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General Brixton history - photos, stories etc

editor said:
Any idea what this sign is for?

View attachment 210973
Click to expand...

where?

first thought is that large S could (in the 1939 war) mean (air raid) Shelter, and BL could possibly be (metropolitan) borough of lambeth, but that's complete guesswork on my part and probably cobblers.

More standard air raid shelter signs were akin to

7867264504_9220c74ce4_n.jpg


(was in Deptford - since 'restored' a bit too enthusiastically)

to some extent, this sort of sign could be designed to mean something to people who know what it means...
 
Puddy_Tat said:
where?

first thought is that large S could (in the 1939 war) mean (air raid) Shelter, and BL could possibly be (metropolitan) borough of lambeth, but that's complete guesswork on my part and probably cobblers.

More standard air raid shelter signs were akin to

7867264504_9220c74ce4_n.jpg


(was in Deptford - since 'restored' a bit too enthusiastically)

to some extent, this sort of sign could be designed to mean something to people who know what it means...
Click to expand...
It was low down on the wall outside a house, so it would be an odd place for a shelter sign but you could be right.
 
Puddy_Tat said:
on tweeter today

DPnJnJFb


(collage page / larger image here - says it's 1907)

1904 / 1911 London Suburbs directories have this as 16 Hinton Road, just north of the junction of Milkwood Road.

Bit hard to place, as the street numbering had changed before the 1950 OS map

I think it's the building shown as 'ruin' on that map, which would make it about where Kingsley Point is now.

Advert in the window is for an event at the Surrey Masonic Hall, which was at 295 Camberwell New Road - more here
Click to expand...



There is another version of this photo which has the street sign - Hardess Street. But it doesn't tie up with the OS map for Hinton Road.

LW De Gerdon cnr Hardess Street and Hinton Road, 1907.JPG

Hardess St OS 1893-96.PNG

The building shape suggests the other end of Hardess St on Herne Hill Road. Which leads to the idea that the De Gerdons had two shops.
 
Johnlj123 said:
There is another version of this photo which has the street sign - Hardess Street. But it doesn't tie up with the OS map for Hinton Road.
Click to expand...
Johnlj123 said:
The building shape suggests the other end of Hardess St on Herne Hill Road. Which leads to the idea that the De Gerdons had two shops.
Click to expand...

I am sure you are right about the location - that would explain why I couldn't quite place the building.

Can't offer any thoughts on Mr De Gerdon's business. No trace in 1896 directory, and at 16 Hinton Road in 1904 and 1911 directories. All three don't give anything at the right location on Herne Hill Road or Hardess Street (with places on a corner, you can never be quite sure which street the post office decided they were in)

Collage is not infallible (I did drop them a note about something listed as Deptford which was really Dartford - I blame transcription of a cursive r) - photo is almost certainly late 1907 / early 1908 as the advert is for a concert in April 1908.
 
happyshopper said:
Don’t really know but bomb shelter looks plausible. Here’s another one, in worse condition, at the end of Shakespeare Road.
View attachment 211604
Click to expand...
I can't think what else they could be, but most of the air-raid shelter signs I've seen are significantly larger and more prominent.

Westminster

Shelter by Roy Reed, on Flickr

Lewisham

Shelter by Roy Reed, on Flickr

Forest Hill

Air Raid Shelter by Roy Reed, on Flickr

Borough

D2 Shelter by Roy Reed, on Flickr
 
RoyReed said:
I can't think what else they could be, but most of the air-raid shelter signs I've seen are significantly larger and more prominent.
Click to expand...

yes. the more i think about it, the less convinced i am by the idea

happyshopper said:
~1538 was on the north side of Shakespeare Road just where it joins Dulwich Road - here 3 Shakespeare Rd
Click to expand...

hmm. looks as though there might have been a painted sign next to it at one time (or was it graffiti?)

1589230023003.png


:confused:
 
billythefish said:
Not exactly sure, but suspect it may be a Parish Boundary marker. I've tried googling and came up with this Pinterest page, which shows many examples.
www.pinterest.co.uk

170 Parish boundary markers ideas in 2023 | parish, markers, london sign

Apr 22, 2023 - Explore David Bellamy's board "Parish boundary markers" on Pinterest. See more ideas about parish, markers, london sign.
www.pinterest.co.uk www.pinterest.co.uk
Click to expand...
Possible I suppose, but none of the signs there have anything like the same style as these.

I've asked a friend who's into the history of signage to ask around to see if he can shed some light. (I've shared both 'S' sign photos with him - I hope that's OK).
 
RoyReed said:
There's another 'S' sign on South Lambeth Road between Hagos Butcher & Grocery and The Launderette.
Click to expand...

another :confused:

can't find anything on old OS maps that shows any particular feature at the three locations we've found so far.

The fact we haven't traced any outside the (old Metropolitan) Borough of Lambeth does mean I'm still thinking that's what the BL is

Boroughs had responsibility for storm drains / sewers (not sure about 'foul sewers' connected to buildings)

But there must be / have been so many of them I wouldn't have thought it worth marking like that.

Agree with those who say it looks too recent to be a parish marker, and too recent / too low down to be a fire insurance sign
 
Another :confused:

Lambeth05237-669x1024.jpg


source here

got posted by someone on tweeter Friday.

Info says it's at 4-6 Vassall Road (see lettering above first floor windows) c. 1905

But it's got (what can really only be) 202 above the door, and seems unlikely to have its full address painted on the front - more likely to be "also at 4 -6..."

Window poster appears to be advertising a pantomime at New Princes Theatre - only London theatre by that name I can trace is now the Shaftesbury (on Shaftesbury Avenue) which opened 1911.

Shop next door appears to be "... & OUTFI" (must be ... & outfitters")

Can find Pittmans at 4 - 6 Vassall Road in 1911 London Suburbs directory (the place was shown as dining rooms in directories either side of that, but not Pittmans), but no other places in that name, so they can't have been in business long. Can find one or two other dining rooms at an address that's 202 but nothing that fits.

Doesn't even have to be in / around Lambeth - possibly slightly unusual to advertise a west end theatre out in the suburbs (although there could have been a personal connection somewhere)
 
There is another Brixton Dining Room listed in the Post Office London County Suburbs Directory (1919) that's at a number 202 Coldharbour Lane
.
Dining Rooms
1919 dining rooms.png

Coldharbour Lane
1919.png

And in the 1914 directory

Coldharbour Lane
1914.png

Might just be a coincidence.
 
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