Bolton's Ghost Advertisements

Home

About Bolton

Contributors

Topics + People

by Brian Mills and Ken Beevers

There are still plenty of these old signs to be seen in Bolton. The sign writers painted on to the brickwork using materials that ensured the results were long lasting. They used them to advertise the shops, pubs, and businesses, as well as to advertise all kinds of products like beer, tobacco and chocolate. Many have been painted over or covered with advertising boards but if you keep your eyes open you can still find these faded reminders of another era.

Manchester Road, Burnden STEWART & LIPTROT HOUSE & CHURCH DECORATORS & PAINTERS Hardware Merchants &c
28 Lower Bridgeman Street GORDON & Co CORK CUTTERS AND MERCHANTS The firm are listed at this address from 1938 to 1955, which was next to the Almor Hall New Skating Rink. In 1916 Mary Gordon, cork importer, had premises at 46 Castle Street, and in 1927 the firm were at 31 Church Wharf.
Chorley Old Road / Rawson Road, Halliwell W A SHEPPARD GROCER (ILLEGIBLE) SPRATT'S DOG POULTRY
Garside Street BENNETT & CO SOLE MAKER OF MORPHUS REGD. BEDDING AND UPHOLSTERY WHOLESALE ONLY TELE 2474 The building was recently gutted by fire and has since been demolished.
178 Deansgate GIPSY'S TENT BASS TRADITIONAL ALES & FINE LAGERS An unusual example of old ghost sign being overpainted with a new 'paint on bricks' version.
Long Lane, Breightmet TEMPERANCE BAR Hot and Cold Drinks PURE ICES
Windsor Grove, off Chorley Old Road W H MATHER HOUSE & CHURCH DECORATOR PAPER HANGER GRAINER WINDSOR GROVE 40 BLACKBURN RD
At the bottom of Deane Road. Left Panel: ALSO at 23 BURNS STREET JOHN HARDMAN the BOOT MAN. Right Panel: NEW ENGLAND GUARANTEED BOOTS 9/11 & 12/6 SATISFACTION OR (overpainted OUTFITTING)

Dr Hassall

DRINK MORE HERBS AND LAUGH AT THE PANEL!

Until recently this ghost sign could be clearly seen between the upper windows of the shop on the corner of Higher Market Street and Longcauseway, Farnworth. For many years from about 1900 these premises at 11-13 Longcauseway belonged to Dr Hassall, who was a herbalist, specialising in all manner of medicines and cures. There was no National Health Service and people often turned to home doctoring and the herbalist's shop.

There was a scheme for those at work to pay weekly to be on a doctor's private list of patients called the Panel. If you drank more of Dr Hassall's herbs you would never be ill and could 'laugh at the Panel'. One of Dr Hassall's newspaper advertisements read " If there's owt at aw to do wi' yo just try A GRADELY DOCTOR. An' yo'll do th' best day's wark yo ever did in yo'r life, for he'll cure yo and mek yo' GRADELY WEEL!

Dr Hassall specialised in hair restoration, and his hair restorer and tonic were both one shilling a bottle.