An Urban Wander around Maida Vale and Warwick Avenue, London

Since moving offices, I don't very often find a chance to wander around the Paddington area much anymore, so was pleased last when when an opportunity arose which presented me with a lunch hour where this became possible once again. Typically there is only so far I can get in a lunch hour. I can go further if one way I used the tube, but today was a walk both ways wander.

First up we have a former police station on the Harrow Road, complete with ghost sign above the doorway. The doorway itself looks recently renovated, so slightly curious why this station is now no longer used and boarded up.

Ghost sign over former police station, Harrow Road, London

Just around the corner I came across a ghost sign being revealed. I ought to try and return next week to see if any other letters have been revealed, or whether, as perhaps seems more likely, it will have been covered up again. So, unfortunately not much to go on to suggest what it once said.

Ghost sign, off the Harrow Road, London

I don't usually take pictures of ghost signs of street names, normally because the new sign has been placed on top of the old sign, but in this case they were sufficiently apart to make the picture worthwhile. Also of interest was that Shirland Mews would seem to have moved from the W8 to W9 district over the years.

Ghost sign, Shirland Mews, London

Immediately opposite the ghost sign were these doorways.

Doors, Shirland Mews, London

On the return leg of my wander, I came across this doorway mosaic on, I think, Shirland Road, but can't be sure. What struck me as curious about this is the fact that it's not centred. There's nothing to suggest that there were ever any more letters at one time. 

Doorway mosaic, Shirland Road, London

I've seen these former green, cabman's shelters in various places around London but never really stopped to look at them before today. This one in Warwick Avenue, is one of 13 remaining out of the original 61 that were built in the Victorian era.

Cabman's shelter, Warwick Avenue, London

And finally, needing no real introduction, we have the entrance to Warwick Avenue underground station.

Entrance to Warwick Avenue tube station, London

Come back often to read about my latest urban, rural and coastal wanders, inspired by my recent interest in Psychogeography.

    

A return visit to Lymington and another coastal wander

For those of you who read my blog regularly, you may recall my first coastal wander around Lymington. With time on my hands last weekend, and the rest of the family occupied in other activities, I stole away for the day for a return visit. But before you read on, I first need to give an apology in that I seem to have managed to accidentally switched on a setting on my phone camera which made the pictures render in a strange colour. Fortunately my teenage son was on hand afterwards to fix the issue, but alas I cannot change the pictures below.

For this trip I parked just outside of the town and started my wander through a couple of streets I missed out last time. I was rewarded almost immediately with two ghost signs that I didn't find during my previous visit. First up we have

THE
BRITANNIA
COMMERCIAL
HOTEL

Ghost sign, Lymington, Hampshire

And almost opposite another one. Unfortunately I can't make out any of the words on this one, other than that perhaps the last word is

ALE

which would seem reasonable as this is a pub.

 Ghost sign, Lymington, Hampshire

This next ghost sign is a bit easier to read but does tail off towards the end.

STRONGS RO...

 Ghost sign, Lymington, Hampshire

And finally, no trip to Lymington would have been complete without a wander around the coast. I quite liked the remains of what I assume to be some kind of pier or jetty, with the Isle of Wight in the far distance.

Abandoned jetty, Lymington, Hampshire

Abandoned jetty, Lymington, Hampshire

A wander around the narrow streets of Appledore, Devon

A change of scenery is in order for this blog post. You'll find no ghost signs, urban decay or disused railways today, but instead pictures from a recent week away in Devon, and in particular the narrow paths and roads of Appledore in Devon.

Little to say about the first few. I think the pictures speak for themselves, showing what a trult beautiful place it is.

Narrow streets, Appledore, Devon

Narrow streets, Appledore, Devon

Narrow streets, Appledore, Devon

Narrow streets, Appledore, Devon

Narrow streets, Appledore, Devon

A bit of variation now as we deviate fleetingly to look at some of the wonderful doors in Appledore (no pun intended).

Painted door, Appledore, Devon

Gate and door, Appledore, Devon

This next picture is probably my favourite of the lot, with the quirky display of brass instruments decorating the window ledge.

Brass instruments, Appledore, Devon

Narrow streets, Appledore, Devon

Okay, so I did start off my saying there would be no ghost signs, but this is a very different sort of ghost sign to those I normally post about. This is a mosaic in a doorway, presumably of an old shop. I did a quick search but could find nothing about what this used to be.

Doorway mosaic, Appledore, Devon

Narrow streets, Appledore, Devon

Narrow streets, Appledore, Devon

So once again, apologies for the lack of commentary in this post, but I really do think the pictures tell the story.

    

An Urban Wander around the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, part 3 of 3

And so finally we come to the third and final installment of my Urban Wander around Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. If this is the only one you've seen then check out the first and second installments.

The first two pictures are taken below Legge Lane where I took some of the pictures in the first installment ... with me so far?

Abandoned buildings, Legge Lane, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

 Abandoned buildings, Legge Lane, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Next up we have a ghost sign, which I'm sure was much clearer and easy to read that the photo suggests. I can however just about make out

? & SONS

POLISHERS

& NICKEL PLATERS

EST 1834

Ghost sign, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

What I thought was a ghost sign actually turned out to be the sign for an old, but very much still ongoing concern. Thomas Fattorini Limited

Thomas Fattorini Limited buildings, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

This one is definitely a ghost sign however as the building is clearly boarded up.

VARIETY WORKS

A.J.SMITH

Ghost sign, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

And on the building next door at number 45

MANUFACTURING JEWELLERS

ROBINSON AND McKEWAN

Ghost sign, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Presumably not longer an active school, so counts as a ghost sign in my books.

MUNICIPAL

SCHOOL

FOR

JEWELLERS &

SILVERSMITHS

Ghost sign, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

From ghost signs back to abandonment, although fairly recent abandonment by the look of it, and no doubt to be followed by some sort of restoration.

Former premises of Joseph Smith & Sons, Manufacturing Jewellers, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Closer up revealed an old sign explaining the building's previous use.

Old sign, Joseph Smith & Sons, Manufacturing Jewellers, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

I've stared at this final picture a number of times but still can't work out what the lettering above the door says.

Ghost sign, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Well, that's the third and final installment of my Urban Wander around Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter complete. I have a small backlog of other wanders stored away, so will probably go for a complete change of scenery for my next post ... maybe to the coast.

    

An Urban Wander around Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, part 2

As usual, the next installment of a multi-part post takes longer than I would like, but this time I have a pleasing excuse in that I have been out on my mountain bike, cut the grass, cleaned the cars, dug over and  planted up the vegetable patch, all in the same bank holiday weekend.

So, where did I leave you last time, in part one of my Urban Wander around Birmingham? Ah yes, with a bit of urban abandonment, restoration and of course a few ghost signs. Well, those of you who like that sort of thing will be pleased to know that part 2 features more of the same, and also features what might well be my favourite ghost sign of those I've found so far.

So, we kick off with an abandoned pub that is being restored. Not sure if it will re-emerge as a pub or not though.

Abandoned pub, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

As regular readers will know, I've come across a fair few ghost signs in my Urban Wandering, but this is almost certainly my favourite one so far.

JONES AND

PALMER

PRINTERS

STATIONERS

BOOK BINDERS

JEWELLERS WORK

A SPECIALITY

SEALING WAX PAPERS & STRING

ETC ETC

Ghost sign in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Another abandoned pub by the look of it.

Abandoned pub, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Not sure if this deli is abandoned or not, but I liked the picture so have left it in.

Abandoned(?) delicatessen, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

I can't vouch for any other ghost sign enthusiasts but sometimes I think I can see them everywhere. I was quite sure there was some visible lettering in the painted strip on the front on this house when I took the photo, but am no longer so sure.

Possible ghost sign, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

The remainder of the pictures in this blog post are all taken around the Camden Street area in the Jewellery Quarter. Whereas some of the other abandoned buildings I had seen earlier in the day showed obvious signs of being restored, I am not sure that's the case with these ones.

Abandoned buildings, Camden Street, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Abandoned building, Camden Street area, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Abandoned building, Camden Street area, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Abandoned buildings, Camden Street area, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Abandoned buildings, Camden Street area, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Abandoned buildings, Camden Street area, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Abandoned buildings, Camden Street area, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Abandoned buildings, Camden Street area, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Third and final installment will hopefully be ready over the weekend.