Ghost signs Part 1
May. 18th, 2013 04:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xenithGhost signs: painted advertising on the sides of buildings. Wikipedia for more information.
I went through my photos to find all the ones I've photographed around Launceston. I'm using a broad definition. Some are new/in good condition. Some are so faded it's hard to tell if they were advertising.
First the location, then a close up of the sign.
Irvine & McEachern, Cascade House
"THE undersigned beg to notify to their friends and the public, that they have this day purchased the Wine, Spirit and Grocery business, lately carried on in Brisbane-street, by the Executor of the late C. J. Irvine" 1868 Advertisement
I'm not sure when they moved to George St, or this buildings was constructed. *searches through advertising* In December 1940 they're advertising Black & White Scotch Whiskey, from Cascade House, 3-7 George St (this building). The previous advertisement I can find is from 1938, and they're located in Cascade House, Charles St
Not unreasonable to guess that's when the sign dates from.
"Ritchies' Mills 1870" it says. Ritchies Mill is a landmark in the city, at the mouth of the South Esk, and it's now home Stillwater Cafe and the Mill Providore art gallery, who helpfully have a history of the old mill on their website, which says that David Ritchie bought it in 1876 (before that I believe he had a mill at Perth).
This is his other mill. From Launceston's Industrial Heritage: a survey, by Miranda Morris-Nunn & C.B.Tassell which is useful for this sort of thing, it was constructed in 1870, ran "entirely on steam and operated on Hunter and Huxtables' machinery from Evandale". The facade here, and therefore the sign, seems to be from later.
"D Ritchie & Son" are advertising in 1896 selling flour & wheat, but with no address. In 1942 they're at 27 St John St but have gained a son.
Hart's Hardware on the corner of Charles and York Streets. The current building was constructed when they outgrew their original shop. They sold more than just tools.
O'Keefe's Hotel, cnr York & George St.
Now this is one of my favourite ghost signs. At the bottom end of Charles St is the Telegraph Printery, built around the original Methodist church (1836ish).
At the back and up the top, it says "Telegraph printery". You can see it from Harvey Norman's car park, if you happen to be looking the right way.
And that's the best bit about ghost signs. You just happen to look up one day and there they are!
I went through my photos to find all the ones I've photographed around Launceston. I'm using a broad definition. Some are new/in good condition. Some are so faded it's hard to tell if they were advertising.
First the location, then a close up of the sign.
Irvine & McEachern, Cascade House
"THE undersigned beg to notify to their friends and the public, that they have this day purchased the Wine, Spirit and Grocery business, lately carried on in Brisbane-street, by the Executor of the late C. J. Irvine" 1868 Advertisement
I'm not sure when they moved to George St, or this buildings was constructed. *searches through advertising* In December 1940 they're advertising Black & White Scotch Whiskey, from Cascade House, 3-7 George St (this building). The previous advertisement I can find is from 1938, and they're located in Cascade House, Charles St
Not unreasonable to guess that's when the sign dates from.
"Ritchies' Mills 1870" it says. Ritchies Mill is a landmark in the city, at the mouth of the South Esk, and it's now home Stillwater Cafe and the Mill Providore art gallery, who helpfully have a history of the old mill on their website, which says that David Ritchie bought it in 1876 (before that I believe he had a mill at Perth).
This is his other mill. From Launceston's Industrial Heritage: a survey, by Miranda Morris-Nunn & C.B.Tassell which is useful for this sort of thing, it was constructed in 1870, ran "entirely on steam and operated on Hunter and Huxtables' machinery from Evandale". The facade here, and therefore the sign, seems to be from later.
"D Ritchie & Son" are advertising in 1896 selling flour & wheat, but with no address. In 1942 they're at 27 St John St but have gained a son.
Hart's Hardware on the corner of Charles and York Streets. The current building was constructed when they outgrew their original shop. They sold more than just tools.
O'Keefe's Hotel, cnr York & George St.
Now this is one of my favourite ghost signs. At the bottom end of Charles St is the Telegraph Printery, built around the original Methodist church (1836ish).
At the back and up the top, it says "Telegraph printery". You can see it from Harvey Norman's car park, if you happen to be looking the right way.
And that's the best bit about ghost signs. You just happen to look up one day and there they are!
