Hair cutting and shaving saloon, St Margarets

From far away, this hundred-year-old ghost sign can easily be missed. However from closer several letters and words can be spotted. They tell us that this residential dwelling was once a hair cutting and shaving saloon. Back then, this row of houses near the junction with Beaconsfield Road was home to several tradesmen, including a greengrocer, a boot maker, and a picture frame maker.

The part of this ghost sign with the name of the hairdresser is slightly difficult to read. It looks as if it was painted twice, what could indicate that ownership of the saloon changed at some point. However I managed to decipher only the name of the first hairdresser: C. Wilson. This is confirmed by the 1914 edition of Kelly's Directory of Middlesex, which list a Charles Wilson, hair dresser, at 146 Amyand Park Road.

C. Wilson's
Hair Cutting
And
Shaving Saloon

Location: Amyand Park Road / Pictures taken in February 2010

Saunders, St Margarets

Not an easy one to read at first sight but with a bit of help from Photoshop it is possible to decipher it.

Saunders
For the Best Meat
And Poultry
Phone Popes Grove 1795
Location: Crown Road / Picture taken on: 21/05/2008

Thornton, St Margarets

A pretty simple sign for someone's promotting his trade, but at least the shadow of the letters gives it some depth.

Thornton
Sign
Writer
Location: Crown Road / Picture taken on: 21/05/2008

The Parade Stores, St Margarets

This could be an example of the many fairly simple signs found across cities, but the peculiar typeface used on "Parade", makes it stand out.

The Parade
Boot & Shoe		Stores

Location: St Margaret's Road / Picture taken on: 21/05/2008