Salle des fêtes, Echillais

Are you looking for a venue for your wedding party? Don't worry, I've got the perfect solution: the salle des fêtes of Echillais, a charming village near Rochefort. All right, this may not be the most romantic venue and facilities are certainly a bit outdated but actually Echillais has more to offer, including a stunning Romanesque church and the Martrou transporter bridge built between 1898 and 1900 over the River Charente.

Réunions Publiques .é... [Public Meetings ...]

Salle des fêtes Bals Noces [Village Hall Balls Weddings]

Location: Rue de la Renaissance, Echillais, Charente-Maritime / Pictures taken on: 23/08/2011

The Albion Coffee House, Kennington

The house where this ghost sign was painted is part of a terrace built in the early 19th century. Did the Albion Coffee House open immediately after construction? I can't be sure but the style of this painted sign is reminiscent of others from the first half of the 19th century.

The Albion Coffee House.
Location: Kennington Lane / Picture taken on: 16/09/2011

Tobacco, Camberwell

A building near Camberwell Green used to have two ghost signs for completely different products: one designed to improve one's health and one causing long-term damage. Indeed on its north side a painted sign promoted the 'miracle' medicine Beecham Pills, while on its south side another sign pointed to the main product sold by a tobacconist.

Tobacco
There was most certainly something written to the left of 'Tobacco' but it has faded too much to be able to read anything.

Location: Denmark Hill / Picture taken on: 11/04/2008

Dyson, Eton

The Gothic-style lettering used on this doorstep mosaic at the beginning of Eton High Street is quite unusual. Unfortunately I haven't found any information about Dyson's business. In 1883 these premises housed the jewellery shop of Alexander Nehetnias Joseph. Was Dyson there before or after that date? Nowadays 4, High Street is home to the Rhubarb & Custard photo gallery.

Dyson
N^o. 4
Location: High Street, Eton, Berkshire / Picture taken on: 20/03/2011

Wells & Rush, Petersfield

Back in the 1920s Chapel Street in Petersfield was a busy shopping street and the double fronted drapery shop of Wells & Rush offered ladies from this Hampshire town a wide range of cloth and garments. This piece of information comes from an article published in the Petersfield Post and is the only one I found about this particular shop.

Wells & Rush.
Sash Drapers
And
Milliners
The picture above was taken early on a summer day. Below is the same ghost sign, ten hours later.


Location: Chapel Street, Petersfield, Hampshire / Pictures taken on: 20/07/2008

E. F. Kutschke, Bautzen

Bautzen, in eastern Saxony, is well-known for its medieval and baroque architecture. If most buildings in the historic centre have been nicely restored, some façades in the surrounding parts of the city have been left untouched and a couple still display the names and trades of the people who lived and traded there.

E. F. Kutschke Dachdeckermeister
[E. F. Kutschke Master Roofer]
Actually there are two ghost signs on this narrow space between the ground and first floor windows. Both advertised a Dachdeckermeister, the original one being more towards the right. Not enough can be seen to be able to identify the full name but the few letters that can be spotted don't match those of E. F. Kutschke.



Location: Rosenstraße, Bautzen, Sachsen / Pictures taken on: 08/10/2011

Fine Old Douro Port, West Ham

The Angel in Church Street, West Ham, was rebuilt in 1910, but when was this sign painted?

Fine Old Douro Port
From 3/.	Per Bot.

Shillings ceased to be used on February 15, 1971, when the UK adopted the decimal system for its currency. On that day, one shilling became worth five pence. Therefore three shillings were equivalent to 15 pence.
I doubt this ghost sign dates for the rebuilding of the pub. Indeed, once cumulative inflation is taken into account, a bottle worth 3 shillings in 1910 would cost between £13 and £14 today. That would have been quite pricey for the vast majority of people in West Ham, an industrial borough where many workers lived in slums. But maybe The Angel attracted wealthier patrons? Still I think a later date is more likely for this ghost sign.


The Angel has been empty since 2003. What will happen to it and to this ghost sign? I'm afraid they may both disappear in a near future if property developers move in.

Location: Church Street / Pictures taken on: 15/05/2011