Ely
The flatlands of the Cambridge fens have few hills, but
the small mound
upon which Ely with its extraordinary cathedral stands is visible for
many
miles. Below is an example of wall-lettering from Broad Street
opposite
a shop - now a furniture dealers - bearing the name 'Graven' on the
wall.
Clearly an important business, the characteristic large, pale painted
oblong
cartouche
with its quadrants nibbled out at each corner bear the sign:
'J. GRAVEN
ENGINEER AND
AGRICULTURAL MACHINIST'
making it very visible to travellers along this once
busy side road. There is an apparent drop shadow on the characters.
James Graven & Sons Ltd is a well established
family business, founded in 1860. At the height of the industrial (and
agricultural) revolution this company serviced (and perhaps supplied)
the mechanical implements which were becoming widely used in this
heartland of the most fertile growing soils in the country. Today the
company owns and operates two supermarket sites trading as Budgens, in
Soham and Dersingham, along with three BP service stations, situated in
Chatteris and Ely.
Home
Return to Historic Lettering from outside
Ipswich
Please email any comments and contributions by clicking here.
©2004 Copyright
throughout the Ipswich
Historic Lettering
website: Borin Van Loon
No reproduction of text or images without express
written permission