Good point Carol. I'd still like to know what it says!
Yes, the other word looks like Piercebridge. We wondered whether this was where the photo was taken, although we only know of the business being in Middlesbrough.
Bit of background might help, here, then:
George Chapman (c1799-1875) a master Joiner, was responsible for the first house built in Middlesbrough in 1830.
His children by two wives were: John Richard 1830-1839; Henry 1832; George 1835; Mary Ann 1837-1839; Thomas Dockeray 1841-1842; William 1845; Thomas 1846; John Wilson 1847; Juliana 1849-1850; Ann E 1851; James Frederick 1854.
Henry was a Master Builder and a councillor in Middlesbrough in the 1880s. They were a well-off family.
Their joinery business - as far as we know - was in Middlesbrough, on Stockton Street. We don't know, as yet, of a Piercebridge connection but assume it's the village in Durham. Unless it's another surname?
The words at the bottom are: Jonathan Backhouse married a Chapman. There was a Jonathan Backhouse, banker, from Darlington, who had connections to Middlesbrough. I believe he also had a son or a grandson with the same name. Preliminary searches for a possible Backhouse/Chapman marriage haven't revealed anything significant as yet.
Does any of this help?
PS - thanks for the suggestions of Olive/Ollie/April. I can see where you're coming from - but can't fit those names to any of our known information at the moment. Will keep them in mind, though.
