A photographic and historical view of the city of Derby and its surroundings

Mark Miley

Derby In Pictures

A photographic and historical view of the city of Derby and its surroundings

Mark Miley

Derby In Pictures

Ghost signs

In the past it was quite common for companies to paint advertisements directly onto the sides of buildings. these may have been shops, industrial units or even people's homes. Whilst many have now gone a large number still survive and are commonly referred to as ghost signs. This section will aim to show as many as possible. If you know of any that you think should be included please contact me with details and the location.

This next two are a little bit different and I'm not sure if they technically count as ghost signs. They are not painted onto a wall but instead are made of wood. However they are signs for shops that are no longer there and is on the side of a building so I am going to include it anyway. The first can be found on Green Lane and the second on Markeaton Street

Illustration
Illustration

The Following photos show the Lonny Wolstencroft Community Centre in the New Zealand area of the city. This part of the building is normally rendered and so this inscription is usually covered. Just recently, however, the render was replaced and for a brief period this was visible. At the bottom of the wall can be seen the six memorial stones from various local worthies. Wonderfully it was decided to keep these unrendered and it is hoped that they will be restored at some point in the future

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