An Urban Wander around Islington, London N1 (part 3)

So finally, here's the third and final installment of my recent urban wander around Islington, London N1. Follow the links to read part one or part two if you missed them. Before I start, and before someone points it out and embarrasses me, the pictures towards the end of this final post are not technically in Islington and you'll see a bit of Finsbury and Clerkenwell appearing, but I decided against changing the post title as it would have become a bit of a mouthful. Also it's a bit longer than the previous two installments, but I was determined not to stretch the wander to a fourth.

Narrow passageway, Islington, London N1

Beyond the main street that runs through Islington, it really does have a bit of everything. I was particularly impressed by this work of urban topiary on Cross Street. 

Urban Topiary, Islington, London N1

Narrow passageway, Islington, London N1

I'm always a sucker for an old car, and Citroens in particular. I am however not any sort of car officiando, so apart from telling you it's an old Citroen I can offer no further information.

Old Citroen, Islington, London N1

There is so much street art in London, and a lot of it not photo worthy, but I did like this one. A Warhol-esque which I assume is Madonna, but I could easily be wrong, complete with its own, overlaid installation of what looks to be some sort of fencing.

Street Art, Islington, London N1

I had to stand in the middle of the road to get this picture, but I think it was worth it. Fortunately most of the ghost sign is legible, but alas the left hand side has disappeared completely.

??? ZALIA

??? NIGHT CURE FOR

CATARRH

COLDS IN THE HEAD

??? INFLUENZA

???

Ghost sign, Islington, London N1

This is quite possibly my favourite ghost sign, spotted on a café in Islington.

Old sign, Islington, London N1

I'm not sure if these are actually bird boxes, and if they are whether they are functional or simply artistic. Either way they caught my eye and I like them.

Bird boxes, Islington, London N1

I had no idea what LATE BLAND was, but a bit of internet research suggests that this was previously a butcher's shop, owned by John Bland.

Old sign, Islington, London N1

This next selection of pictures are all from the same building, Lloyd's Diary on the corner of River Street and Amwell Street. Not only is there some fantastic signage above the windows and doorway, but there was also a doorway mosaic.

DAIRY FARMERS

Ghost sign, Islington, London N1

LLOYD & SON

Ghost sign, Islington, London N1

HIGH CLASS DAIRY PRODUCE

Ghost sign, Islington, London N1

LLOYD'S

DAIRY

Doorway mosaic, Islington, London N1

My wander had by now definitely drifted into Finsbury, as can be seen by the Sign above this café in Pine Street.

Café Postou, Finsbury, London EC1

These next three old signs in Clerkenwell Close are interesting. They are on the former, central storehouse of the Works Department of the London School Board.

STATIONERY DEPT

Ghost sign, Clerkenwell, London

NEEDLEWORK DEPT

Ghost sign, Clerkenwell, London

FURNITURE DEPT

Ghost sign, Clerkenwell, London

And finally for this wander, is an old sign for the

YANNEDIS & CO

BRASS

FOUNDRY

LOCKS

but I struggled to find any information about this ... and it's lunchtime.

Ghost sign, Clerkenwell, London

    

A short Urban Wander around Queen's Park and Kensal Green, London

Unfortunately I had nowhere near enough time to do this area justice, and only managed the briefest of urban wanders during a short lunch break.

I've posted about the Kensington Gasworks previously when I wandered along the Grand Union Canal, but had not seen the works from this side before. The view is across the Kensal Green Cemetery.

Kensington Gasworks, London

This was a curious old van. I've seen ones similar to this used as coffee shops, but this one just seemed to be full of cardboard boxes, with a foliage trim to the windscreen. Maybe it's work in progress and will transform into something wonderful.

Old Citroen Van, Queen's Park, London

Not sure who the shadow is in the picture ... ok, well maybe I do. A shame as it was a lovely old VW Van. Maybe I should try and airbrush myself out.

Old VW Campervan, Queen's Park, London

There you go, I said it was brief. Until next time ...

    

An Urban Wander around Westbourne Grove, London W2

With time enough for a short lunch break one day last week, and still very much inspired by Psychogeography, I paid a visit to some familiar ground and, as always seems to be the case, found a few new things which caught my eye. Starting at the Beany Green café in Sheldon Square, where they make one of the best Flat White coffees I've had, I headed off towards the Westbourne Grove area.

Beany Green Café, Sheldon Square, Paddington, London W2

First up was this quaint, little mews, Bott's Mews, not far off the Westbourne Grove itself.

Bott's Mews, London W2

At the far end of this mews there are paths leading off both left and right. I have walked along the paths before but for some inexplicable reason never seem to have noticed the actual mews before. Maybe because I've never looked at it from this direction before. 

Bott's Mews, London W2

Bott's Mews, London W2

As I drifted along Artesian Road, I caught sight of an old and new sign for Courtnell Street. It wasn't until I had crossed the road and lined up the picture, that I realised that in addition to the ghost sign of the road name, there was also a ghost sign in the glass of the windows too.

ORDERS PROMPTLY DISPATCHED

Ok, so the last word is missing so I have guessed that maybe that's what it would have once said.

Ghost sign in Courtnell Road, London W2

On the other side of the building was more writing,

WINES BEERS

Ghost sign in Courtnell Road, London W2

This next ghost sign is in Powis Mews. I have previously walked along this mews and spotted a ghost sign at the other end, but this was the first time I'd seen this one. This is harder to read than its counterpart at the other end of the mews, but is also for

LEVERWTT & FRYE

Ghost sign in Powis Mews, London W2

No shortage of restaurants, pubs and cafés in this part of around London. Most of them I have never been into, including these two, but they both look good from the outside.

Wildflower Café, Chepstow Road, London W2

The Tin Shed, All Saints Road, London W2

Pub sign, Westbourne Park Road, London W2

Possibly the world's most technically sophisticated toilet which seems to have its own built-in telephone exchange.

Toilet-cum-telephone exchange, Bishop's Bridge Road, London W2

Initially I just thought this was a ghost sign for Alexander Street itself, but beneath that there's also an even older ghost sign for what the road was previously called.

SUTHERLAND
TERRACE

Ghost signs, Alexander Street, London W2

Westbourne Park Passage, London W2

I also noticed quite a few old cars dotted around the streets of W2 and W11. The Citroen is my favourite.

Morris Minor, London W2

Old Citroen, London W2

Old Volvo, London W11

    

An Urban Wander from Shoreditch to Hackney (part 1 of 3, Shoreditch and Hoxton)

I've really been enjoying the lighter evenings and the weather over the past couple of weeks. Last week I was at a meeting in Shoreditch which gave me time to drift around one of my favourite London areas. I actually ended up wandering around more that just Shoreditch and made it all the way to Hackney, via Hoxton, which turned out to be quite a trek, with lots of photo opportunities, so this will be a two, or maybe even a three part posting.

First up we have the Shoreditch Tramshed which used to be the electricity generating station for the local trams and is now a trendy restaurant.

Tramshed, Shoreditch, London

I'm always amazed by the ever changing landscape of London street art and particularly in and around the Shoreditch area.

Street art, Shoreditch, London

This next picture is of a ghost sign, featuring just the word GLASS. I have studied the picture but can see no other wording, but maybe the area below the first floor window once bore some lettering as the word seems a bit strange on its own.

Ghost sign in Shoreditch, London

Just further along the road was another ghost sign. Slightly harder to read but fairly sure it says KINGSLAND SHEET WORKS.

Ghost sign in Shoreditch, London

As my journey took me away from Shoreditch and into Hoxton, I found some more street art. The whole building was covered top to bottom, but this particular image stood out, Love Will Tear Us Apart.

Street art, Hoxton, Cremer Street, London

Street art, Hoxton, Cremer Street, London

And just behind the graffiti clad building was this fantastic old Citroen van.

Old Citroen van, Hoxton, London

Just before I headed under the railway arch that carries the London Overground northwards, I turned around and spotted this ghost sign for GORDON FABRICS on Cremer Street.

Ghost sign, Cremer Street, Hoxton, London

And finally on this part of the wander, an old, abandoned pub on Geffrye Street, I presume, judging by the signage which reads FOSTERS LAGER and BEN TRUMAN EXPORT ALE.

Abandoned pub, Geffrye Street, Hoxton, London

Parts two and three of this urban wander will follow over the next few days and be linked here.