What happened in Coventry On This Day....

	Event 1		Event 2		Event 3
\| Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec \| Hide sources \|
January
1st Jan	1836	The passing of the Municipal Corporations' Act, which reformed the way Coventry, and many other boroughs, were run. We no longer answered to the Mayor, Bailiffs, and Commonalty of the City (along with all the political corruption that had occurred), but to a centrally controlled City Council.	1936	Closing ceremony by Alderman C. Payne to clear Butcher Row and surrounding medieval streets.
Source:		Antiquarian Losses in Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1879		Midland Daily Telegraph, Friday 25th December 1936

2nd Jan	1569	Mary, Queen of Scots, leaves Coventry after 38 days of captivity here.	1967	The Queens Hotel, Hertford Street, which was badly damaged in the blitz but remained open, finally closes.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		The Character of Coventry - John Ashby, 2001

3rd Jan	2009	The last of the Woolworth's stores closed in Coventry. The city centre branch had opened in 1954, one of the first to open in the newly rebuilt town centre.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/farewell-to-woolies-3087356

4th Jan	1909	George Singer (cycle manufacturer) died in Coventry - also famous for his company's football team becoming Coventry City FC.	1917	21 year old Doris Johnson sadly killed by an explosion while carrying out her job of filling shells with TNT in a Coventry munition works aiding the war effort.
Source:		Wiki		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016

5th Jan	1918	On this day the weekly War Illustrated magazine published details of Private Arthur Hutt's heroic action, which won him the Victoria Cross. (See 4th Oct. 1917.)
Source:		War Illustrated magazine.

6th Jan	1329	King Edward III granted Coventry the charter to build the City Wall on this day - although it was about 17 years later before the first stone was actually laid.	1478	Coventry received a letter from King Edward IV saying that a gentleman living in the city, named John French, was an alchemist attempting to turn base metals into gold, for 'oure profyte'. Edward ordered that nobody should interfere with his servant's work!
Source:		Coventry City Charters - A. A. Dibben, 1969		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

7th Jan	1836	After the 1835 the Municipal Corporations Act had been passed, this day in 1836 saw the Insignia of Office and Civic Regalia transferred by George Eld, Esq., the last Mayor under the old system, to Henry Cadwallader Adams, Esq., the first Mayor under the new system in Coventry.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

8th Jan	1850	A most strange suicide occurred on this day. 50 year old John Bowen, of Spon Street, lay on his bed with his face placed into a bucket of water, and used a brick on the end of a piece of string over his back to hold his head down until drowned!
Source:		Foul Deeds And Suspicious Deaths in Coventry - D. McGrory, 2004

9th Jan	1865	On this day was born Arthur Joseph Bonnick, who in 1885 founded the Bonnick Cycle Company. In 1896 this firm was acquired by William Riley Junior, retaining Arthur as Works Manager, and became the Riley Cycle Co. - later Riley (Coventry) Limited.
Source:		https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Bonnick_Cycle_Co

10th Jan	1876	Stoke Board School opened in Briton Road with 96 pupils. It later became known as Stoke Council School, then Stoke Primary.
Source:		http://www.vincentwest.org.uk/dorothy/stoke.htm

11th Jan	1856	The Corn Exchange opened (later became the Empire Cinema) in Hertford Street.	1966	The 13th Coventry Scout Band become the first scout musicians to perform in Westminster Abbey.
Source:		Coventry Herald and Observer, Friday 4th January 1856		http://www.13thcoventryscoutgroup.org.uk/senior-band/4593966624

12th Jan	1859	The first edition of the 'Coventry Examiner' newspaper appeared, for one penny - an Ultra-Liberal paper.	1918	Arthur Hutt returned from the First World War to a hero's welcome at Coventry Station, saying: 'All I did was my duty to my King and country.' He was demobbed in 1919 and returned home to his wife, daughter and his job at Courtaulds.
Source:		Antiquities and History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1869		http://www.vconline.org.uk/arthur-hutt-vc/4587138245

13th Jan	1859	On this night at the Plough Hotel in Spon Street 22 year old Foleshill man, James Knight, took his own life by shooting himself 'through the body' - probably attempting to perforate his heart. A failed love affair was suspected.
Source:		Foul Deeds And Suspicious Deaths in Coventry - D. McGrory, 2004

14th Jan	1926	Stoke Heath Council Infants School was opened for 378 children, run by Head Teacher Miss Bertha Evans.
Source:		http://www.stokeheath.coventry.sch.uk/our-school/history-of-the-school/

15th Jan	1539	Coventry's huge Benedictine Abbey, St Mary's Priory, officially taken by the Crown (Henry VIII) as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.	1947	Music producer Pete Waterman born in Coventry.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Wiki

16th Jan	1865	The opening of the Freemen's Charity Girls' School, funded by city benefactor Sir Thomas White. The school stood on the corner of Swanswell Terrace and Stoney Stanton Road.
Source:		Antiquities and History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1869

17th Jan	2002	Royal Navy frigate HMS Coventry decommissioned. It was launched in 1986 but was considered out of date after only 15 years. It was the 6th HMS Coventry - a line stretching back to 1658. The previous HMS Coventry was sunk in the Falkland Islands (see 25th May 1982).
Source:		Wiki

18th Jan	2016	Two railway stations opened: Coventry Arena and Bermuda Park in Nuneaton.
Source:		Coventry Telegraph.

19th Jan	1732	Laurence Wright ordered 'to make a weathercock and globe of copper, not exceeding 20lbs weight' for the top of St. Michael's church steeple.
Source:		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871

20th Jan	1345	Coventry given the Charter of Incorporation by King Edward III - we are a City!	1919	Stoke Park School founded in 'Harefield house' in Brays Lane.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Stoke Park School's 'Microcosm' magazine, Summer 1949

21st Jan	1539	The Cistercian abbey of Coombe was surrendered to the monarchy of Henry VIII as part of the ongoing Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Source:		Coventry in 50 buildings - D. McGrory, 2017

22nd Jan	1642	Mayor Christopher Davenport decreed that every householder and person of ability in Coventry should find and arm himself with muskets and ammunition, so that the city be in a state of readiness for war. (The Civil War did indeed happen in August of that year.)
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

23rd Jan	700	From around this time, 23rd January was St Osburg's Day, named after the founder of the Nunnery in Coventry.	1628	Doctor Philemon Holland elected new master of King Henry VIII Free School.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

24th Jan	1642	Due to the Civil War a watch at the four main gates was set of 17 'able men both of estate and persons'. The bar gates (Spon, New, Bishop and Gosford) were to be chained up till 4am and guarded by those men. The other seven gates were shut up every night. All other postern gates were walled up.	1665	The spire of Holy Trinity Church falls during a storm, killing a small boy who was passing by.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871

25th Jan	1345	From this year, the first year that Coventry became a city, until 1556, a body of 24 leading citizens elected the mayor, coroner, and chamberlains, and most other civic positions, on this date. They took up office on 2nd February (the day on which the lammas lands were opened to the citizens).
Source:		Victoria County History - Warwickshire Volume VIII, 1969

26th Jan	1857	Spon End Viaduct - 23 of the 28 sandstone arches collapsed overnight, but fortunately nobody was hurt. The railway line was not reopened until 1860 when the replacement arches were reconstructed with blue bricks.
Source:		http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/

27th Jan	2001	C&A in the lower precinct closed. Eventually all C&A stores in the UK will close due to falling profits.
Source:		http://www.mcsparron.talktalk.net/coventry.htm

28th Jan	2014	Nissan announce that they will use Coventry company, ADV Manufacturing, for the final assembly of their new London Taxi.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-company-awarded-6m-deal-6640038

29th Jan	1935	ARP Sub-Committee set up by the Council in readiness for the possible coming war.	2014	The end of production for Cash's, the ribbon manufacturer, which started out in 1846. However, the following month the company was given a reprive, being taken on by a Hong Kong based company and given the new title 'Cash's Apparel Solutions'.
Source:		Air Raid; The Bombing of Coventry, 1940 - N. Longmate, 1976		http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-25957757 & Wiki.

30th Jan	2010	Coventry City Legend and longstanding member of the Former Players Association, Tommy Hutchison, was the top guest of the Club and the Association at the Ricoh Arena for the Blackpool home game.
Source:		http://www.ccfpa.co.uk/?tag=hutchison

31st Jan	1868	The old library in Hertford Street was closed pending its replacement by a Free Library. A few days later its contents of 17,000 books were sold at auction for £130 - averaging a penny and three farthings per book.	1917	A German Zeppelin airship skirted the city on its route to Staffordshire.
Source:		Coventry Standard, Friday 14th February 1868		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

\| Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec \| Hide sources \|
February
	Event 1		Event 2		Event 3
1st Feb	1850	The first trial trip was made along the Coventry and Nuneaton Railway. The line, however, was not opened for passenger trains until about two months afterwards.	1995	Animal Rights campaigner Jill Phipps sadly died after being crushed by a lorry near Baginton Airport during a protest.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/jill-phipps-remembered-20-years-8551338

2nd Feb	1345	From 1345 until 1556, this was the day (Candlemas Day) that Coventry's new mayor traditionally took office.
Source:		Victoria County History - Warwickshire Volume VIII, 1969

3rd Feb	1843	In the aftermath of Coventry losing its status as a county, Warwickshire was split into two divisions - the "Warwick Division" and the "Coventry Division" - for the purposes of "assize", or the administration of local laws. The Coventry Division comprised the City of Coventry, together with the Atherstone and Coleshill Divisions of the Hundred of Hemlingford; and the Kirby and Rugby Divisions of the Knightlow Hundred.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

4th Feb	1942	Florence Weston, Coventry artist and author, dies at Warwick Hospital.	1945	Air Commodore Frank Whittle takes the salute as the Coventry ATC marches past the Council House to celebrate the fourth anniversary of their founding.
Source:		Coventry Evening Telegraph, Thursday 5th February, 1942		Coventry Evening Telegraph, Monday 5th February, 1945

5th Feb	1943	A pair of Corporation buses collided in Broadgate as they crossed paths - one travelling from Hertford Street into Broadgate, the other from High Street into Smithford Street, which also hit a lamp-post. One passenger fractured a thigh, whilst others got away with slight cuts.
Source:		Coventry Evening Telegraph, Saturday 6th February, 1943

6th Feb	1932	On this Saturday afternoon at Highfield Road over 11,000 fans watched Coventry City beat Crystal Palace 8-0 in League Division Three South. The score was all the more surprising as that season Palace had one of the league's strongest defences and were 6 points clear of Coventry.
Source:		https://rednbluearmy.co.uk/articles/06-02-16-back-day-february-6th-palace-play-last-time-crystal-palace

7th Feb	1267	The earliest known charter relating to Leofric's foundation of the monastery, and confirmed by Henry III, is made - later found to be a forgery.	1699	The top of Greyfriars' spire and its globe blew down under 'a dreadful tempest of wind'. It wasn't repaired until July 1771
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871

8th Feb	1555	Lawrence Saunders burned at the stake in the sand hollow in the Little Park during the reign of 'Bloody' Mary.	1937	The Rex Cinema was opened by mayor Arthur Henry Barnacle. Just three and a half years later it would be destroyed in a WW2 air-raid (see 25th August).
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Around Coventry in Old Photographs - D. McGrory, 1991

9th Feb	1636	Philemon Holland, the 'Translator General' and headmaster of the Free School, died.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

10th Feb	1920	Coventry built Mark IV tank, number 143, was officially presented to the city on this day, and placed on Greyfriars' Green. The tank remained on the green until its removal in 1938, when it is recorded that the Daimler engine started first time after lying idle for eighteen years!	1986	The New Central Library opens in the former Locarno dance hall building in Smithford Way.
Source:		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

11th Feb	1457	King Henry VI returns to Coventry "to his bedde" during one of his frequent bouts of illness - Margaret arrives the next day, quietly.	1918	Coventry started Tank Week. Tank number 119, powered by a Coventry Daimler engine and better known as 'Ole Willie', had been touring the country raising money in War Bonds. Amid thousands, it moved through the streets, through Broadgate heading towards Greyfriars' Green.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016

12th Feb	1889	Arthur Hutt VC, born in Earlsdon. (See 4th October for details of his heroic act.)
Source:		Wiki

13th Feb	2000	First screening on Channel 4 of Time Team's visit to Coventry. They excavated our first cathedral, St. Mary's, and found so much that they broke their own '3 day rule' by returning for an unprecedented 4th day to finish the job.
Source:		Wiki

14th Feb	1790	Capel Bond, considered one of the most remarkable 18th century composers, died in Coventry on this day and was buried at St. Bartholomew's church, Binley. He had been organist at both Holy Trinity and St. Michael's churches.
Source:		Coventry in 50 buildings - D. McGrory, 2017

15th Feb	1457	Start of the Royal Council held in Coventry in front of King Henry VI & Queen Margaret. They are joined by the Archbishop of York, the bishops of Winchester, London, Lincoln, Norwich, Exeter, Worcester, Chester, Hereford & Salisbury. Also the Dukes of York, Exeter, Buckingham, Somerset, and the Earls of Shrewsbury, Stafford, Northumberland, Arundel and Devonshire, etc.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

16th Feb	1953	Specials drummer and record producer, John Bradbury, born.
Source:		Wiki

17th Feb	2017	The section of A444 leading to the Ricoh Arena is renamed 'Jimmy Hill Way'.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/jimmy-hill-way-unveiled-major-12620986

18th Feb	1991	The sculpture known as 'Basilica' by Paul De Monchaux was unveiled by Lord Mayor, W. A. Hardy outside the combined Crown Court Centre in Much Park Street. It cost £20,000 and hints at the shape of a judge's wig.
Source:		http://www.coventrysociety.org.uk/public-art-in-coventry/basilica-by-paul-de-monchaux.html

19th Feb	1949	A Dakota DC3 and an RAF trainer plane collide in the sky above Exhall.
Source:		Wiki

20th Feb	1460	The council gathered at St. Mary's Hall to order that forty men be armed and sent to join the king to prevent Richard, the late Duke of York, from re-entering the kingdom.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

21st Feb	1743	Coventry's first newspaper, the Coventry Mercury, was renamed to the snappy title of 'Jopson's Coventry and Northampton Mercury, or the Weekly Country Journal'!	1941	The Armstrong-Siddeley works receives a visit from the Duke of Kent.
Source:		The New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (Google Books).		Coventry at War - Alton Douglas, 1983

22nd Feb	1958	Southampton beat Coventry City 7-1 - one of many results to consign The Bantams to the bottom half of Division 3 South. On the plus side it meant we became one of the founder members of the newly formed Fourth Division the following season!
Source:		http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/11544726.Saints__highest_scoring_league_wins/?ref=arc

23rd Feb	1967	The Yardbirds, featuring Jimmy Page (later to found Led Zeppelin), played at the Locarno.
Source:		http://www.atthatgig.com/gigs/view/6241

24th Feb	1963	The Beatles play the Coventry Theatre - but only as support act for Helen Shapiro!
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/lifestyle/nostalgia/backbeat-beatles-first-came-coventry-3017005

25th Feb	1942	The King and Queen visited Coventry and saw plans for the rebuilding of the city in St. Mary's Hall. The Bishop of Coventry (Dr. Mervyn Haig) presented the Queen with a cross made from nails taken from the old belfry.
Source:		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

26th Feb	1964	The new 'Rose Inn' opens behind where the old one stood in Lockhurst Lane, and Jimmy Hill is there to pull a pint in celebration.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/gallery/sky-blue-revolution-jimmy-hill-10536759

27th Feb	1817	Thomas Lawson, butcher, was killed in his bed by the collapsing of his home in Great Butcher Row.	1847	The birth of Dame Alice Ellen Terry (at 5 Market Street), known professionally as Ellen Terry, who became the leading Shakespearean actress in Britain.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Secret Coventry - D. McGrory, 2016

28th Feb	1322	King Edward II said to be in Coventry with a levy for raising troops.	1932	The Old Wheel Tavern public house closed.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		http://www.realalerambles.co.uk/

29th Feb	1972	The Courtaulds branch railway line, which had always been steam-worked, closed after Courtaulds converted their boilers from coal to gas.
Source:		https://www.rcts.org.uk/branches/west%20midlands/page.htm?id=west%20midlands/coventry%20history

\| Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec \| Hide sources \|
March
	Event 1		Event 2		Event 3
1st Mar	1976	Margaret Thatcher visits Radford and chats to a local resident. Even though it was three years before she became Prime Minister, no advance warning of her visit was give for security reasons.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/gallery/look-prime-ministers-coventry-warwickshire-8080855

2nd Mar	1772	Mary Clues of Gosford Street burnt to death by spontaneous combustion. Her remains were found on the floor, almost reduced to a cinder, while the furniture and bed-clothes were scarcely damaged.	1848	The first stone of St. Thomas' church, near the Butts, was laid by the Rev. T. Sheepshanks, Rector of St. John's.
Source:		http://perdurabo10.tripod.com/galleryg/id71.html		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

3rd Mar	2000	The Queen and Prince Philip visit Coventry for the Home Front Commemoration Service in the cathedral ruins.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/gallery/prince-philip-visited-coventry-warwickshire-13422086

4th Mar	1542	The Hospital of St. John (now known as The Old Grammar School) was surrendered as part of Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries.	1852	A new one mile course built for 'Stoke Races' on the land now occupied by the Stoke Park housing estate.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

5th Mar	1471	Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, left Coventry and marched south with an army of 30,000 to clash with Edward IV, where he would be killed in the Battle of Barnet on the 14th April.	1832	Well Street Infant School opened.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Antiquities and History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1869

6th Mar	1963	Coventry City beat Fourth Division Lincoln City 5-1 away in a 3rd Round FA Cup tie - originally scheduled for January 5th. It was the hard winter of 1962/63 and the match had been arranged and postponed 15 times, an FA Cup record!	1968	Coventry City's Main Grandstand at Highfield Road is gutted by fire, and their 2nd Division Championship Trophy also destroyed.
Source:		Wiki		https://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/2015/april/the-history-of-highfield-road---by-coventry-city-club-historian-jim-brown/

7th Mar	1853	Three day-schools opened - all St. Michael's Parish Schools - one for boys in the Rose & Crown Yard, High Street, one for Girls & Infants in Greyfriars' Lane, and one exclusively for girls in Gosford Street.
Source:		Antiquities and History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1869

8th Mar	1820	Riots & serious disturbances at the elections. This had become all too common in Coventry's political world, and our poor governance was largely responsible for eventually being stripped of our status of county.	1984	The Coventry division of the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen's Families Association was launched in the crypt of St Mary's Guildhall, attended by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress.
Source:		Coventry Herald, Friday 10th March 1820		https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/gallery/day-old-photos-coventry-warwickshire-11000471

9th Mar	1918	Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst visited Coventry to plead for women's patriotic service. She addressed a packed Drill Hall of women and munition girls. The title of her speech was, 'War till Victory; no Shirkers.'	1960	Opening day for the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, paid for initially by a £100,000 donation from Sir Alfred Herbert.
Source:		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016		Coventry in 50 buildings - D. McGrory, 2017

10th Mar	1919	Coventry City Council met to discuss the building of a Town Hall, claiming "That the building by the Corporation of a town hall, to seat not less than 2,500 persons, and designed to afford adequate facilities for all kinds of public assemblies, and especially for orchestral and other concerts, is an urgent public necessity".
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Tuesday 11th March 1919

11th Mar	1859	It was reported on this day in the Coventry Herald and Observer that the restoration of St. John's church in Fleet Street was to proceed immediately under the direction of eminent architect George Gilbert Scott.
Source:		Coventry Herald and Observer, Friday 11th March 1859

12th Mar	1642	William Jesson, Coventry MP ordered to London to purchase four cannons for the defence of the city in the upcoming Civil War.	2008	An unexploded Second World War bomb was discovered in Coventry's city centre near the Belgrade Theatre.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/7292097.stm

13th Mar	1946	It was reported on this day that Field-Marshal Kesselring, former Chief of the German Air General Staff, told the Tribunal at Nuremberg that German photographs showed that the bombing of Coventry was, 'perfect'. Kesselring said 'I was happy that Coventry was selected as a target, as it was an important military objective and was not to be hit by a terror attack.'
Source:		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

14th Mar	1955	The New Hippodrome is renamed the Coventry Theatre.	1961	Norman Dewis left Browns Lane, Coventry, in E-type Jaguar '77 RW' to make the famous dash for the 1961 Geneva Motor Show, which he made with 20 minutes to spare by driving through the night.
Source:		The Golden Years: The Hippodrome Theatre Coventry - M. J. Newman, 1995		http://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/jaguar/jaguar-e-type-review/the-cars-jaguar-e-type/

15th Mar	1928	Hundreds attended a stone-laying ceremony for the new Electricity Station at Longford, the main contractor for which would be British Thomson-Houston (B.T.H.).	1960	The opening of St. Christopher's Club in Spon End, attended by Lord Mayor W. H. Edwards - the first club in Coventry specially designed for old folk.
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Friday 16th March 1928		Coventry Evening Telegraph, Wednesday 16th March 1960

16th Mar	1830	Christ Church foundation stone laid. Formerly Greyfriars', it had been disused, the spire standing alone, since the dissolution under Henry VIII. The church was rebuilt and renamed Christ Church in 1830-31. Of course, since WW2 the spire stands alone once again.
Source:		Coventry: its history and antiquities - B. Poole, 1869

17th Mar	1936	Armstrong Whitworth's Chief Test Pilot, Alan Campbell-Orde, piloted the maiden flight of the prototype Whitley bomber from Baginton Aerodrome.
Source:		Wiki

18th Mar	1734	This day was passed 'An Act for making the Church of Bablake, in the City of Coventry, a Parish Church, and for appointing a District or Parish thereto'. (Since the Civil War 90 years earlier St. John's had been out of use as a parish church.)	1765	On this Friday night Thomas Edwards, a farmer, was murdered near Whoberley, on his return from Coventry, by Moses Baker, a weaver, and two Dragoons named Drury and Leslie, who had come from their quarters at Warwick.
Source:		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871		Foul Deeds And Suspicious Deaths in Coventry - D. McGrory, 2004

19th Mar	1959	Terry Hall, singer with The Specials, born.
Source:		Wiki

20th Mar	1945	John Bailey Shelton appointed a City Chamberlain of Coventry. 'JB' was known as the father of Coventry archaeology, and his archaeological finds formed the foundation of the current Herbert Museum collection.
Source:		Wiki

21st Mar	1421	King Henry V came to Coventry with his French Queen, Catherine.	2014	Businessman Joe Elliott receives his MBE at Buckingham Palace from Prince Charles. The award was for Services to Museums.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/mr-coventry-joe-elliott-receives-6864005

22nd Mar	1924	The body of T. E. Dunville (see 29th July 1867) was found in the Thames at Caversham Lock near Reading. As his popularity waned he'd suffered from depression and committed suicide.	1939	Alfred Herbert carried out a successful excavation exercise - a total of 1,260 people were evacuated to trenches at the back of the offices. War was obviously becoming a real probability.
Source:		http://www.dumville.org/music_hall.html		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

23rd Mar	1939	The IRA cause four explosions in underground telephone inspection chambers, the first in Cheylesmore, as part of their mainland campaign.	1956	Foundation stone for the New Coventry Cathedral laid by Queen Elizabeth II.
Source:		The Sabotage Plan - I. Adams, 2011		Phoenix at Coventry - B. Spence, 1962

24th Mar	1832	The trial took place for the ringleaders of the rioters who had destroyed Josiah Beck's steam looms and dwelling on the 7th November the previous year. The two principal leaders, Thomas Burbury and Benjamin Sparkes, were sentenced to death. (This was later commuted to transportation.)	1917	A Charity football match to raise money for the Mayor's Prisoner of War Fund in WW1 took place at Spencer Park, between teams representing the Rudge Birmingham Rea Street factory and the Coventry Rudge Works.
Source:		Coventry Herald - Friday 30th March 1832		Lionel Bird - https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=h-chapmans-footy-teams

25th Mar	1973	Elton John performed at Coventry Theatre - thousands had besieged the box office in an attempt to get tickets.
Source:		The Golden Years: The Hippodrome Theatre Coventry - M. J. Newman, 1995

26th Mar	2008	Jaguar was taken over by huge Indian automotive company, Tata. At the same time Tata also acquired the Daimler, Lanchester and Rover names.
Source:		Wiki

27th Mar	1958	The Belgrade Theatre is opened by the Duchess of Kent with the Lord Mayor and Pearl Hyde.	1959	Speedway legend Nigel Boocock made his debut for the Coventry Bees at Oxford.
Source:		http://www.alanhoward.org.uk/covtheatre.htm		http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/oxford1959.pdf

28th Mar	1985	The Queen Mother visits Coventry's Jaguar plant and meets Ted Cross, who showed her a photo from when they met previously in 1941 at Coventry & Warwickshire Hospital.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

29th Mar	1471	Edward IV arrived at Coventry, with his army on Gosford Green, and challenged Warwick the Kingmaker to either join him or make battle.
Source:		The First Tudor Feast - R. Ball, 2014

30th Mar	1696	Three men were tried in Coventry and found guilty of the murder of William Bennett. William Whitaker was pardoned but Samuel Nicks and Nicholas Lambe were found guilty and hanged.	1853	The foundation stone laid for Trinity Parish Schools, on the corner of Ford Street and Hales Street.
Source:		Foul Deeds And Suspicious Deaths in Coventry - D. McGrory, 2004		Coventry: its history and antiquities - B. Poole, 1869

31st Mar	2008	Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith visited Stoke Heath Community Centre, Valley Road. They met youth workers and community police officers at the Nettica cybercafe in Longfellow Road to announce a 'Policing Pledge'.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/gallery/day-old-photos-coventry-warwickshire-11106046

\| Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec \| Hide sources \|
April
	Event 1		Event 2		Event 3
1st Apr	2010	Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, multiple gold-medal winning paralympic athlete, opens the new 'Transport for Disabled People' exhibition at Coventry Transport Museum.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/gallery/day-old-photos-coventry-warwickshire-11106196

2nd Apr	1954	Marks & Spencer opens in the Upper Precinct.	2017	Coventry City beat Oxford United 2-1 to win the Checkatrade Trophy final at Wembley - a rare highlight in a season that saw the Sky Blues relegated to the fourth division for the first time since 1959.
Source:		Around Coventry in Old Photographs - D. McGrory, 1991		http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39404886

3rd Apr	1470	Edward IV entered Coventry, his army camping outside the city walls for three days, during his pursuit of the Duke of Clarence and Earl of Warwick.	1604	Princess Elizabeth, eldest daughter of James I, was entertained in St. Mary's Hall, and presented with a silver cup which cost the city £29. 16s. 8d.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871

4th Apr	1908	On this day Walter J. Harris, secretary of Coventry City Football Club, wrote a long formal letter of application for admission to Division 1 of the Southern League. Coventry hoped to be selected ahead of Exeter and Southend United, and put forward the club's suitability regarding the quality of the ground, geographical location and prosperity and growth of the city.	1931	A local Journalists' Banquet held on this Saturday discussed the concern that one day broadcasting might supersede printed newspapers, and that 'other media' could be conveying the news. The Minister of Health, however, did not believe it would happen, and that there would always be a demand for intelligent newspapers.
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Saturday 4th April 1908		Midland Daily Telegraph, Saturday 4th April 1931

5th Apr	1929	Sir Nigel Hawthorne, actor known for film 'The Madness of King George' and BBC comedy series 'Yes Minister', born in Coventry.	1951	King George VI and the Queen visit the city to see the redevelopment since the Blitz and the plans for the New Cathedral.
Source:		Wiki		Around Coventry in Old Photographs - D. McGrory, 1991

6th Apr	2011	Princess Anne visited Warwick University to attend the annual conference of The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Also there for the same event was TV presenter Professor Lord Robert Winston, who delivered a talk to delegates about reproductive technologies.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/princess-anne-visits-warwick-university-3045319

7th Apr	1563	Bablake school endowed by Thomas Wheatley with money from ingots he accidentally came into possession of.	1928	Foleshill Greyhound Stadium opened.	1942	Birth of John Atkins, many time winner of the British National Cyclo-cross Championships in the 1960s & 70s and founder of 'John Atkins Cycles' shop in Coventry.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Wiki		Wiki

8th Apr	1941	A very heavy air raid on Coventry - Christ Church is destroyed.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

9th Apr	1838	London to Birmingham Railway opened, passing through Coventry on this day for the first time.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

10th Apr	1941	Second very heavy air raid in two days.	1953	David Moorcroft, world record breaking athlete, born.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Wiki

11th Apr	1787	Mary Felkin hanged on Whitley Common after being found guilty of setting the Golden Horse pub on fire.	1832	Thomas Burbury and Benjamin Sparkes, who had been sentenced to death on the 24th March for leading the riots that had caused the destruction of Josiah Beck's private dwelling and steam loom, had their sentence commuted to 'transportation to the colonies', thanks to the 'indefatigable' efforts of their representative, Mr. Ellice.	1982	Ian Bell, international cricketer, born.
Source:		Swing'em Fair; Coventry's Darker Side - D McGrory, 1999		Coventry Herald - Friday 13th April 1832		Wiki

12th Apr	1918	German Zeppelin raiders dropped bombs in the grounds of Whitley Abbey and on the Baginton Sewerage Farm in WW1.	1987	Coventry City beat Leeds United 3-2 to reach the final of the FA Cup the following month.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Wiki

13th Apr	1784	A group of men, pretending to be voters, marched on the voting booth with axes and saws under the coats and totally destroyed it.	1995	The Queen & Prince Philip came to Coventry to distribute Maundy Money at St. Michael's New Cathedral to 138 selected people.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

14th Apr	1956	Goalkeeper Reg Matthews becomes Coventry's City's first ever player to win an England cap in this 1-1 draw with Scotland at Hampden Park in the British Home Championship.
Source:		http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersM/BioMatthewsRD.html

15th Apr	1941	Another mass burial takes place at London Road Cemetery for 394 more victims of the April 8th/10th raids.
Source:		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

16th Apr	1757	A soldier was shot for desertion in Coventry Park. He'd deserted on a previous occasion but reprieved - not this time!	1837	Two officers fought a duel at Styvechale Toll Gate.	2007	The TV broadcast of the 2007 final of University Challenge, won by the University of Warwick, who were presented with the trophy by Ann Widdecombe.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Bloody British History: Coventry - D. McGrory, 2013		https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/the_university_of/

17th Apr	1765	Two soldiers hanged for the murder of Thomas Edwards by clubbing him with a pistol. Alderman John Hewitt accepted their apology before the execution took place.
Source:		Bloody British History: Coventry - D. McGrory, 2013

18th Apr	1102	Coventry's first (and probably most corrupt ever) bishop, Robert de Limesey, moved his see to Coventry.	1821	Edward Bradshaw was executed on Whitley Common for burglary at the Punch Bowl public house, Spon-end, and cutting and wounding Mr. Lines, a neighbour.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

19th Apr	1918	Lieutenant Sidney Angus Leith was killed when the Daimler RE8 he was testing spun out of control and nosedived 400 feet into Radford aerodrome.
Source:		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016

20th Apr	2012	Coventry City's FA Cup-winning squad get together for a party at Nailcote Hall Hotel, Berkswell, to celebrate 25 years since winning the FA Cup.
Source:		http://www.ccfpa.co.uk/?m=201204&paged=2

21st Apr	2012	Coventry City's defeat to Doncaster Rovers consigns us to relegation from the Championship.
Source:		http://www.ccfpa.co.uk/?m=201204&paged=3

22nd Apr	1890	After a huge renovation programme lasting over a decade, St. Michael's church (which became a cathedral in 1918), re-opened.	1962	Wing Commander John Dowling pilots the helicopter that lifts the fleche onto the roof of the New Cathedral.	1967	A 1-1 draw for the Sky Blues at Cardiff City is enough to secure promotion to the 1st Division for the first time.
Source:		The Churches of Coventry - F. W. Woodhouse, 1909		http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1350613/Wing-Commander-John-Dowling.html		The Sky Blues: The Story of Coventry City F.C. - D. Henderson, 1968

23rd Apr	1800	On this day, two men named Henshaw and Bissaker were hanged for forgery.	1914	Alongside Australian and New Zealand troops, Coventry Rudge employee, Sergeant H. Eaves, with the Royal Warwickshire regiment, lands at Gallipoli for one of the most infamous battles of WW1.
Source:		http://keresley-pc.gov.uk/docs/covhist.pdf		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016

24th Apr	1445	Thomas Walton and other 'unknown persons' broke into St. Mary's Hall and stole many items, including a gilt silver cup, two silver bowls, two silver gilt covers, two silver spice dishes, small silver gilt table, a silver trumpet, a silver bowl cup and cover, two silver cups, four gilt silver spoons, a silver standing cup, a silver goblet, a silver salt cellar with cover, and twenty-four silver spoons - all the property of the Trinity Guild. I think he liked silver!
Source:		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871

25th Apr	1768	Excavation begins at Foleshill Heath for the start of the Coventry Canal.	1964	Coventry City clinch the Division 3 title with a 1-0 win over Colchester United.
Source:		The Parliamentary Representation of the City of Coventry from the earliest times to present date - 1891		The Sky Blues: The Story of Coventry City F.C. - D. Henderson, 1968

26th Apr	1936	Bill Pethers arrives in Coventry to be offered, and accept, the job by Samuel Newsome for the role of Musical Director of the Hippodrome (soon to be the new one, the following year). Bill was a favourite at the theatre until retirement in 1973.
Source:		The Golden Years: The Hippodrome Theatre Coventry - M. J. Newman, 1995

27th Apr	1979	Coventry Skateboarder, Colin Oldham, breaks the World Record for speed on a skate-car - 80.25mph - breaking the American held record by 23mph.
Source:		Coventry Evening Telegraph, Friday 27th April 1979

28th Apr	1474	3 year old Prince Edward (son of King Edward IV) welcomed into the city with a huge pageant.	1954	Building licence issued for the New Cathedral.	1955	The Hotel Leofric opened.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Phoenix at Coventry - B. Spence, 1962		http://www.coventrysociety.org.uk/news/article/leofric-lost.html

29th Apr	1967	Coventry City get a record Highfield Road attendance of 51,455 as they beat Wolves 3-1 to become Division Two champions.
Source:		The Sky Blues: The Story of Coventry City F.C. - D. Henderson, 1968

30th Apr	2005	The Sky Blues play their last ever game at the Highfield Road. A crowd of 22,700 watched them beat Derby County 6-2 !
Source:		Wiki

\| Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec \| Hide sources \|
May
	Event 1		Event 2		Event 3
1st May	1884	The dedication of Queen's Road Baptist church.	1962	The newly rebuilt Coventry Station reopens, built to the designs of W. R. Headley, Regional Architect of the London Midland Region of British Railways, and Derrick Shorten, the project architect.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Wiki

2nd May	1966	Roy Orbison, the Walker Brothers and Lulu all appear at Coventry Theatre this evening.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/lifestyle/nostalgia/gallery/day-old-photos-coventry-warwickshire-11255444

3rd May	1883	The first tracks laid for steam trams in Coventry.
Source:		Coventry Evening Telegraph, Tuesday 3rd May 1938

4th May	1385	King Richard II gave Coventry the right to continue building the city wall on condition that it enclosed Cheylesmore Manor House.	1529	Ford's Hospital founded by William Pisford.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Coventry: its history and antiquities - B. Poole, 1869

5th May	1956	Right Reverend Cuthbert Bardsley is enthroned as Bishop of Coventry in the ruins of the Old Cathedral.	2001	Aston Villa's victory over Coventry City seals our fate of relegation from the Premier League.
Source:		Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser, Friday 11th May 1956		Wiki

6th May	1350	The dedication of St. John's Church, Fleet Street, having been built in 5 years on land assigned by Isabella, the Queen-mother of Edward III.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

7th May	1344	Queen Isabella granted the land for Bablake church (St. Johns) to be built upon.	1945	Crowds gather at the Hertford Street Coventry Evening Telegraph offices at 3pm to read news of the German surrender - the war is finally over.	1992	Emlyn Hughes joins Jim Holton, landlord of The Stag in Bishop Street, to celebrate the reopening of the refurbished pub. For several years former Sky Blues player, Jim, had run the Rising Sun in Spon Street - he sadly died the following year, 1993.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/		https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

8th May	1945	Coventry celebrates VE Day. Rationed food has been saved up to allow for a decent feast.
Source:		www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/21/a5496221.shtml

9th May	1940	A Mobile Canteen was presented to the City of Coventry by Mrs. H. H. Harley, wife of the managing director of Coventry Gauge and Tool Co., Ltd, after an idea proposed by Councillor Pearl Hyde.
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Friday 10th May 1940

10th May	1858	Town Clerk, Thomas Troughton, puts out a request for 'Plans and tenders for the erection of Triumphal Arches at Stivichall Toll Gate and the Railway Bridge on the occasion of the Queen's visit to Coventry'. (See 14th June.)
Source:		Coventry Standard, Friday 14th May 1858

11th May	1471	During the War of the Roses Margaret of Anjou and the Prince's new widow, Anne Neville, were brought as prisoners to Coventry and delivered to Edward IV.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

12th May	1980	The announcement is made at Highfield Road that Jimmy Hill is appointed as chairman of Coventry City Football Club.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-city-delighted-jimmy-hill-11924515

13th May	1939	A National Service Review was held in the War Memorial Park with demonstrations given by different armed services with mock air-raids and First Aid displays.	1967	A crowd of 32,600 watch Coventry City beat Millwall 3-1 to become Division Two champions - just one point ahead of Wolves, who only required a draw to become champions, but crashed to a 4-1 defeat by Crystal Palace.
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Monday 15th May 1939. (Own copy.)		The Sky Blues: The Story of Coventry City F.C. - D. Henderson, 1968

14th May	2008	Coventry loses its head post office in Hertford Street, which had remained open since 1902, surviving the WW2 air-raids.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/piper-bids-farewell-hertford-street-3097669

15th May	2009	The Specials end their 30th Anniversary tour in their home-town with a gig at the Ricoh Arena.
Source:		www.efestivals.co.uk/news/08/081216a.shtml

16th May	1955	Hazel O'Connor, singer, born.	1987	Sky Blues win the F.A. Cup, 3-2 against Tottenham Hotspur.
Source:		Wiki		Wiki

17th May	1987	Virtually the whole population of Coventry lined the streets into and around the city centre to cheer home the F.A. Cup heroes from the previous day.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

18th May	1645	Oliver Cromwell wrote a letter while in Coventry during the Civil War.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

19th May	1977	Coventry City manage an infamous 2-2 draw with Bristol City, which keeps both teams in the First Division. The match kicked off 15 minutes late, apparently due to bad traffic, which meant that 15 minutes from the end of the game, the news that Sunderland had already lost allowed both teams to stay up if the match was drawn.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

20th May	1340	King Edward III gave the men of Coventry the right to form their own Merchant Guild, the guild of St. Mary.	1773	The city flooded when the river Sherbourne overflowed - up to 7 feet deep in places.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

21st May	1971	The final Triumph Herald, a 13/60 convertible, rolled off the assembly line at Triumph's Canley factory.
Source:		Wiki

22nd May	1948	The new Broadgate opened by Princess Elizabeth (now The Queen), who on the same day laid the foundation stone for Broadgate House. This was her first ever visit to Coventry.
Source:		City of Coventry: Images from the Past - D. McGrory, 1996

23rd May	1957	Pearl Hyde becomes the first female 'Lord' Mayor of Coventry, and the event also becomes the first ever televising of such an event in the world.	1980	The first local radio station, Mercia Sound, opens on 220metres Medium Wave.
Source:		City of Coventry: Images from the Past - D. McGrory, 1996		http://kps.org.uk/mercia/index.html

24th May	1940	A Hampden bomber on a training flight developed engine trouble. As it neared Coventry the engine began to fail, and circling at a low height the bomber struck a barrage balloon cable based at Charterhouse Fields. The pilot brought the plane down, exploding on the Coventry & North Warwickshire Cricket Ground on the Binley Road.
Source:		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

25th May	1962	New Cathedral consecrated, attended by Her Majesty The Queen.	1982	HMS Coventry sunk during the Falklands war. The ship's captain, David Hart Dyke, is father of actress/comedian, Miranda Hart.
Source:		Coventry Evening Telegraph.		Four Weeks in May - D. Hart Dyke, 2007

26th May	1962	The Forum Cinema in Walsgrave Road closed after over 27 years, showing 'Lover come back' with Doris Day.	1985	Coventry City escape relegation by the skin of their teeth with a remarkable 4-1 victory over Everton in the final match of the season - they had to win all three remaining games to stay in the 1st Division.
Source:		http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/37904		Coventry City, The Elite Era - J. Brown, 1998

27th May	1815	Sir Henry Parkes, the longest non-consecutive Premier of the Colony of New South Wales, Australia, was born in Canley.
Source:		Wiki

28th May	1963	Mick Leahy knocks out George Aldridge to become British Middleweight champion. Although born in Ireland, Mick lived in Coventry from the age of 26 in 1961.
Source:		Wiki

29th May	1675	After the old six bells from St. Michael's steeple had been taken down and broken to pieces 3 days earlier, they were cast into eight new ones on this day in 1675.	1843	The first stone was laid of the gothic structure of St. Osburg's Roman Catholic church, Hill Street.
Source:		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

30th May	1962	Premiere of the War Requiem (written by Benjamin Britten, jointly conducted with Meredith Davies) in the New Cathedral.	1982	Pope John Paul II visits Coventry.	1988	A Gloster Meteor crashed, killing the brave pilot, who, knowing he could not prevent the crash, managed to steer the plane away from a highly populated residential area and into open ground at Ernesford Grange.
Source:		Wiki		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/look-pope-john-paul-ii-11390629		http://www.r3uk.com/index.php/blog/156-last-flight-of-wf791-21-years-on

31st May	1457	Queen Margaret of Anjou visits Coventry 'privately' to view the Mystery Plays.	1830	On this day in 1830 a Mr. Green ascended from Coventry in his balloon.	1947	The Freedom of the City is conferred on Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
Source:		The First Tudor Feast - R. Ball, 2014		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Coventry Evening Telegraph, Saturday 31st May 1947

\| Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec \| Hide sources \|
June
	Event 1		Event 2		Event 3
1st Jun	1485	Richard III came to see the Corpus Christi 'Mystery' plays.	1907	Frank Whittle, inventor of the jet engine, born, at Newcombe Road, Earlsdon.
Source:		The First Tudor Feast - R. Ball, 2014		Wiki

2nd Jun	1885	A huge decade-long restoration of St. Michael's church was begun.	1953	The people of Coventry indulge in the national celebrations for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, with parties in pubs and clubs, or out in the street in fancy dress, or simply gathering around a television set in perhaps the only household in the street able to afford one!
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Thursday 2nd June 1932		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

3rd Jun	1763	Two men named Ogden and Phillips, along with Margaret Brown and Margaret Fergusson, known as 'The Coventry Gang' robbed the Castle Inn in Broadgate. They were hanged later that year. (See 10th August.)	1973	David Bowie caused a frenzy when he arrived at the Coventry Theatre.
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Thursday 2nd June 1932		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

4th Jun	1852	The Coventry Advertiser first printed - it only lasted 13 weeks.
Source:		Coventry: its history and antiquities - B. Poole, 1869

5th Jun	1457	The Bishop of Hereford led a Royal Procession for Henry VI & Queen Margaret.	1690	King William (William of Orange) passes through Coventry with his troops on the way to beating King James II's army at the Battle of the Boyne. His coach was met at Willenhall Bridge by the Sheriffs, and at New Gate by the Mayor and Aldermen and the city companies.	1983	Final county game at Courtaulds Ground - Warwickshire v Derbyshire (John Player Special League). Warwickshire, captained by Bob Willis, scored 220-7 off 39 overs.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Wiki

6th Jun	1985	A near sell-out audience watch Barbara Dickson at the final ever show at the Coventry (Apollo) Theatre.
Source:		The Golden Years: The Hippodrome Theatre Coventry - M. J. Newman, 1995

7th Jun	1459	King Henry VI and Queen Margaret return to Coventry to attend a Great Council summoned in the Benedictine Priory.	1970	Writer, E. M. Forster, died in Coventry on this day.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Wiki

8th Jun	1946	The Coventry Levelling Stone is unveiled at a ceremony to mark the redevelopment of the city centre and represent a celebration of peace.	1954	Work officially began on the New Cathedral.
Source:		City of Coventry: Images from the Past - D. McGrory, 1996		Phoenix at Coventry - B. Spence, 1962

9th Jun	1901	Samuel Newsome born - the man who planned and had built the New Hippodrome, later known as the Coventry Theatre.	2011	A company in Exhall was chosen to manufacture the 8,000 torches used by the torch-bearers to tour the country prior to the 2012 London Olympic games.
Source:		The Golden Years: The Hippodrome Theatre Coventry - M. J. Newman, 1995		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

10th Jun	1849	William Wombwell, nephew of Mr. George Wombwell, proprietor of the menagerie, then attending the Fair, was attacked by an elephant in its den, and so much gored by its tusks, that he died on the Tuesday following (12th June).
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

11th Jun	1920	Council House officially opened by H.R.H. the Duke of York (later King George VI).
Source:		Coventry in 50 buildings - D. McGrory, 2017

12th Jun	1434	Henry VI's first visit to Coventry as a small boy.	1849	William Wombwell dies of injuries sustained in an attack by an angry elephant at the Coventry Great Fair two days earlier. William was nephew to the proprietor of 'Mr. Wombwell's menagerie'.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

13th Jun	1964	Coventry Godiva Harrier, Basil Heatley, broke the World Record when winning the Polytechnic Marathon, which qualified him to represent GB in the Tokyo Olympics where he won the Olympic Silver Medal.
Source:		Wiki

14th Jun	1858	Queen Victoria arrives at Coventry Station on route to Stoneleigh. The Corporation presented an address and thousands, including school children, sang the national anthem.
Source:		Illustrated London News, 1858

15th Jun	1964	Huge fire in the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance (MPNI) building in Gosford Street (former Morris works).	1968	John Lennon and Yoko Ono planted two acorns outside Coventry Cathedral.	1987	Sir Frank & Lady Whittle are at the unveiling of a bust of Frank Whittle in Church Street, Lutterworth.
Source:		Eye witness account.		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/		https://lutterworthwarmemorials.weebly.com/sir-frank-whittle.html

16th Jun	1827	Mr. H. Green, (brother of the gentleman who visited Coventry in 1824) made a balloon ascent from a field near the Gas Works, accompanied by a man named Bailey.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

17th Jun	1881	Death of James Starley in Coventry, bicycle inventor and manufacturer.
Source:		Wiki

18th Jun	1830	At Coventry Fair, Mr. Green again rose in his balloon from Greyfriars' Green, skimmed over the tops of the houses for a short distance, and came in contact with a chimney near Gosford-bridge, when he alighted.	1953	The restored Ford's Hospital (bombed on 14th October 1940) was re-opened by Sir Alfred Herbert.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Around Coventry in Old Photographs - D. McGrory, 1991

19th Jun	1829	Godiva Procession at Coventry Great Fair - the last one for the Mayor and Corporation before the 1935 Municipal Corporation Act.	1867	Coventry Market - the Market Hall and Clock Tower - opened by Lord Leigh and others. The clock mechanism was removed before WW2 (which the tower survived) and is still in use in the Lady Godiva animated clock in Broadgate.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Coventry Herald, 21st June 1867

20th Jun	1940	Coventry's local paper, the Midland Daily Telegraph, reports that the railings of the Butts Technical College are to be removed to provide 10 tons of metal towards making guns for the war effort.
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Thursday 20th June 1940

21st Jun	1846	St. Osburg's church consecrated and quickly became one of the best attended Catholic churches in the county, recorded as having congregation up to 1,000 in 1851.	1974	H.M.S. Coventry is launched.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Wiki

22nd Jun	1845	Coventry's most famed prize-fighter, William 'Paddy' Gill fought and beat London fighter Young Reed the 'Invincible' after 59 (yes, fifty nine!) rounds.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

23rd Jun	1911	Thousands of school children gather in Pool Meadow to celebrate the Coronation of King George V.	1951	The first Godiva pageant for 25 years takes place to celebrate the Festival of Britain, with actress Ann Wrigg playing the part of Lady Godiva - with no body stocking.
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Friday 23rd June 1911		Godiva pamphlet - D. McGrory, 2011

24th Jun	1998	Coventry based G.E.C. takes full control of Britain's largest telecoms equipment manufacturer GPT after buying a 40% stake worth £700m from German electronics giant Siemens. The following year it merged with, and took the name of, Marconi Communications.
Source:		http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/119018.stm

25th Jun	1940	The first bombs of WW2 to be dropped in the vicinity of Coventry - 5 fell on Ansty Aerodrome.	1945	Winston Churchill visits Coventry shortly before losing the general election of that year.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

26th Jun	1962	Binley Park Comprehensive School holds a swimming gala to celebrate the opening of its new indoor pool. The school had rather a short history, though, being opened in 1959 and closing in 1990 after barely three decades, due to ongoing structural problems making it uneconomical to repair.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/history/gallery/day-old-photos-taken-coventry-11522705

27th Jun	1855	The Coventry Times newspaper first printed.	1940	Coventry's first civilian casualties of WW2 - 16 killed in Hillfields.
Source:		Coventry: its history and antiquities - B. Poole, 1869		Moonlight Sonata - Tim Lewis, 1990

28th Jun	1469	The Earl of Warwick chose Coventry as the place to publicly announce the forthcoming marriage of his daughter to the Duke of Clarence and asked for an armed guard to take him to the king.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

29th Jun	1929	Miss Muriel Mellerup is the first 'non-actress' to play the part of Lady Godiva in the procession of 1929. The press described Muriel as the 'perfect Godiva'.
Source:		Godiva pamphlet - D. McGrory, 2011

30th Jun	1954	The first Stock Car meeting at Coventry Stadium, with heat one being won by Percy 'Hellcat' Brine.	1970	The Queen officially opens the newly finished Walsgrave Hospital.
Source:		Wiki		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

\| Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec \| Hide sources \|
July
	Event 1		Event 2		Event 3
1st Jul	1423	Mayor Henry Peyto and his brethren ordained that a new Coventry Cross should be built.	1978	The "Earlsdon Village Festival" marked 125 years of the foundation of Earlsdon.
Source:		Coventry Leet book		https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=miss-bashford

2nd Jul	1904	Railway carriages derailed on Albany Road bridge run down the embankment and across Broomfield Road.	1939	8 Refreshment staff had a lucky escape when the IRA bomb a cloakroom at Coventry Railway Station.
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Saturday 2nd July 1904		http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/albanyroad.htm

3rd Jul	1839	St. John's Parish Schools foundation stone laid by benefactor Richard Rotherham.	2008	Reverend Canon Dr Christopher John Cocksworth BA, PhD, PGCE consecrated as the 9th Bishop of Coventry.
Source:		Coventry: its history and antiquities - B. Poole, 1869		Wiki

4th Jul	2017	Coventry couple, Bill and Cath Mullarkey, who work together as chefs, won 1 million pounds on the 'EuroMillions' Millionaire-Maker.
Source:		https://www.euro-millions.com/news/coventry-chefs-toast-euromillions-win-and-cook-up-big-plans

5th Jul	1940	Sir Alfred Herbert had an article published on Coventry's 'Immediate and Pressing Problem'. He criticised those in power for pushing ahead with a long-term housing programme, and said we should 'clear our minds of fantastic schemes', which were diverting attention from the urgent requirement for labour in aid of the war effort, particularly the training of women workers.
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Friday 5th July 1940

6th Jul	1858	Margaret Hennessey was found hanged in the Workhouse - previously Whitefriars' Monastery. Her husband had previously left her and taken one of their 6 children to Ireland, causing her to drink heavily to the point where a doctor described her as 'decidedly insane'!
Source:		Foul Deeds And Suspicious Deaths in Coventry - D. McGrory, 2004

7th Jul	1982	Coventry born athlete David Moorcroft smashes the 5,000 metre World Record with a time of 13:00.41 - nearly 6 seconds faster than the previous record.
Source:		Wiki

8th Jul	1852	Public Baths opened on the south-east side of Hales Street (where the Old Fire Station now stands), on which day no less than 2,000 persons availed themselves of the accommodation, between the hours of 5 o'clock in the morning and 10 o'clock at night.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

9th Jul	1623	St. Michael's church is struck by lightning during a service, just at the moment that the preacher proclaimed: 'Be sober and watch, for the end of all things is at hand', to the astonishment of the congregation!	1921	War Memorial Park, an area of 122 acres, officially opened.
Source:		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016

10th Jul	1920	A war memorial to the 45 employees of the Coventry Chain Co. who fell in the Great War was unveiled on Hearsall Common at Earlsdon Avenue North. The memorial was originally a horse trough and fountain, but the trough and wrought iron sides of the fountain disappeared. The wrought iron column was re-erected outside the Koco building in Spon End. The original plaque to the memorial was re-dedicated in 1999, having been found in a Lancashire market.
Source:		Coventry Herald, Saturday 17th July 1920

11th Jul	1852	A fire took place at the Coventry Luggage Station of the London and North Western Railway, consuming its entire contents and roof, and leaving nothing but the bare outer walls standing.	1981	Ghost Town is a number one hit for Coventry band, The Specials.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Wiki

12th Jul	1983	Princess Anne visited Sidney Stringer school to officially name a canal boat, the name of which was chosen by 12 year old pupil Kalbiner Singh in a competition. The boat was to be operated by a trust providing holidays for the disabled.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

13th Jul	1971	16 Coventry girls, past and present pupils at Cardinal Wiseman School, went to Buckingham Palace to meet the Duke of Edinburgh, who presented them with the gold awards they had gained under his scheme.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

14th Jul	1914	Notices were served to all servicemen on leave in Coventry to return to their barracks the following morning, in readiness for the Great War.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

15th Jul	1960	Prince Philip and world record breaking pioneer Donald Campbell are in Coventry. Perhaps few local people realise that the body of the ground breaking car, Bluebird CN7, was constructed by Motor Panels Ltd here in Coventry.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

16th Jul	1771	Workmen began to repair Grey Friars' Steeple, and to rebuild the top which had been blown down in 1763; a gilt ball and vane was set on it.
Source:		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871

17th Jul	1626	Two Coventry Chamberlains were fined £20 each because their Lammas Feast was not as good as the one the previous year!
Source:		The History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - William Reader, 1810

18th Jul	2005	The final Jaguar rolled off the production line at Browns Lane, sadly ending a 110 year history of car production in Coventry.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

19th Jul	1821	The coronation of George IV was celebrated in this City by a Public Procession, comprising the Mayor and Corporation, Companies and Clubs. An Ox was roasted in Cross Cheaping, and forty Sheep in different parts of the town. 2,045 loaves of bread, and 3,444 quarts of ale were also given away, and at night £20 was devoted to a display of fireworks. The total expenditure was £639. 12s. 6d. (Equivalent to £57,000 in 2017.)	1919	Anti German riots start in Broadgate - ironically on the day of the Godiva peace procession.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Midland Daily Telegraph, Monday July 21st 1919

20th Jul	1741	The Coventry Mercury - Coventry's first newspaper - was first printed by Mr. Jopson.	1936	John Sillett born - Coventry City player, and later to co-manage (with George Curtis) our 1987 FA Cup winning team.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Wiki

21st Jul	1928	Coventry born actress, Dame Ellen Terry, dies at her home in Kent.	1928	First ever 'Dirt Track' (speedway) racing at Foleshill Greyhound Stadium.
Source:		Wiki		http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/3.4.pdf

22nd Jul	1662	Demolition began on the City Wall (by order of Charles II).	1915	King George V, dressed in a khaki uniform, paid a two and a half hour visit to Coventry's factories, who were churning out shells & guns, etc. for the Great War.	1940	The Local Defence Volunteers (LDV) were renamed the Home Guard.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016		http://ww2today.com/10th-july-1940-churchill-considers-the-prospects-for-invasion

23rd Jul	1545	King Henry VIII School founded in the church of Whitefriars 'dissolved' Monastery by John Hales.
Source:		King Henry VIII School 1545-1945 - G. L. Marson & F. H. Metcalf, 1945

24th Jul	1951	Specials rhythm guitarist and vocalist, Lynval Golding, born in Jamaica on this day.	1982	Coventry band 'Fun Boy Three' appear in the Madness video 'Driving in my Car', released on this day, trying to hitch a lift on Coventry's A45.
Source:		Wiki		Wiki

25th Jul	2003	Massey Ferguson in Banner Lane, once one of the largest tractor factories in the world, closed for the last time.
Source:		http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/3095103.stm

26th Jul	1962	Coventry born Frank Ifield has his first Number One hit with 'I Remember You'.
Source:		Wiki

27th Jul	1977	As part of her Silver Jubilee celebrations, The Queen, with Prince Philip, visits Coventry, including unveiling a plaque in Coventry Working Men's Club in Cox Street.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

28th Jul	1885	The opening ceremony for the new King Henry VIII school building in Warwick Road.
Source:		King Henry VIII School 1545-1945 - G. L. Marson & F. H. Metcalf, 1945

29th Jul	1867	T. E. Dunville (real name Thomas Edward Wallen) born in Coventry. He was a top eccentric comedian and contortionist on the music-hall stage - the highest paid artist of his time.
Source:		The Autobiography of an Eccentric Comedian - T. E. Dunville, 1911

30th Jul	1642	Coventry appointed 40 men to guard the city walls every night in readiness for the ever increasingly likely Civil War.	1849	Due to poor conditions in the city a Local Board of Health was established in Coventry. This was part of a nation-wide clean-up, including the plans to build the huge sewerage system in London. The sewers, ironically, although providing the answer to poor health, were built for the wrong reason, as the thinking at that time was that people got ill because of the smell, not because of bacteria.	1942	The final fatalities of WW2 due to bombing in Coventry occur when three people were killed in Bulls Head Lane by a lone bomber.
Source:		Coventry Leet book		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

31st Jul	1999	A testimonial match is held at Highfield Road for Sky Blue legend, Cyrille Regis, at the age of 41.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

\| Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec \| Hide sources \|
August
	Event 1		Event 2		Event 3
1st Aug	1849	An Act of Parliament was passed, placing Coventry under the operation of the Public Health Act of 1848.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

2nd Aug	1986	On this day was held the Coventry Festival, attended by Lord Mayor Winnie Lakin.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

3rd Aug	1832	Christ Church consecrated and opened for public worship.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

4th Aug	1966	Coventry City chairman, Derrick Robins, pulls the first round at the newly renamed 'The Sky Blue' public house, formerly 'The Nugget Inn', Coundon.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

5th Aug	1911	New 'Picture Theatre', seating about 450, opened in Foleshill, near the General Wolfe, by Mr. W. Johnson, MP. The proprietor was Mr. W. J. Henderson.
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Saturday 4th August 1911

6th Aug	1750	The first regular stagecoach started running from Coventry to London.	1938	220,000 masks were issued by the ARP service in readiness for possible gas attacks in the probable coming war. Coventry was also divided into 6 ARP zones, with each of these being subdivided into between 12 and 20 sectors.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

7th Aug	1849	St. Thomas' church opened and consecrated by the Bishop of the Diocese.	1907	Actress Patsy Montague, using her stage name of 'La Milo', plays the part of Lady Godiva leading a huge 2-mile long procession watched by an estimated 100,000 people.	2008	Coventry Working Men's Club in Whitefriars' Street closed due to declining membership - a general UK trend.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Godiva pamphlet - D. McGrory, 2011		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

8th Aug	1940	The King and Queen visited Alfred Herbert's, Coventry Gauge and Tool, and Civil Defence stations, having long talks with men and women working at benches and lathes.
Source:		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

9th Aug	1849	Mary Ball became the last person to be publicly hanged in Coventry.	1864	The foundation stone was laid for the Coventry & Warwickshire Hospital.	1922	Philip Larkin was born at 2 Poultney Road, Radford, Coventry.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Coventry: its history and antiquities - B. Poole, 1869		Wiki

10th Aug	1763	The 'Coventry Gang' were hanged on Whitley Common after robbing the Castle Inn.	1769	Coventry's first canal completed by James Brindley and on this day the city celebrated when two coal barges from Bedworth entered the canal basin.
Source:		Foul Deeds And Suspicious Deaths in Coventry - D. McGrory, 2004		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

11th Aug	1831	Mary Ann Higgins executed on Whitley Common for murdering her uncle by means of poison.	1873	The legendary W. G. Grace played his first cricket match in Coventry at The Butts Ground. Grace's team, the 'United South of England Eleven' beat Coventry by just 2 runs.	1983	Muhammad Ali visits Coventry and sees his former sparring partner, ex British heavyweight Champion Jack Bodell, at Bodell's Fish & Chip shop
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		https://heritage.derbyshireccc.com/Archive/Players/29/.../Miscellaneous_Matches.html		https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/lifestyle/nostalgia/gallery/look-muhammad-ali-visited-coventry-8475462

12th Aug	1469	During the War of the Roses Queen Elizabeth's father and brother, Earl Rivers the Treasurer and Lord John Woodville, were captured and be-headed before thousands of spectators on Gosford Green.	1874	The last stage coach from Coventry to London left the city.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Around Coventry in Old Photographs - D. McGrory, 1991

13th Aug	1851	On Lammas day this year a party of lammassers pulled down a wall in Drapers' Field, which had been erected by a person named Absalom Dalton, encroaching upon, and enclosing a strip of land about 20 or 30 yards in length, and 4 feet in depth.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

14th Aug	1861	The Choir of Worcester Cathedral accompanied the opening of the new organ in Holy Trinity church. The replacement organ cost £800 (about £90,000 in today's money).
Source:		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871

15th Aug	1901	The funeral on this day of William Drakeford was the first ever in the country to use a motor car, which was converted into a kind of gun-carriage for the occasion.	1951	The winner of the competition for the design of Coventry New Cathedral was announced - the winner being, of course, Basil Spence.	1967	To commemorate the 900th anniversary of the death of Lady Godiva, the Belgrade Theatre hosts the world premiere of 'Godiva Was A Lady'.
Source:		Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser, Tue 8 Oct 1901		Phoenix at Coventry - B. Spence, 1962		www.cwn.org.uk/heritage/tdih/08/15.htm

16th Aug	1457	King Henry VI dined at Coventry, as he and Margaret did many times during the War of the Roses.	1621	From this year on this date, until 1752, 3-day fairs were held, the council ordaining that the sheriffs should receive the tolls collected.
Source:		The First Tudor Feast - R. Ball, 2014		Victoria County History - Warwickshire Volume VIII, 1969

17th Aug	1565	Queen Elizabeth I made her one and only visit to Coventry during one of her state tours around her realm. The queen addressed the people of Coventry from the oriel window of Whitefriars'.	1982	Final day of last-ever County Championship at the Courtaulds Ground - Warwickshire v Middlesex. The visitors triumphed by an innings and 66 runs.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		https://www.crichq.com/grounds/37319/matches

18th Aug	1854	The foundation stone was laid for the Corn Exchange in Hertford Street - later the Empire Theatre.	1940	The sirens sounded at 10.53 pm, and soon the first bombs of WW2 to fall within the boundary of Coventry were dropped by a single German aircraft - fourteen high explosive bombs on Canley Road and Cannon Hill Road.
Source:		Coventry: its history and antiquities - B. Poole, 1869		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

19th Aug	1943	Don Fardon born - singer famous for hit single, Indian Reservation.	1992	Peter Ndlovu made history by being the first African footballer to play in the English Premier League.
Source:		Wiki		Wiki

20th Aug	1642	King Charles I's army refused entry into Coventry at the start of the Civil War.	2005	The Sky Blues beat Queen's Park Rangers 3-0 in their first game at the new Ricoh Arena, watched by 23,000.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

21st Aug	1959	Jacob Epstein, creator of the St. Michael and the Devil statue on the front of Coventry Cathedral, died - unfortunately too soon to see his masterpiece mounted on the cathedral wall.
Source:		Wiki

22nd Aug	1939	James McCormack, the leader of the IRA unit operating in Coventry, bought a bicycle from Halford's in Smithford Street, to be used to carry the bomb used three days later in Broadgate.	1964	The Sky Blues played their first game in the 2nd Division for 12 years as well as being the grand opening of the new Sky Blue Stand, with the three middle sections having been added to the two wing sections during the summer. 34,500 people turned up to witness a 2-0 home win against Plymouth.
Source:		https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=not-forgotten		The Sky Blues: The Story of Coventry City F.C. - D. Henderson, 1968

23rd Aug	1861	On this day the Coventry Herald and Observer reported the suspicious death of Betsy Beamish, who appeared to have been poisoned with arsenic by her husband, William.
Source:		Foul Deeds And Suspicious Deaths in Coventry - D. McGrory, 2004

24th Aug	1485	Coventry hosts the very first royal feast of the Tudor dynasty after Henry VII defeats Richard III at Bosworth field.
Source:		The First Tudor Feast - R. Ball, 2014

25th Aug	1939	IRA bomb explodes in Broadgate, killing five.	1940	Rex cinema in Corporation Street destroyed in an air raid.	1980	The final Triumph Spitfire rolled off the track at the Canley works.
Source:		https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=not-forgotten		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Wiki

26th Aug	1553	The newly crowned 'Bloody Mary' ordered Coventry's mayor to apprehend Rev. Hugh Symonds, vicar of St. Michael's, to deal with his 'Protestant tendencies'.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

27th Aug	1969	The final concrete beam is lowered into position on stage 5 of the Ring Road.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

28th Aug	2006	David Tennant and Freema Agyeman are filmed at Ford's Hospital for a BBC Doctor Who episode.
Source:		https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/dr-who.php (I was there!)

29th Aug	2001	Land speed record holder and first car ever to break the speed of sound, Thrust SSC, arrived in Coventry for permanent display at the Transport Museum.
Source:		http://www.cwn.org.uk/tourism/museums/mbrt/thrust/010829-photo-02.htm

30th Aug	1117	Robert de Limesey, first Bishop of Coventry, died. From what we read about him, celebrations would've been the order of the day, as he was greedy in the extreme and treated Coventry's monks very badly.	1935	Coventry born Tom Farndon, known by many as the 'The Greatest Speedway Rider of Them All', dies after a crash suffered two days earlier.
Source:		Monasticon Anglicanum, 1846 (Google Books).		Wiki

31st Aug	1868	Coventry's Free Library opened, given to the city by mayor John Gulson.	1942	The very last bombs of WW2 to fall in Coventry were dropped on Avon Street and Alfall Road, but fortunately no casualties occurred.
Source:		Coventry Standard, Friday 21st August 1868		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

\| Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec \| Hide sources \|
September
	Event 1		Event 2		Event 3
1st Sep	1687	James II came to Coventry and was received with great demonstrations, the city presenting him with a gold cup and cover of the value of about £170. His Majesty breakfasted at St. Mary's Hall.	1854	The opening of Trinity Parish Schools - see foundation stone laying, 30th March 1853.
Source:		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871		Coventry: its history and antiquities - B. Poole, 1869

2nd Sep	1617	King James I visited Coventry, dining in St. Mary's Hall - the city was specially 'beautified' for his coming.	1850	Coventry & Nuneaton Railway opened.	1978	Bees rider Ole Olsen won the World Speedway Championship at Wembley.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/		Wiki

3rd Sep	1802	Lord Nelson, accompanied by Sir William and Lady Hamilton, visits Coventry and stays at the King's Head Inn. The Mayor and Corporation waited on the gallant hero, who gave them a polite reception.	1916	Coventry soldier, Private E. Powell of the 1st Royal Warwickshire Regiment, sadly killed in action in France after returning to war following his recovery from being shot in the leg in Mons.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016

4th Sep	1821	Stephen Moore and Isaac Butcher hanged for burglary on Whitley Common.
Source:		http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/1800.html

5th Sep	1989	Prince Charles arrives to open a new training centre in St. Columba's Close.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

6th Sep	1385	The foundation stone for Charterhouse Monastery laid by King Richard II and Queen Anne of Bohemia.	1980	Clive Allen 'scores' what should be a fantastic goal for Crystal Palace against Coventry City. The ball bounced back off the stanchion supporting the back of the net, but the referee and linesman ruled that it had hit the woodwork. Sky Blue players kept their heads down and their mouths shut!
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		https://www.holmesdale.net/page.php?id=82&story=6439

7th Sep	1946	Military vehicles and the armed forces pass the Council House in front of huge crowds for the 'Burma Comes to Britain' exhibition to raise money for the Army Benevolent Fund.
Source:		Coventry Then and Now - D. McGrory, 2011

8th Sep	1800	Rioting took place on this day due to the sudden steep increase in the price of provisions. The 17th Light Dragoons, local magistrates and the 'Coventry Volunteers' were all utilised to quell the disturbance.
Source:		Coventry: its history and antiquities - B. Poole, 1869

9th Sep	1914	Siegfried Bettmann, Coventry's, Nuremberg born mayor and one of the founders of the Triumph works, resigned under much pressure, saying '...it will be in the best interests of the city if I retire from the Chief Magistracy on 9 November.'
Source:		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016

10th Sep	1067	Lady Godiva (countess Godgifu) died, to be later buried at Evesham.	2001	Thrust SSC, the record breaking Coventry-made car, was on show for the first time in the Museum of British Road Transport. The car set a world land speed record of 763 mph in October 1997 - the first ever to go supersonic.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

11th Sep	2004	The restored "Doom painting", dated to the 1430s, was unveiled in Holy Trinity church.
Source:		http://localhost/historiccoventry/tour/content.php?pg=trinity-ch (I was there!)

12th Sep	1993	Coventry born actor Harold Innocent dies in London.
Source:		http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0409205/bio

13th Sep	1939	After an inspection, available air raid shelter spaces were deemed to be inadequate, with spaces only numbering in the low thousands.	1985	Coventry Cable launched - later taken over by NTL, now Virgin Media.
Source:		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015		John Ashby's Coventry document collection.

14th Sep	1942	HMS Coventry was heavily damaged in the Eastern Mediterranean, north-west of Alexandria, Egypt by 16 German Junkers Ju 88s, and had to be scuttled by HMS Zulu.	1980	The first day that all Coventry buses were 'one man' operated. The last services that had conductors/conductresses - 7, 9, 9a and 31 - were from this day crewed only by the driver.
Source:		Coventry Evening Telegraph, Tuesday 8th September 1970 & Wiki		https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/cwk205/last-conductor-t1485.html

15th Sep	1459	Henry VI and the royal family move to Coventry for safety before the Lancastrian and Yorkist armies meet. During 1459 the king and queen were in the city every month except April.
Source:		The First Tudor Feast - R. Ball, 2014

16th Sep	1937	Trinity Street was officially opened.	1940	Not only bombs on this occasion, but the pilot of a low flying Luftwaffe aircraft opened fire on civilians in Stevenson Road with machine guns.
Source:		City of Coventry: Images from the Past - D. McGrory, 1996		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

17th Sep	1398	Henry Bolingbroke (Duke of Hereford) and Thomas Mowbray (Duke of Norfolk) meet at Coventry on Gosford Green for the famous duel that was cancelled by Richard II. Henry Bolingbroke later became Henry IV.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

18th Sep	1917	Queen Mary and Princess Alexandra visited Coventry, cheered by hundreds of work girls and school children lining the route. The royal party visited various places, including St. Mary's Hall, St. Michael's Church (soon to become a cathedral) and White & Poppe's munition works.	1949	Marjorie 'Mo' Mowlam born - brought up in Coventry and became one of the country's most respected MPs, serving in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Source:		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016		Wiki

19th Sep	1643	Spencer Compton, 2nd Earl of Northampton, Coventry's ex-recorder, was killed at Hopton Heath during the Civil War.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

20th Sep	1997	Coventry Bees Speedway rider, Greg Hancock, clinches the Speedway World Championship at the Grand Prix at Vojens, Denmark.
Source:		Wiki

21st Sep	1451	King Henry VI came to Coventry - he will make us a county during this visit.	1919	A full-sized plaster temporary copy of a War Memorial was unveiled on this day in Lockhurst Lane. It was proposed that a permanent memorial would be placed in Foleshill, but a permanent structure was never made.	1954	Woodlands Comprehensive School opened, becoming one of the first comprehensive schools in the country. The Headmaster was Mr. F. West M.A., previously Head of the Coventry Technical Secondary School.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016		http://www.westcoventryacademy.org/about/history_of_wca/the_woodlands_academy.aspx

22nd Sep	1400	Henry IV set off from Coventry with an army to quash the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr in north Wales.	1761	Great festivities were held in Coventry to celebrate the Coronation of King George III and Queen Charlotte.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Antiquities and History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1869

23rd Sep	2005	On this Friday night the newly built Ricoh stadium hosted its first ever concert as 7,000 fans watched Canadian rocker Bryan Adams.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

24th Sep	1792	On this day a whole length portrait of George III, by Lawrence, was presented to the City by the Right Hon. Lord Eardley and J. Wilmot, Esq., and placed in St. Mary's Hall - where it can still be seen.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

25th Sep	1853	A violent storm blew down chimneys and parts of many houses, although no fatalities were recorded.
Source:		Antiquities and History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1869

26th Sep	1940	Coventry's first daylight raid of WW2 by a single bomber, which hit the paint-shop of the Standard Motor Works at Canley.	1941	Winston Churchill and his wife Clemmie visited Coventry. He waved to the cheering crowds of Home Guard and morning shoppers all the way from the station to Broadgate and gave the famous V sign.
Source:		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

27th Sep	1978	Comedian Dave Allen came to play Coventry Theatre for 3 nights, and was quoted as saying 'if God has no sense of humour, I'm in trouble'!
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/incoming/gallery/day-old-photos-taken-coventry-11943092

28th Sep	1918	Private Henry Tandey won the Victoria Cross for his brave action on this day: During a counter-attack his platoon was stopped by machine-gun fire. Tandey located the gun position, and with a Lewis gun team, silenced it. Reaching the canal crossing, he restored the plank bridge under heavy fire. In the evening he and eight comrades were surrounded by an overwhelming number of the enemy. Tandey led a bayonet charge, fighting so fiercely that 37 of the enemy were driven into the hands of the remainder of his company. Although twice wounded, Tandey refused to leave until the fight was won, eventually going into hospital for the third time on 4 October 1918.
Source:		Wiki

29th Sep	1928	First ever Speedway meeting at the new Brandon Stadium (known then as 'Brandon Motordrome'), advertised as being the 'Fastest in Britain'.
Source:		http://www.speedwayplus.com/BrandonStadium_m.shtml

30th Sep	1938	The first test blackout took place with nearly 1,400 air-raid wardens on duty until 1am.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

\| Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec \| Hide sources \|
October
	Event 1		Event 2		Event 3
1st Oct	1538	Whitefriars' becomes Coventry's first monastery to be surrendered to the crown as part of Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries.	1954	Owen Owen officially opened in Broadgate.
Source:		Coventry in 50 buildings - D. McGrory, 2017		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/local-news/a-store-full-of-memories-3121036

2nd Oct	1228	The priory obtained the right to hold a yearly three day fair in Coventry.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

3rd Oct	1970	The famous Donkey Free Kick by Ernie Hunt & Willie Carr at Highfield Road against Everton.	1964	Clive Owen, Hollywood actor, born.
Source:		http://seventiessoccer.typepad.com/stunning-seventies-soccer/2012/01/great-moments-ernie-hunts-free-kick.html		Wiki

4th Oct	1917	On this day, in Belgium, when all the officers and NCOs of No. 2 Platoon had become casualties, Private Arthur Hutt took command of the platoon. He ran forward alone and shot the officer and three men in the post ahead of them, and between 40 and 50 German soldiers surrendered. Later, he withdrew his party, covering them by sniping the enemy, and then carried back a wounded man to safety. After he had consolidated his position he then went out and carried in four more wounded under heavy fire. Arthur Hutt received the Victoria Cross for this - the first Coventry born person to receive one.	1993	Former Coventry City player and landlord of the Rising Sun in Spon Street, Jim Holton, died.	2010	Coventry Bees crowned Elite League champions.
Source:		Wiki		Wiki		Wiki

5th Oct	1538	Franciscan monks of Greyfriars' Monastery surrendered to Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries.	1947	A second Roll of Honour, containing names of Coventry Armed Force and Civil Defence members and civilians, was placed in the War Memorial monument by Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Coventry Evening Telegraph, Monday 6th October 1947

6th Oct	1404	Henry IV summoned a Parliament to be held within Coventry priory, later to be known as the 'Parliamentum Indoctorum'.	1683	An earthquake was recorded in the city on this day - part of a series of unexplained extremes in the weather in the late 1600s, where very heavy snow, rain and freezing conditions were reported, giving many problems with harvests.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

7th Oct	1982	Coventry's David Moorcroft won the 5,000 metres gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Source:		Wiki

8th Oct	1927	War Memorial unveiled by Field Marshall Earl Haig, accompanied by Arthur Hutt V.C., before fifty thousand people.	1945	'Coventry of the Future' exhibition held 'to foster public interest and possibly excite useful criticism and suggestions', opened by the mayor and the Minister of Town and Country Planning, Lewis Silkin.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Case study of The Precincts in Coventry - Jenny Stewart, 2013

9th Oct	1957	The Silver Sword pub in Trinity Street opens.	1976	After over 17 years of speedway racing for Coventry, Nigel Boocock made his final appearance for the Bees at Brandon.
Source:		The Character of Coventry - John Ashby, 2001		Wiki

10th Oct	1971	The legendary Deep Purple play at the Coventry Theatre for the second time as part of their 'In Rock' world tour.	1459	The Royal Family (King Henry VI & Margaret) return to Coventry for 10 days, during which Parliament was again summoned for the following month. (See 20th November.)
Source:		The Golden Years: The Hippodrome Theatre Coventry - M. J. Newman, 1995. Wiki		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

11th Oct	1883	Statue in memory of one of Coventry's greatest philanthropists and benefactors, Sir Thomas White, unveiled on Greyfriars' Green. At the request of the Mayor, Albert Tomson, most trades and businesses closed in order to attend the huge ceremony, including a long procession, bands playing, a "feast of buns" for children and luncheon at Drapers' Hall. A planned firework display had to be cancelled due to poor weather, however.	1944	Official wartime statistics were released on this day giving details of Coventry's air raids. They showed that in the first concentrated attack on the night of November 14-15th 1940, the Luftwaffe, in 12 hours, dropped 1,200 high explosives, approximately 50,000 incendiaries and 50 parachute mines, this being the first known occasion that parachute mines were used against Britain. People known to have been killed in all raids on the city totalled 1,252, while 1,859 were injured.
Source:		Coventry Herald, Friday 12th October 1883		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

12th Oct	1940	Coventry city centre's first heavy raid involving a mixture of incendiaries and high explosives.
Source:		Coventry at War - D. McGrory, 1997

13th Oct	1982	Shirley Bassey arrives at Coventry Theatre for two nights, staying in the dressing room specially prepared for her on her previous visit.
Source:		The Golden Years: The Hippodrome Theatre Coventry - M. J. Newman, 1995

14th Oct	1940	Ford's Hospital struck by a single bomb which killed the warden, a nurse and six residents.	1972	Sky Blue legend Tommy Hutchison makes his debut against Manchester City.
Source:		Coventry in 50 buildings - D. McGrory, 2017		Coventry City, The Elite Era - J. Brown, 1998

15th Oct	1850	A huge beech tree was moved from next to Warwick Road (where the Quadrant now stands) to the London Road Cemetery.
Source:		Coventry Herald, Friday 18 October 1850

16th Oct	1940	26 year old Airman, Squadron Leader J. A. Davies, crashed his Hurricane in a field in Whitley after clipping his starboard wing on the cable of a barrage balloon at Cheylesmore.
Source:		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

17th Oct	1498	Coventry paid a visit from the 12 year old Arthur, Prince of Wales, son of Henry VII.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

18th Oct	1940	The Royal Engineers' bomb disposal squad removed a 560lb bomb from Chapel Street, and loaded it onto a lorry to be taken to Whitley Common to be detonated. While unloading the bomb it exploded. Second Lieutenant Campbell and seven of his men were killed.
Source:		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

19th Oct	1940	A German plane machine-gunned workers leaving the Standard factory and dropped a number of small bombs around the Birchfield Road area, fracturing a gas main. It also machine gunned an AFS (Auxiliary Fire Service) station and a local estate agent as he drove down Dulverton Avenue, whose car was damaged underneath.	1959	Coventry's smallest pub, the Grapes in Warwick Lane, closes.
Source:		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015		The Character of Coventry - John Ashby, 2001

20th Oct	1931	The Trades' Exhibition opened at the Drill Hall, Queen Victoria Road. Its theme was 'Better things for the home' and included Tasting stands, Labour-saving devices and Model railways controlled by wireless, rays of light and human voice. (And we think these are modern-day inventions!)
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Monday 19th October 1931

21st Oct	1914	On this day it was reported that, 'The police in Coventry are today apprehending all the alien enemies of military age (19 to 25 years), who are resident here. The number of Germans and Austrians arrested locally is about 40, and 25 of this number are already in the cells of the Central and Foleshill Police Stations.'	1999	The SkyDome leisure centre opened, built on the site of the old Spon Street GEC factory and includes indoor arena, nightclub, restaurants and 9 screen Odeon cinema.
Source:		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016		http://www.mcsparron.talktalk.net/coventry.htm

22nd Oct	1483	Richard III in Coventry to raise forces to deal with the uprising in Kent.	1949	Godiva Statue, designed by Sir William Reid Dick, unveiled in Broadgate by Mrs. Lewis Douglas, wife of the American Ambassador.
Source:		The First Tudor Feast - R. Ball, 2014		City of Coventry: Images from the Past - D. McGrory, 1996

23rd Oct	1813	John Gulson, conservationist, benefactor and twice mayor of Coventry (1867/68) born at 130 Spon Street.
Source:		The John Gulson Story - J. E. Short, 1978

24th Oct	2015	The Co-Op closed in Corporation Street. The Co-Op has had stores in the city since 1867 although they'd only been in that building since 1956
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

25th Oct	1809	A general festival took place in the City in celebration of the Jubilee - the 50th anniversary of the accession of George III.	1945	Amy Davis is found murdered at the 'Ring of Bells' pub in Hillfields - a mystery still unsolved.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Coventry Evening Telegraph, Monday 10th August 1970

26th Oct	1831	Prize fight held on Whitley Common - Berry v Hodson.
Source:		Coventry Evening Telegraph article, 2005

27th Oct	1819	Prince Leopold (later King of Belgium), passed through Coventry, and was presented with the freedom of the City.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

28th Oct	1841	St. Peter's Church, Hillfields, opened to meet the religious wants of the increasing population of the district.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

29th Oct	1608	Shakespeare performed at the Guildhall in Coventry.	1954	Thriller writer Lee Child (real name Jim Grant), known for the Jack Reacher series, born in Coventry.	1990	Coventry first appeared on the TV in the opening episode of sitcom 'Keeping Up Appearances'.
Source:		Shakespeare the Player; A Life in the Theatre - J. Southworth, 2000		Wiki		Wiki

30th Oct	1057	Earl Leofric, a man 'very wise in all matters, both religious and secular, that benefited all this nation', passed away.	1937	The closing of the Old Hippodrome on the Saturday prior to the new one opening on Monday 1st November.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Coventry Then and Now - D. McGrory, 2011

31st Oct	1961	Coventry boxer Mick Leahy challenges Brian Curvis for the British and Empire Welterweight title at Empire Pool, Wembley, London. Unfortunately Mick was unsuccessful and was knocked out in the eighth round.
Source:		http://www.boxinghistory.org.uk/records/42013-Mick-Leahy-Coventry.pdf

\| Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec \| Hide sources \|
November
	Event 1		Event 2		Event 3
1st Nov	1556	From 1556 on, the mayor usually assumed office on this day.	1937	The New Hippodrome opened - later the Coventry Theatre.
Source:		Records of Early English Drama - edited by R.W. Ingram, 1981		The Golden Years: The Hippodrome Theatre Coventry - M. J. Newman, 1995

2nd Nov	1772	On this night Charles Pinchbeck, keeper of the Stoke toll-gate near Binley, was robbed and murdered in his own house by two burglars named Farn and Howe.
Source:		Foul Deeds And Suspicious Deaths in Coventry - D. McGrory, 2004

3rd Nov	1899	Troops of the 77th Battery Royal Field Artillery leave Coventry barracks for the Boer War.	1970	Coventry City beat Bayern Munich 2-1 at Highfield Road in the second leg of the second round of the European Fairs Cup. Unfortunately Bayern Munich had already beaten us 6-1 in the first leg, so on aggregate we lost 7-3.
Source:		Coventry Evening Telegraph, Saturday 24th October 1942		Wiki

4th Nov	1605	Three of the Gunpowder Plotters, including Coventry man and ringleader, Robert Catesby, set off from the Black Bull Inn in Smithford Street to try and capture Princess Elizabeth from Coombe Abbey.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

5th Nov	1605	Princess Elizabeth is brought into Palace Yard in Coventry to keep safe from the Gunpowder Plotters.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

6th Nov	1815	Coventry's City Council visits the Prince Regent (who becomes King George IV 5 years later) at Coombe Abbey.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

7th Nov	1770	Thomas Sharp, Coventry antiquarian, born in Smithford Street.	1831	700 weavers gathered by Mill Dam and speeches were made as to the state of the industry, reduced prices, the growing unemployment and the threat of the steam powered loom to the artisan weaver. Josiah Beck's steam looms were destroyed during the riots.
Source:		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

8th Nov	1832	Draper's Hall, in Bayley Lane, was opened with a celebratory ball. The building was designed by Messrs. Rickman and Hutchinson in a Grecian style.	1940	On this night the RAF bombed Munich using Coventry made Whitley bombers - the punishment for which was the Blitz, 6 days later.
Source:		Coventry in 50 buildings - D. McGrory, 2017		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

9th Nov	1458	During a council meeting in Coventry a brawl broke out during which one of the Earl of Warwick's men injured one of the Queen's men. An attempt on Warwick's life was made later when he arrived.	1737	A new Clock was ordered to be fitted on the steeple of Holy Trinity church.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871

10th Nov	1863	The opening of the School of Art in Ford Street.	1917	George Henry Smith, of Shakleton Road, won the Military Medal for bravery in battle. On the exact same day one year later he was killed in France - on the day before the Great War ended.
Source:		Coventry: its history and antiquities - B. Poole, 1869		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016

11th Nov	1847	The opening of the London Road Cemetery, designed by Joseph Paxton.	1852	Flooding in many parts of the city centre due to continuous heavy rain and the inability of local rivers and sewers to cope.	1918	All the factory sirens in Coventry were sounded to celebrate Armistice Day, the end of WW1. A holiday was declared and thousands gathered in the city centre to celebrate as the mayor declared the Peace.
Source:		Coventry Standard, Friday 12th November 1847		Antiquities and History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1869		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016

12th Nov	1859	John Kington murdered his wife, Elizabeth, near Paynes Lane, in a particularly grisly manner, by attempting to sever her head with a knife.
Source:		Foul Deeds And Suspicious Deaths in Coventry - D. McGrory, 2004

13th Nov	1002	Danes in Coventry would've fallen victim to the massacre of Danes on the night of St. Brice's Day, ordered by King Aethelred the Unready and celebrated by 'Hock Tuesday'.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

14th Nov	1940	The Blitz! 11 hours of aerial bombardment lay a square mile in the centre of Coventry to ruin.
Source:		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

15th Nov	1940	Shortly after 6am the 'All Clear' sounded on the few sirens still with power. Thousands of citizens crawled out of their shelters to find out if loved ones were still alive and if their homes and businesses were still standing. The shock of losing so much of our city was, understandably, not possible to hide, and caused much concern among official statisticians. By the next day, however, people started to rally, helped enormously by one very high ranking visitor....
Source:		Air Raid - Norman Longmate, 1976

16th Nov	1641	The Puritans ordered that the organ of Holy Trinity be removed into the vestry until it could be sold. The puritans had at last silenced the 'squeaking abomination'. A new organ wasn't re-instated in the church until 1684.	1940	King George VI visits the ruins of blitzed Coventry.
Source:		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

17th Nov	1941	The Midland Daily Telegraph newspaper changes name to the Coventry Evening Telegraph.	1962	The Beatles, not quite famous yet, make their first Coventry appearance at The Matrix Hall.	1963	Exactly one year to the day since their first appearance in Coventry, The Beatles appear for their last time at Coventry Theatre.
Source:		Coventry Evening Telegraph, 17th November 1941		The Beatles: Sent to Coventry - Pete Chambers, 2006		The Beatles: Sent to Coventry - Pete Chambers, 2006

18th Nov	1655	Mayor Robert Beake, a man of puritan principles, set a man in the stocks for travelling from Allesley on the Lord's Day.	1972	Princess Margaret and Glenda Jackson are at Coventry Theatre for a charity concert.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

19th Nov	1655	Entry in Mayor Robert Beake's diary: 3 Quakers for travelling on the Lord's Day were set in the cage. Memorandum: it grieved me that this poore deluded people should undergoe punishment of such a nature.	1662	Having been removed by Cromwell's 'Puritan Revolution', the font was set up once again in St. Michael's now that the monarchy had been restored.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871

20th Nov	1459	"Parliamentum Diabolicum" held by King Henry VI in Coventry until December 20th (also known as the 'Parliament of Devils'). Having fled London, Henry was temporarily using Coventry as the capital city. Probably the proper beginning of the War of the Roses.	1940	The first mass funeral at the London Road Cemetery for 172 civilians killed in the Blitz.
Source:		The First Tudor Feast - R. Ball, 2014		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015

21st Nov	1957	The foundation stone for the Coventry Evening Telegraph building in Corporation Street is laid by Lord Iliffe, the son of the newspaper's founder.
Source:		Coventry Evening Telegraph

22nd Nov	1580	Group of actors, the "Worcester's Men" play in Coventry, possibly including 16 year old apprentice William Shakespeare.
Source:		Shakespeare the Player; A Life in the Theatre - J. Southworth, 2000

23rd Nov	1940	The second mass funeral at the London Road Cemetery for 250 more civilians killed in the Blitz.	1963	Coventry born musician and electronic music composer, Delia Derbyshire, has her famous theme played on the first ever episode of Doctor Who.
Source:		Coventry's Blitz - D. McGrory, 2015		Wiki

24th Nov	1773	Sarah Kemble (better known as Sarah Siddons, famous actress) got married to William Siddons at Holy Trinity church.	1808	On this day in 1808, Louis the 18th of France and his suite passed through this city.	1849	On this Saturday night, 'Hill Field' was for the first time lighted by public gas lamps.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

25th Nov	1569	Mary, Queen of Scots, is brought into Coventry, escorted by 400 troops. Elizabeth had asked for her to be held at Coventry castle, but it was reported to be in too ruinous a state, so Mary was first held at the Bull Inn in Smithford Street, then later in the Mayoress's Parlour in St. Mary's Hall.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

26th Nov	1451	The charter making Coventry into a county was confirmed on this day.
Source:		Coventry City Charters - A. A. Dibben, 1969

27th Nov	2004	Thousands of workers held a rally in the city centre in support of the Browns Lane Jaguar workers, who faced redundancies and closure at the hands of their owner, Ford.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

28th Nov	1687	King James II ordered the sheriffs and a number of aldermen of Coventry to be removed from office and replaced with men more acceptable to him and the Dissenters.	1823	The Duke of Wellington breakfasted at the King's Head Inn, Coventry, on his return from a shooting excursion at Beaudesert, the seat of the Marquis of Anglesea.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

29th Nov	1687	James II suffered a certain amount of indignity when his table collapsed on him during the banquet in St. Mary's Hall, spilling, so it is said 'Corporation Custard' and other foodstuffs over his fine clothes.	1780	At the Election on this day, violent disturbances took place between rival parties in front of the voting booth in Cross Cheaping - an event that became known as "the Bludgeon Fight". Subsequently Messrs. Noxon and Butler, the two Sheriffs of this City, suffered a short imprisonment for gross partiality.	1961	Jimmy Hill appointed as Coventry City manager, taking over from Billy Frith, giving the club the 'Sky Blues' name and becoming arguably the most successful CCFC manager of all time.
Source:		Wiki		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

30th Nov	1937	Four-time number one hit singer, Frank Ifield, born in Coundon.
Source:		Wiki

\| Jan \| Feb \| Mar \| Apr \| May \| Jun \| Jul \| Aug \| Sep \| Oct \| Nov \| Dec \| Hide sources \|
December
	Event 1		Event 2		Event 3
1st Dec	1902	New Post Office opens in Hertford Street, having moved from its old premises in Smithford Street.	2009	Coventry Rugby Club went into administration with debts of over £500,000. As a temporary measure, games were played at the Ricoh Arena.
Source:		http://britishpostofficearchitects.weebly.com/coventry.html		Wiki

2nd Dec	1867	The last ever market to be held in Broadgate before moving to the then newly built Market Hall.
Source:		Coventry Then and Now - D. McGrory, 2011

3rd Dec	1917	A huge strike by Coventry workers finally ends after discussions involving the Government, War Office and Unions. The strike was not about money, but based on a principle about the recognition of shop stewards. The strike, costing much valuable war output, won Coventry workers no friends.	1947	The prefabricated shops in Broadgate, replacing the ones destroyed in the blitz, were opened on this day.
Source:		Coventry and the Great War - D. McGrory, 2016		City of Coventry: Images from the Past - D. McGrory, 1996

4th Dec	1937	Coventry City's Division 2 match with Southampton was abandoned at half time because of snow - the Bantams (as they were then known) were leading 1-0 at the time. We won 2-0 when the fixture was replayed the following month.
Source:		https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/41595925 & https://www.11v11.com/teams/southampton/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Coventry%20City/

5th Dec	1895	The electric tramway opened between the railway station and Foleshill tram depot - later to be extended to Bedworth. There had already been a steam powered tramway but that was inefficient and was suspended in 1893.
Source:		http://www.coventrytramways.co.uk/history.htm

6th Dec	1451	Coventry became a County in its own right - the "County of the City of Coventry" - at the bequest of King Henry VI.	1469	On this, St. Nicholas' day, riots outside Greyfriars' Gate and other places around the city - enclosures were ripped open, particularly those belonging to William Bristow, who had unlawfully enclosed common land as his own.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Victoria County History - Warwickshire Volume VIII, 1969

7th Dec	1456	King Henry VI's jewels were removed from London and brought to Coventry for safety.	2017	Coventry was chosen to be the UK's City of Culture for 2021
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-42272675

8th Dec	1465	Elizabeth Woodville (wife of Edward IV) returned to Coventry on her own and was presented with 100 marks.	1692	One of the four large pinnacles on the battlements Holy Trinity Steeple blew down and fell through the church roof.
Source:		Coventry Leet book.		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871

9th Dec	1994	The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh come to Coventry to visit the Jaguar factory at Browns Lane.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

10th Dec	1832	"The Bloody Tenth" of December this year was cause for yet more intense violence as voting took place for the city's MPs. It was scenes like this that lost Coventry its high status in the first place.	1935	The Butts Technical College was officially opened by the Duke of York - soon to become King George VI. The citizens of Coventry were particularly grateful for the Duke's visit because he had lost his aunt, Princess Victoria, one week earlier.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852		Coventry Herald, Friday 13th December 1935

11th Dec	1688	Princess Anne of Denmark, with attendants, came to Coventry for security due to the "Glorious Revolution" when William of Orange invaded England in November.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

12th Dec	2006	The final car rolled off the production line at the Ryton Peugeot factory. The plant had been going since 1946 and produced cars by Humber, Sunbeam, Hillman, Chrysler and Talbot, before finally being taken over by Peugeot.	2011	People near the junction of Keresley Road and Kelmscote Road witnessed a bizarre happening as over 100 apples rained down over the road!
Source:		http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/6170599.stm		https://thecofatree.wordpress.com/2015/04/04/lady-godiva-rides-again/

13th Dec	1835	On this day died, at the extreme age of 107 years, Isaac Cohen, a Jew. He had been an inhabitant of Coventry above 60 years, residing in an obscure little tenement situate on the north side of the passage leading from the Great Butcher Row to Priory Row. His wife, with whom he had been united 78 years, died about two years before him, aged 101.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

14th Dec	1825	Coventry was visited by a particularly tremendous storm of thunder, lightning and rain.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

15th Dec	1856	Charles Dickens comes to Coventry to read 'Christmas Carol' in the Corn Exchange.	1998	Lyng Hall girls' school officially reopened after a £3.5m rebuild on a site next to the old school.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		http://www.mcsparron.talktalk.net/coventry.htm

16th Dec	2007	IKEA's Coventry store opens - its first city centre store in the UK.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

17th Dec	1763	The top of Greyfriars' steeple was blown down by a very high wind.	1792	A large and very significant Roman find was made at Foleshill - an earthen pot, containing upwards of 1,800 Roman copper coins, principally of the Emperors Constantine, Constans, Constantius and Magentius.
Source:		Thomas Sharpe's Illustrative Papers on the History and Antiquities of the City of Coventry - W. G. Fretton, 1871		Secret Coventry - D. McGrory, 2016

18th Dec	1848	Eliza Ryley stole a copper tea kettle, for which she pleaded guilty and two days later was sentenced to six weeks of hard labour whilst imprisoned at Coventry's House of Correction.	1966	Steve Dullaghan born - bass player and founder-member of Coventry band, The Primitives.
Source:		Coventry Herald, Friday 14th January 1848		http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/steve-dullaghan-bassist-and-founder-member-of-the-primitives-1668044.html

19th Dec	1847	Harritt Clare, of Earl Street, became the first interment in the newly opened London Road Cemetery.	1992	Coventry City beat Liverpool 5-1 in the newly formed Premier League - the first time the mighty Reds had conceded 5 goals since 1976.	2015	Former Coventry City manager Jimmy Hill died at the age of 87.
Source:		http://www.lrcemetery.co.uk/		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

20th Dec	1879	The new King's Head Hotel opened on the corner of Hertford Street and Smithford Street.	1977	Henry Tandey, VC, DCM, MM, died in Coventry. The Leamington born Private won the Victoria Cross for extreme bravery on 28th September 1918.
Source:		Coventry Times, Wednesday 24 December 1879		Wiki

21st Dec	1478	Edward IV returned to Coventry to officially request the city's aid (specifically of 'men of certain high income') to raise money to fund a war against France.	1994	A Boeing 737 cargo plane, flying too low, clipped two rooftops then flipped over and crashed in Willenhall Woods, killing 5 people.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

22nd Dec	1962	At the game against Colchester United, Sky Blue fans sang the new club anthem for the first ever time, devised by Jimmy Hill and to the tune of 'The Eton Boating Song': Let's all sing together, Play up Sky Blues....
Source:		Birth of the Sky Blues - Ron Osmond, 2016

23rd Dec	1959	The 1st stage of the Inner Ring Road is opened between London Road and St. Patrick's Road.	1969	Ken Dodd (with his Diddy Men) performed at the Coventry Theatre in Robinson Crusoe.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/		The Golden Years: The Hippodrome Theatre Coventry - M. J. Newman, 1995

24th Dec	1906	Huge fire at the Humber Motor Works in Far Gosford Street - later Lloyd's Bank.	2002	The 3,307,996th and final tractor comes off the production line at Massey Ferguson at Banner Lane.
Source:		Midland Daily Telegraph, Monday December 24th 1906		http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2603221.stm

25th Dec	1465	Edward IV and his new 'commoner' wife, Elizabeth Woodville, spend Christmas at Coventry, probably during which time he granted us the right to a Royal Mint.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

26th Dec	1992	Mickey Quinn makes a record breaking 10 goals in 6 games as the Sky Blues beat Aston Villa 3-0.
Source:		http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/

27th Dec	1650	6 sets of royal arms are removed from the Coventry Cross as a compromise by the Puritan Colonel Purefoy, rather than having it totally destroyed.
Source:		Coventry: A History - D. McGrory, 2003

28th Dec	2015	Specials drummer John Bradbury sadly died, aged 62.
Source:		Wiki

29th Dec	1926	The Green Man public house at 145 Much Park Street finally closed after probably at least two centuries of trading.
Source:		The Character of Coventry - John Ashby, 2001

30th Dec	1847	Abraham Herbert, Esq., a Magistrate and Member of the Corporation of Coventry, was the first person buried in the church portion of the London Road Cemetery.
Source:		The History of Coventry - B. Poole, 1852

31st Dec	1900	Huge flood lasting two days in centre of Coventry after the Sherbourne overflowed. The worst hit was the Spon Street area where the inside of St. John's church was 5 feet under water.	1906	Opening night for the Old Hippodrome, which was replaced in 1937 by the 2,000 seater New Hippodrome built adjacent to it. Lady Herbert's Garden was extended into the ground formerly taken up by the older theatre.	1981	Bjorn Borg opens the Racquet Centre.
Source:		Coventry Then and Now - D. McGrory, 2011		Midland Daily Telegraph, Monday December 31st 1906		John Ashby's Coventry document collection

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What happened in Coventry On This Day....

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