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Introduce yourself to 'Innsignia'
17th May 2020
Welcome to the Inn Sign Society website. Find information on what the Society does, Inn signs, origins of Pub names, and how to join us.
For ONLY £15 a year, you receive 4 quarterly 32 page full colour illustrated Journals packed with articles on all types of inn and pub signs.
Click on 'Journals' page link above - Latest edition No.123 out now!
Members can access our Archives, plus feature pages;
‘Signs of the Month’,'Sign of the Year’ award, & 'Lost Signs'.
Enjoy your visit & you may wish to be a member; Don't delay, join today! SEE BELOW and click on 'Join Us'!!
The pub shown is The Hollow Bottom, in Guiting Power, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire's Premier Horse Racing Pub (photo by Phil B, 23-05-2013)
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Lost Signs
17th May 2020
*** Further Appeal to ISS members ***
**AT THE MOMENT LOST SIGNS HAS STOPPED, WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE IT OVER - Could it be YOU? **
See Members' area news.
This is a feature page in the Members' Area where you will be able once again to help identify 'Lost Signs' i.e. those un-named slides from scanned collections.
If any of you 'sign detectives' know the proper name, location and/or date of any sign, just email the page manager. There are some very good ones that need a place in the Archives!
** Non-members are now able to view a Lost Signs page to help the Society in our search. *See link on right with LS photo, click on either **
Thanks to all contributors!
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Signs of the Month
1st June 2020
In our Members' area the 'Signs of the Month' feature for June are a selection of Old & New Stratford upon Avon signs.
Shown is the Encore.
*Members* - Martin Norman will be very pleased to receive more of your contributions to Signs of the Month. **See Members' area news for details of free file transfer up to 2GB with 'Smash - We Transfer'**
If you have your own favourite collection of up to 24 sign photos, just use the contact email link on SOTM page to arrange for them to be displayed for all to enjoy.
Show off the new or unusual signs you saw to the other members!!
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‘Lest We Forget’ - Lost Pubs Book
21st April 2020
One of our members is writing a new book entitled ‘Lest We Forget’ - A superb account of many UK 'lost pubs'.
It covers pubs that are no longer with us – their brief history and an explanation for the name.
This will not be a physical book but will take the form of a digital EBook.*There will be ongoing updates, so check the version below.*
The author now wishes to make it freely available via the Members’ Area pages of the Web Site. There is also a link to a free Adobe E-Reader computer app.
Members! Go to that Members' area now and check out the downloads! *Version 1.1 now available*
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PSOTY - 2021 (2020 CARRY OVER)
10th May 2020
Due to the lack of entries for the 2020 Competition and the ongoing Corona Virus situation, it was decided to cancel the 2020 PSOTY Competition.
The submitted signs will remain on the Web for carrying over to 2021. Members wishing to submit entries for 2021 can do so, a programme will be put together later this year.
Thanks to those who submitted signs. Another issue that needs to be addressed is that some of the pubs featured may not weather "The storm" so we will have to monitor if they are still operating next year.
Four new entries have been received, The Holly Blue, a Hall & Woodhouse pub in Basingstoke, The Steam Wagon, a Punch Taverns pub in Shrewsbury, The Grange, a Chef & Brewer pub in Boreham, Essex and finally Cricketers Arms, a Shepherd Neame pub in Danbury, Essex.
Pictured is The Grange in Boreham.
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2020 A.G.M. - NOW CANCELLED
18th March 2020
On 15th March 2020, the Committee regretfully decided to cancel this years AGM due to the ongoing Corona Virus outbreak.
The Summer issue of the Journal will appear at the end of May and will include proposals for the continued management of the Society. This will include matters that would normally have been voted on at the AGM.
If any members have any issues with this decision, please contact the Society Secretary, Tom King.
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What's INN a name ? One
29th April 2020
The Three Chimneys, Biddenden, Kent.
The building dates from around 1420 and was a simple ale house. During the Seven Years' War (1756 - 1763) French prisoners were kept at nearby Sissinghurst Castle. The French seamen were placed on parole in the area and were allowed out as far as the pub.
The pub was referred to by the locals as the "Three Wents' (or three ways) but the prisoners called it "Les Trois Chemins" and the unique name Three Chimneys derives from the French for the junction of the three roads.
This sign differs slightly from previous signs in that there is no notice attached to the road sign. Although it still shows a 18th Century French prisoner, original signs showed him observing the parole boundary notice attached to the road sign.
Photograph - Peter Gorman, March 2018.
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What's INN a name? Two
28th April 2020
I have two signs for pubs named General Eliott. One is in Leeds and this one which I took in 2011 is in Uxbridge alongside the Grand Union Canal.
Named after George Augustus Eliott, 1st Baron Heathfield PC KB b.25th December 1717 d.6th June 1790. He was a British Army Officer who rose to distinction in the Seven Years War and between 1756 to 1759 was ADC to King George II. On 25th May 1777 he was appointed Governor of Gibraltar and was there during the Great Siege of Gibraltar.
The sign is based on the portrait "Defeat of the floating batteries" by John Singleton Copley. This was the climax of the Great siege in 1782.
He was a teetotaller and vegetarian. He died in Germany of palsy / stroke, allegedly brought on by drinking too much of the local mineral water.
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ISS Archives
1st Jun e 2020
The ISS Archivist Derek McDonald will be pleased to receive from members any contributions to the archives.
**See Members' area news for details of free file transfer up to 2GB with 'Smash - We Transfer'**
Members requiring pictures need to quote pub, location and date, and Derek will be happy to send them to you.
** Please Note ** - Latest Archive PDF download (May 2020) is now again available for members in the History & Archives page of the Members' Area.
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Sign of Appreciation
28th April 2020
The Society has introduced its "Sign of Appreciation" award. The aim is to encourage the continuing production of pictoral Inn Signs by giving a token of recognition to anyone (Brewery / Pub Co / Artist or other person) who has contributed to this objective.
The award is an A4 certificate suitable for framing. Any ISS member may propose a recipient providing details and reasons for the nomination. These to be sent to David Cole or any other member of the Committee.
Awards of the certificate will be listed in the Journal and also on the website.
The second award of Sign of Appreciation was made on the 31st January 2020 to Dave Moss of the Three Fishes, Shrewsbury, for organising the restoration of the the pubs classic pictorial sign which is recognised as a local landmark. Pictured is the sign.
This is ongoing, but as with everything else, it is not possible to do any presentations.
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WINNER - Sign of the Year 2019
22nd April 2020
The 2019 Winner of the SOTY Award was 'The Travellers Joy' a Hungry Horse pub in Rayleigh, Essex.
The presentation of the Award took place on Friday 29th November 2019 at the pub premises in Rayleigh, Essex.
Several members attended to see the framed certificate presented the General Manager, Adam Crane by our Publicity Officer, Peter Gorman. Thanks to Adam for hosting us and for the finger lunch provided.
A bit of Trivia on this sign, whilst we have a Joyful mouse, part of the sign also shows a clematis plant known as travellers joy which is a woody member of the buttercup family. It is also known as old man's beard.
With the 2020 competition being cancelled, we will be continuing in 2021. Updates will be given once things get back to normal.
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ISS Members - Can you help us?
21st April 2020
We need members to help out with the management of the website.
If anyone is interested in assisting the Web Master, and especially in the role of Page Manager for Lost Signs (see above), please contact the Publicity Officer / Webmaster or any other member of the Committee.
Your help would be very much appreciated if you have reasonable computer skills, and training will be given regarding our management access.
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