Posted on July 6th, 2020 by Deheers Team
I was really pleased when the Deheers team commissioned my services. As well as having a strong personal passion for typography and traditional signwriting, this project was of particular interest to me because of its heritage and stunning harbourside location, in the town that I grew up in.
As a purveyor of what is often considered of as a ‘dying art’ I am forever fascinated by the work of my predecessors, the talented craftsmen and women that came before me. It is incredible just how well some of these skilled and detailed works have stood the test of time. A short walk through almost any city centre will often offer up several opportunities to catch these beautiful glimpses into the past. ‘Ghost-signs’ as they are commonly dubbed, still adorn the rooftops and high gable-ends of many buildings and are a rare insight into the care and attention that often went into every letter of each business on the highstreet.
Although the typographic history of Weymouth is actually very rich, with photographic evidence of many hand-painted fascias and advertisements throughout the area, it is now quite rare to find any physical examples of hand-painted works and ghost-signs in the town. The economic nature of a constantly evolving seaside town means that many shops have changed hands, been repainted, covered, adapted or in some cases completely rebuilt, resulting in many of these signwritten works being lost.
When the Deheers project begun, the vinyl signage of the previous tenants was removed, revealing two nicely handpainted signs. Although rather weathered and aged, they tell a unique story and once again offer a small glimpse into the rich history of a busy working harbour. The decision, by Mickey Jones and his team, to preserve this wonderful piece was a big part of what drew me to working on the project.
It is a common temptation when offered such a brief, to create a type of faux ‘ghost-sign’ and imitate a weathered, aged effect. This isn’t the case with Deheers. The building has evolved over centuries and with every new proprietor, came brand new signage. I believe the decision to continue this approach and create fresh signage was a much stronger solution, especially as the location for the new signage had already been painted over following the closure of Deep Sea Adventure. Why mimic a sign that has stood the test of so many decades, when you can create a brand new one and go forward with the confidence that it will last many decades more.
I look forward to seeing the scaffold come down soon and viewing the new scheme from the other side of the harbour.
Category: Old Harbour