Argyle
Street mystery sign
Note:
due to a complaint, images have been removed from this web page.
Many people notice this circular ghost sign as they queue to
turn into the top of Argyle Street from Woodbridge Road. Quite a few
get in touch with this website to tell us about it...
February 2014: the cement rendering on the end wall largely
dropped off. What
lies underneath?
The only obvious shape on the brickwork is a blue 'O' to the
right. The close-ups suggest that it might be a 'Q' as there is a clear
tail at lower centre. No other lettering is visible (so far).
What on earth can it be advertising?
There is a buckle to
the left and the strap with its hole reinforcements and it seems to
have a kind of
serpentine double-hook on the end. Painted quite realistically, the
hook to the left projects out
and its head drops down; it still bear some gold paint. There are
little projections about two-thirds of the way up these
shapes. The sign
painter has given the
shapes shadows to suggest three-dimensionality. Below
left: a heavily retouched image of the sign from about 2014.
2014
image 
2023
image
[UPDATE
February 2023: the Blasby sign painted on the end wall, then covered
(not very effectively) with a cement render at some time in the past, emerged in 2014 very pale and dusty. Our "artist's
impression" of the sign (above left) attempts to enhance what is there
(and partially concealed). In this case, the
weather over nine years has cleaned away the dust and the sign, above
right, has emerged with remarkable clarity. We can now see the main
capitals 'A.E.BLASBY', with its curly serifs, have a dark blue/black
drop-shadow. Just a few small parts of
the upper circle are still covered. If left unattended, it's possible
that the remaining render will fall.]
Because it's such an eye-catcher, ten or more people have
reported this odd sign to
us over the years. For example, Nigel wrote:
"I was driving down Woodbridge Road the other morning and I noticed
that on the corner of Argyle Street the
side rendering [has been] removed revealing what looks like a large
blue circle
painted directly onto the brickwork. I couldn’t make out if there was
any lettering as I was in the car and couldn’t get a good enough look.
I thought I’d better let you know before it gets covered up again!... I
see the page is up now. Very intriguing! It reminds me of something but
I can't think what... Anyway, thanks for one of the best sites on the
web."
[UPDATE 12.3.2014: "I've
just remembered what the Argyle Street circle reminds me of:
It's the Order of the Garter - I have no idea how it
would be
significant to an end of terrace house/shop in Ipswich though! Cheers,
Nigel"] Extraordinary...
[UPDATE 12.1.2015: the
weathering of this sign now reveals white lettering in a decorative
font, curving over the upper part of the blue 'Garter'. These letters
spell out:
'A.E. BLASBY
BUILDER.
GENERAL
HOUSE REPAIRS
Sanitary Work
a Speciality
estimates free'
Researches suggest that A.E. Blasby & Son Ltd were
incorporated 11.11.1948 and the company was dissolved 13.8.1996; the
company carried out general construction and civil engineering.]
We are told that a timber yard once occupied the area in front
of this wall, currently a car parking area for Argyle
Street School. Presumably
this yard belonged to A.E. Blasby & Son Ltd, which would explain
the sign.
[UPDATE 22.8.2018: 'I
hadn't realised that the A.E. Blasby sign had been exposed for so long.
2014?! Thought I'd look them up in my various Kelly's directories:
* 1947 -- listed as builders at 12 Brooks Hall Road with a workshop at
245 Norwich Road
* 1952 -- moved to Bramford Lane (between Wellington St and Chevallier
St)
They're still there in 1973 on the north side of Bramford Lane next to
the workshop of Elliston, Steady and Hawes. No mention of any addresses
near Argyle Street so would assume they simply paid for that prominent
advert. Ed Broom.' Thanks to Ed for
adding more detail about this Ipswich company.]
N.B. this garter motif crops up again on a Great Eastern Railway
armorial on the interior wall of St
Mary-at-Stoke
Church.
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