Just what are ghost signs and fading ads?
They are the often faded remains of advertising and signage from bygone eras. They are, for the most part, hand-painted directly on to brickwork, although the terms are often extended to include other forms such as metal signage and floor mosaics.
Where are you likely to find them?
They can be found in all sorts of places all over the world. In Britain they are most prevalent in towns and cities which enjoyed rich industrial and/or commercial history in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and have escaped the destructive forces of World War bombing and late-twentieth-century modernist demolition.
What is the most unusual one you have seen?
The sign for Talbots Bottlers in Gloucester is very unusual because it's still an eye-catching colour – as you'd imagine, most of these signs have been drained of most of the vibrancy of their original colours by the elements. Indoor signs keep better, although these are very rare to find.
Which faded ad is your favourite?
In Gloucester I love the vibrant Talbots sign, as well as the huge and bafflingly complicated G. & W.E. Downing Maltsters sign. Further afield many of the most spectacular signs are found in London, I particularly love the huge Bovril sign in Brixton Hill.
Why do you like ghost signs and how did you get into looking for and researching them?
I've been drawn to vintage signage and packaging from a young age – I can recall visiting the fantastic Robert Opie packaging museum in Gloucester as a child, as well as the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, and being fascinated by the old graphics and differing styles of lettering, I started noticing ghost signs in Gloucester and began photographing some of them in my early twenties. Seeing Liverpool Ghost Signs (published by The History Press, 2012) sparked the idea that I could write a similar book on the many fading signs of Gloucester.
Are any of the companies that made these ads still around?
Most of these companies are long gone, however there are some that are still around. Classic brands such as Cadbury, Nestle, Hovis and Bovril can often be found advertised on these signs.
Should they be preserved?
It is obviously impractical to preserve all of these signs, however, I do believe that the most notable ones should be protected under listed status. What qualifies a sign to be protected is up for debate, but historical and social significance as well as aesthetic appeal should all be taken into account. Hopefully books like mine will help to keep a photographic record of those that aren't afforded such protection.
Chris West is the author of Fading Ads Gloucester. Take a photographic journey into Gloucester's often overlooked advertising history and see how the city's businesses of old made use of hand-made signs to inform, advertise and appeal to consumers. This intriguing book profiles hand-painted advertising from across the city and investigates the companies that commissioned the signs that now appear faded - like ghosts - on the brickwork of buildings. It is a snapshot of a time that is almost forgotten but which lives on through the sometimes haunting presence of ghost signs on the city's streets. Richly illustrated with 150 full colour photographs, this collection reveals the many products advertised, including food and drink; alcohol and tobacco; shoes and clothing, as well as Gloucester's varied industries and businesses.