Bits and Bobs on the Uxbridge Road (part 2)

 

Carrying on down the road I eventually started back on the other side toward Shepherds Bush and I wasn't far along when I spotted this intriguing engraving on the kerb. I'd seen similar items before and they had turned out to be benchmarks used by surveyors from the Ordnance Survey so I was immediately thinking if this could possibly be related in any way? Could it be that the 'P' stands for 'Point' (as in 'Height Point' or something?) and it certainly  looks as though the dent above it might be for siting a measuring tool of some type.

  

Could it be that I'm getting led up the wrong path again though and that it in fact has no connection with the OS? It seems to have some age to it if the quality of the lettering is anything to go by. I'll keep looking although any thoughts would be gratefully received...

  

It's been a while since I've spotted any new coalhole manufacturers but I was attracted to this one partly because of the colourful tiles around it. It turns out that the manufacturers are known to me but I'll put it in anyway if only on artistic merit...

Moving on I spotted what looks like a partial restoration of an old shop sign. I say partial because I've a suspicion that the central "Rene's" section of the sign is probably still in use - it certainly looks in pretty good condition. The sections either side of it though are pretty poor in comparison and I suspect that they are only recently uncovered. I assume that they originally read "Tobaccos" and "Stationers".

As the shutters were down I couldn't really see what Rene's sell these days. I wonder if it's still in the same line of business?

This name plaque was on a series of houses pretty much next door to the local church which you might expect to be called St Stephen's. Actually it's called 'St Stephen's and St Thomas' so I didn't know whether the church changed it's name at some point or whether they just decided that it was too much of a mouthful to try to squeeze in on the space available. Some checking back at home though shows that the church of St Stephen, Shepherds Bush, was consecrated by the Bishop of London on April 11th 1850, which means that the villas were not contemporary, but erected 24 years later. I'm not sure when St Thomas was added either, but I suspect it was quite recently, as it was in place by 1964 (which is recent by terms of reference!)

  

And finally, something for the lovers of basement lighting. A nice example of a combined light and ventilation window that has obviously served its purpose. A slap of paint and it blends in quite nicely with the background. No sign of a makers mark that I could see so I've no idea if it's a Hayward Brothers special...

  

Well for what seemed to be an unpromising re-tread of a street that I'd already visited this was actually quite interesting. If I had to pick a highlight it would have to be the mysterious kerb marking which definitely needs more investigation.