Signs of the times - a spotters' guide to Belfast's iconic street name plates

[@jimcrawford5039]

Thanks for the photo of Belmont St. I lived in Tamery St off Belmont St for the first 13 years of my life, before moving to Castlereagh. Cheers from Oz.

[@trainscranesandtrivialtale7262]

It's unrecognisable now Jim

[@jimcrawford5039]

Thank you, yes I know, I have seen some photos. Been in Oz since 1965 and never got bsck

[@TomMcClean]

Wow! Good work Richard. This has been a labour of love. A painstaking task. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.

[@susancraig3966]

Will look out for those signs. Very interesting!

[@andrewmccracken6420]

Glad to see you back. I grew up on Sydenham Avenue just beside the sign of same name, so delighted to see the tiled Belmont Church Road sign is still there!

[@trainscranesandtrivialtale7262]

Cheers Andrew! There's another one at the Belmont Road end missing its frame that almost made it into the final cut as well. I remember one on the blue railings at Belmont Primary when I was there too

[@andrewmccracken6420]

The Belmont Primary one, if I remember right, did not survive the renovations done on behalf of the Old Belmont School Preservation Trust, ironically! I too attended and was later a Trustee.

[@richiehoyt8487]

Belfast is lucky in (still) having street nameplates that get the balance right between utility, 'authority', and being visually pleasing. Here in the Republic, one might think there was a fear of invasion (almost ironic when one thinks about it! 😀) such is the sparsity of street signs, not helped by the fact that where they _do_ exist (at least in city centres), one is liable to suffer an attack of vertigo trying to read them, given the tendency to place them at second story height! (Don't even let me get _started_ on people's individual house numbers!) I'm pleased to say though that at least in Dublin and Cork there are still examples of signs made in the fashion of that 'Belmont Park' one to be seen if one looks around. Signage as one moves a little outside of the more historic central areas tends to be a bit better from the point of view of wayfinding, with functional, built - to - last, but not particularly stylish signs, which look as if they all came out of the same foundry. Probably 90% of street namesigns in the entire country are of this particular type - generally about a metre or so off the ground, with white, raised sans - serif letters on a coloured background, the name in Irish in lower case on top, and in English in 'all caps', underneath; with the number of the postal district to the right in Dublin and Cork, this otherwise being left blank. On rare occasions one can still find signs of this sort where the Irish part of the name is done out in the old - style insular font, and even though this style of writing almost invariably looks awful when used in cheesy settings, such as Irish - themed pubs with names like the 'Erin Go Bragh', and even though I'm no 'Gaelgeoir', I think these roadsigns look absolutely _gorgeous!_ Even more to - be - prized are the _very_ rare (here), dating from the mid - Twentieth Century, enameled - type municipal street signs in this pattern which one may still find from time - to - time. While recognizing that it _is_ something of a nerdy interest, I am puzzled at why more people don't take more of an interest in their local street furniture, given that it is an omni - present part of their environment -- although maybe it's one of those things where "the answer is in the question"! (I'm also very fond of those slightly deco looking ESB? cast - iron switchgear boxes of which there exist a few examples in the principal urban centres. I don't know if they are protected, but if they're not, they certainly ought to be! And who couldn't but admire the lovely Victorian wrought iron lamposts in Central Dublin×?) Street furniture isn't an easy thing to get right - you want it to be functional but not dreary and an invitation to vandalism and fly~posting; neither do you want it overly chi - chi, looking as if it might have been designed by Hyacinth Bucket (Speaking of which - please, no more of this 'Quarter' business - you know, 'Sextant Quarter', 'Victorian Quarter', " _'Titanic'_ >`Koff!‘< Quarter", etc, etc! No matter how much one might wish it, I don't think we're suddenly going to wake up and find we're in Belle Epoque Montmartre anytime soon!) and of course it has to fit in across all sorts of locales, _and_ across time to boot! And finally, I would appeal to councils, in relation to seating, especially - I get that you may wish to be more accomodating of 'old dears' in need of a sit - down than hordes of intimidating 'gurriers'/’chavs'/ASBO - fodder, and that's fine I suppose, up to a point, but I would hope that Ireland, North _or_ South, isn't going to go too far down the road that we have seen in London and most notoriously in America in installing " 'Homeless' - repellant" benches, plazas, etc. However these unfortunate folk came to _be_ in such a situation, it just strikes me a little bit too much of kicking someone when they're down! Anyway, opinionated much? Not to speak of the probable Aspergers! (With apologies to those who genuinely do have the condition) But for what it may be worth, let me say; "Never mind the quality, just feel the width!" ×In Belfast too, I rather expect..?

[@HAPPYDOORS]

Notting Hill off Malone Rd, had a cast-iron sign & it was replaced for no obvious reason. But on closer inspection via Google maps & it looks like it could have just been covered up.

[@trainscranesandtrivialtale7262]

Will look out for it. PS nice avatar