one in the next street
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This one looks like it has been painted over with different ads three times or more
> "Bovril The Essence Of Good Cooking (puts beef into it)"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This one is on the side of a factory we have explored before
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure why this one is where it is, but its great anyway
> "Mack's Garage Automobile Engineers Phone Aylestone 44"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "A.Lord & Son, Corn & Seed Merchants. Specialists in pet foods, bird seeds, pigeon corn, poultry & horse feeds, horticultural supplies. Delivery service"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On the end of a terraced house
> "Leicester Co-operative Society Ltd, Stables. Offices- Union Street"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This was once a garage
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An old newsagents, the shop has been closed for years and looks untouched like its stuck 20 years or more in the past!
> "Picture Post"
> 
> Does anyone else have any pictures of this kind of thing?


 I think these ads are great especially
the early ones.


----------



## krela

Avonmouth - Midland Bank by krela, on Flickr


----------



## oldscrote

Just to prove that there has always been ghost ads here's one from Sheerness taken probably about 1900


----------



## RichardB

I wonder when these date back to.

The long-overdue demolition of my old school has exposed this, left by tradesmen over the years.




P1020817 by RichardB5, on Flickr


----------



## banshee

i always put my initials and date on building i work on too  pity i didn't have a camera years ago on sites.


----------



## RichardB

I wondered if tradesmen still did it. I've seen names going back 100 years or more in various places.


----------



## wirelessmast

Heres a few I found this weekend while in Whitby -



















This one is a modern(ish) sign, but the cafe has long since gone





And finally, a very nice tiled sign. I had just photographed the 'Arthur Sawdon' Ad, and as i started to walk away I spotted this right in front of me!


----------



## krela

Love that good stabling sign!


----------



## nelly

The Green Dragon Hotel, Hertford.
Established before 1621 and rebuilt in its present form in 1903. It closed in 1952 and is now in mixed retail use.


----------



## madmickshere

I love the Macks Garage, so much so I want to frame it!


----------



## oldscrote

That's a belter Nelly nice one mate.


----------



## Curious Dragon

Bloomin heck that's a big one!! Quite an impressive find


----------



## nelly

Meyers of Harlow


----------



## roxy101

Hello 
Just to say i love these type of ghost signs i have some photos as well which i wil post soon . Also just to let you know there is a sit dedicated to Ghost signs and Advert its called ...www.hatad.org.uk.. Hope thisinterest you ..Roxy101


----------



## Bluedragon

IMAG1090 by Bluedragon423, on Flickr


----------



## John_D

One to rival Nelly's Green Dragon Hotel, (which I was going to post, but he beat me to it). This one is in Crouch Hill, North London.









This building on the corner of Hanley Road and Crouch Hill, now a pub, was once owned by the Friern Manor Dairy Company as a development of the site that they already owned.

The minutes of the London County Council's Building Act Committee record:

_ That the application of Mr J Young & Co, on behalf of the Friern Manor Dairy Farm Co Ltd, for the consent of the Council for the erection of an addition to the rear of number 127 Hanley Road, Stroud Green, to abut on Crouch Hill, be granted subject to the condition that the addition therein referred to be commenced within six months and completed within 18 months from the 30 day of September 1890._



The exterior wall that faces onto Crouch Hill, comprises a remarkable set of seven, unique, anonymous sgraffitto panels (c.1890), with picturesque illustrations of: Milk Delivery (ancient); Milk Delivery (modern); In the Country; Milk Cooling; Making Butter; Milling; Grazing.


----------



## John_D

One just a bit closer to home. The building used to be The Chequers pub in Watton Road Ware. Last used as a pub in the early 1970's, then apparently was taken over by a business that did pine stripping and finally occupied by it's current occupiers, an estate agents, from 1989.
This years heavy frost seems to have taken quite a toll on the fabric of the sign and unless something is done to rectify it, it won't be around for much longer.


----------



## flyboys90

I love this link! absolutely brilliant, well done Goldie87 for starting it.


----------



## wirelessmast

roxy101 said:


> Hello
> Just to say i love these type of ghost signs i have some photos as well which i wil post soon . Also just to let you know there is a sit dedicated to Ghost signs and Advert its called ...www.hatad.org.uk.. Hope thisinterest you ..Roxy101



Linky no worky for me


----------



## krela

wirelessmast said:


> Linky no worky for me



http://www.hatads.org.uk


----------



## wirelessmast

krela said:


> http://www.hatads.org.uk



Ah, missing an S, thanks


----------



## oldscrote

A quick scout round Bradford on Avon today netted this little lot

1 amazing what you miss I was photographing the the RAC sign and only spotted the ghost ad to the right when I looked at the picture on screen




2 I have lived around Bradford for nearly 40 years and never spotted this one before either




3 Bradford was once a co-op town with furniture store, butchers even a funeral directors all gone now the only reminder is this lovely mosaic that was at the entrance to a small supermarket that closed about 25 years ago



4alex brown was the local ironmongers the shop is still an ironmongers now but trades under a different name




5Spencers brewery was taken over by Ushers brewery that was in turn later bought by the dread Watneys


----------



## John_D

While we are on a Co-Op theme, another one in Ware


----------



## oldscrote

Got back to Bradford today and took a close up of the one I missed yesterday


----------



## nelly

What was once the Pavilion Cinema stands bang next door to the more famous Shepherds Bush Empire theatre.
Designed by Frank Verity, the Pavilion, opened in 1923, could seat 2,767 people. 
With a fine disregard for inflation (which, ironically, was galloping away in Germany at the time), someone arranged to have carved along the side of the building the message:
CINEMATOGRAPH THEATRE CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE SEATS 1/- 6d & 3d (5p, 2½p, and 1¼p)


----------



## nelly

2 next to each other in Seven Sisters Rd - London

This is the info that I dug up 

Based at 523 Seven Sisters Road, Tottenham, the company is mentioned in a 1938 issue of Chemist and Druggist: The Newsweekly for Pharmacy. 
In it, it is announced that the partnership between M. Herman and FR. Watkins, manufacturers of toilet and fancy goods under the style of Herman & Watkins, has been dissolved.


----------



## nelly

Woolwich - London


----------



## banshee

spotted this today and had to avoid the wardens to get the picture through the front window of the van .it was on golders green road just off the north circular road .


----------



## nelly

That's quality


----------



## Ninja Kitten

A little faint but still recognisable..spotted at Denbigh hospital the other day..


----------



## nelly

Had a fare to London this afternoon.

The Ferodo bridge in Camden, I cant believe that they are painting over this 
Here's how it once looked
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ferodo_Bridge_Camden_Road.JPG






Jewel Rd - Walthamstow - London - Cant even make out the name on this one?






O'Meara Camping Ltd - Tottenham






Daily News - Albert Rd - South Tottenham - London - Just done a little research and found that the name "Daily News" was used up until 1930 when the paper merged and became the "News Chronicle"


----------



## oldscrote

N ice one Nelly shame about the Ferodo one some people got no sense of history.There's some info about the camping one here

http://www.omearacamping.com/article/about_us


----------



## Oyster

Like these Goldie, I think I may know of a couple more near you as I may have lived near where a few of yours were taken.


----------



## nelly

oldscrote said:


> N ice one Nelly shame about the Ferodo one some people got no sense of history.There's some info about the camping one here
> 
> http://www.omearacamping.com/article/about_us



Cheers Spike, I was reading up on the letter about the Tottenham shop earlier this evening, but I just can't find out when they closed up in Tottenham and indeed the UK. I do reckon that the O'Meara sign has been restored though mate


----------



## fleydog

a good idea! i hope you can keep up the good work!


----------



## oldscrote

nelly said:


> Cheers Spike, I was reading up on the letter about the Tottenham shop earlier this evening, but I just can't find out when they closed up in Tottenham and indeed the UK. I do reckon that the O'Meara sign has been restored though mate



If I read the linky right they started around 1959 and sold out to Blacks around 1977


----------



## nelly

Just off Leytonstone High Road - London

C. Hawkes
Cash Furnisher
A Wide Choice of
New Designs at
Keen Prices
Household Removals


----------



## oldscrote

How the hell I ever missed this one I'll never know.A bit of research and I find that a chap called Alfred Taylor opened a nigh class patisserie and bakers in 1798 in Walcot street in bath making what he claimed were they original Bath Oliver Biscuits.About 100 years ago he opened up in an area of Bath to the west called Newbridge in a building known as the red house which is a now a B and B My guess is that before this happened he had a branch shop on Rivers street which is to the north of the city and very close to all the posh bits{royal crescent circus etc.]


----------



## nelly

Great Dunmow - Essex


----------



## Oyster

I told my kids about ghost ads ('cos I'm an exciting kind of dad...) and now they've started spotting them..


----------



## banshee

spotted this today while waiting for the lights to change at Quex road Kilburn london.




lucky i stopped at the right place and had the old camera handy


----------



## wirelessmast

I cant claim this one myself, It was posted on another forum im a member of (Vintage radio) -






Location is Cobden Bridge, Southampton


----------



## baj88

This is in Leamington Spa


----------



## oldscrote

Yet another one from Bath,plus there's 2 more spotted that I haven't had chance to photograph yet.I don't know why Bath should have such large numbers of these left.





A close up of the bottom fight hand corner shows the painting firms name.As it's a Bristol outfit I'm wondering if Wills as a Bristol company used them exclusively for sign painting.A quick trawl through the net didn't come up with anything.

Sellick bros contractors Bristol


----------



## Richard Davies

This is an interesting site featuring French painted ads.

http://www.elve.net/padv/en/home.htm


----------



## nelly

A couple of ghosties from Enfield






If I ran the country then doing this would be illegal!!!


----------



## leftorium

oldscrote said:


> Yet another one from Bath,plus there's 2 more spotted that I haven't had chance to photograph yet.I don't know why Bath should have such large numbers of these left.



could they be grade II listed frontages?


----------



## krela

leftorium said:


> could they be grade II listed frontages?



The whole of central Bath is a conservation area with special by-laws which prohibit you from doing pretty much anything to the presentation of the buildings. You're even limited to a selection of 5 or so "Georgian" colours you're allowed to paint your front door and window frames! I suspect that has a lot to do with it, the ghost signs will only be removed when the buildings are eventually cleaned/sandblasted to remove the exhaust/road dirt.


----------



## nelly

krela said:


> The whole of central Bath is a conservation area with special by-laws which prohibit you from doing pretty much anything to the presentation of the buildings. You're even limited to a selection of 5 or so "Georgian" colours you're allowed to paint your front door and window frames! I suspect that has a lot to do with it, the ghost signs will only be removed when the buildings are eventually cleaned/sandblasted to remove the exhaust/road dirt.



I ventured into Bath a few months back for an early morning Asda brekkie during a splore weekend, I was taken aback by how stunningly beautiful the place was, maybe it has it's Broardwater Farm, but if it did then I didn't see it

Mind you, The local Asda needs a bit of a rocket, the Cafe opened at 9.30am on a Sunday, but the store couldn't/wouldn't sell me a newspaper until 10am?? WTF, how can I eat my Sunday fry up with out a newspaper??

Anyway, I'm rambling.


----------



## oldscrote

krela said:


> The whole of central Bath is a conservation area with special by-laws which prohibit you from doing pretty much anything to the presentation of the buildings. You're even limited to a selection of 5 or so "Georgian" colours you're allowed to paint your front door and window frames! I suspect that has a lot to do with it, the ghost signs will only be removed when the buildings are eventually cleaned/sandblasted to remove the exhaust/road dirt.



Very true Krela but it doesn't explain how all the stuff I've featured is on buildings that have already been cleaned,in fact there very few buildings left that need cleaning.In my younger days I cleaned a few of 'em myself but none with ghost ads on them so whether the lads cleaned round them or what I don't know.My guess is that the paint has soaked into the stone to a certain extent rendering them clean proof though there are a couple I've photographed that are to gloomy to bother to post 
including this one on a rare uncleaned building in Walcot street





The state of this building gives a fair idea of how sooty Bath was before the clean up began

P.S. Nelly I think you is losing the plot mate, Bath is far to posh to have an Asda I reckon you was slumming it in Morrisons


----------



## nelly

Ahhh Morrisons!!, that rings a bell!!


----------



## krela

Yeah, there's no Asda in Bath, only Morrisons, Waitrose and Sainsburys.

It's illegal for supermarkets to sell anything before 10AM due to Sunday trading laws. Cafes are not covered by the same trading laws though. It's nothing to do with the city of Bath itself.

I hadn't considered how porous Bath stone is OS, you could well have hit the nail on the head there. I don't believe there's any preservation orders on them, if anything I suspect the council would prefer them gone.


----------



## nelly

krela said:


> Yeah, there's no Asda in Bath, only Morrisons, Waitrose and Sainsburys.
> 
> It's illegal for supermarkets to sell anything before 10AM due to Sunday trading laws. Cafes are not covered by the same trading laws though. It's nothing to do with the city of Bath itself.



That's what the woman in the shop told me in a very strange farmer type accent 

Yup. It was Morrisons, down the hill and on the left as you come in from Browns. Nice brekkie though 

Very odd how a ghost ad thread has turned into a rambling about my West Country breakfast/newspaper experience. I'll shut up now


----------



## kehumff

A lovely old advertisement on the side of an apartment block in Manchester, formerly a lead works, in Dulcie St. The company of HA Howard & Sons can be traced back to the 1940s. My further research indicates that Gileric were a label of their day, making dresses and tunics from the 1940s to the 1960s, possibly even earlier.


----------



## banshee

dingwall road sw something or other in south london this morning and spotted this one.


----------



## banshee

been on the hunt for this one for a long time.in North Finchley north London.i can't make out if it was oddbins written on it or not .i remember my mate saying that that bloke was taking ages painting up there  pics from about 1980



before



after
now it's gone ! i must get a pic of what's there now.


not seen anything as good.i think it's a cat looking out of the top window .


----------



## oldscrote

Yet more from Bath,both interesting if you are into local history.The pair are on separate buildings but both are on the opposite side of the road to Sydney Wharf on the Kennet and Avon Canal at the point where the coal was unloaded from the Somerset coal field this came down the cut via the Somerset Coal Canal.Both show a faint residue of a faint ghost ad behind the ghost ad if you see what I mean.

Seers Coal office





This one has unfortunately had an external flue built over it,the upper word reads cleveland which is a name common to Bath and further up the canal is cleveland wharf.Below seems to begin ushe... maybe ushers which was the name of a coal merchant in Bath


----------



## Seahorse

Spotted this in NYC a couple of years ago. Hot AND cold water. Luxury.


----------



## night crawler

banshee said:


> been on the hunt for this one for a long time.in North Finchley north London.i can't make out if it was oddbins written on it or not .i remember my mate saying that that bloke was taking ages painting up there  pics from about 1980
> 
> 
> 
> before
> 
> 
> 
> after
> now it's gone ! i must get a pic of what's there now.
> 
> 
> not seen anything as good.i think it's a cat looking out of the top window .



Looks like a Banksy.


----------



## krela

It really really doesn't.


----------



## the_man_1984

What a great idea.


----------



## oldscrote

A couple more from Bath
Used to go to gigs here in the 70s









Were the people of this area of Bath crueller to their animals than elsewhere in the city


----------



## krela

oldscrote said:


> Used to go to gigs here in the 70s



And I used to go there at lunchtimes when I was doing a-levels in the early 90s.


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## oldscrote

Christ, that's me showing my age againThe RSPCA one is on the wall opposite the pub


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## Boatbird

Noticed this on the floor before looking up....






Holy cow! The building is Grade 2 listed, theres an amazing old window complete with original style opening over the front door too


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## wirelessmast

Loving that tile work!

Out on a short bike ride today, my eldest lad points and shouts 'ghost sign!', hes right, and its in our own village! Six years I must have walked, ridden and driven past it dozens of times. I'll get it photographed this weekend

Little monkey has just spotted another eight in the local town using Google Earth Streetview!


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## MeanMustard

Coventry sometimes gets over looked, a few gems lying around




DSC06450 by urbantramp, on Flickr




DSC06488 by urbantramp, on Flickr




DSC06451 by urbantramp, on Flickr




DSC06445 by urbantramp, on Flickr
still counts?




DSC06444 by urbantramp, on Flickr
probably a mock ad


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## Riviera Heritage

Hi! 
Beautiful pictures and very interesting thread


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## wirelessmast

Some more from Selby. First up is the one i've been after for some time






Then we come to one of the buildings originally part of the railway and docks 































I cant be entirely certain that these signs are in their original place, although the signs themselves are original. A couple of local urchins (who bore a startling resemblance to a pair of Sherlock Holmes Baker Street Irregulars) told me that the fella who lives in the house is a bit of a 'fruit', which is possibly demonstrated by the next photo






It seems the old fella put this up there, for some odd reason

A little further along is this sign






These are on a pub on the high street, they are not particularly clear but say 'Selby Ales'











And this over the road is now a trendy bar/cafe






and the final old sign from me today, not particularly old, but the shop has well and truly closed down 






Finally, a modern plaque, on the building that was the original train station, the first in Yorkshire


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## fragglehunter




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## fragglehunter

kind of ghost signs, billboard posters in Manchester left after filming the Captain America movie


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## 12quidkidinnit

banshee said:


> been on the hunt for this one for a long time.in North Finchley north London.i can't make out if it was oddbins written on it or not .i remember my mate saying that that bloke was taking ages painting up there  pics from about 1980
> 
> 
> 
> before
> 
> 
> 
> after
> now it's gone ! i must get a pic of what's there now.
> 
> 
> not seen anything as good.i think it's a cat looking out of the top window .



Took a bit of finding, but I think this is the right place.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=no...=LpngBEpKFOzGt8CVVIf7JQ&cbp=12,66.28,,0,-5.63


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## wirelessmast

One from my own village


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## HughieD

Couple from me...




img9056_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr




IMG_9395_1 by HughieDW, on Flickr


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## oldscrote

Amazing innit you spend twenty years driving around a place before you spot things

Found these two little beauties yesterday in Bath


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## oldscrote

Another one from Bath,this is a bit indistinct in places but the shop to have a wide range of services on offer.I can make out 

stationary 
cycles 
hardware 
toys and fancy goods 
haberdashery
sundries
and last but not least a lending library


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## oldscrote

I put this ghostie up some time ago but recently came upon this image of the original so a now and then shot was called for.It's in the village of Freshford in Somerset

the blue backed writing reads Freshford brewery


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## krela

I guess they survive in the Bath area because Bath stone is so spongy and sucks up the paint, making it very difficult and expensive to remove entirely.


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## oldscrote

krela said:


> I guess they survive in the Bath area because Bath stone is so spongy and sucks up the paint, making it very difficult and expensive to remove entirely.[/QUOTE
> 
> I worked for years in the building trade in Bath and if a building had been painted the only way to strip it was to take off a thin layer of stone,a long time consuming and expensive business.


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## oldscrote

I thought I'd got 'em all from Bath But Here's one I missed












and a detail


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## Rikora

There's a lot of stuff like this around Coventry, especially with the transport and factory links. I'll try and get some photos for the thread.


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## Locksley

hunter101 said:


> Locksley said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh man I'm loving that Nissan Silvia!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> cheers dude! but its an R32 Skyline, so you were close!
> 
> had only just got it back about an hour before that pic was taken... had a drifting 'incident' in the woods a little while ago!! You cant really see it in the pic, but there's a big tree shaped dent behind the filler cap door!!!
Click to expand...


Slow day at work looking through this thread, completely forgetting that I posted in it, I saw that pic and thought "ooh that's a nice skyline!"

Scrolled on a bit, saw that post and was like "what an idiot, that's not a silvi... ohhh..."

Jeez


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## oldscrote

Spotted this little beauty the other day whilst picking up a customer.Went back today and got the picture,talked to he owner of the house who said he bought the place back in the eighties from a buidler who had got it from Mr. Button.Legend has it that although only an off licence he was not averse to people staying for a glass,an escape into the garden was available if the local constable appeared

Taken in the Somerset village of Coleford an old coal mining community


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## thepariah

Great Idea


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## HughieD

Bit of South-East Asia Ghost ad action - Tainan in Taiwan to be precise:


img1127 by HughieDW, on Flickr


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## HughieD

Been far too long since we had a ghost-ad pic posted so here's one from Grantham, Lincs:


Ghostadgratham by HughieDW, on Flickr


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## krela

Still love this thread.


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## banshee

spotted this one a couple of weeks back


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## oldscrote

A new book is out about Bath

https://www.akemanpress.com/books/ghost-signs-of-bath/


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## Foxylady

Cheers, Oldscrote.  You've also just reminded me of a blog I recently came across. Called Painted Signs and Mosaics, there are tons of ghost signs from all over the country and abroad, plus those lovely old shop doorstep mosaics. 

Painted signs and mosaics


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## krela

Hey Foxy hope you're good. That blog sounds interesting, thanks.


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## oldscrote

Hi Foxy,good to hear from you,cheers for the link.Hope everything is OK down your way


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## Foxylady

Cheers, Krela & Oldscrote. I'm good thanks. Busy, mind! Hope you're both okay too. 

Edit: Oh, and I meant to say that I found the blog while researching a derelict bakery in Exmouth (for the umpteenth time) and came across a load of stuff about it on the Painted Signs blog. He's brilliant with the history and other info, but no longer seems to be adding anything. Great resource, though.


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## Mikeymutt

Since seeing this suddenly pop up"I have been taking an interest in these.here are a few I found in Norwich.


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## sureshank

very intresting post thanks


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## HughieD

Nice trio those Mikey...


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## Coppertop420

I have a quite nice one on the side of my flat, I shall take a photo tomorrow morning and post it for you.


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## krela

A rare photo from me, I pass this every day. It's for Fry's Pure Concentrated Cocoa.


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## HughieD

Ghost ad...Plymouth:


img9273 by HughieDW, on Flickr


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## flyboys90

This one is a beaut.


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## Mikeymutt

Some ghost signs I have found lately,not sure if the post office is classed as a ghost sign.but I liked it and it dates from 1894


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## HughieD

Time to bump this thread up with a ghost ad I spied in Vise, Belgium...


img6140 by HughieDW, on Flickr


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## Mikeymutt

That's a cracker hughie


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## Mikeymutt

Bury St Edmunds..Suffolk.




Alberfeddy..Scotland.


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## HughieD

That first one's a cracker Mikey.


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## Sam Haltin

The Nestles advert is a good one. Surprised it's lasted and still readable, I also like the one from Alberfeddy. Can't make out the name though, I see "Hotel" then a "A" an "N" and a "CE".


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## Mikeymutt

Whilst out and about in the loch areas with the girlfriend for her birthday.i spotted this original door step sign on a derelict hotel I spotted.


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## Sam Haltin

It would take a while to assemble all those mosaics to make a picture.


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## Mikeymutt

Another nice door step sign I spotted on my travels this weekend.


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## Sam Haltin

Another nice one but this one uses a script font and the tiles would take a while to place in the correct position.


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## HughieD

One from an old saw mill in the Kelham Island area of Sheffield:


img0874 by HughieDW, on Flickr


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