The ghost signs of Abergele

Sam Roberts has had a passion for many years. He runs a website about the ghostsigns in Britain’s towns. He even plots walking tours of places like London where you can look at these signs. These are the old signs which have been forgotten. In response to a special request from Sam on Twitter, here are two plus one which has been painted over here in Abergele, and here they are:

The Mountjoy, photo by Gareth Morlais, AbergelePost.co.uk
The Mountjoy Cafe and Accommodation ghost sign, by the Gele bridge in town in Abergele

Lewis Bros Tailoring ghostsign, photo by Gareth Morlais, AbergelePost.co.uk

Morgan's Medical Hall, photo by Gareth Morlais, AbergelePost.co.uk
Morgan’s Chemist sign. This used to be a ghost sign, until it was painted over, preserving it for longer.

3 thoughts on “The ghost signs of Abergele

  1. Sam Roberts:

    That Medical Hall sign has been one of my UK favourites for a number of years. As it stands it isn’t documented in the History of Advertising Trust Ghostsigns Archive so if this, or any other photo, could be submitted then that would make a wonderful addition. Details of how to submit material can be found here:
    http://www.hatads.org.uk/ads/ghostsigns/ghostsigns-contribute.aspx
    (PS. I also see that the old shop front is still there, do you have any more images showing all of that?)

  2. Jeannie Gardiner:

    I used to work at Morgans Chemist about 1957 I remember the shop inside did not stay long the whole experience was ghostly. The young David was the pharmacist he had a sister Joy and they lived with there mother.

  3. Nigel Hilton:

    The Lewis Tailoring sign is on the gable end of the building immediately to the left of The Gwindy as you face it from the traffic lights at the top of Water Street. I recall, when I first went to Abergele Grammar School (as it was then called) visiting the shop – they were the local suppliers for the boys’ & girls’ uniforms. Grey trousers (shorts until you were 14 years old I seem to recall), a green blazer with the school badge/crest (was it the intertwined letters AGS until the later uniform issue changed it to a wheatsheaf) on the breast pocket and a peaked cap, also in green but with white piping in saltire across the crown. The lads mostly hated wearing those caps. Failure to do so resulted in the more obstinate of us being on the receiving end of the cane in an attempt to enforce compliance. I think the new, black blazers came in around 1964. We also managed to get approval to College type scarves in green, black & white lengthwise stripes, probably in 1966. I still have mine to this day. Happy days.

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