4 Jul 2007
Peterkin Mystery
This classic sign for Peterkin’s Custard, Self-Raising Flour and Corn Flour can be seen on St John’s Hill near Clapham Junction Station. See a bigger picture here. The sign was first brought to my attention by Nicola via the Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising. She was interested in the company and what happened to the Peterkin brand. Embarking on some research I found very little but did go to see the sign and take a photo myself.
Today I decided to do some more digging and came across an interesting connection. The Peterkin Mill was run by Joseph Arthur Rank. His later exploits in the British film industry earned him much more fame then his milling activities, which eventually failed, forcing him to return to work for his father who was also a miller. He then went on to found what is now the Rank Group Plc, characterised by the man striking the gong at the start of Rank films. That man was once boxer Billy “Bombardier” Wells and those familiar with the ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’ coughing scandal will know that this fact was the basis of the £1m question.
The full story of Rank’s life can be found here including the mention of the Peterkin brand.
Related Posts
-
The Partial Repainting of F.C. Dyson Provisions & Groceries, Stoke Newington
While back in the UK recently I spotted this while strolling around in my old Stoke Newington stomping ground. Those familiar with the site as it once was will have some sense of what they’re trying to do here. I’m guessing the primary motivation is the removal of the graffiti covering the old ghostsign that […]
9 Jun 2012
-
Inch & Co Chemists Inspires Poetry
Coming back from my visit to South London I also spotted this ghostsign advertising Inch & Co Cash Chemists on Kennington Park Road. As I was trying to recall the location I searched for the company name and found a couple of references to it on the Formerly blog. The sign has provided a springboard […]
20 Oct 2013
-
Spitalfields Ghostsigns from Philip Marriage
Philip Marriage recently sent me this photo of these perpendicular palimpsests at the junction of Brick Lane and Princelet Street. He was trying to work out what they say. This followed his question about the location of another Spitalfields ghostsign which followers on Twitter and Facebook were able to track down to Hanbury Street. I […]
20 Dec 2016
