Although my next book is about London ghost signs I seem to be developing some kind of spider sense when I go anywhere else, as I stumbled across a range of ghost signs today in Middlesbrough. This one was by far my favourite and definitely deserves a post of its own. It’s in remarkably good condition.

This ghost sign seems a little confused about its true self

I had a couple of hours in Leeds the other week and found this ghost sign on the end of a row of houses I used to live on. Little did I know back then that I would one day be a full blown ghost signs anorak and wind up writing a book about them.

This is by no means an extensive catalogue of all the Leeds ghost signs as I only had a couple of hours but it offers a taste of the gems written across the walls in West Yorkshire.

Electric Press Ghost Sign, Leeds.

After the success of my first non-fiction book: True Love is Like the Loch Ness Monster, I decided that for my next project I wanted a different challenge. As many of you know I am very interested in the history and architecture of cities and in December I was commissioned by The History Press to create a book on Fading Ads of London. The book will primarily serve as a photographic tour of London’s ghost signs but will also offer insight into the history of the brands and the signage itself. 

As suggested by the photograph taken in Leeds above, fading adverts and signs can be found all over the UK, in fact they can be found all over the world. I have previously posted some of my own findings on this blog to offer a flavour of the intricate design and typographical precision that once went into hand-painted brick signs. London is extremely rich in these old signs, so not every single example will be included. Instead I’ll be selecting the most striking exhibits for inclusion, steering readers to the most visually and historically poignant signs.

One of the most exciting elements of this project is that a lot of my own photography will be published in the book – approximately 150 shots –  which is a new avenue for me in print. I will be working on this book for the majority of 2013 and it is likely to be available mid-2014. Wish me luck.

My weekend travels took me to Stoke Newington and as yet I don’t think I’ve found any part of London that’s as rich in ghost signage. Most ghost signage in London that we can still see today dates from the end of the 19th century to the early twentieth century, with this in mind it’s no great surprise that Stoke Newington boasts so many beautiful examples of faded signs. During the early 20th century Stoke Newington stopped being a village in its own right and grew to be an expansion of London. This drew a great deal of new commerce to the area and naturally they would want to advertise their wares. The photos below are some of my favourite snaps.

Boots the Chemist Ghost Sign, Camden.

I discovered this Ghost Sign a while back but (by some freak accident) didn’t have my camera on me at the time to photograph it. Camden has quite a complicated history in terms of the different types of businesses that have traded there over the years and is thus awash with interesting old signage. In terms of Ghost Signage, there are a few striking examples, photographed below.

Close up on Boots the Chemist Ghost Sign, Camden.

Miller, Beale and Hider Glazing Ghost Sign, Camden.

Close up on Miller, Beale and Hider Glazing Ghost Sign, Camden.

Ghost Sign for Mackies and English Lavender Soap

Whilst out and about yesterday for Open House weekend I stumbled across a lot of Ghost Signage. Both of the examples photographed in this post were found around the Acton Central area. I really like the fact that the Mackies sign and the soap sign are layered over each other. It’s quite common with Ghost Signs just as we often see signs covered by billboards now. 

Ghost Sign for Mackies and Lavender Soap

Old English Lavender Soap sign

Dadds Boot and Shoe Warehouse

Close up on Dadds Ghost Sign

Daily Telegraph Ghost Sign, Fulham.

Today I managed to get out on the bus for an hour with a book and my camera. I’ve never been to Fulham but had a suspicion, due to the age of the buildings, that it was likely to be rich with ghost signs. I was right, it was pretty much like hitting the ghost sign jackpot. My favourite is the advert for quality prints because the writing is so clear, which is very rare with this kind of signage. That said, I am super-intrigued about what was served at the Kit Kat dining rooms. Given that you can’t get over my parents’ threshold without our Mam pushing a Kit Kat into your clammy mitts (Mrs Doyle style) I always kind of thought that if Kit Kats were to be served on a silver platter anywhere, it would be back home. Anyway. Food for thought.

Daily Telegraph Ghost Sign, Fulham.

Brymay matches Ghost Sign, Fulham.

Close up on Brymay matches Ghost Sign, Fulham.

S.G. Purkiss Ghost Sign, Fullham.

Close up of S.G. Purkiss Ghost Sign, Fulham.

Kit Kat Dining Rooms Ghost Sign, Fulham.