Artifacts, Signs & Notices on, and within, Buildings occupied by HM Customs & Excise

Page contents:

• BAGGAGE HALL NOTICES
• BUILDING NAME SIGNS
• CHESTS

• COATS OF ARMS
• FIRE PLACES
• INTERNAL OFFICE SIGNS

• OTHER SIGNS & NOTICES

Chest Lid - 1666

With a poker-work Coat of Arms from Swansea Custom House.

Many of the 'Royal Arms' within or on ex-HMC&E builings have been re-painted over time - not always correctly! The most common error being the harp strings being painted gold (like the harp) rather than silver or white as they should be. Next is the failure to paint the lion's claws red . . . . etc. etc. An ideally re-painted coat of arms is the one fixed to the wall in the Long Room at Avonmouth.

This is the Coat of Arms on the wall behind the Public Counter in the Avonmouth Long Room. It is a neat Victorian cast iron version by McFarlane of Glasgow made during the 1880s. It was re-pained and installed at the new Avonmouth Custom House c1985.

Above the entrance to the Falmouth Custom House.

Was originally in the Fishguard Custom House. Now 'in store' in the old Long Room in Pembroke Custom House - circa December 2010

Above the main door - circa May 2012

Once on the wall of the old Long Room in Pembroke Custom House. - circa December 2010

This Coat of Arms is from the old Sharpness Custom House. When it was handed over to the Police and used as a Police Station in the 1990s, it was sent to Froomsgate House, Bristol, for storage. When the C&E offices moved to Temple Quay this Coat of Arms was sent to the Cusom House at Avonmouth for storge, where it is currently housed (2011).

and is now one of the bases of the Severn Area Rescue Association  once graced the wall of the Swansea Waterguard Office. It was consigned to the 'tip' in the mid 1980's but was rescued by Peter Hopkins and displayed in a cabinet in the public foyer of the HMRC Pier Head Office. In 2010 it was transferred to the Inland Revenue city centre office in Swansea. It is no longer on public display! - circa August 2011.

It once graced the wall of the Swansea Waterguard Office. It was consigned to the 'tip' in the mid 1980's but was rescued by Peter Hopkins and displayed in a cabinet in the public foyer of the HMRC Pier Head Office. In 2010 it was transferred to the Inland Revenue city centre office in Swansea. It is no longer on public display! - circa August 2011.

This Fireback is from the old Customs House at Overgang Steps, Brixham. It was installed in approximately 1630

The emblem in the central cartouche shows an inverted fouled anchor which has a royal crown seated on the flukes with 'C' on one side and 'R' on the other. The border is decorated with a fruit and leaf design and at the very top is a cherubs head.

The initials 'C' & 'R' represent either King Charles the 1st or 2nd, probably the 1st as most items representing King Charles’ son are marked after the 'R' with 11, so the date is 1630c.

The fireback is of Cast Iron, it weighs approx 20kg and is 61cm/24in high and 53cm/21in wide.

At the side of the road. Circa 1955.

The Baggage Hall at Lympne Airport in 1967.

At any visible position whilst passengers or passengers friends or relatives were visiting a vessel in the port - circa 1960.

The Waterguard Office sign at Princes Parade Landing Stage, Liverpool.

Cross-Atlantic passengers departed and arrived at the Princes Parade Landing Stage from 1876 until it was demolished in 1973. The Landing stage was almost half a mile long and was the largest floating landing stage in the world.

Many  Liverpool people were employed in the cross-Atlantic trade by Cunard Line as deck or catering staff, and were known locally as "The Cunard Yanks".

The 'Harpy' builder's sign