Description:The traditional sign of a barber dates back to medieval times. The origin of the red and white pole is associated with the service of bloodletting and was historically a representation of bloody bandages wrapped around a pole. During medieval times barbers performed surgery on customers, as well as tooth extractions. The original pole had a brass wash basin at the top (representing the vessel in which leeches were kept) and bottom (representing the basin that received the blood). The pole itself represents the staff that the patient gripped during the procedure to encourage blood flow.
Fortunately they have long since reduced their business to cutting hair! Taken by pupils from Anderton Park School as part of a project looking at how Ladypool Road has changed over the last 100 years.