...and sometimes I even do real work!

It makes a lot more to me to use this blog for everything rather than start up something new each time I want to discuss something different.

I'm leaving for the U.K. in less than two weeks as part of a student tour group via the 2009 English Cultural Landscape Harlow Program. I've spent the last month here in St. John's attending classes about English Architecture, Material Cultur,e and Museums/Historic Sites. It's pretty interesting stuff, albeit repetitive. It can get a bit daunting looking at the same items over different time periods, but it's a visually driven program (which is probably it's saving grace).

Part of the experience involves a two-part paper/project. The first half involves some preliminary research that's due the day we depart. I've selected English Pub (Public Houses, Free Houses) Signs and I'll be looking specifically at those in the Harlow area.

One of my professors, Gerald Pocius, forwarded me a link to an archive of photos of various English Pub signs. Here are a few sideshows from the said collection:



British Pubs & Pub Signs [Featured 26 January 2005]



British Pubs & Pub Signs [Part 2]



British Pubs & Pub Signs [Part 3]

I'm curious to know what some of you think of some of these signs. I thought some were quite nice and very promising from an advertising perspective. Others, however, just come across as (possibly unintentionally) hilarious (e.g., The Dog, The Starving Rascal, The Why Not). Please leave a comment noting some of your favourites. I'm also considering posting my progress with the second-half of my paper as it develops while I'm overseas. I won't know what time I'll have to commit to it once I'm over there, but I'll see what I can do!