Redline super petrol, Exeter

While large and colourful ghost signs are still relatively common in France, in Britain they tend to be rather rare. This is why I was happily surprised when I spotted this very good example. Even though this ghost sign dates certainly from the 1930s, the colours are still striking. Only the blue of the petrol pump and the yellow background have faded a bit and turned to mauve and orange respectively.

Redline
Super Petrol
The 'Top Gear'
Spirit
Use
Glico
Oils

Remains of an earlier ghost sign can still be seen. All I managed to read is:

A...
John ...
Wholesale & Retail
In the absence of a name, the activity of John will remain a mystery.

The Redline Motor Spirit brand appeared in 1914, the year the Union Petroleum Products Co Ltd was incorporated. The name of the company was changed to The Redline Motor Spirit Co Ltd in 1927. Redline Super was its main product and during the inter-war years was widely advertised in motor magazines.

In 1931, the Redline Motor Spirit Co Ltd merged with GLICO Petroleum Ltd, a company originally called The Gas Lighting Improvement Co Ltd, which had been importing, refining and distributing motor spirit for cars and motorcycles since 1888. The merger was motivated by the economic crisis of the 1930s, which drove demand and prices down as petrol companies vied for customers. At the same time, these companies were required to keep up with improvements in engine designs and performances. Thus large investments that a small company could barely afford under such difficult conditions were needed. As a result several similar mergers occured in the sector. The new company took the name Redline - Glico Ltd and launched a whole series of colourful advertising campaigns to attract customers.

Some of these adverts included glamourous women getting their up-market cars refuelled while other used images of the company's colourful petrol pumps on a bright yellow background. These pumps, blue with a vertical red stripe, came with different glass globes. These could be round, rectangular, conical, or combine the latter two shapes.

As can be seen on this ghost sign, adverts for Redline Super included the slogan "The Top Gear Spirit."

During the Second World War, petrol brands disappeared as all production was pooled. This made it more difficult after the war for smaller companies, like Redline - Glico, to regain their share of the market. They rapidly fell prey to larger, wealthier oil companies looking to expand their presence in the British isles. In 1952 Redline - Glico Ltd ran its last advertising campaign in preparation for the reintroduction of brands the following year. However before that happened, the company was taken over by the Anglo-American Oil Co., now Esso UK.

Location: Cowley Bridge Road, Exeter, Devon / All pictures taken in April 2012

Hotel, Exeter

After a day out in Tiverton, I got off the bus on the outskirts of Exeter to take some pictures of quite an amazing ghost sign (check this blog tomorrow!) and walked towards the city centre. By the time I passed by Exeter St David's it was getting dark but I couldn't fail to notice the letter 'L' painted on the façade of a building opposite the station. Then I saw the other letters or what was left of them. Together they spellt the word "Hotel." A search online a few days later took me to Exeter Memories, where I discovered this used to be the Elmfield Hotel and the building the ghost sign was painted on may well have been the stables. There is a whole page dedicated to the Elmfield Hotel and I would invite you to visit it to discover more about the history of the place.

Hotel

Location: Saint David's Hill, Exeter, Devon / Picture taken in April 2012

Kirk Radio, Exeter

Kirk Radio has been selling and repairing radios and other electrical equipment since 1945.

Even though the Christmas decoration on the façade would suggest otherwise, these pictures were taken on Easter Sunday!

Kirk
Radio

Location: Sidwell Street, Exeter, Devon / Pictures taken in April 2012

Borwick's baking powder, Exeter

Born in Morven, Torquay, in 1806, George Borwick married Jane Hudson in 1831. It is said it was her father who gave them the formula for making baking powder. However the couple had to carry out experiments for more than a decade to improve it. Finally in 1842, George Borwick & Sons Ltd was founded and the baking powder launched on the market.

Until then people relied on home made yeast to raise cakes and breads but that gave rather random results. As a reliable rising agent, Borwick's baking powder was soon in high demand and in 1864 a factory was set up in London, possibly in Chiswell Street (over time Borwick & Sons had several factories in and around London, but since this was the company's address, it may well have been the original one). Borwick's customers included the Army, the Navy, as well as the queen's baker. The company flourished and was soon offering a whole range of products, including custard powder and even furniture cream, which "cleanses and gives the most brilliant and durable polish to all articles of furniture."
George Borwick died in 1889, leaving a fortune of £259,000. His son Robert Borwick became chairman of the family firm. Borwick & Sons later became a subsidiary of HJ Green and Co. Ltd. of Brighton. This company was then taken over by the Pillsbury Co. of Minneapolis. Nowadays the Borwick trademark is owned by the Irish company Kerry Group.

Berwick's The Best In The World

Baking Powder

On the picture below, I altered the vertical perspective.

Location: Cecil Road, Exeter, Devon / Pictures taken in April 2012

Eastmans, Exeter

Since the butchery firm Eastmans Ltd had hundreds of outlets across the country, I was bound to find another of their doorstep mosaics after the one in Exmouth. Indeed a couple of days later, I noticed this one in Exeter.
The post about the Exmouth mosaic includes a couple of paragraphs about Eastmans.

Location: Cowick Street, Exeter, Devon / Picture taken in April 2012

The West of England, Exeter

Initially called the West of England Institute for the Instruction and Employment of the Blind, the West of England School was founded on 28th April 1838 by a group of people led by Sarah Friend to improve the life of Exeter's blind population. The school moved to St David's Hill in 1843, after a Mrs Wilkinson donated a house outside the city walls, and stayed there until 1965. That year the school moved to new premises in Countess Wear, outside Exeter, where it still caters for blind and partially sighted pupils aged between 2 and 19+. The website of the school's association includes a page about its history.

The West of England

Founded 1839 Enlarged 1855

Only part of the ghost sign has survived. The image printed in 1881 shows "Institution for the Blind" appeared on the central part of the building. This has now completely disappeared.

Location: St David's Hill, Exeter, Devon / Pictures taken in April 2012

Limited, Exeter

The name of the company that owned the North Warehouse in Exeter was once painted on the outside wall. Yet contrary to the brick store on the opposite bank, where W. Hibberd & Co can still be read, there the ghost sign has faded too much to be legible.

The North Warehouse was built in the mid-19th century. It stands between the River Exe (on the pictures) and Exeter's Canal Basin and opens onto the latter. The basin opened in 1830, five years after work on the extension and widening of the Exeter Canal was completed.

In 1969 Exeter's Maritime Museum opened in the North Warehouse and the adjacent building but it closed down in 1997.

...

Unfortunately I haven't found any information about the previous occupiers of the building.

... Limited

Location: Haven Banks, Exeter, Devon / Pictures taken in April 2012

W. Hibberd, Exeter

Any visit to Exeter wouldn't be complete without a stroll along the River Exe to discover the historic buildings of the Quay. One of these is the open-sided transit shed, a cast iron building erected c 1820 to provide undercover storage to the goods offloaded from the ships docked alongside Exeter Quay. In 1878 a brick building was added at the northern end of the open shed.

The open shed with the 1878 brick store. To the left is the 1860-61 Customs House.

The brick store was built at the instigation of wine merchant Samuel Jones but by the early 20th century it was being used by William Hibberd & Co., wholesale grocers of 38 Queen Street, whose name can still be seen on the wall facing the city. Very faint traces of paint suggest it was also painted on the side of the building towards the river but it isn't possible to read anything.

W. Hibberd & Co. Wholesale Grocers

William Hibberd & Co. was still trading in 1933, the year the company reduced its capital but I haven't found what happened to it after that date.

W. Hibberd & Co.

'Co.' and the first letters of 'Wholesale' are hidden when the sliding doors of the Antique Centre, which moved in in 1986, are open.

Wholesale Grocers

Location: The Quay, Exeter, Devon / Pictures taken in April 2012

Taverner's dairy, Exeter

Approaching the centre of Exeter from the north, one can hardly miss this nice, colourful palimpsest for two former dairies: Taverner's, which was later replaced by Holwill's.

These dairies were certainly outlets for the milk produced at Taverner's Farm and Holwill's Farm. However while the former is located in Kennford, a few kilometres to the south west of Exeter, the latter is in Torrington, much further north.

Taverner's / Holwill's
Dairy

Location: St David's Hill, Exeter, Devon / Pictures taken in April 2012

Manufacturers, Exeter

Just off Fore Street in Exeter is a barely visible ghost sign for an unknown manufacturer of uncertain goods.

...es & Sons
.rake Manufacturers

Were they making brakes in this workshop? Or maybe just rakes? Over the years the building at the corner of Fore Street and Friernhay Street saw many different uses, from pub to store, and I have not found any information that could match what is left on the wall. Maybe someone will solve this mystery?

Location: Friernhay Street, Exeter, Devon / Pictures taken in April 2012

Royal Society for the Blind, Exeter

For a few days I was unable to connect but the problem seems to have been sorted and I am now ready to resume work and head towards the 1000th post. This benchmark may still be far away but I should have enough pictures to make it, starting with a whole series of ghost signs and mosaics spotted in southeast Devon during the Easter weekend.

This series, which will include some real gems, starts behind Exeter Cathedral with this ghost sign for the Royal Society for the Blind. In spite of its grand name, there is virtually nothing about this charity on the web. There are different regional organisations by this name but the name of the town or city they are based in is usually attached to them. However it seems Exeter did not have 'its own' charity for the blind and support and services in the area were provided by the Bristol Royal Society for the Blind. Founded in 1793, it became after more than 200 years part of the Royal National Institute for Blind People.

Royal Society
For the
Blind

Although it is quite small, the signature of the sign writer is clearly visible.

Bush Signs
Location: Palace Gate, Exeter, Devon / Pictures taken in April 2012