Nicholas Brewer
‘Brick Ads’ ‘Ghost Signs‘ (my preferred name) or ‘Mural’s’ call them what you will, from the end of the 19th Century until about the 1950’s, they dominated the urban landscape. This one advertises a bakery and due to exposure of the elements it has deteriorated but you can still see it says ‘Hygienic Bakery’ During the nineteenth century Bakers used an assortment of ‘additives’ including tasty ingredients like chalk and brick dust to bulk out the flour and ultimately the bread. In 1862 a Parliamentary found many bakeries were filled with cobwebs, insects and other vermin. Just to put in to perspective how important bread was during this time it was not uncommon for nearly 80% of household expenditure to be spent on bread! This would make this Ghost Sign later than 1862 but probably before the start of the 20th Century as things had improved considerable by then.
Sadly this ‘Ghost Sign’ has now been removed as the building has been developed and with it a piece of social history has disappeared. Please click on the link to see more from the project and a book is available.
nick brewer architectural blog 