Did you know some pubs are named for trades that were prominent in the area?There are 37 Bricklayer’s Arms pubs in the U.K. according to pubnames.co.uk. This is one named after that trade.
Bricklayer’s Arms Pub Sign- the Pub
I came across this pub while walking through London. It was 31 Gresse Street which is north of Oxford Street and west of Tottenham Court Road in the Camden section of the city. It is not far from the Tottenham Court Station.
Bricklayer’s Arms Pub Sign
Back long ago a pub being named for a trade may have shown where people could meet others in a similar trade. It might also help them meet people to procure work if they were new in the trade. Brick laying is still an occupation that is active. It is great to see the long time trades honoured through signs like these.
These signs are from two different pubs of the same name in London, The Duke of York. According to pubnames.co.uk there are 52 Pubs named Duke of York.
Duke of York Pub Signs, Mayfair, London
The pub pictured above I believe is in Mayfair, London. One of the more famous Duke of York’s was King Charles brother, James. According to history.nycourts.gov, Charles laid claim for New Netherland by granting James a patent to the colony. James sent a fleet of ships to New Netherland and the Dutch surrendered. The English took over New Netherland and the colony was renamed New York. I am guessing that is who is depicted in the sign, but I could be wrong. Paintings I see of him online do not resemble this sign.
Duke of York Pub Signs – Fitzrovia, London
The pub sign pictured above is at The Duke of York pub in Fitzrovia in central London. According to londonletter.substack.com, Prince Andrew gave permission for his likeness to be used in this sign. They say it is the only pub in the world that has a living member of the Royal family on it. Not sure how I feel about that. The reigning monarch’s image is on the pound notes as well as coins. Some may say having Prince Andrew’s image on a pub sign is controversial.
What do you think? Should a living person be depicted on a pub sign? Have a great rest of your weekend!
I had seen some information online that at least at some point one side of this sign was this person and the other side was Prince Harry and Megan. I was in this area of London for something else so I checked it out. Both sides were the same, so at some point they took down Harry.
The Duke of Sussex Pub Sign – Waterloo, London
I did not see the sign inside either. It was an off time and it looked like they were not serving food, otherwise I would have stayed. I have found many pubs only serve lunch and dinner at certain times. No other Harry related things were visible.
I have heard they are pubs who want their name changed to Queen Elizabeth have to get approval and have an appropriate reason to name it after her. It is said her name will be closely protected. Not sure if it is a good idea for a living person to have their likeness on a pub. I have seen another pub with a living member of the royal family’s likeness on it. What do you think?
The Horse & Guardsman, which opened in November of 2021, is a pub worth visiting, not just because of its location, but its decor and food. The pub honours the King’s Horse Guard who are stationed nearby.
The Horse and Guardsman Pub – Pub Sign
Interior
This pub had a lineup waiting to get in. Because they had a full house, I did not take pictures inside of the decor or architecture. Unless there are not many people, I do not attempt inside pictures. The pub has lovely decor in honour of its namesake the Horse Guardsmen. There are paintings , photos, and other artifacts related to the King’s Horse Guards.
Exterior
The Horse and Guardsman Pub
I like the way they displayed the flag. Most pubs have the flag in some form outside or inside. It is also on the pub sign below.
The Horse and Guardsman Pub
Food
Some pubs may be more modern in terms of food choices, but many like this pub also will have some of the traditional British foods. This pub has some interesting savoury pies on the menu and also has gluten free items to choose from. They do roasts on Sunday. In my opinion their variety of menu choices should have almost everyone covered.
Location
The Horse and Guardsman pub is on Whitehall. South of the pub on the same street is the Royal Horse Guards and the Household Calvary Museum. Going north from the pub is Trafalgar Square. Across the street and not far is the street Great Scotland Yard, named for the police service.
Horse and Guardsman Pub – Royal Horse Guards down the streetHorse and Guardsman Pub – Royal Horse Guards down the street
If you are visiting Trafalgar Square, the Royal Horse Guards, or the Household Calvary Museum it is worth stopping at the pub for a bite to eat and to see the decor. This pub highlights one of the iconic things about England, the Horse Guards.
What name tops the list for most popular names in England for pubs? The Red Lion does The origins of this pub name may have started in the 14th century. John, a son of King Edward III was fighting with his nephew who later became King Richard II. John added a red lion into his coat of arms while the symbol that represented Richard was a white heart. Pubs that supported John displayed a red lion while those who supported Richard displayed a white heart.
The Red Lion Pub Sign
Lions are said to have represented the monarchy in England dating back to the 1100s. Animal names are the most popular theme for a pub. Have a great week!
In England it is not uncommon for people to name their houses. This custom started with gentry naming their castles and manors. Later the common folk would adopt the practice. Rye is close to the sea, so words related to ships and the ocean are popular to use. These are just some of the house signs in Rye.
House Signs of Rye – Landgate Cottage
One way people may name their house is by what is on the property or near the house. This one is close to Landgate in Rye so hence the name.
House Signs of Rye – Arbella House
This house may have been named after the Arbella that was one of the first ships that carried about 20,000 English to New England between 1630 and 1640. The Arbella traveled from Southhampton, England to Salem between March 22 and June 12, 1630. The ship was named for a prominent puritan, Lady Arabella Johnson, who was on the ship traveling with her husband.
House Signs of Rye – Neptune CottageHouse Signs of Rye – Smuggler’s Cottage
Smuggler’s Cottage may have been the site of a smuggling operation or it could just be a name that was picked years ago.
House Signs of Rye – Old Stable
Some houses are named after what the former purpose of the building was. This one is named Old Stable so it may have been a stable converted into a house. The name Stables is in the top 50 names of houses in England with 549 houses using that name.
House Signs of Rye – Quaker House
This house was most likely old meeting house of the quakers. The Old Rectory, The Old Vicarage are two of the top 50 names in England of houses.
Are there any of these names or signs you like the best? Would you name your house if you had the option to do so?
Going off the beaten path and travelling on a country road I had not travelled on before, I had to stop and take this picture.
Half Moon Farm Van
It is another example of using an vintage vehicle to advertise. This one advertises a farm. Go off the beaten path once in a while, there are interesting things to see.
Who was Jim Thorpe? He was a famous Native-American athlete, who many believe was the greatest athlete to ever live. Although he is not from there, a town in Pennsylvania is named after him.
Why is this town named Jim Thorpe?
The town was originally named Mauch Chunk, which means Bear Place in the Munsee-Lenape Native American language.
Thorpe’s home state of Oklahoma had refused to erect a memorial in his honour. His third wife looked for a town to honour her late husband’s athletic achievements in the Olympics, amateur and professional sports.
She and Mauch Chunk officials struck a deal. Jim Thorpe’s remains were moved to the town and the town was renamed Jim Thorpe. The town honours him every year for a two day celebration. Jim excelled in track and field, football and baseball. Thorpe won gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon in 1912. Jim Thorpe played professional football, was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and was the NFL’s first president. He also played professional baseball. Thorpe never visited the town, but attended a school near the town- the Carlisle Indian Industrial School.
Signage
What caught my eye while visiting the town was the signage. There were some interesting fonts used. Here are some examples below.
Bank sign near the train station.Seat cover on the indoor train car for a service that went on a one hour trip. It leaves from the main centre of town.
Jim Thorpe Olive Oil Company had flavoured oils, dips, and soups that you could sample. They also sold gluten-free pasta options.
Fun Signs
Not sure what that animal is supposed to be.Funny or a threat? There was at least one store in town that sold signs.
I had intended to return today on my way back home to take more pictures, but it was raining hard much of the day, so that did not happen. This town is a tourist draw. It is in the area of the Poconos in Pennsylvania. This is an area with kayaking, white water rafting, hiking trails, camping, hotels and resorts. It has a lot of interesting shops, coffee shops, and restaurants. If you are in that area swing by for a few hours and check it out.
It is not everyday that you get to witness an artist painting a mural. This week I was able to catch one after work. His name is Gabriel Castillo. He made this mural for a business in Yonkers, N.Y.
Yonkers borders the Bronx on the north side next to the Hudson River. Yonkers is a city that has been friendly to muralists. They have some murals on building walls near the main Yonkers Train Station.
Gabriel Castillo, besides being a muralist, is a comic book artist. I caught him on the tail end of working on his mural, and felt lucky to witness his work.
Gabriel is here proudly showing off his work. If you like this, check out his work on Instagram at:
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