Self reflection

Lloyds Bank sign in Piccadilly, London, with the reflection of Wren's St James's in the window. A calm, cool picture which seems to hark back to the days when banks and churches were trusted pillars of society. In reality, Piccadilly is brash and bustling, the contrast between the haves and have nots is painful, something which St James's admirably strives to address.

Model houses for families

An early example of social housing, with a sign proudly proclaiming its purpose. Built by the wonderfully named Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes, this handsome Bloomsbury building opened in 1850. It housed 48 families. Each dwelling had a living room, two bedrooms, a scullery and a water closet, and there were communal bathrooms and a laundry. It made a profit of about 5.5% for its investors. The Society's President was Queen Victoria's husband Albert. They had already experimented with a large development in Birkenhead, Wirral, which housed over 300 families; this had not been a success, as the buildings were too close together and the bedrooms too small. However, the London buildings were successful, and as well as homes for families, the society had lodgings elsewhere in London for single men and women. The society was taken over by the Peabody Trust in 1965.

Gathering of strangers

Here's a fabulous sign by artist Nathan Coley, at Manchester's wonderful Whitworth Art Gallery. Part of Art in the Park, the coloured lights draw the eye upwards, a statement in the sky. Since its renovation, the gallery has been recognised as one of the country's leading visitor attractions, and it's one of my favourite places. The gorgeous building and garden are worth a visit even if you don't love art.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

This beautiful mosaic sign is at the entrance to Oriel Close in the lovely Oriel building in Liverpool's Water Street. The building is much-admired, designed by Peter Ellis and built in 1864. With a cast iron frame, its grid of oriel windows is its defining feature. It wasn't loved by all, however. In 1866, The Builder magazine described it as "a vast abortion" and "ludicrous", declaring that "the plainest brick warehouse in town is infinitely superior". Liverpool certainly has some handsome warehouses, but I'm glad the Oriel and this little mosaic have survived to cheer passers-by.

A doorway to the past

In the heart of Manchester’s Chinatown, near the Chinese Arch, number 55 Faulkner Street offers a concentration of ghost signs and a doorway that looks like it leads straight back to Victorian times. Reflecting Manchester’s leading role in the textiles industry, the signs on this building offer worsteds, woollens and handkerchiefs.

This handsome warehouse was built by architects Clegg & Knowles in 1870. Clegg & Knowles helped shape the face of modern Manchester, designing good looking warehouses in Peter Street, Portland Street, Spring Gardens, Fountain Street and Albert Square, as well as this gem in Faulkner Street.

By George

This sign advertises the Gallery Restaurant at the George Inn, Southwark. The George is owned by the National Trust and is London’s last remaining galleried inn. It’s 17th century, creaky, sloping and atmospheric. You can nip to the loo on the upper gallery and get a great view of the Shard at the same time. The food is wonderful and the staff even better. The pub’s panelled walls played host to Dickens, of course - I’d be disappointed if he’d missed out the George as he seems to have had a drink in pretty well every other pub in London, apparently. Worth a visit. 

It's Paramount

I was very excited to spot this Paramount Pictures sign in Fraser Street, Liverpool. Sadly dilapidated, the building is an old distribution centre for Paramount films, built in 1927.

In at the deep end

This sign is at the luscious Victoria Baths in Hathersage Road, Manchester. Opened in 1906, the baths are a sumptuous celebration of public bathing. With three swimming pools, a Turkish bath, slipper baths and a laundry, the facilities were described at the time as the most splendid in the country.

Victoria Baths closed in 1993, and a gutsy restoration campaign has worked hard to get the building open and to restore the glory of the stained glass, mosaic floors, terracotta and tiles that make it so gorgeous.

If you’ve not yet visited, you’ve probably seen it without realising, as the Baths have often starred as a TV location (Life on Mars,  Floggit, Antiques Roadshow and Peaky Blinders to name a few). They run an imaginative programme of arts events, open days and vintage fairs – but it’s worth a visit for the tiles alone. Find out more here.