These Ghost Signs were all spotted on a walk that took me from Colliers Wood to Balham, a distance of a few miles that took me through what were Victorian suburbs. It was pretty much a mixed bag, from the gleaming to the painted-over - with more of the latter sadly! But here we go...
Tooting High Street SW17 I had decided not to photograph this one on the way out, as I couldn't read what was under the paint. From the other side of the road on the way home however I could just make out the words 'Safety Razor' on the right hand side, so in it went!
Tooting High Street SW17 This is my smallest ghost sign so far - tucked down a dead-end alley between the two Tooting Markets. Could that be Pantelli Hairdressing Salon?
Balham High Road SW12 No mistaking this Hovis sign although it's obviously not the only sign on this site over the years
Balham High Road SW12 Well you'd have to be a bit optimistic to make out much of this one. I had a notion that it was something financial like insurance or something, but the 'Furnish' on the right hand side has me foxed a bit.
Junction of Noyna Road and Upper Tooting Road SW17 I think this is without doubt the find of the day, still above the chemist that I assume has been there for decades. I'd certainly be persuaded by this to buy a bottle of Nettle's Pick-Me-Up. Who wouldn't?
Upper Tooting Road SW17 'John Perring' seems to be the name but what did he do...'Por??'
Junction of Garrett Terrace and Tooting High Street As is often the case this site has been over painted a couple of times and it's all starting to merge a bit. 'Gardiners' is the easiest word to make out here although 'Stores' and 'Millinery' look possible as well...
Junction of Hotham Road and Merton High Street SW19 Not at all clear these days but if you look closely you can see that this was once an advert for Hovis bread
8 comments:
Lovely! :) I wish I'd have known when you were around, I'd have met you for a pint at the King's Arms
Not sure if there's a connection, but post WWII "John Perring" was a small chain of furniture stores presided over by Ralph Perring, Lord Mayor of London.
Thanks Bert, with your clues I've been able to find this article http://vads.ahds.ac.uk/diad/article.php?title=227&year=1967&article=d.227.31 It mentions that John had the South of the river whilst his brother had the north. All very interesting stuff, so thanks for that!
Ghost signs are an endangered species in Tooting.
The building on the opposite corner of Noyna Road was a bakers until the 1990s and you could still see where the word 'bread' had been painted onto the wall - It was removed during renovation about 6 weeks ago.
The Kings Head pub was also renovated recently, when they painted out the ghost sign for burton brewed ales which was on the south-facing wall of the pub. That only went last month.
By the way, the John Perring sign seems to have the words 'pure feed' or 'pure seed' below it, so I guess that's what the business was.
And the Gardiners Stores sign has the words 'mourning merchadise' on a lighter coloured strip running across the middle.
And there's still part of a Players Cigarettes ghost sign (from a tobacconist) on the building right next to Tooting Library in the Mitcham Road.
Well done in photographing the first picture. I know the building and its just been painted over.
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Renovations in Balham
I think that sign is varnish not furnish
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