Jeffrey Johnson’s Favourite Signs
Enigmatic Photographer Jeffrey Johnson deposited a stack of his pictures from the seventies and eighties with Archivist Stefan Dickers at the Bishopsgate Institute, including these photos of signs and ghost signs. Sharing Jeffrey’s relish at this magnificent array, I cannot resist the feeling that he is one after my own heart in savouring both the poetry and aesthetics of London’s old signage.
Win her affections with A1 Confections
Temporary office staff urgently required
Permanent waving clubs held here
More news than in any other daily paper
English clock system
Barry Lampert – Your choice for Hackney
The best food for the whole family sold here
Home cured haddocks & bloaters
The noted house for paper bags
£40 worth for four shillings weekly
Families and dealers supplied
Harris the sign king
Headache draughts
Progressive working class catering
For that natural just combed look
Radio London wireless said ‘The cosy fish bar in Whitecross St serves the best quality fish & chips in London.’
See the light…taste the light
We specialies in suits, donkey coats, officers uniforms, belts & braces, sailors clothing…
Laying out & measuring up undertaken
Photographs copyright © Jeffrey Johnson
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What a glorious collection of photographs! I love things like this.
A magnificent array indeed!
What a fantastic collection.
Jay’s Furniture is still visible on Clarenden Rise, London SE13. Thank you for sharing this fabulous collection.
And you can still get Yorkshire Stingo beer!
A wonderful post! I’d have to say the photographer is a man after my own heart as well. He has a great eye for the details of the past.
Oh, that Guardian clock! Surely it must have been a regular meeting place. “Meet you at the clock.” As an American, I so enjoyed/admired the plea for consideration: “Less Noise Please”.
Back in the Seventies, I knew a transplanted British art director who covered the walls of his
office with signs from home. He must have had at least 50 “WAY OUT” signs, all sizes, in addition to so many others.
I wish someone would try to “win my affections with A1 confections!”
Where [and why] was the fascia with the Festival of Brittain symbol?
I love all the different lettering.
Also the fab ‘puns’ in use for carpet fitters hearse in the last picture …..’dead cheap, laying out’ and ‘measuring undertaken’…… made me
Smile
They bring a smile to my face, some I remember well!!
The Festival of Britain symbol is above what’s now a branch of Zara at the junction of Oxford Steet and Hills Place. Why I’ve no idea.
Absolutely FABULOUS! The images do however leave me feeling slightly saddened, for all that we’ve lost over the years. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Lovely shots of a recently departed past. I have a photo of the yellow and green TEA ROOMS facade from August 2004 showing it as semi-derelict and full of builder’s materials. Have no record of the location though. The “commit no nuisance” cartouche is still there on Great Guildford Street, around the corner from its pair in Doyce Street. They embellish the rear of the Borough Welsh Congregational Chapel. Commit no nuisance indeed.
Thanks Bob Davenport, i’ll look next time I go to the Photographers Gallery