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Can You Identify These Locations? (27)

Published on: 28 Feb, 2012
Updated on: 28 Feb, 2012

by David Rose

Well done to all those who correctly identified last week’s mystery picture locations.

The first photo was an early 1900s view of the Upper High Street. See Michael Williams’ reply for some useful details.

The second picture (the Horse Day) shows a view along Onslow Street. The spire of St Saviour’s Church can be seen and there’s also a glimpse of the gas works on the far left.

I have a feeling that the photo was taken from the roof of what back then was Shelvey’s Mineral Water Works, which was on the corner of Onslow Street and Bedford Road. That building is now part of the Casino nightclub complex. Some readers will remember it as the Woodbridge Press building where titles such as the Surrey Times and Woking News & Mail were printed.

This ‘ghost sign’ remains to this day, but where is it?

A bit different this week: here are two advertising signs painted on to buildings in Guildford. The one above remains to this day. Where is it? Can you tell me which establishment it was advertising, as I can’t work it out from what remains of the lettering?

This is as much as I can make out. The questions marks in brackets are parts where I am not sure of the lettering.

SLOW DOWN
TURN LEFT
HALT
BEFORE
TRAFFIC LIGHTS
FOR
GUILDFORD’S
MOST POPULAR
RENDEZVOUS
AND
GOOD FOOD
EASHING   FARM (???)
RESTAURANT (?)
CO  HOST  E  (?)

There is a delightful term for such signs – now slowly fading. They are called ‘ghost signs’.

Font of all knowledge Wikipedia (but not always correct), states: “A ghost sign is an old hand-painted advertising signage that has been preserved on a building for an extended period of time. The signage may be kept for its nostalgic appeal, or simply indifference by the owner.”

Evidently, they are sometimes referred to as ‘brickads’ and ‘fading ads’. Again, both clever names don’t you think?

The one below disappeared in the mid-1970s. Anyone remember where it was and which barber’s shop it relates to? I recall first seeing it from the window of a double decker bus. I thought it was fantastic.

If you can supply some answers please leave a reply in the box below – all replies will be uploaded in about a week’s time. Also, let me know of any other ‘ghost signs’ in the local area and we will photograph them in case they should suddenly disappear.

Such a shame this ‘brick ad’ has not survived. Anyone recall where it was?

4 Responses to “Can You Identify These Locations? (27)”

  1. Richard Christphers says:

    Just a PS to the previous comment. The last line of the Eashing Farm Dairy would have read ’100 High Street’. From the directories at Surrey History Centre it came between 1945 and 1948 and went between 1955 and 1959.
    The hairdresser was at 10 Onslow Street, about where the Friary goods entrance is. I took a photo in the early 1970s which shows a turf accountant, name ending …rns below the sign [Heathorns, not Heathfields] and the newsagent next door. Frank Cranfield opened a hairdresser’s there between 1895 and 1900, which became G Stevenson, later a ‘toilet saloon’ and according to the directories went between 1935 and 1938.

  2. Mike Williams says:

    Two tricky ones here David.
    The top one could be in Quarry Street above somewhere like Oxfam facing the on-coming traffic from the south (before Millbrook was built) when Quarry Street was two-way.

    It advertises the Eashing Farm Milkbar that was round the corner in the High Street, a bit below where American Express today. It was a mecca for this 10-year-and his chum in the 1950s who were growing up and able to copy parents as they starting enjoying going out to pubs again after the war.

    Inside was a horseshoe-shaped bar with revolving chrome and plastic bar stools on the outside with operators inside ready to scoop ice cream and make sundaes and milkshakes. You had to speak up over the constant din from the milkshake whisking, which was certainly as loud as the expresso machines that followed in the 1960s.

    Of the second photo, I think I remember this hairdresser was in Onslow Street in the 1960s, along with The Little Wood Shop, Babbingtons newsagent, Heathfield Betting Shop, and maybe a shoe repairers?

    Opposite was Jackson’s Garage with a large Austin dealership premises. This links back to The Eashing Milkbar, as just below was once Jackson’s, who were moved to make way for Millbrook. Later Jackson’s moved again to purpose-built premises in Walnut Tree Close, now known as Wey Corner, occupied by CCP and owned by me!

  3. David & Ann Bailey says:

    The first picture is on the side wall of the Oxfam shop in Quarry Street. The second one was in Onslow Street, before all the houses were pulled down to make way for the Friary Centre.

  4. Bernard Parke says:

    1) Above the Oxfam shop in Quarry Street. “EASHING FARM DAIRY”.

    2) Onslow Street as we both know.

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