Hackney metal – another vitreous enamel sign is missing in Hoxton

Yesterday, wandering down Hoxton Street and, as I approached its southern end, I stopped to sigh at the old timber merchant's shop where, approx two years ago an enamel sign was still in place. Here is my pic from 2008 when it looked bright and shiny:

Sad to see it gone but the this allows us to see a hand-painted sign for the same company that had been covered for many decades. I took a quick snap and turned to look at the pair of signs high up on the other side of the street – oh gawd – the top one's gone:

The view used to look like this (Google streetview 2022):

I wondered why someone would remove the top panel that said CABINET but leave the lower one BENCHES. Surely the top one was harder to access? Was this stolen to order for someone called Cabinet?! Perhaps it had something to do with the House of Commons?!

Concerned about this, it brought to mind the missing telephone signs and I remembered that there is another enamel sign in Hackney, so I hopped on a bus and headed to Homerton to check a corker that sits almost at eye-level. Well, I am glad to report that it's still there:

It's actually looking better than ever, the Odgen's Guinea-Gold tobacco ad now more visible, the layers of paints having further eroded. It's also easier to see how the sign was repurposed – the word FURNITURE can be seen through the middle and AMH 2868 (Amhurst phone code for part Hackney – more about these codes here)

Here's how it looked in 2008:

Thinking about the missing CABINETS sign, having now checked my old photos and this pic by Maggie Jones, it's clear that there was a nasty and very rusty crack across it. I therefore deduce that due to its poor condition, this section has been removed for H&S reasons. That, or the erosion was so bad that it fell apart? I've also discovered that it's been missing since at least January 2025.

Any further info welcome, whether in the comments or via email: jane@janeslondon.com

R.I.P. Stamford Trading ghostsign, Hoxton

This enormous ghostsign for Stamford Veneers, high up on a Kingsland Road stables building facing the Overground Line at Hoxton has recently been overpainted.

Pic credit: by StockCarPete – see his full image here

It had been visible since the mid-1940s. My pics below, taken from the railway track, show the sign in October 2019 and earlier this month (Jan2024):

It’s beyond me why whoever did this wasted so much time and effort on this shoddy obliteration, especially as it doesn't appear that they spent much time and effort on it. By which I mean, it's not even been painted out properly – it's patchy – there are varying sections of thin and thick paint and roller marks are clearly visible. I suggest this has been achieved at speed involving long ladders or ropes, possibly at night time, rather than using a reliable contractor and scaffolding.

The sign featured a great example of the old Shoreditch telephone code and formed one of the first stops on my Hoxton and Shoreditch ghostsigns guided walk. I'll still include it on the walk though as a case study.

Oh well, the modern paint will fade away over time. The old sign will gradually re-emerge.

More telephone codes here.

Cally Festival – Sunday 18th June

A section of Caledonian Road will be closed to traffic this Sunday for the yearly street festival which takes place between noon and 6pm.
It's basically a vibrant community-led street party – there will be all sorts of stalls lining the road plus live music, arts projects, dancing and creative workshops.
Find me at my stall selling my cards and prints of photos I have taken in the area including some new ones.

A selection of new cards (prints to order)