About half way along an alleyway not really used in our modern times, is possibly one of the best preserved ghost adverts in Carlisle.

Ghost sign: British Paints, Carlisle

Painted on old wooden gates, the advert for ‘British Paints’ is in very good condition given it’s age.

Gold capital letters spell out the brand with the customary black shadow, giving the lettering a feeling of depth.

A green background to the wooden doors and surrounds compliments the whole decoration.

It is thought that the gates were once on a depot or distribution point for the company in the city.

British Paints

The history of British Paints goes back to Newcastle in the north east of England.

According to the website – The Friends of the Old Paint Company – the original founding member was a James W Adamson.

Through acquisitions, mergers and  other business methods, the company expanded until the outbreak of war when, as a patriotic gesture it seems, it changed name to The British Paints Ltd.

The timeline for this British company moves to the USA in the mid 1960′s, following the retirement of Jimmy Anderson.  At the same time the detailed history also becomes a little vague.

British Paints moves to New Zealand

According to the British Paints website in New Zealand in 1969 the British Paints Company was purchased by Bergen Jenson and Nicholson.

In 1970 Bergen Jenson and Nicholson was purchased by Hoeshast.

In 1986 Hoeshast sold Bergen Jesnon and Nicholson Australasia to ICI Paints.

British Paints is now owned by Dulux New Zealand, which is a division of Dulux Group.

More information

Due to the quality of this sign we have not disclosed the full location, in a bid to try and protect it from vandalism.

Can you add to the history of this sign on a gate near the centre of Carlisle.  Maybe you painted it or worked for the company and can say when it appeared?

Let us know via the comments section below.

We were asked to find out about this strange embroidery on an old purse, using metal wire.

Goldwork on velvet

This picture was sent to us by the lady with the Durex knitting needles and she asked us to find out more about the strange type of embroidery which seems to use coiled metal.

Embroidery using metal threads is referred to as Goldwork and at first glance looks like metallic bead work.  Most metal threads are available in silver and sometimes copper as well as gold with some available in colors.
Goldwork is always surface embroidery or couching, where the gold threads are held onto the surface of the fabric by a second thread, usually of fine silk.  In this case, coloured thread has been used through coiled metal, making the finished work look as though pink and blue beads have been used.

The history of goldwork seems to date back at least 2000 years and can be traced back to Asia. Widley used in furnishings and clothing of nobility and royalty in Europe, goldwork reached its zenith in the middle ages when a style called Opus Anglicanum was developed in England which was used extensively in church vestments and hangings.

Goldwork tends to be reserved only for special use due to the costs of the materials and the fact that items worked in goldwork cannot be readily laundered.  It is not thought to be a widely practiced skill today.

We think the wire used in this case is Buillion or Purl, which is a very long, hollow spring, which can be stretched slightly.

It appears on initial inspection, that the work on this purse may not actually belong to the item originally, as the velvet has been hand stitched to the front of the purse.

If anybody can shed more light on this piece just let us know using the comments section below.

More information

The Goldwork Guild – Find out more about goldwork

We recently came across this brand of Durex knitting needles and just had to share it.

The needles were passed to us by one of our readers who found them when sorting through some items at a car boot sale.

Are these for practicing safe knitting?

These double ended knitting needles are designed for knitting socks or anything cylindrical.  Generally purchased in packs of four, it looks as though these ones have never been used.

Most knitting needles today are made of a metal alloy but these particular ones appear to made from a coloured plastic.

The Durex brand of knitting needles (knitting pins) and crochet hooks, seems to show up on a few heritage knitting sites but we know little about the company and the era that these needles date from.

If anybody can help with this information just let us know via the comments section below.

More information

UK Hand Knitting Association - learn more about hand knitting

At the junction of the A685 Market Street and the B6259 Nateby Road (NY 775 085) in Kirkby Stephen is a unique road sign.

Kirkby Stephen Furlong sign

The black and white fingerpost sign, set a little higher than the road, is unusual because the distance measurements are in furlongs and not, as is customary, miles.

The furlong, now used mainly as the distances in horse racing, originating in Anglo-Saxon England is the  equivalent to 220 yd or 201.168 m.

Searching the web and little is reported about the history of the sign.  Maybe you can add to this article by using the comments section below?