I noticed this ghostsign high on a building at the corner of Bank Street and The High Street. As far as I can make out it is advertising 'gentlemens hairdressing', but the rest of the wording is so faded it is impossible to read.
Advertisements, just like the one in Bank Street, were painted by hand directly onto the brickwork of buildings, and would have been a common sight in Tonbridge and other towns, cities and villages. Printed billboards quickly led to a downturn in their use, but many still survive, often faded, lingering on the walls like ghosts from a past time. The skillfully painted advertisements provide us with a window into a past showing the craftsmanship of the sign writers. However, they are now disappearing, as they have done in Tonbridge, often due to weathering but also as a result of property development and demolition. Their faded appearance has led them to be known as ghostsigns.
Without researching this part of Tonbridge, I know little about the history of the shops and services in Bank Street. I do know there has always been a hairdresser in this area. The sign is very close to Mr Books and perhaps he might have some information.
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| Barden Road |
There is another ghostsign in the town advertising Hovis. This is painted on the side wall of The Honeymoon Restaurant in Barden Road. Maybe there are others in the town? If any are spotted, or known of, let me know!
Dont tell Mr Books but if you look at pic 15 "Old Tonbridge in pictures: The High Street 3" on the tonbridgehistory.org web site you will see most of the sign and a book shop.
ReplyDeleteFor more of these and a wide-ranging UK archive you should visit www.ghostsigns.co.uk.
ReplyDeleteHave looked at tonbridgehistory.org web where the sign shows LADIES AND T'S TING ONS. So this one is a later version when Hairdressing was prefered to cutting.
ReplyDeleteI too have looked at the photo on the tonbridgehistory.org website. Thanks for the information. It certainly does seem that this is a later version of the sign. I'm not sure what the TING or ONS reads. It is doubtful if the TING is the word CUTTING as the signwriter would have placed it centrally. The end buildings are certainly a loss.
ReplyDeleteHaircutting would fit.
ReplyDeleteYes haircutting would fit - what do you think the final word is ending in ONS
ReplyDeleteThat's a tought one.
ReplyDeleteYes Helen it is a tough one - what about PRECISIONS - Haircutting Precisions
ReplyDeleteThe original could say ... haircutting rooms.
ReplyDeleteIf you look at The High Street 2 photo 41 you will see another shop with that wording.
The town is certainly not short of hairdressers these days.
Back in the 50's there was one of those rare business name under the Rose and Crown to the right -Austen and Daughters - hairdressers.
Brilliant Anonymous - thankyou so much - that's probably the answer.
ReplyDeleteMy mother remembers Austen and Daughters and was a regular customer.
Was this Funnels?
ReplyDeleteYes, Sydney Funnell who took it over from his father Sidney. It was listed in a 1938 Trade Directory and was in business to around 1980.
DeleteThe top 3 lines say "Ladies & Gentlemen's Hairdressing" - the last line is a bit faded!
ReplyDelete