Redevelopment of the former Clapham Junction Medical Practice building at 263 Lavender Hill has revealed a long-lost sign for the Pearl Assurance Co Ltd.

Perhaps more surprisingly Pearl still exists and is very much a going concern, albeit now called  Phoenix Life Assurance Limited – it’s now one of the UK’s largest insurance providers.  Originally founded in 1857, they were called Pearl Assurance between 1914 and 2005 so it’s hard to tell when this old sign dates from.

The Clapham Junction Medical Practice, by the way, is also still in business but – seemingly faced with an end of lease (they’ve been based here since 1982 – 35 years!) – has moved all activities to its other site at Farrant House on Winstanley Road.

And the new rent for this relatively large (1,155 square foot) retail unit, in case you’re curious, is around 37,000 pounds a year.