Adverts Painted on Walls - Ghost Signs

Not so long ago businesses and products were promoted or celebrated by advertisements painted on the sides of buildings. There aren't many of these left now and of those that remain many are very faded (which gives them the name of 'Ghost Signs'), but they do give an idea of some of the products and trades of bygone Leicester. These pictures are taken from many examples I have photographed around Leicester and, to a lesser extent, Leicestershire.

Pretty much my whole collection, plus other photos from the Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland in Wigston, can now be found at Ghost Signs of Leicestershire - http://www.myleicestershire.org.uk/

The definitive UK website is at http://www.ghostsigns.co.uk/. Other examples from the UK include wall paintings around Stoke at http://www.thepotteries.org/photo_ad/index.htm .

There are links to wall advertisements in the USA, Paris and others at Ruavista Signs of the City. Other examples can be seen at Jill Livingstone's site, which includes an extract from an interview with a 'wall dog' (painter), at the Philadelphia Ghost Sign Project, and at this TexasEscapes site.

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This website is part of the East Midlands Oral History Archive and has been compiled by Colin Hyde. Any comments can be sent to him via the 'Contact us' button at the bottom of the page. Last updated 13/06/2011.