| 1605 Living History: Apothecary |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/content.php?pg=apothecary |
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In 1605, apothecaries, and others who treated illness, followed beliefs which had been held for over a thousand years about what caused illnesses and other complaints.
Anyone making remedies ... |
| 1605 Living History: Calligraphy |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/content.php?pg=calligraphy |
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What is Calligraphy?
The word comes from two Greek words, Kallos and Graphe, meaning beautiful writing. Calligraphy's most interesting period is from the Roman period through to the Renai... |
| 1605 Living History: Dance |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/content.php?pg=dance |
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Dancing in the 16th and 17th centuries was an elegant form of exercise and an expected social skill for the nobility. Courtiers showed loyalty to the king with elaborate displays of dance, costume... |
| 1605 Living History: Music |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/content.php?pg=music |
| Musical Instruments of the 17th Century
The Renaissance is one of the most exciting periods of musical history. In many senses it is where music as we know it today began, and without the... |
| 1605 Living History: Introduction to the Gunpowder Plot |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/content.php?pg=plot-intro |
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Many of us celebrate bonfire night with fireworks on November the fifth each year. In the four centuries since the failed Gunpowder Plot occurred, many myths and misconceptions have arisen, and ar... |
| 1605 Living History: Surgery |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/content.php?pg=surgery |
| Barber, Doctor, Surgeon and Peruke (wig) maker in the 17th Century
Q: Whom would you see if you felt ill, or for everyday cuts and wounds if you could not afford to pay the hugely expensive cha... |
| 1605 Living History: Armour & Weaponry |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/content.php?pg=weaponry |
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By the end of the 16th century, armour and weaponry were advancing. The turn of the new century saw the longbow being used less and less, and ultimately replaced by the musket and other guns as th... |
| 1605 Living History: Elements of Tudor life |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/content.php?pg=workshops |
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Click on each category below to find out more about the various elements of life, and how people lived, learned, entertained, fought and even tried to fix themselves in Tudor times!
Apo... |
| 1605 Living History: The four major Catholic plots |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/content.php?pg=four-plots |
| Babington, Bye, Gunpowder & Main;
Not many people are aware, but the Gunpowder plot itself was only one of FOUR major plots that had been hatched. For over 26 years, major plots and contriv... |
| 1605 Living History: Robert Catesby |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/content.php?pg=catesby |
| Robert Catesby's Coventry connection
Robert Catesby was the ringleader of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, but his connections with Coventry have been forgotten over time, which is especially surprisin... |
| 1605 Living History: Coombe Abbey & the Coventry connection |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/content.php?pg=coombe-cov |
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The Gunpowder plot itself was only one of FOUR major plots that had been hatched. Take a look at the Four plots page to find out more about these potentially history-changing schemes...
... |
| 1605 Living History: Palace Yard |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/content.php?pg=palace-yd |
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In November, 1605, Princess Elizabeth was hurriedly brought for safety within Coventry's walls, her tutor, Lord Harrington of Combe, boding evil from the news of the baulked conspirators' wild rid... |
| 1605 Living History: 1605 Living History & the Gunpowder Plot |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/1605/main/main.php |
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From 2005 until 2011 the 1605 Living History Society presented hands on Tudor period educational workshops, using the lessons of the Gunpowder Plot to help to bring about a better understanding of o... |
| History articles: Sixty Years of Cycling - 1897 magazine article |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=60-yrs-cycling1897 |
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AS an industry and as a popular sport, cycling cannot be accurately credited with an existence more prolonged than a couple of decades ; yet the historians aver that as far back as 1836 Mr. Kirkpatr... |
| History articles: The Arno Motor Company of Coventry 1908-1916, by Damien Kimberley |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=arno-motors |
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To add to the previous research frustrations hopefully demonstrated within my Lion Bicycle Company article, permit me to continue the problems encountered, this time with a later Coventry motor firm... |
| History articles: The New Bablake Schools - 1889 article |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=bablake-sch1889 |
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The new Bablake Schools, Coundon-road, are now practically completed. The headmaster (Mr. J. I. Bates) has taken up his residence at the school-house, and the educational work of the institution, wh... |
| History articles: Public Baths - The Building News, Jan 24th 1896 |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=baths1896 |
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We give the plans and view of public baths which have been built by the Corporation of Coventry. It will be seen that all the baths (both slipper and swimming) and the whole of the service laundry d... |
| History articles: A short history of Coventry's Theatres and Cinemas, by Bill Birch |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=bill-birch-theatres |
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Written in 1985 by our Dad, and word processed in loving memory of our dear Dad, William (Bill) Birch (1911-1990) who lived in Coventry for most of his life and who, like me loved the city. Submitte... |
| History articles: The Brough Superior, by Damien Kimberley |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=brough-superior |
| Made in Nottingham, but conceived in Coventry?
Part 1.
A Brough Superior machine of 1927, the first type of the Overhead 680. Note the Coventry "HP" index registration mark.
Now hol... |
| History articles: Proposal for St. Michael's Campanile c1890 |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=campanile |
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The first and last sketches on this page are two detailed drawings by Messrs. Paley & Austin, architects, which appeared in the national magazine, The Builder, on the 20th June 1891. It is app... |
| History articles: Coventry's Rich Heritage, by Pete Walters |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=coventry-heritage-p-walters |
| Author of best selling book, The Story Of Coventry
As the voices of the Binchois Consort lifted into the high beamed roof of St Mary's Hall, the centuries fell away and we were back in th... |
| History articles: Coventry, the Home of the Cycle Trade - 1886 magazine article |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=cycles1886 |
| From an 1886 issue of Leisure Hour magazine
OLD Conventre, or Convent Town - so named after the priory founded there just before the Battle of Hastings by Earl Leofric and his heroine wife, Lady ... |
| History articles: The Dragoon Cycle Company of Coventry, by Damien Kimberley |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=dragoon |
| Grounded in Watchmaking, built upon Bicycles
Benjamin Wilkins, (1850-1920) watchmaker of Harnall Lane in ceremonial garb. Brett Dudley.
From the late 1860s through to the 1960s, Coventry... |
| History articles: Edwin Brown, Victorian Animal Artist, by Stephen Catton |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=edwin-brown-artist |
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There are many Coventry people who have achieved great things but whose names are no longer known to the majority of people. One such example is Edwin Brown (born in 1814), who was a Victorian Anima... |
| History articles: Coventry Volunteer Fire Brigade - Illustrated London News, Jan 4th 1862 |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=fire-brigade1862 |
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A movement was set on foot a short time since at Coventry with a view to the establishment of a volunteer fire brigade in that city, the result being that some fifty or sixty gentlemen were quickl... |
| History articles: The Great Flood of December 1900, and the lost Bridges, by Damien Kimberley |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=flood-1900 |
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A view of Spon End Bridge from the messy bank of the Sherbourne facing Spon Street towards town. The bus, XVC 276 was registered in 1959 which helps date the image.
A very wet looking Spo... |
| History articles: Coventry's Great Flood - London Daily Graphic, 2nd January 1901 |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=floods1901 |
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We take our photographically illustrated newspapers and magazines for granted nowadays, but of course, at the beginning of the 20th century the media people of the day couldn't simply copy and paste... |
| History articles: New Drinking Fountain at Coventry - 17 Sep 1859 |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=fountain1859 |
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In 1859 a building magazine article proudly announced the completion of a new drinking fountain, which had been recently erected in Fleet Street, just outside St. John's church. Of course, nowadays ... |
| History articles: Henry Cave, and the 'Lady' Autocar of 1899, by Damien Kimberley |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=henry_cave |
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The famous Motor Mills of the Daimler Company of Coventry, England, where Henry Cave was known to have been employed as an experimental engineer in the late 1890s.
When I first began my res... |
| History articles: The Lion Bicycle Company of Coventry & Wolverhampton 1877-1882, by Damien Kimberley |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=lion-bikes |
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Historic research can often be quite dull and laborious when persevering with a particular mystery, but then when a discovery is eventually made it makes it all worthwhile. After researching the bic... |
| History articles: The Beech on Wheels, by Derek Robinson and forum member Foxcote |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=lrc-beech-tree |
| Why Coventry shouldn't cut down its history
NOVEL TRANSPLANTATION. - A singular scene was exhibited through a line of the principal streets in this city, on Tuesday afternoon last, in the remov... |
| History articles: Phil Silvers Archival Museum, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-bilko |
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Inside the Phil Silvers Archival Museum.
Who would believe that an American comedian would have a special museum and archive here in Coventry? Yes, Phil Silvers is remembered here in FarGo ... |
| History articles: Transport Museum pt.3 - Creating the Blitz Experience, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-blitz-exhibition |
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It's 2022, and the approaching 82nd anniversary of the Coventry Blitz got me thinking of when Coventry commemorated its 50th year in 1990. I was still working at the Transport Museum, which had ... |
| History articles: What links a Spitfire's landing gear to a baby buggy? by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-buggy |
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Owen Finley Maclaren.
I have had a good life, a blessed life you could say. I have met many interesting people and learnt many interesting things. One of the first people I met and got to k... |
| History articles: The sound that almost killed my Dad in the War!, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-minesweepers |
| The story of Paul's Dad who, like many, put their lives on the line in the war
Paul Maddocks' Dad, Stan.
My mum and dad were both 15 when the Second World War broke out. My mum lived in ... |
| History articles: D-Day and Monty's Staff Car, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-monty |
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D-Day, 6th of June 1944, was the beginning of the Allies' landing, and was the start of the largest invasion fleet which ever set sail in the English Channel. Many people, ships, landing crafts, pla... |
| History articles: Transport Museum pt.2 - New Hales Street Entrance in 1985, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-museum-entrance |
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St Agnes Lane and the theatre's stage door entrance.
Five years after the Museum of British Road Transport opened the attendance was still very low - partly due to the cost of admission... |
| History articles: Transport Museum pt.1 - How the Queen's 1977 visit sowed the seed, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-queens-visit |
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In 1977 it was the Queen's Silver Jubilee, and everyone was encouraged to join in the celebrations. Coventry Working Men's Club in Cox Street had just opened their rebuilt new club and asked if the ... |
| History articles: What links R2D2 to a Coventry Hydrogen/Electric cab company? by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-r2d2 |
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A good fiend of mine, John Jostins, went to the Coventry College of Art in the late 1960s, the same time as I also was studying there. However, I did not get the chance to know him very well as ... |
| History articles: Transport Museum pt.6 - The Royal Cars, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-royal-cars |
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Bartleet's book, and the man himself on a 53-inch Ordinary bicycle.
The Coventry Transport Museum has many vehicles, from the earliest cycles to the latest land speed record cars, and every... |
| History articles: Transport Museum pt.5 - The 1987 F.A. Cup Winners' Sky Blue Bus, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-sky-blue-bus |
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The Sky Blue Bus in the Coventry Transport Museum.
The Coventry Transport Museum had always had a close relationship with the city's bus service due to their engineering expertise, which of... |
| History articles: The Tapestry and its Hidden Secret, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-tapestry |
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The tapestry is from the bible which says; "In the centre is seated Christ. Round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the seco... |
| History articles: Transport Museum pt.4 - Coventry's Land Speed Record Cars, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-thrust-cars |
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The first attempt by Thrust did not end well.
Richard Noble was keen to break the world land speed record. His first car, called Thrust, crashed and overturned, but his next car, Thrust 2, ... |
| History articles: Whitefriars Gatehouse and Toy Museum, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-whitefriars |
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The Whitefriars Gatehouse, Much Park Street, most know it as the "Old Toy Museum". The building dates back to 1352 and was built as the main entrance to serve the huge Carmelite Whitefriars Monaster... |
| History articles: WW1 and Wyley of Charterhouse, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-wyley |
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Father and former Mayor, Colonel Sir William Fitzthomas Wyley.
The First World War, the 'War to end all Wars', is such a big subject, and unimaginable because of its sheer size and scale. G... |
| History articles: Miss Bashford, a Teacher's Tale, by Simon Shaw |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=miss-bashford |
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While perusing the wonderful memories on this page, you'll be pleased to know that you can listen to some enlightening interviews with Barbara Boyle to accompany the text. To play a clip simply pres... |
| History articles: Motor Panels (Coventry) Ltd, by Damien Kimberley |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=motor-panels |
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I've always enjoyed tracing the founders of Coventry firms, and in many cases, the more difficult the people are to find then the more satisfying it becomes when you eventually get them. On this occ... |
| History articles: Not Forgotten, the 1939 IRA bomb attack, by Simon Shaw |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=not-forgotten |
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John Corbett Arnott aged 15.
Elsie Ansell aged 21.
Rex Gentle aged 30.
Gwilym Rowlands aged 50.
James Clay aged 82.
On 12th January 1939 the Irish Republican Army, claiming to be the "Gover... |
| History articles: Let's talk about Rex, by Damien Kimberley |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=rex |
| The Story of Rex and Rex-Acme.
Frederick William Allard (1863-1843), former cycle world champion and founder of Allard cycle manufacturing business at Earlsdon.
The "Rex" story is a real... |
| History articles: Coventry, the Silk Trade and the Horsfall family, by Ian West |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=silk-trade |
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Lunt Fort, Baginton, as it looked in the 1970s.
The first known settlement in the Coventry area was the Roman Fort Lunt at Baginton, although there was at the time a prior settlement at Cor... |
| History articles: The Saint Joseph the Worker parish in Coventry, by Terence Richards - Part 1 |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=st-joseph-parish1 |
| The earlier years - In the beginning.
Saint Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic church, De Montfort Way, Cannon Park, Coventry, is in the deanery of Coventry and the archdiocese of Birmingham.
... |
| History articles: The Saint Joseph the Worker parish in Coventry, by Terence Richards - Part 2 |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=st-joseph-parish2 |
| The earlier years - The first church for the parish - then a new priest.
The origin/s of the temporary building that became the first church for the Saint Joseph the Worker parish in 1966 is/ar... |
| History articles: The Saint Joseph the Worker parish in Coventry, by Terence Richards - Part 3 |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=st-joseph-parish3 |
| The earlier years - On to the end of the 1970s - Halcyon days.
At this point in the writing of the Saint Joseph the Worker parish history, it is distinctly relevant to cite, and emphasize, the ... |
| History articles: A brief history of Saint Osburg's, in pictures, by Damien Kimberley |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=st-osburgs |
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Drawing of the church in 1847, before the spire was later added to the tower.
This old oil painting of about 1850 shows the church and Priory/Presbytery on the right hand side from Abbo... |
| History articles: The First Tudor Feast, by Richard Ball |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/content.php?pg=tudor-history-r-ball |
| Coventry, August 24th, 1485
Summary
Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch (1485-1509), was crowned at the end of the battle at Bosworth Field on the morning of Monday the 22nd August in 1485.
... |
| History pages: Coventry's Bishops |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/history/bishops.php |
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A full list of Coventry's Bishops, from a list displayed in the New Cathedral. It begins with the Bishops of Mercia way back in Saxon times, and takes us through the various reorganisations when Cov... |
| Coventry's Blitz: Coventry's Blitz - Moonlight Sonata |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=blitz |
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Coventry's long history has been shaped by many events, some bringing prosperity; others misfortune. Two particular events have, however, had the most dire consequences; the first being the dissolut... |
| Coventry's Blitz: Why Coventry? |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=why-cov |
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Despite the government's reluctance to publicly declare that another war was likely, as early as 1934 preparations were being quietly made in case the unthinkable happened. In the Air Defence ex... |
| Coventry's Blitz: Preparation for war |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=preparation |
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As previously stated, it was already acknowledged by 1934 that war was a possibility, and that in the event of such, Coventry would be a probable target.
This carefree scene of 1939, show... |
| Coventry's Blitz: Defending Coventry |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=defend-cov |
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In 1940 the principal form of defence against night attacks comprised anti-aircraft guns and barrage balloons. By the 14th of November Coventry had 56 barrage balloons, which were typically deployed... |
| Coventry's Blitz: The raid begins |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=the-raid |
| If the precise details of the forthcoming raid eluded the authorities, the people of Coventry knew even less, and were blissfully ignorant of what was about to be unleashed upon them. According to vir... |
| Coventry's Blitz: The raid continues |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=the-raid2 |
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As the raid progressed, mixtures of high explosives, incendiaries, oil bombs and land-mines came down, and gradually our ancient city centre, the street plan of which had not significantly altered s... |
| Coventry's Blitz: The next day - Friday 15th |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=next-day |
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At 6:16 am Coventry was sent the 'Raiders Passed' signal. However, due to the damaged electricity supply, the most of the 'All Clear' sirens did not sound, and many people had to be told by pass... |
| Coventry's Blitz: The King's visit - Saturday 16th |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=the-king |
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The afternoon after the raid, King George VI was informed of Coventry's incredible ordeal, and decided there and then that he should visit the next day - Saturday. The visit was not publicly announc... |
| Coventry's Blitz: The aftermath |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=aftermath |
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The first mass funeral at the London Road Cemetery, Wednesday 20th Nov.
After all the dramatic events, from which the citizens of Coventry were still reeling, the future rebuilding of the t... |
| Coventry's Blitz: Recovery |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=recovery |
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One small mercy that people were extremely grateful for at that time, was the official suspending of rationing in Coventry for 17 days. It was the only sensible option at the time because many ratio... |
| Coventry's Blitz: What did Coventry lose? |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=damage |
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All that remained of Christ Church after a 1941 raid.
Although many of our city's buildings could be rebuilt, Coventry is a place with a very full history, and many of the buildings lost to... |
| Coventry's Blitz: Some blitz statistics |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=stats |
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Lists of cold, hard statistics can never be the best way to portray such an horrific event as the blitz on Coventry. However, it can sometimes be convenient to see the facts and figures laid out, so... |
| Coventry's Blitz: Conspiracies and myths |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=myths |
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On this page.... Royal visitor | Buried and forgotten | Gone with the Wind | Not a serenade | Coventrated | The Churchill Conspiracy
All tragic events are surrounded by mythical tales (or "st... |
| Coventry's Blitz: Other raids |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=other-raids |
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While the November raid was obviously the single most shocking and devastating event in Coventry's war, it was by no means the only air-raid, and much destruction was caused by other attacks - parti... |
| Coventry's Blitz: The Mayor's family tale |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=mayor-with-king |
| By Andrew Ross, great nephew of Mayor John Moseley
At the time of the Coventry Blitz on 14th November 1940, almost two years before I was born, my Great Uncle, Alderman John Moseley, was Mayor of... |
| Coventry's Blitz: P. C. Rollins |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=pc-rollins |
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Ian Tew has kindly allowed me to publish pictures and details about P.C. 25 Kenneth Rollins, Ian's wife's grandfather.
P. C. Rollins was killed while on duty on the night of the Blitz and, like... |
| Coventry's Blitz: Victims of Coventry's air-raids |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/victims.php |
| A list of those who fell victim to the bombing raids or World War Two in Coventry. My sincere thanks to Peter Garbett for compiling this information using records available at Coventry's Archives at T... |
| Coventry's Blitz: 'The Coventry I Remember', by Miss Miriam S. Garratt |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=coventry-i-remember |
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I shall remember the city I love
Her tall spires gleaming, gold tipped above.
Godiva processions, the ancient fair,
And where the centuries met in Broadgate square.
With glittering windows of ... |
| Broadgate: Broadgate in our Memories |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/broadgate/broadgate.php?pg=broadgate1 |
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For centuries, Broadgate has been at the very heart of Coventry - and at times, in the hearts of Coventrians, too! Whatever your age, everyone here has a memory of Broadgate.
Many peopl... |
| Broadgate: Earliest photographs of Broadgate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/broadgate/broadgate.php?pg=broadgate2 |
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This must be amongst the earliest photographs showing Broadgate, if not Coventry itself.
It was taken around 1860 by Joseph Wingrave (right) - only around a decade or two after the invention ... |
| Broadgate: The Ever Changing Face of Broadgate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/broadgate/broadgate.php?pg=broadgate3 |
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Whatever the era, Broadgate has never remained static, - major changes were happening long before the 20th century turmoil. In the 1820s, old houses and shops on the west side of what was then a nar... |
| Broadgate: Pre-War Plans for Broadgate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/broadgate/broadgate.php?pg=broadgate4 |
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Amazingly, a scene depicting the garden was envisaged even before the Second World War and all its associated destruction had begun. This artists impression was made in 1939, and shows that the plan... |
| Broadgate: More Views of Broadgate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/broadgate/broadgate.php?pg=broadgate5 |
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Walking to the other side of Broadgate and looking back towards the famous pillared bank shows a less desirable modern day view. The view of the once proud bank - the only WW2 survivor from ... |
| Broadgate: The National Provincial Bank |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/broadgate/broadgate.php?pg=broadgate6 |
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Walking forward towards that bank now, we can see that something is missing.... Indeed, we're back in 1928, the year before construction of the National Provincial took place. The Coventry A... |
| Broadgate: The Way We Were |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/broadgate/broadgate.php?pg=broadgate7 |
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If you need to be cheered up after that, here's a beautiful photo kindly sent to me by Colin Barnes. It's a view taken from St. Michael's spire around 1982 and allows us to remember how lovely a... |
| Coventry's Three Cathedrals: Coventry's Three Cathedrals |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/cathedrals.php |
| Not many cities can boast more than one cathedral.... fewer still can claim to have had three!
Most people are of the opinion that this is something to be proud of - others might say we were severe... |
| Contact me: Contact me about Historic Coventry |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/main/contact.php |
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Before contacting me, please bear in mind that Historic Coventry is only my personal hobby, and I am not part of any official organisation with archives, records or family information. For this ... |
| Engraved Coventry: Ford's Hospital Courtyard |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/engravings/content.php?pg=fords-courtyard |
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In this ever changing city, a little piece of continuity can make a rather pleasant change. Although by 1896 photography was already well established, it's reassuring that we still had many artists ... |
| Engraved Coventry: Guildhall Entrance Gateway |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/engravings/content.php?pg=guildhall-entrance |
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The building of St. Mary's Guildhall was begun in 1342, and the entrance through which we all still pass was among the first parts of the Guildhall to be built. The 1829 engraving below shows admira... |
| Engraved Coventry: Priory Mill Dam |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/engravings/content.php?pg=mill-dam |
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To say that this rural scene has altered out of all recognition would be the understatement of the century! Clicking on the image will reveal a scene more familiar to most visitors to Coventry, look... |
| Engraved Coventry: Old Grammar School - east side |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/engravings/content.php?pg=old-grmr-schl-east |
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The difference between the old and new is even more startling with this pair of images. Published in 1824, this beautiful engraving of the "Free School" depicts a scene before Hales Street was built... |
| Engraved Coventry: Old Grammar School - west side |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/engravings/content.php?pg=old-grmr-schl-west |
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In isolation, I'm certain that a look at this 19th century drawing would not quickly reveal its identity. It's only when we compare it with a modern day photograph from a similar viewpoint, that it ... |
| Engraved Coventry: Pool Meadow |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/engravings/content.php?pg=pool-meadow |
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Bearing in mind Coventry's current city centre, full of tarmac, conctrete, buses, the hustle-bustle of modern life.... who would've predicted this picture of serenity in the centre of one of Britain... |
| Engraved Coventry: Sherbourne Viaduct near Charterhouse |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/engravings/content.php?pg=sherbourne-viaduct |
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Another beautiful rural scene, this time of the Sherbourne Viaduct. Engraved from a picture by Daniel Wilson in 1839, we can see the River Sherbourne meandering its way beneath the railway bridge. S... |
| Engraved Coventry: St. Michael's Tower and Spire |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/engravings/content.php?pg=st-michaels-spire-1861 |
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An edition of the Illustrated London News of 1861 made use of this fine engraving of St. Michael's tower and spire to illustrate its article, principally about the church, but also tak... |
| History pages: Coventry - Some History |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/history/history.php |
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Quick Links to places on this page....
Coventry's Beginnings |
Origin of the Coventry Name |
Coat of Arms and Motto |
Leofric and Godiva |
The Seat of the Bishop |
Coventry Castle |
A T... |
| Coventry maps: Mapping the evolution of Coventry's streets |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/covmaps/allmaps.php |
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All the maps on these pages were "hand drawn" on the computer (!) with the Paint Shop Pro image editing programme. I've chosen certain years which best demonstrate Coventry's development.... the rea... |
| History pages: Coventry's Mayors & Lord Mayors |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/history/mayors.php |
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Here's a complete list of Coventry's Mayors, from the first one after the Charter of Incorporation in 1345 until the present day. In most cases after the late 15th century, the Mayor's occupation is... |
| About me: A quick word from the author |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/main/me.php |
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Hello... and welcome to my personal history of Coventry. I'm Rob Orland, and my interest in this city is simply that in 1965 I was born about a mile from the centre of Coventry in Kingston Road,... |
| Your memories: The Art School, Ford Street, remembered by Liz Bayly |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=bayly-l |
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Liz Bayly was thrilled to find a photo of the Art School in Ford Street in my "now and then" section. She attended this Art School around 1956-57 and takes up the story from there....
At ... |
| Your memories: Schoolday memories of Pauline Bearcock |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=bearcock-p |
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I think I was fortunate to have such a lovely, partly rural, twenty minute walk to school along Coat of Arms Bridge road to Stivichall Primary School. I wonder how many youngsters walk that fa... |
| Your memories: Little Park Street & Spon Street, by Mick Billings |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=billings-m |
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Mick Billings with his dad.
Early days... Little Park Street
I was born in Little Park Street on 30th October 1943 to Elsie Rose Billings and George Billings at Court 16, House 4, which ... |
| Your memories: Memoirs of Stoneleigh Abbey, by Catherine Binns |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=binns-c |
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I am grateful to Kathy Hahn, who discovered Mrs. Binns through the St. Joseph's Convent 'Mystery' page on this website, for which Catherine had kindly written offering to help if she could. Kathy ... |
| Your memories: Birch family war-time memories and the next generation, by Wendy Lloyd |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=birch-family |
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Mum Lilian (nee Ellis) and Dad William (Bill) Birch were married on 5th August 1939 in Liverpool where my Mum lived with her family. They had met when my Dad's friend Eddie Smith had taken my Dad to... |
| Your memories: Hillfields memories from the 1930s & 40s, by Jerry Bird |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=bird-j |
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Born at 13 Canterbury Street in 1932 was the start of my sixteen year life in the UK prior to emigration in 1948, and so I only remember Coventry as it was in my minds eye pre, during and after the ... |
| Your memories: Bombers over our Radford Streets, by Jerry Bird |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=bird-j-radford |
| The Radford Road Machine Gunning, 1940
On a Sunday morning at about 9:30 a.m., dressed in our Sunday best, my Dad, Brother and I were on our way to the bus stop to go to town to see our Gran at B... |
| Your memories: Voyage on the Queen Mary with Cecilia Cargill |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=cargill-c |
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Kristen Howard has forwarded to me a collection of wonderful photographs, which form the memories of her mother-in-law, Cecilia Cargill. Kristen writes....
Cecilia Cargill & W... |
| Your memories: Schoolboy fun around town with Patrick Casey |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=casey-p |
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Patrick Casey and his friends enjoyed seeking out the lighter side of life, and in the 1960s there were plenty of things going on around Coventry's new city centre to keep them amused....
... |
| Your memories: Dunlop Rugby Union Club, by Lorraine Clarke |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=clarke-l |
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Lorraine Clark (nee Bentham) has kindly supplied two super photos here, and has added few words to explain how her family have had a very proud and important part to play in the history of the Dun... |
| Your memories: Pre-war memories of Norman Cohen |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=cohen-n |
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Norman Cohen was born in 1923 in the family home, above his father's carpet and linoleum shop at 51 Bishop Street. Apart from a brief spell from 1926 to 1929, when the family moved with the busine... |
| Your memories: Remembering Courthouse Green School, by Robert Coles |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=coles-r |
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Robert Anthony Coles was born at Ryton on Dunsmore in the years following the Second World War, and from the age of three moved to Miles Meadow, Bell Green. A recent illness prompted Robert into t... |
| Your memories: The Life of Riley, by Ron Critchlow |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=critchlow-r |
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My grandfather came from Huncote in Leicestershire, a quarryman, a strong Baptist and a founder of the quarrymans' trade union. He moved into Nuneaton at an early age, continued in quarrying and bec... |
| Your memories: Wartime memories of Wyken, by Alan Edgson |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=edgson-a |
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As an absentee "Coventry Kid", (I moved to South Devon in 1970) Coventry still holds most of my memories. I was born at 24 Heath Crescent, Stoke Heath in January 1934, and after a few temporary home... |
| Your memories: Boyhood Memories of Peter Ellis |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=ellis-p |
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Way back in those far off days of the forties and fifties, summers were always like the one we have just had (2018) and winters were always very cold. At least, that is how people of my advanced yea... |
| Your memories: From boyhood to young adult, by Peter Ellis |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=ellis-p2 |
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Peter outside his house in Station Street West in his first year of working life.
Having passed my eleven-plus, I went to John Gulson School in Leicester Causeway and walked past the Roxy c... |
| Your memories: War and Workplace memories of Mike Fitzpatrick |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=fitzpatrick-m |
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My earliest memory was in Sept '39, when sitting on our front step with my dad, and him telling me that mum was coming home with a baby sister 19th September. However, we were now at war with German... |
| Your memories: 1940s & 50s remembered, by Ken Giles |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=giles-k |
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After reading Derick Parson's memories of his band life Ken Giles was motivated to write to me to say that he was also a member of the Corps of Drums, playing a cavalry trumpet with them around 19... |
| Your memories: World War Two memories of James Hill |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=hill-j |
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I was born in a small terrace house at 273 Alderman's Green Rd, Coventry at about 12 noon on a very hot day on the 22nd June 1932. My Father was William James Hill Born 17th Dec 1907.
Dad was emplo... |
| Your memories: A selection of 1940s and 50s memories, by Rod Joyce |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=joyce-r |
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Rod has many and varied memories of Coventry as a youngster, a particularly vivid one being up the Old Cathedral tower to watch the planting of the Flying Angel onto the New Cathedral fleche by an... |
| Your memories: Pictures of a Coventry ancestry, by Lesleigh Kardolus |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=kardolus-l |
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Lesleigh Kardolus wishes to share with us a beautiful set of photos depicting her Coventry ancestry, who all contributed proudly towards Britain's effort in the First World War....
My... |
| Your memories: Innocence, by John Lane |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=lane-j |
| Foleshill, Coventry, 1952
One warm summer day in 1952, the children running, chattering or just mooching around in the walled playground of Edgewick primary school in Coventry were suddenly confr... |
| Your memories: A plane crash over Exhall, by John Lane |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=lane-j2 |
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Old memories - really old ones - are sometimes unreliable. We often discover that what we remember as a huge building which we often walked past as a child turns out, when we revisit it as an adult,... |
| Your memories: Post-War memories of Keith Longmore |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=longmore-k |
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Keith Longmore's fascination by the photographs in this memories section prompted his own vivid memories of Coventry in the late 1940s, when he was about four or five years old. In particular, Kei... |
| Your memories: Growing up in Willenhall, by Josie Lisowski-Love |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=love-j |
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I went to St. Thomas Moore then Corpus Christi then Bishop Ullathorne Girls. We lived in Eskdale Walk in Willenhall then on Tintagel Close, Willenhall Woods. I was born in Kersley hospital and we ... |
| Your memories: Coventry Zoo and the Hippo attack, by Paul Maddocks |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=maddocks-p-zoo |
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In 1966 I was living in Willenhall, and my first full time job was at the Coventry Zoo at Whitley. I was 16, just leaving Whitley Abbey school. I already had a place at the Coventry College of A... |
| Your memories: The thoughts of a younger Coventrian, by Paul Martin |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=martin-p |
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Born in the twilight of the 1980s, Paul Martin is a relatively young person who takes a genuine interest in the wonderful heritage of our City of Coventry. Paul laments the fact that, generally, o... |
| Your memories: Growing up in Hillfields, by Jan Mayo |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=mayo-j |
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I grew up in Coronation Road, Hillfields, one of five children I was the second from eldest. My earliest memory is of being taken into the air raid shelter in Primrose Hill park, by my Mum, I recall... |
| Your memories: Winter before central-heating in Hillfields, by Jan Mayo |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=mayo-j2 |
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Keeping warm in the 40s and 50s when I was growing up was a very different story to the way we take central heating for granted today. We only had a coal fire in the living room of our 3 up 3 down m... |
| Your memories: Viewing the Blitz from Birmingham, by Mavis Monk |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=monk-m |
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At the time of Coventry's Blitz, Mavis Monk (nee Onley) lived in Sheldon - just on the Birmingham side of what is now the International Airport. Although some miles away from our city, Mavis lived... |
| Your memories: Family memories of Eric Over |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=over-e |
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Eric Over was a Coventry kid who moved to Canada in 1963. He was brought up at Rowleys Green Lane where his gran had a small shop and he remembers sitting on the barrel on his granddad's cart wh... |
| Your memories: Early working days of Barry Page |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=page-b |
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Entrance to the New St. Michael's Coventry Cathedral, June 1965.
Although I wasn't born and bred in Coventry, I lived in the city for six years (1967 to 1973) where I first started working ... |
| Your memories: Band life with Derick Parsons |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=parsons-d |
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Here is a super photo of a band rehearsal for a concert, taken around 1941/42 at what was then the 'New' Hippodrome, which had only been built about four years earlier. The people on stage comprise ... |
| Your memories: Brian Porter, A Coventry Kid |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=porter-b |
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Born to Gerald John and Lilian Elsa Anne Porter (who was one of twins with Aunty Ivy), Brian was the youngest of five children. He was born in Carlton Road, Foleshill Coventry, on 21st March 1938. T... |
| Your memories: Experiences of the Coventry Blitz, by Joan Powell |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=powell-j |
| Looking back on the night of November 14th 1940, the bombing raid on Coventry, I'm thinking how lucky Ron and myself are to be here today. The sirens went before 7pm that evening, Ron was making his w... |
| Your memories: War-time memories of Brian Richards |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=richards-b |
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Many thanks to Cathy Clapinson for sending in the memories of her parents, Brian and Jean....
Born in 1932, Brian moved to Coventry at the age of five years. Here are are some of his memori... |
| Your memories: War-time memories of Jeanne Richards |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=richards-j |
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Many thanks to Cathy Clapinson for sending in the memories of her parents, Brian and Jean....
On the 17th July 1954, Jeanne Hyde married Brian Richards. Jeanne was born at Lammas Road, ... |
| Your memories: Coventry Remembered, by Andrew Ross |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=ross-a |
|
I stood awhile in Broadgate today and reflected on the changes that the years have wrought. The post-war redevelopment made Broadgate an island. There were cobble-stoned 'bus stops on the west, nort... |
| Your memories: The Coventry outings of Brian Rowstron & family |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=rowstron-b |
|
Our next instalment comes from Brian Rowstron who has lived in Australia since 1971. A big music fan, he was the founder and President of the 'Official Mike Batt Appreciation Society' (Australia... |
| Your memories: Time Gentlemen Please! - Jo Shepherd's Family |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=shepherd-j |
|
My parents, Bill and May Toseland, were married in 1936, and I am sure they had certain plans for their future because my grandparents, on my father's side, were at that time running the Binley Work... |
| Your memories: The life experiences of Mike Spellacy |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=spellacy-m |
|
For many years Mike Spellacy has wanted to write a biography or diary of his life's memories, and now he has. He's put together a comprehensive chronicle of his lifetime's major happenings - obser... |
| Your memories: Humber Works photographs of Peter Thacker |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=thacker-p |
|
Maurice Freel has kindly sent me a wonderful collection of photographs and plans, which depict the Humber works, one of Coventry's largest car manufacturing companies, within a few years of the cl... |
| Your memories: Early Coventry memories of Lizzie Tomlinson |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=tomlinson-l |
|
Elizabeth Tomlinson's father worked for MacAlpine's construction company, and it was through MacAlpine's that the family moved to Coventry, and later on to Derby. One of fourteen children, Lizzie an... |
| Your memories: Post-war decades remembered, by Mike Tyzack |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=tyzack-m |
|
I moved to Coventry with my parents and sister in 1946 at the age of 3. We lived in Arnold Avenue near the corner of Woodcock Avenue in Styvechale. Half way down Woodcock Avenue was a bomb crater. T... |
| Your memories: Mike Tyzack's photo mysteries.... Answers |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=tyzack-m-answers |
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7th July 1962. Mike is standing on the west side of Priory Street looking east towards Cox Street. What we are witnessing here is the beginning of the construction of Coventry Swimming Baths. The ... |
| Your memories: Fireman Frank Walduck, remembered by Peter Walduck |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=walduck-p |
|
Peter Walduck lived in Perkins Street, Coventry, in the late 1940s and 50s with his mother and father, Vera and Frank Walduck. His mother used to sing on the stage of many clubs in and around Cove... |
| Your memories: Early memories of Coventry, by Muriel Wells |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=wells-m |
|
In the two years that I attended Wheatley Street School (1942-44), I disembarked from the number 3 'bus in Cox Street. However, I never bothered to find out what the great dark buildings nearby hous... |
| Your memories: Family memories of Burt West |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=west-b |
|
At the end of Mill Street, where Burt's mum was born, was Naul's Mill Park, pictured here in its prime before the First World War.
Born in 1940; the year Coventry changed forever, Burt West... |
| Your memories: A Childhood in Stoke, by Graham Whitehead |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/memories/content.php?pg=whitehead-g |
|
I was born in 1938 and grew up in my parents' third home newly built on the former Triumph sports ground, in Wyver Crescent, just where the Crescent bends towards Bromleigh Drive. At the rear the en... |
| Doctor Who: The Doctor comes to Coventry! |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/dr-who.php |
|
On Monday 28th August 2006 The Doctor (David Tennant) and his new assistant (Freema Agyeman) materialised at Ford's Hospital, Greyfriars' Lane in Coventry, to do some filming.
(Movi... |
| Photographic mysteries: 1918 Team photo - but which team? |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=a-bolton-team-photo |
|
Angela Bolton is trying to find out which club is in this photograph, which her husband's ancestor played in. On the back of the photo it says "May 1918" and they are all wearing some kind of un... |
| Photographic mysteries: Albert Edward Wright, police and military man |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=albert-wright |
|
Cricket team |
Football team |
Military career |
Police career |
Albert Edward Wright, the late grandfather of Ian Wright, was born in Countesthorpe and served in the Coventry Police Force... |
| Photographic mysteries: Bus Driver, Alfred Heath (Solved) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=alfred-heath |
| |solved|
This particular mystery photograph is a more personal one. Michael Heath was born on the Foleshill Road in 1958, and although he now resides in Chippenham, he can trace his Coventry root... |
| Photographic mysteries: The Linnett family at work, church and play |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=arthur-linnett |
|
Gail Linnett has sent me some fantastic old photos based around her fathers's and grandfather's life and times. Gail, who has lived all her life in Edinburgh, never met her Grandfather, who died... |
| Photographic mysteries: Local BBC Radio photo mystery - Find Cheeky! |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=bbc-find-cheeky |
| |solved|
Something a little different this time. This wonderful old picture has come from BBC Coventry & Warwickshire presenter Marian McNamee, and has been titled "Find Cheeky"!
Marian found ... |
| Photographic mysteries: Car Factories (Solved) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=car-factories |
| |solved|
In the "Your memories" section Maurice Freel sent me a wonderful collection of Humber Works photographs, mostly taken by his brother-in-law, Peter Thacker. Not all the images could be id... |
| Photographic mysteries: Church Lads' Brigade |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=church-lads-brigade |
|
Having given some stirling help with some of the other mysteries, Vic Terry now offers a 'mystery' of his own. Vic has a feeling that the Church Lads' Brigade had allegiance to St. Marks, Stoney... |
| Photographic mysteries: Courthouse Green School 1952-53 (Progressing) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=courthouse-green-1952-53 |
|
This Courthouse Green School class photo was sent to me by Cathy Bennett, and it presents us with two fundamental questions: "Are you in this picture?" and "When was it taken?". Although Cathy a... |
| Photographic mysteries: Dorothy Hancock at the G.E.C. and at a street party |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=dorothy-hancock |
|
By an extremely good stroke of fortune, Barbara Hancock was browsing this site and noticed the mystery portrait of a mother with her child on Julie Stevenson's collection of unknown portraits. I... |
| Photographic mysteries: Family Studio Portraits |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=family-studio-portraits |
|
David Barron has sent in these classic studio portraits, in the hope that someone can provide some information that might lead to identification of exactly who the subjects are, and when they we... |
| Photographic mysteries: Football Team Photo (Solved) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=footy-team |
|
Here's another lovely old photo from June Gibson, who has kindly allowed this super football team photo to be displayed. It originally belonged to her grandfather, William Kent, who worked f... |
| Photographic mysteries: Where are the Godiva Harriers? (Solved) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=godiva-harriers |
| |solved|
Colin Kirkham has let me use this lovely group photo of the Godiva Harriers for this particular "mystery". And the puzzle we'd like to solve is - where was it taken?
Colin informs me... |
| Photographic mysteries: Herbert Chapman's Football & Rugby Teams (Solved) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=h-chapmans-footy-teams |
| |solved|
Andy Bates has sent to me a super collection of mostly football related photographs from around the early 1900s. It's not a random collection, however, they all have a connection with on... |
| Photographic mysteries: Hare & Hounds, Keresley (Progressing) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=hare-and-hounds |
|
We have here an absolutely stunning quality photograph taken at the Hare and Hounds in Keresley around 1910. It has been provided by Paul Buttle, who can identify four persons in it, including h... |
| Photographic mysteries: Highbury Ladies Physical Culture Club, 1920 |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=highbury-ladies |
|
Bill Dunn is hoping that someone can give some feedback on the two photos below. All he is able to tell us at the moment is that they came with other photos definitely related to Earlsdon, and t... |
| Photographic mysteries: Holbrooks/Keresley group photos - recognise anyone? |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=holbrooks-keresley-groups |
|
Archery club |
ARP Wardens |
Commonwealth party |
Civil Defence group |
Post-war children in Webster Street |
First Aid Post group |
Home Guard, group 1 |
Home Guard, group 2 |
Large... |
| Photographic mysteries: Horse-drawn Outing (Solved) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=horse-drawn-outing |
| |solved|
We begin this section with an outing - in a slightly more relaxed manner than we're used to today! This wonderful photograph was sent to me by Simon Shaw, and belongs to June Gibson ... |
| Photographic mysteries: Keresley VE Day street parties - recognise people & places? |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=keresley-ve-day-parties |
|
Conrad Road, photo A |
Conrad Road, photo B |
Conrad Road, photo C |
Children's gathering, Hardy Road |
Frazer Road, photo A |
Frazer Road, photo B |
Baby parade, Frazer Road |
Beresfo... |
| Photographic mysteries: Leamington Ales (Solved) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=leamington-ales |
| |solved|
Here's another picture from June's photo collection. A large group posing outside a pub, whose landlord is Frederick J. Gibbs. All we can deduce is that the place sold Leamington Ales an... |
| Photographic mysteries: Lena Conway and friends (Solved) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=lena-conway |
| |solved|
Lesley Conway has sent me two lovely photos, both of which depict her mother on her honeymoon, apparently here in Coventry in 1949. Lesley's mum, Lena Conway, is the dark haired lady... |
| Photographic mysteries: Lester and Harris factory Netball Team |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=lester-harris-netball-team |
|
Mike Burdett has sent me this photo of his mother in a photo of the Lester and Harris factory Netball Team from 60 plus years ago, and it will be great to hear from anyone who can provide an... |
| Photographic mysteries: Motorcycling trophies? |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=motorcycle-trophy |
|
Anne Williscroft has sent in some smashing photos of her Step-Granddad - and motorcycle enthusiast - Eric Wilson. In the first photograph below Eric is the one with a moustache holding one of ... |
| Photographic mysteries: Who are all these children outside the Munition Cottages? |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=munitions-cottages |
|
The Munitions Cottages have been discussed on this site in the past (on this postcard page). However, this time we'd like to know if anyone recognises any of the children pictured in this beauti... |
| Photographic mysteries: Recognise any people or places in these photos? |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=nancy-queally |
|
Nancy Queally found a lot of old photos inside a book she bought at a rummage sale at St. Barnabus' Church Hall, Cromwell Street, back in the 1980s. She thinks that the photos could date back ... |
| Photographic mysteries: Ladies from the G.E.C. in the Precinct |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=pat-pollock-gec-workers |
|
Pat Pollock hopes that some of our regular visitors will be able to work out the year of this next photo. From the state of the Precinct, the fashions and her grandmother's apparent age, Pat est... |
| Photographic mysteries: Percy Lewis' Pub (Solved) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=percys-pub |
| |solved|
Mary Cheadle has been trying to find information about her great uncle, Percy Lewis, born in 1884. She believes that he was a licensee in Coventry during the ... |
| Photographic mysteries: Are these the Rover factory steps? |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=rover-works-steps |
|
Elaine Evans believes that her grandma, Emma Lena Rose, once worked in the canteen at the Rover factory in Coventry, and the overalls worn by these ladies certainly suggest their job. Emma L... |
| Photographic mysteries: Did you shop here? (Solved?) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=shop-signs |
|
Steve Archer has kindly given me a 'photo-mystery' with a difference here. Rather than having some photographs to identify - we have what appear to be the glass signs from a shop. Steve recently... |
| Photographic mysteries: Small Workforce Photo |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=small-workforce |
|
Once again, June Gibson has supplied a great photo - this time of a group of factory workers. June's grandfather, William Kent, onced owned this photograph too, so could it have a connection... |
| Photographic mysteries: St. Joseph's Convent (Progressing) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=st-josephs |
|
We have a wonderful selection of photographs here from Maureen Donald, whose mother-in-law, Emily Taylor, attended a convent in Coventry as a day student. The connection between them is St. Jose... |
| Photographic mysteries: St. Michael's choir c1906 |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=st-michaels-choir |
|
This little piece of Coventry history has been sent in by Elaine Tomlins, whose Dad can be seen in the back row of this choir, third from the right. His name was Lewis Barker and he died in 1972... |
| Photographic mysteries: Do you recognise anyone in this photo? |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=stansfield-family-friends |
|
Brian Stansfield has sent in this super portrait showing a group of rather happy looking friends in Spencer Park, some of whom he would like to be able to identify. The photo was taken around 19... |
| Photographic mysteries: Julie Stevenson's collection of unknown portraits |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=unknown-portraits |
|
Julie Stevenson is in possesion of some very old photographic portraits - a varied and wonderful collection of people. There is little information for most of them, so Julie would appreciate any... |
| Photographic mysteries: Where were these wartime photos taken? (Partially solved) |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/photo-mysteries/content.php?pg=wartime-photos |
|
Members of Graham Bridgeman's family have appeared in two wonderful wartime photos, and he would like some help to find out exactly when and where they were taken.
This first photo ... |
| The New Cathedral of St. Michael's: St. Michael's - Coventry's New Cathedral: Introduction |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/newcathedral.php?pg=newcathedral |
|
Seemingly with a defiance that summed up the resolute character of English citizens during the darkest days of World War Two, the decision to build the New Cathedral was made only the day af... |
| The New Cathedral of St. Michael's: Sir Basil Spence & Building Milestones |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/newcathedral.php?pg=spence |
|
Sir Basil Spence (left) was the clear winner of that 1950 competition, and his design has been the subject of much controversy over the years due to its unorthodox style. His cathedral was a rad... |
| The New Cathedral of St. Michael's: St. Michael and the Devil & the West Window |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/newcathedral.php?pg=st-michael-devil |
|
As you approach Coventry Cathedral, you are overlooked by the rather imposing bronze statues of St. Michael and the Devil on the southern end of the east wall. (Ecclesiastically speaking, the we... |
| The New Cathedral of St. Michael's: The Nave & the Baptistery Window |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/newcathedral.php?pg=baptistery |
|
The most striking feature on entering the new cathedral is the 72 feet high Tapestry designed by Graham Sutherland. Wherever you stand in the building, the eyes of Christ appear to be lo... |
| The New Cathedral of St. Michael's: Chapel of Christ in Gethsemane & the Tapestry |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/newcathedral.php?pg=tapestry |
|
Another of many highlights is the Chapel of Christ in Gethsemane. This is approached by following the aisle from the Baptistery window towards the altar which is at the north end. (Another break... |
| The New Cathedral of St. Michael's: Chapel of Industry & Stained Glass Side Windows |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/newcathedral.php?pg=chapel-industry |
|
From the Chapel of Gethsemane a short passageway takes you through to the Chapel of Christ the Servant, - also known as the Chapel of Industry due to the view of Coventry workplaces from its narrow ... |
| The New Cathedral of St. Michael's: Chapel of Unity & Pennies in the Floor |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/newcathedral.php?pg=chapel-unity |
|
As you return toward the Great West Screen, you will pass on the way many extraordinary features - too numerous to give proper credit to in this brief resume. As well as a place of worship, this... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Arts School, Ford Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=artschool-fordst |
|
Many will be familiar with this view across the back of Pool Meadow, with Swanswell gate in the background. But as time rolls on, fewer people will remember that Ford Street once continued on from i... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Bishop Street, looking north |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=bishop-st |
|
Clicking on the classic postcard view of Bishop Street of 1905 will bring to you an up-to-date scene from 2021. Like 'em or loathe 'em, the student accommodation blocks adorning the end of the stree... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Bishop Street Post Office |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=bishop-st-po |
|
Looking back down Bishop Street in 1957 (below), it's just possible to imagine how the pre-war, undamaged view down a narrow curvy street, drawing your attention toward the two largest spires, p... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Bishop Street, looking south |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=bishop-st-south |
|
How about this then.... a beautiful view of Bishop Street looking southwards towards our two largest spires some time around the 1930s. Without the modern day clutter, even the clerestory windows ab... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Blue Coat School & ruins |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=bluecoat-ruins |
|
Taken from close to the same location as the photos of Priory Row, this view will greet you if you turn to your right. Blue Coat School was enlarged and rebuilt in 1856-57 upon a base co... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Broadgate from Holy Trinity Church |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=broadgate-from-htchurch |
|
2012 has brought about a few changes to this central area of our town centre. Traffic has now disappeared from the top end of Trinity Street and Broadgate altogether, with the new space in front of ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Broadgate from Hertford Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=broadgate-from-htfdst |
|
In recent years the Cathedral Lanes shopping centre has been one of Coventry's most controversial buildings, central to the well-being (or otherwise) of Broadgate, which has long been the focal poin... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Burges from Bishop Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=burges-from-bish |
|
Two years after the photograph of Well Street was taken we can turn the corner into Bishop Street, then look back for a 1932 picture of the Burges containing many elements still recognisable in 2003... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Burges from Cross Cheaping |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=burges-from-crosscheap |
|
This 1892 shot looking back from Cross Cheaping down the Burges towards Bishop Street is not quite so recognisable. Most of the shops at this top end of the road on the right hand side were ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Burton's in Blitzed Broadgate |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=burtons-bgate |
|
It's January 1942 and everyday life for the people of Coventry is not being interrupted quite so often by the raiders from above. The following month King George VI with Queen Mary will visit the ci... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Butcher Row, Great |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=butcherrow-gt |
|
Click on this early 1900s postcard view to see how it looks in 2021.
to see the two images separately.
After years of planning for, and objections against, an ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Butcher Row, Little |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=butcherrow-little |
|
Looking westwards towards the place I stood for the Burges photo, this view is slightly unusual compared to my other "now and then" pairings. I normally have surviving buildings or the l... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Cheylesmore Manor House |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=ch-manor-house |
|
if you wish to see the images separately.
This rather ordinary looking 1940s view certainly doesn't give the impression that this was once part of a grand building and th... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Coat of Arms Bridge |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=coa-bridge |
|
This peaceful scene is of a bridge built in 1844 and popularly known as the Coat of Arms Bridge. The reason for the name originated four years previously when, in 1840, the London and Bi... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Cook Street gate |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=cookst-gate |
|
And now here's a triple "now and then" helping of one of our two remaining city gates!
Although the surroundings have changed out of all recognition, at least the gate itself ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Council House |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=council-hs |
|
if you wish to see the images separately.
Despite its old Tudor styling, the Council House is not as old as it appears. Construction started the year before the first wor... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Cox Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=cox-st |
|
How many folk would now be able to place this wonderful scene as being in Cox Street in 1910? It is actually looking northwards towards Ford Street and I personally would much rather see this view t... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Far Gosford Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=far-gos-st |
|
Six years further on from the photo of the Humber Works, and Far Gosford Street looks very different in 1912. The first building on the right can still be recognised as the recently vacated Humber M... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Fire Station, Hales Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=fire-station |
|
Although no longer a working fire station, the attractive structure built in 1902 is fortunately quite unchanged since it ceased its working life in 1976 to be superseded by the Radford Road station... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Fleet Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=fleetst |
|
Once again, here's a another glimpse of Edwardian Coventry - this time taken from Spon Street looking into Fleet Street. I would guess that most of the people in the photograph didn't "just happen" ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Ford's Hospital |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=fords-hosp |
|
if you wish to see the images separately.
Here's another chance to see Ford's Hospital from another angle. I have a little more about the history of Ford's in the Tour sect... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Golden Cross & Pepper Lane |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=gold-cross |
|
Comparing these two street scenes is another painful reminder of a long distant past that needn't have been swept away so brutally.
Click the image above to fade forward in time... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Greyfriars Lane |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=greyfr-la |
|
Until the building of Hertford Street in 1812-13, this lane was the main entrance into the city from the south west. All visitors of importance, including armies, would have travelled up this narrow... |
| Coventry Now and Then: The Grove |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=grove |
|
The first of this pleasant pair of photographs was taken from a postcard used in 1921 - the same year that the ground beyond, formerly Stivichall Common, was used to build the War Memorial Park at t... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Guildhall & 22 Bayley Lane |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=guildhall-22bayley |
| A short walk up Bayley Lane brings you to a small garden at the spire end of St. Michael's ruins.
Looking across at St. Mary's Guildhall and 22 Bayley Lane looks appreciably no differen... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Hales Street to Corporation Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=hales-corp |
|
Dominated by the Opera House, there is very little we would recognise here in 2021. The Old Grammar School is just visible beyond the Opera House in this c1920s postcard view, but where once the Bur... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Hales Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=hales-st |
|
Very little of this next scene now remains as you stand under the new Whittle Arch and look up Hales Street towards Corporation Street. It has seen many changes throughout the 20th century; two Hipp... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Herbert Art Gallery & Museum |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=herbert |
|
The seeds for Coventry's first central museum were sown in the 1930s by the "father of Coventry's archaeology", John Bailey Shelton. A decade of extremely prolific rebuilding in the centre of Covent... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Hertford Street from Broadgate |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=hertfd-from-bgate |
|
It's not easily visible here in this wonderfully busy street scene of 1927, but Peeping Tom used to watch out from the top corner window in the King's Head Hotel on the right. The statue used as Pee... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Hertford Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=hertfd-st |
|
Again we see an old photograph of a Coventry street which is not at all recognisable to present day visitors. Here in 1914 Hertford Street was a busy shopping street carrying traffic - although gene... |
| Coventry Now and Then: High Street aerial view |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=highst-aerial |
|
The view from the St. Michael's spire is always rewarding, and an almost infinite number of scenes present themselves as you look around. One thing that strikes me when comparing these two scenes, i... |
| Coventry Now and Then: High Street from Broadgate |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=highst-from-bgate |
|
Here's another view from around the turn of the 20th century, when High Street was a bustling shopping street. Ambling down the road the horse and cart will one day be replaced by the modern tin box... |
| Coventry Now and Then: High Street from Earl Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=highst-from-earl |
|
If we'd turned around from the scene of the Council House photo, and gone back to 1913, this sight would have greeted us. Although virtually all these buildings in High Street are now gone, there st... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Hill Street, Bablake & Bond's |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=hillst-bablake |
|
It's always reassuring to see that not everything changes! By clicking on the photograph, you will see that Bond's Hospital and Bablake School on the right look much the same today as they did in 19... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Hippodrome, New |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=hippo-new |
|
Although by the time this photograph was taken in the late 1980s the theatre had been converted to a bingo hall, the attractiveness of the 'Art Deco' design was still plainly evident - in fact it lo... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Hippodrome, Old |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=hippo-old |
|
Coventry's first "Hippodrome" was an old corrugated structure which had stood at Pool Meadow since 1884. The increasing demand for a better theatre brought about the building of this one in ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Humber Motor Works |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=humber-wks |
|
Moving briefly out of the town centre, here's a quick puzzle for you.... Does anybody recognise the Humber Motor Works? Not only this, but despite the fire shown on the right on 24th Dec... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Ironmonger Row |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=ironmonger-row |
|
Well, as I mentioned for the West Orchard page, Ironmonger Row is now the road leading towards the West Orchard shoping mall, but here is where it used to be....
We're now on ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Jordan Well & Earl Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=jrdn-well-earl-st |
|
Here's a view that will be quite familiar, not only to the majority of Coventry dwellers, but many students too. Just out of shot on the left is what used to be the frontage to a cinema, previously ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Jordan Well & Gosford Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=jrdn-well-gos-st |
|
Staying in Jordan Well, we can now look back in the "out of town" direction towards Gosford Street, which begins at the junction where Cox Street goes off to the left and Whitefriars Street to t... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Kenilworth Road |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=ken-rd |
|
Isn't this a wonderful scene as you drive into the city? It is of course, the Kenilworth Road, known in times gone by as "Long Avenue" and pictured here in 1929.
Cli... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Leamington Road |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=leam-rd |
|
Clicking on the picture to compare the views of Leamington Road as it looks in 2009 and nearly a century earlier reveals a pleasingly moderate amount of change. The small grassy mound ahead to the l... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Much Park Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=much-pk-st |
|
Once the through road to the "Great Park", one of Coventry's most ancient and appropriately named streets is Much Park Street, seen here in 1912 and 2003. The views above are looking in a ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Naul's Mill Park |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=nauls-mill |
|
The original pool here was a mill pool serving a mill which operated for centuries until ceasing use in 1889.
In 1909 the area was turned into a recreational park, including a bands... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Old Rope Walk |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=old-rope-wk |
|
In general, most of the comparisons between the "now" and the "then" images have been rather one sided in terms of what views we would prefer to see. It is a rare thing that we find a modern day Cov... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Opera House, Hales Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=opera-house |
|
Click the image above to fade forward in time over a century.
if you wish to see the images separately.
Opening on the 29th of March 1889 with A Midsummer Night's Dre... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Palace Yard |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=palace-yd |
|
The "Palace Yard" photographed around 1910.
The narrow entrance to the yard in the centre of the picture leads through to Earl Street, directly opposite where the eastern end of the Council H... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Pool Meadow |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=poolmeadow |
|
This wonderful scene from 1911 is certainly one that's unlikely to be seen again. It shows thousands of school children gathering in Pool Meadow on the 23rd June 1911, to celebrate the Coronation of... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Precinct & Old Coventry aerial view |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=precinct-aerial |
|
As you may have already noticed, hovering the mouse cursor over the photograph below will substitute a view of 1930 Coventry with a modern day photo of the precinct area taken from the same ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Precinct, upper |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=precinct-upper |
|
Not so far back in time now - just to 1955 as depicted by this postcard proudly showing off Coventry's newly completed Upper Precinct. It wasn't to everyone's taste though. I must admit to not being... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Precinct, west view |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=precinct-west |
|
As we walk back through to the precinct again, this view can be gained by taking the ramp opposite Lady Godiva's bronze statue up to the under utilised second level of the precinct. A pleasant pavin... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Priory Row |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=priory-row |
|
I consider this area surrounding Trinity Church and stretching around to St. Michael's and Bayley Lane by far the nicest and least spoiled sector of our city centre. The Lychgate cottages pictured h... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Priory Street, lower end |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=priory-st-lower |
|
The University is responsible for most of the view in this 2003 scene looking down Priory Street, near to Fairfax Street.
if you wish to see the images separately.
My th... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Priory Street, upper end |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=priory-st-upper |
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Right in front of the ruins of the Old Cathedral is Priory Street, shown here in 2004 - a scene that will look familiar to anyone who has visited our cathedrals or Coventry University on the right.
... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Queen Victoria Road flood of 1900 |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=queenvicrd-flood |
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When the disastrous flood of 31st December 1900 occurred, Spon Street wasn't the only place to suffer. Property owners in nearby Queen Victoria Road were also subjected to misery, as can be seen in ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Railway Station, Eaton Road |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=railway-station-eaton |
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Back in the early 1900s, Coventry Railway Station was a much more basic affair than today. The station was opened in 1838, and Eaton Road, named after the Lord of Cheylesmore who owned the land, was... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Railway Station - the platform |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=railway-station-platform |
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Like most areas of Coventry during the Second World War, the train station didn't escape its fair share of destruction. However, within days of the air raids, work was underway to get people and goo... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Smithford Way |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=smithford-way |
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There's been a lot less physical change between this next pair of photos, and yet a totally different feel is obtained, mainly from the addition of the glass canopy.
People older ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: St. Michael's spire from Pepper Lane |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=spire-pepper-la |
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And here is the tower and spire of St. Michael's in 1932. Click on the photograph to see what it looks like in 2003.
In total contrast to the previous images of St. Michael's, relat... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Spon End arches |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=spon-arches |
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We can now take a visit to the west side of town, about five minutes walk from the centre, up the Allesley Old Road to one of Coventry's oldest sub-districts. Any Coventrian will instantly recognise... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Spon Street flood of 1900 |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=sponst-flood |
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Spon Street is still full of character and well worth a visit for its wealth of medieval buildings. Many structures from other places - mainly Much Park Street - were moved here in the 1970s and 80s... |
| Coventry Now and Then: St. John's Church, Fleet Street |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=st-johns |
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This church hasn't changed significantly of course, for centuries, but it's seen many an alteration to the surrounding landscape during the 20th century.
The nearest building directly to the phot... |
| Coventry Now and Then: St. Michael's Avenue |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=st-mikes-ave |
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Although some of the trees had to be felled to make space for the porch adjoining the New to the Old Cathedral, this is still an attractive view thanks to the thoughtfulness of the inspired architec... |
| Coventry Now and Then: St. Michael's ruins |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=st-mikes-ruins |
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As we're in the area, I couldn't resist revisiting our favourite old buildling again for a triple photo helping! It's sobering to think that in the hands of a less sympathetic architect, all this co... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Stoke Green & Pool |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=stoke-green |
| The pool
Moving a little farther out of town, to Stoke, we find a feature that is long gone, but still has pleasant surroundings. The photo shows an old pool next to the Binley Road - one which h... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Swanswell Gate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=swanswell-gate |
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if you wish to see the images separately.
Around the time this photograph was taken in 1910, the upper floor of the old Priory gate, as it had also been known, was a dwel... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Swanswell Pool |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=swanswell-pool |
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A quick comparison of these two images shows relatively little change over a century. In the first photo, taken around 1900, the original Coventry and Warwickshire hospital, built 1864/65, can be se... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Swimming Baths, Priory Street |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=swimbaths-priory-st |
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Looking rather stranded here in 2010, the Gala Bingo hall stands in what's left of Priory Street next to the Pool Meadow Bus Station. A click on the photo will fade back to the early 20th century...... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Trinity Church |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=trinity-ch |
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Moving back into the centre of the town, we return to the excellent photographic aerial platform, which is the tower of St. Michael's, for another view of Holy Trinity church. (See the Historic Tour... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Trinity Street & Hales Street |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=trinity-hales-st |
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Rather than the usual "old Coventry" being swept away, it's only 20th century Coventry that's disappeared between this pair of scenes. Built in 1937, the near end of Trinity Street has been bulldoze... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Trinity Lane & the Free Library |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=trinity-la-library |
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We're now in Trinity Lane looking towards Lychgate cottages. The larger half-timbered building on the left is a relatively modern construction, begun in 1938, that replaces an old corner... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Trinity Lane from Priory Row |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=trinity-la-priory-row |
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As a photographic image, this beautiful postcard view of Trinity Lane in the early 1900s is an extremely rare sight indeed.
Both the original photographer and myself had our backs to the Lychgate... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Trinity Street aerial view |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=trinityst-aerial |
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Once again, this 1938 aerial view gives us so many aspects of Coventry's past to look at from an elevated position. The main feature on display is the newly built Trinity Street, including a shy Owe... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Trinity Street from Broadgate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=trinityst-from-bgate |
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Remarkably, despite the devastation only a very short while earlier, and in the very near vicinity, nearly all of the buildings in this photograph survived the ravages of the Second World War intact... |
| Coventry Now and Then: War Memorial Park |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=war-mem-park |
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In honour of the fallen during World War One, plans were made for the laying out of a Memorial park in 1919 on the land which covered much of Stivichall Common. The park was officially opened on the... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Warwick Row, Hertford St & Warwick Lane |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=warw-row-hertfd-warw-la |
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A classic view from around 1920 of Hertford Street and Warwick Lane. On the left is the Bull Yard, on the corner of which is the famous Peeping Tom pub - with its famous statue peeping from the top ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Warwick Road |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=warwick-rd |
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Here is a pair of views of Warwick Road taken not too far apart. The first picture was taken from the Grove, which today means having your back to the War Memorial Park entrance. Before clicking on ... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Well Street from Hales Street |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=well-st |
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Before you click on the image to reveal the 2003 version, can anyone place this scene? The Old Grammar School is recognisable on the right, which means that the Burges must be on our left and Bishop... |
| Coventry Now and Then: West Orchard |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=west-orch |
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Without the title here, there are absolutely no landmarks to help the modern day folk identify the scene on the left. A close up of the original photo tells us that the pub on the corner... |
| Coventry Now and Then: Wheatley Street Schools |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/nowandthen/content.php?pg=wheatleyst-sch |
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Opened in 1893, Wheatley Street School was large and handsomely built, and although some people thought this was extravagant, the school became something of a showpiece and educated 1,228 pupils fro... |
| The Old Cathedral of St. Michael's: St. Michael's - Coventry's Old Cathedral: Introduction |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/oldcathedral.php?pg=oldcathedral |
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The building that we now know fondly as The Old Cathedral was formerly the parish church of St. Michael. The present structure largely originates from the 1300s to 1400s, with additional chapels add... |
| The Old Cathedral of St. Michael's: The Ruins Today |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/oldcathedral.php?pg=ruins-now |
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Here are a few photographs taken around the old cathedral which is now in ruins since the infamous nine-hour Blitz of 1940.
For many centuries the structure had looked much the same as in the... |
| The Old Cathedral of St. Michael's: Surviving Stained Glass & the Glass in Iceland |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/oldcathedral.php?pg=stainedglass |
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In typically defiant fashion, some of the original stained glass hung on to the tracery to survive the onslaught of the blitz, as is shown by this lovely photo below of a window in the north wal... |
| The Old Cathedral of St. Michael's: The Icelandic Saga and the Coventry Glass, by Kenyon Wright |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/oldcathedral.php?pg=canon-wright-glass-saga |
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Early in 2008, soon after our return to the Midlands from Scotland, I was rung out of the blue by Karl Smari Hreinsson from Iceland, whom I subsequently met in Coventry in March 2008. He was res... |
| The Old Cathedral of St. Michael's: Inside the Cathedral Now and Pre-War |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/oldcathedral.php?pg=ruins-nowandthen |
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Below is a shot of the Altar and the east end of the cathedral as it stands today. It increases the feeling of loss to compare this photograph with the grand view beneath it, taken a few years prior... |
| The Old Cathedral of St. Michael's: The Charred Cross, Cross of Nails & Bishop Yeatman-Biggs |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/oldcathedral.php?pg=charredcross |
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Here's a close-up of the world famous "Charred Cross". In the January after the Blitz, Reverend Howard asked the cathedral's stone mason, 'Jock' Forbes to make an altar from the rubble and place beh... |
| The Old Cathedral of St. Michael's: The Tower, Spire & Bells |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/oldcathedral.php?pg=spire |
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A view of the old cathedral's Spire which still stands proudly above the pleasant west entrance to the cathedral pictured below. You may notice that the small spire, known as a 'fleche', of the ... |
| The Old Cathedral of St. Michael's: The 'Misaligned' Pillars |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/oldcathedral.php?pg=bent-arcade |
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A feature of the church layout that isn't immediately obvious, is the apparent misalignment of the southern arcade - now, of course, only represented by the row of short stumps which remain... |
| The Old Cathedral of St. Michael's: Coventry Rose Poem by Neville Macaulife |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/oldcathedral.php?pg=coventryrosepoem |
|
COVENTRY ROSE
A poem by Neville Macaulife - (NevilleMac@aol.com)
A long time ago, in a land far from here, a city was destroyed in a single night by people from other cities. 554 m... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: c1900: St. Michael's Church - like a cathedral! |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=1900-st-mikes |
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I have Patrick Casey to thank for sending me this fine Valentine's postcard showing a photograph of St. Michael's Church taken in 1889 - some years before it was raised to cathedral status in 1918. ... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: 1918: Coat of Arms Bridge |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=1918-coabridge |
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Some postcards don't need to say much to get a point across. The sender of this one was obviously impressed with Coventry, and decided to share their thoughts, and a picture, with a friend or relati... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: 1920s: The Council House - one of the finest |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=1920-councilhouse |
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The designers of Coventry's Council House, Edward Garrett and H. W. Simister, would have certainly been pleased to know the contents of this postcard.
Postcard text: If you ever c... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: 1933: Postcard to a monk |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=1933-monk |
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This postcard is certainly not typical of the usual "having a great time, weather good" sort of message - perhaps the most distinguishing feature being the person it's being sent to.... someone in a... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: 1939: Postcard to Evacuees |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=1939-evacuees |
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Popping back a few years to when the war had only been going on for a few weeks, this card displays a pleasant, and for the time, essential, sense of humour.
Postcard text: Lest you... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: WWI: Nice at Coventry this Easter |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=1940-gosfd-gn |
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It's nice to know that Elsie was having a 'nice time' in Coventry that Easter! Although there's no date or stamp present on the card, there is a small clue that hints at a particular time period....... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: 1948: The Grove - only pretty area in town! |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=1948-grove |
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What a difference a war makes! This postcard was sent at a time when our city was still recovering from the traumatic times endured during the Second World War, especially since the Blitz. The war h... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: 1953: New Hippodrome |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=1953-hippodrome |
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Two years before it was renamed The Coventry Theatre, the Hippodrome managed to impress many visitors to the 'Showplace of the Midlands', including the writer of this 1953 postcard, who had obviousl... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: 1955: Work in a Coventry car factory? |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=1955-car_factory |
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Postcards can also give away useful bits of period information that fill in the gaps between seeing an old photo and hearing yet another story about "the old days". In this example from 1955, we pic... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: 1965: The New Cathedral - thumbs down! |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=1965-new-cath1 |
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You can't please all of the people all of the time! Coventry's New Cathedral courted a lot of controversy around the time it was first built, back in the early 1960s. It seems that the people who sa... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: 1966: The New Cathedral - glorious! |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=1966-new-cath2 |
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To bring a little balance to our postal reviews, here's a postcard from someone who is far more enthusiastic about the then recently built New Coventry Cathedral.
Postcard text: Y... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: 1966: Impressed by the New Cathedral |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=1966-old-cath |
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Here's another postcard from Ben to another of his relatives in Windsor. Although the postcard he selected this time depicted the Old Cathedral as it looked in the 1930s, he once again picked out it... |
| A Postcard from Coventry: Cars outside Coventry Council House in the 1920s |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postcards/postcard.php?pg=cars-by-councilhs |
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Click here to return.
... |
| Post-war redevelopment: Post-war redevelopment: Introduction |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postwar/postwar.php?pg=postwar |
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Even before the Second World War broke out, the architectural department at Coventry Council were drawing up ways of rebuilding the outdated medieval city. Such a department would previously have be... |
| Post-war redevelopment: A Model Town! |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postwar/postwar.php?pg=model |
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At the 1945 exhibition held at the Drill Hall in Queen Victoria Road, a model was unveiled showing one of the proposed reconstruction plans for Coventry's city centre. At first glance, this ... |
| Post-war redevelopment: The Civic Centre |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postwar/postwar.php?pg=civic |
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Now we're looking north-east at the same model from the region of Warwick Road, and here we see the council's plans for a Civic Centre to be laid out between the intersection of the proposed... |
| Post-war redevelopment: The Precinct |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postwar/postwar.php?pg=precinct |
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As this pleasant image testifies, the architects plans for a new pedestrian precinct were quite mature well before the Second World War came to a close. Of course, as we have come to expect in recen... |
| Post-war redevelopment: Broadgate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postwar/postwar.php?pg=bgate |
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As one of the first reconstruction projects to be completed after the war, Broadgate was undoubtedly the centrepiece of Coventry's Phoenix-like rise from the ashes. From a narrow street which ha... |
| Post-war redevelopment: Pool Meadow to the Priory |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postwar/postwar.php?pg=poolmeadow |
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The first two conclusions I can draw from this artist's impression looking across the Pool Meadow area are; either the town planners were dreamy idealists.... or they were attempting to pull the woo... |
| Post-war redevelopment: Redevelopment Plan & Ring Road scheme |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postwar/postwar.php?pg=develop |
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Hovering your mouse cursor over the old cathedral (marked "1") will magnify that part of the map. The pink part is the existing ruined shell of St. Michael's and the blue represents the design submi... |
| Post-war redevelopment: Baginton Airport |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postwar/postwar.php?pg=airport |
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In 2004 the subject of airport expansion was a hot topic. However, this is nothing new: - In 1945 the plans were for an even more substantial airport. The council planned for three runways; ... |
| Post-war redevelopment: Other Proposals |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/postwar/postwar.php?pg=other |
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This is a view of the planned Retail Market Hall. Quite simple in its design, yet attractive also....
....so what went wrong? The present day market serves Coventry well and is gen... |
| A 1941 Post-war plan, by Coventry Council: A plan for the city centre |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/postwar-plan.php?pg=postwar1 |
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To put this following article in perspective it is worth noting its date. At the time it was written Coventry was still undergoing air raids, and indeed, two of the largest raids were still to com... |
| A 1941 Post-war plan, by Coventry Council: This must not happen again |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/postwar-plan.php?pg=postwar2 |
|
THIS MUST NOT HAPPEN NOT AGAIN
COVENTRY FROM THE AIR
Above. A pre-war view of the City Centre, showing approximately the area affected by the new plan. A scheme for replann... |
| A 1941 Post-war plan, by Coventry Council: The legacies of wartime |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/postwar-plan.php?pg=postwar3 |
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Open space is the keynote of the plan. Apart from the hygienic advantages which spacial planning gives, by admitting air and sun, the vistas and skylines afforded by such treatment are worth m... |
| A 1941 Post-war plan, by Coventry Council: Immediate and Proposed plans |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/postwar-plan.php?pg=postwar4 |
| IMMEDIATE PLAN
The plan (right) shows work which can proceed immediately after the war. The buildings and sites marked black are either historically interesting or recently erected, and for t... |
| A 1941 Post-war plan, by Coventry Council: Laissez faire |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/postwar-plan.php?pg=postwar5 |
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Elevational treatment, as we have pointed out, will be secondary to the plan. It will depend on the availability of materials and constructional methods and legislation regarding heights of ... |
| A 1941 Post-war plan, by Coventry Council: Preliminary sketches |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/postwar-plan.php?pg=postwar6 |
|
.... OR THIS
Sketch perspectives drawn by members of Mr. Gibson's staff shewing possible treatment. At the moment it is the plan that is of primary importance, the details can f... |
| A 1941 Post-war plan, by Coventry Council: Viewpoints |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/postwar-plan.php?pg=postwar7 |
|
VISTAS AND ...
KEY TO VIEW POINTS
Some of the views which the new plan would make possible are illustrated on these two pages. References are given on the accompanying plan.
... |
| A 1941 Post-war plan, by Coventry Council: Spacious planning |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/postwar-plan.php?pg=postwar8 |
|
VIEWPOINT No. 8
Above, St. Michael's Church Yard, flanked on the left by the new Civic Buildings and on the right by the Museum and Chapter House.
VIEWPOINT No. 7
... |
| The Priory Cathedral of St. Mary's: St. Mary's Priory & Cathedral: Introduction |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/stmarys.php?pg=stmarys |
|
If one were to have stood by Pool Meadow and faced southwards before 1539, a view looking something like this would have greeted you....
Original sketch by Brian Hobley FSA, after exten... |
| The Priory Cathedral of St. Mary's: Comparison with Lichfield Cathedral |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/stmarys.php?pg=compare-lichfield |
|
St. Mary's was built shortly before its sister church in Lichfield with which it shared the diocese. Whereas our cathedral appears to have been a replacement for an earlier Saxon structure, Lich... |
| The Priory Cathedral of St. Mary's: The Tower & Spires |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/stmarys.php?pg=nw-tower-spires |
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On the right is a view of Lichfield's north-west tower. One fundamental design difference between the two cathedrals is that the towers of Lichfield are built almost in line with the outer wall ... |
| The Priory Cathedral of St. Mary's: The Building of the Cathedral |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/stmarys.php?pg=building-stmarys |
|
The exact date that building commenced is unknown, although it was certainly underway by around 1115 to 1140; the period to which some of the early Romanesque architecture has been dated. Fortunatel... |
| The Priory Cathedral of St. Mary's: What Remains of St. Mary's today? |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/stmarys.php?pg=stmarys-remains |
|
The first photo shows the quite substantial remains of the inside of the great west front. The main door would have been in the centre and leading down from this entrance towards the nave ... |
| The Priory Cathedral of St. Mary's: The TV Time-Team dig |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/stmarys.php?pg=timeteam |
|
In 1999 and 2001, the Channel 4 Television programme - Time Team, fronted by Tony Robinson (better known by many as "Baldrick" in the TV comedy, Blackadder) came to Coventry to do an historic archae... |
| The Priory Cathedral of St. Mary's: What did they find there? |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cathedrals/stmarys.php?pg=stmarys-finds |
|
The large scale excavation of the priory site presented historians with the first realistic opportunity of modern times to learn about Coventry's beginnings in the Saxon era. The legend of St. Osbur... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Gosford Gate |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1932_11 |
| I. GOSFORD GATE EXCAVATIONS
Gosford Gate was without doubt the second gate to be built, the first being New Gate, protecting the London road. The White Friars, who established their Monastery 13 year... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Co-op Site, West Orchard |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1932_12 |
| II. EXCAVATIONS IN WEST ORCHARD (Co-op. SITE) EAST AND WEST OF RIVER
Excavations reveal what may have been hidden for several hundred years or more, and although no great quantity of material was foun... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: West Orchard, Bridge etc. |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1933_01 |
| III. EXCAVATIONS IN WEST ORCHARD (BRIDGE, &c )
Having dealt with part of West Orchard in Article II. will readers keep the Leather Hall in mind while reading this. The bridge just destroyed was n... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Broadgate Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1933_02 |
| BROADGATE EXCAVATIONS
Broadgate, the centre of Coventry, with its large shops and banks, with its common meeting-place for the people, was a very different place a thousand years ago. Surprise may be... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Broadgate Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1933_03 |
| BROADGATE EXCAVATIONS. (II.)
Continuing the story of excavations on the Lloyds Bank site, a peculiar formation of stone was found at the east corner, near Messrs. Waters & Co. The builder, clerk ... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Broadgate Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1933_04 |
| BROADGATE EXCAVATIONS. (III.)
If Broadgate should be excavated, it would be found to be honeycombed with cellars. Until early in the 19th century it was little wider than Grey Friars Lane, and just b... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Black Bull Inn, Pepper Lane |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1933_05 |
| During excavations in Pepper Lane for the foundations of the pillars at Messrs. Tetts buildings it was necessary to reach a depth of 15-ft. 8-ins. before the rock was found, thus showing that the grou... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Black Bull Inn |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1933_06 |
| BLACK BULL INN (continued)
In 1569 Mary Queen of Scots was brought from Tutbury, and kept prisoner from Saint Andrew's Day until Candlemas (about two months) when she was returned to Tutbury. She was... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Cox Street - River Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1933_07 |
| COX STREET EXCAVATIONS
The excavations of river beds are always of great interest, especially on the site of old mill dams, etc. This site proved to be of exceptional interest, and no one living can ... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Cox Street - River Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1933_08 |
| COX STREET EXCAVATIONS (Continued)
Close by was a pond of water called "Hobb's Hole," and a Mayor of Hobb's Hole was chosen yearly, and dipped in the pool. The small brook running through the Swanswe... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Cox Street - River Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1933_09 |
| COX STREET EXCAVATIONS (Continued)
The last sentence in my last article on Cox Street Excavations ran, "Strange it seems but up to the present no buttons have been found." Less than 24 hours after th... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Cox Street - River Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1933_10 |
| COX STREET EXCAVATIONS (Continued)
The excavations beneath the brick culvert running under the Triumph Works did not yield a great number of articles, but those found were of great interest. One wa... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Cox Street - River Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1933_11 |
| COX STREET EXCAVATIONS (Continued)
At the end of the culvert near the back of the Baths a very interesting roadway was discovered. It was at the depth of about two feet beneath the present river bed,... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Park Side Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1933_12 |
| PARK SIDE, LITTLE PARK STREET GATE, AND DISTRICT
Little Park Street is supposed to have taken its name in 1388, but it can be traced as far back as 1384, when the Large Park would be divided. The str... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Park Side Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1934_01 |
| PARK SIDE, LITTLE PARK STREET GATE, AND DISTRICT
On the south side of Parkside were the quarries from which Richard the Second gave the stone for the building of part of the city walls, and, up to th... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Burges Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1934_02 |
| EXCAVATIONS IN THE BURGES
The name "Burges" is derived from Bridges, there being two bridges at only a short distance from each other, one to carry the water of the Sherbourne, the other the water fr... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Benedictine Site Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1934_03 |
| THE STORY OF THE BENEDICTINE MONASTERY, AND DISCOVERIES ON ITS ANCIENT SITE
The story of the Benedictine Monastery is one of great interest to all Coventry people and to thousands who have never ente... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Benedictine Site Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1934_04 |
| MAIN TEXT OF THE CHARTER OF KING EDWARD THE CONFESSOR TO THE ABBEY OF ST. MARY, COVENTRY. (In the British Museum.)
" Eadward, King, greets Edsie, the Archbishop, and all my bishops, abbots and earl... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Benedictine Site Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1934_05 |
| THE FOUNDATION CHARTER OF THE MONASTERY OF THE BLESSED MARY AT COVENTRY. [1043]. (English Translation from the Latin)
"I, Leofric Earl: by the advice and license of King Edward, and who hath sent... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Benedictine Site Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1934_06 |
| THE FOUNDATION CHARTER OF THE MONASTERY OF THE BLESSED MARY AT COVENTRY. [1043]
THE POPES BULL CONFIRMING KING EDWARD'S CHARTER
(English Translation from the Latin:)
"Alexander, bishop, s... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Coventry Castle |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1934_07 |
|
Where did the Castle stand, in which the Earls of Coventry lived? Some think it stood in the Cheylesmore district, and not far from the Manor House, which was built in 1234 by Roger de Mantault, Bro... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Benedictine Site, Palmer Lane Guest House |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1934_08 |
| EXCAVATIONS
Excavations for a new river course over which the new Trinity Street is to pass have been going on for a year or more, and are still being proceeded with. In the made up ground of from ... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Benedictine Site, Wooden Bridge |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1934_09 |
| EXCAVATIONS
My last paragraph in the August issue of this Magazine dealt with a bridge I hoped to find during the next few weeks, where Catesby Lane may have joined up to Palmer Lane. On Friday, Augu... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Antiquities Exhibition at the Drill Hall |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1934_10 |
| EXHIBITION OF ANTIQUITIES AT THE DRILL HALL, COVENTRY
Excellent reports have been published by several newspapers concerning this fine Exhibition, including one by the "Nuneaton Tribune," which is as... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Well Street Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1934_11 |
| WELL STREET EXCAVATIONS
As the Gas and Electrical Showrooms are shortly to be opened, I must ask my readers to excuse me for malting a break in the story of the Benedictines, though in fact even in t... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Priory Pool & Mills |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1934_12 |
| PRIORY POOL AND MILLS
Excavations revealed the depth of the Priory Pool. It is not known when the pool was made, but by what was revealed I should say about 13th century, or at least enlarged then. I... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Priory Pool & DIstrict |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1935_01 |
| PRIORY POOL AND DISTRICT
My readers will remember the boundary wall reaching to the factory buildings that stood towards Palmer Lane. This wall actually stood on the foundations of the original bound... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: New Buildings, Tower Foundations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1935_02 |
| CITY TOWER DISCOVERED
At the Hales Street entrance from New Buildings the foundations of a City Tower was discovered at a depth of about 12 feet. This tower was actually in the river bed at a short d... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: City Wall, Cook Street Gate, Plumb House |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1935_03 |
| The complaints of the Prior were many, and besides the complaints mentioned in the article last month, he said that they broke open the gates at Spittlemore letting out his cattle, and made it a gener... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Priory Tower |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1935_04 |
| PRIORY TOWER (Continued)
The timber was from large elm trees, with all branches trimmed off, and the trunks made into square beams, about 2-ft. 3-in. in width. The task of getting them in position mu... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Priory Tower, Gulson Road, Round Tower, New Gate Foundations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1935_05 |
| PRIORY TOWER (Continued)
One piece of wood which was found was so straight that it was probably a level. Many hammers were brought to light, one with claws like a blacksmith's hammer, and with the sh... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Broad Well, Burges Ford, Palmer Lane |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1935_06 |
| A FOOTPATH
Since the finding of the bridge at the bottom of Palmer Lane, another footpath has been revealed at a distance of about 10 yards to the west of the bridge. A number of piles had been drive... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: White Friars |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1935_07 |
| THE WHITE FRIARS
Excavations during this month (June) at the site of the White Friars Church have revealed the foundations. The Church stood at the top of the present Gulson Road, and joined up to th... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Meeting House, Smithford Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1935_08 |
| THE MEETING HOUSE, SMITHFORD STREET
This building was originally called "The Great Meeting." In 1672, when Dr. Green, of St. Michael's Church, and Dr. Bryan, of Holy Trinity Church, were expelled fro... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Meeting House, Smithford Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1935_09 |
| EXCAVATIONS ON SITE OF THE MEETING HOUSE
My last article dealt with the building of the Great Meeting House; now I want to describe what excavations reveal. For many years it has been said that benea... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Meeting House, Smithford Street, St. John's Hospital Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1935_10 |
| EXCAVATIONS ON SITE OF THE MEETING HOUSE
Since writing my last article no other digging on this site has been done, but on the site of St. Nicholas, Corpus Christi, or Leather Hall, quite a lot of ... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: St. John's Hospital, Barracks Square, Black Bull Inn |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1935_11 |
| EXCAVATIONS ON SITE OF ST. JOHN'S HOSPITAL
One important discovery was not mentioned in my article last month. At a depth of 10 feet a large quantity of oak beams and planks were found, morticed to... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Barracks Square, Black Bull Inn |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1935_12 |
| BARRACKS SQUARE
BLACK BULL INN
Expecting to hear of the death of her father, and little knowing the plot had been discovered, and the Princess being safely hidden only five hundred yards from the Bul... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Barracks Square, Black Bull Inn |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1936_01 |
| BARRACKS SQUARE
BLACK BULL INN
The excavations for the new market revealed how the ground had been filled in from time to time. At the corner nearest the old hospital buildings the depth of the natur... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Butcher Row |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1936_02 |
| BUTCHER ROW AND ITS SURROUNDINGS
I ended my last story by saying I would give an article on the excavations in the river at Pool Meadow and "St. Osburg's Pool," which was where Pool Meadow now stands... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Butcher Row |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1936_03 |
| BUTCHER ROW AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. (Continued.)
The name of Thomas Grascome is painted on the board at the Grey Friars' or Ford's Hospital as a benefactor. In 1825 William Hindman lived in this house.... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Butcher Row |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1936_04 |
| BUTCHER ROW AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. (Continued.)
I find on searching the cellars that the stone pillars are left and still contain one gate hook complete and another partly corroded away. It was near t... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Butcher Row |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1936_05 |
| BUTCHER ROW AND ITS SURROUNDINGS (Continued.)
Excavations in the Cross are going on apace and are revealing an old quarry where stone was hewn. The formation of the stone is of a very irregular shape... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Owen Owen's Site |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1936_06 |
| EXCAVATIONS IN THE CROSS
Since writing my last article work has been going on, both day and night, employing about 50 men. Every five minutes there are tons of material brought to the surface and the... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Owen Owen's Site |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1936_07 |
| EXCAVATIONS IN THE CROSS
Night and day the noisy drills penetrate the hard stone, and massive timbers are being reared at the sides to hold them in safety. In one place where loose soil formed the si... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Owen Owen's Site |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1936_08 |
| EXCAVATIONS IN THE CROSS
Only a small portion of the quarry yet remains to be finished, and one interesting place will be excavated later in the month, and should it reveal any article I will report ... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Owen Owen's Site |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1936_09 |
| EXCAVATIONS IN THE CROSS
On the day I sent the copy for my last article to be printed a quantity of human remains were unearthed at the top end of Butcher Row. These have been interred near the spot ... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Trinity Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1936_10 |
| EXCAVATIONS IN TRINITY STREET
Nothing more is likely to come to light in the quarry, but in the new Trinity Street itself a number of things have been revealed. Quite a lot of pieces of stone used in... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Trinity Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1936_11 |
| EXCAVATIONS IN TRINITY STREET
At one time a conduit stood at the lower end of Lady Herbert's Garden, and was called the Conduit Meadow, being 1 rood 38 poles in extent, and at one time belonged to Th... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Trinity Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1936_12 |
| EXCAVATIONS IN TRINITY STREET
Excavations have been going on in Trinity Street slowly, and sewers have been laid at a depth of 14 feet at the Ironmonger Row end. The crypt has been cut through, and t... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Benedictine Museum |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1937_01 |
| I had intended giving my reasons for continuing my historical research in my last article, but space would not permit, so I have given it first place in this January issue. You can imagine how difficu... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Pool Meadow to Priory Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1937_02 |
| At the north end of the Chapel the excavators found it was built on a large brick archway over a manure heap of six or seven hundred years ago; it is about ten feet deep and nearly as wide as the Chap... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Pool Meadow to Priory Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1937_03 |
| I should like my readers to follow the course of the river bed through Pool Meadow. I mentioned the finding of the Mill foundations and conduit in my last article. Just below this Mill, and lying leng... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Pool Meadow to Priory Street Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1937_04 |
| When digging out the river bed on the east side of Priory Street bridge a large amount of pottery of the 16th century was found, also many glass flagons, with here and there a piece of fourteenth cent... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Bull Ring, Pottery Kiln, Hippodrome |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1937_05 |
| Some months ago I recorded finding what I thought to be a pottery kiln in the Bull Ring, Butcher Row. Early in April this was excavated, and one more jug was found, and a number of thick slates, large... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Hippodrome, Rex Cinema |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1937_06 |
| HIPPODROME SITE
Before giving the history of "The Rex" site, I should like to report the discovery of a round tower in Hales Street, at the corner of White Street, where sewering has been in progre... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Bablake Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1937_07 |
| BABLAKE EXCAVATIONS
During the past two months excavations have again been taking place in the Bablake area, near the St. John's Church. This is at the corner of Corporation Street, and so near the C... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Cow Lane Site Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1937_08 |
| COW LANE SITE
Cow Lane is mentioned in history books of Coventry less than any other lane or street I know. It could not have been looked upon as an important lane. Its name denotes the use it was pu... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Rex Site, Trinity Street |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1938_05 |
| REX SITE, CORPORATION STREET
Since writing my last article on this site, another part of the site is being excavated, and is situated at the West End. Opposite this site when making Corporation Str... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Broadgate Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1938_07 |
| BROADGATE DEMOLITIONS
Many people have watched with interest the demolition of the corner property of Broadgate and the Spicerstoke. Some of the buildings would date back to the 15th century in the S... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Bablake Excavations, Co-op Site, West Orchard |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1938_09 |
| BABLAKE
Once again the Bablake is being excavated on the Corporation Street and Bablake Street site, for a new building for the Coventry Co-operative Society. The lake must at an early period have be... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Trinity Street, Bull Ring |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1938_10 |
| EXCAVATIONS IN TRINITY STREET
Extensive excavations have been taking place at the back of the hoardings in the "Old Bull Ring," now Trinity Street, which once was the west front of the 13th century C... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: St. Mary's Cathedral Site, Bull Ring |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1938_11 |
| EXCAVATIONS ON THE SITE OF ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL, BULL RING (now Trinity Street)
When under-pinning the Blue Coat School and other premises at the rear of Trinity Street, quite a lot of very interesti... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: St. Mary's Cathedral Site, Bull Ring |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1938_12 |
| EXCAVATIONS ON THE SITE OF ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL, BULL RING (now Trinity Street)
I have written in a previous article that the Cathedral of St. Mary (13th century) was in style and outward form believ... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Post Office Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1939_01 |
| EXCAVATIONS ON POST OFFICE SITE
Lying at the rear of the Post Office sorting station is a piece of ground which might be called "No man's land." Bounded on the West with Grey Friars Lane, on the Nort... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: St. Mary's Cathedral Site |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1939_02 |
| CATHEDRAL OF ST. MARY. (Continued)
Since writing my last article on this Church in the December issue of this Magazine, another extension has been made to the large building being erected, and to do ... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Art Gallery and Museum |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1939_03 |
| SITE OF THE MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY
My readers may be interested in the site of the Museum and Art Gallery, which munificent gift by Sir Alfred Herbert will be welcomed by the citizens of our no mean ... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Art Gallery and Museum |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1939_04 |
| SITE OF THE MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY. [Continued]
The members of the Drapers Guild were expected to attend Church services and they employed a Priest at a stipend of £5 per annum. If a member of t... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Art Gallery and Museum |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1939_05 |
| SITE OF THE MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY. [Continued]
St. Mary's Hall, built at different periods, stands as a monument of beauty. Caesar's Tower, which may really have no real connection with St. Mary's H... |
| 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by JB Shelton MBE: Bablake Excavations |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/articles/j-b-shelton.php?pg=1939_06 |
| BABLAKE SITE
Excavations which had ceased for six months, have commenced again on the old Bablake site.
Varied are the places where 700 years ago, the rubbish was deposited to form the basins or da... |
| The Birth of the Sky Blues, by Ron Osmond: BIRTH OF THE SKY BLUES |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/skybluebirth/index.php |
|
Birth of the Sky Blues
BIRTH OF THE SKY BLUES
THE STORY OF THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF COVENTRY CITY'S SKY BLUE ERABY RON OSMOND
Tell Me More
In the su... |
| Coventry Theatre: Hippodrome / Coventry Theatre / Apollo show archive |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/theatre/index.php |
|
A project to try to list all the shows ever performed at our lovely old art-deco theatre in Hales Street, once known as the Showplace of the Midlands. Opening as the New Hippodrome on the 1st Novemb... |
| History pages: Coventry's Historical Timeline |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/history/timeline.php |
|
To put our local history into some sort of perspective, here's a timeline showing many of the significant events in Coventry's history. England's reigning monarchs plus a few relevant national event... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: William Shakespeare Carving on the Old Coventry Cathedral |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=bard-rollover |
|
Click here to return.
... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Angels on the Guildhall ceiling |
|---|
| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=guildhall-ceiling |
|
The carved angels also suffered their share of damage in the fire, but despite the devastation much remains original. On closer inspection, the angel pictured bottom left can be seen to ha... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Old Grammar School, Hales Street |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=old-grammar-sch |
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If you begin your visit to Coventry at Pool Meadow Bus Station, then walking westwards along Hales Street past Swanswell Gate towards Corporation Street, the first ancient building that you will... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Spon Street - left hand side |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=spon-st-left |
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Return to the Historic Tour Page
The historic buildings of Old Spon Street - moving in order up the left hand side of the street - then back down the right.
Left hand side....
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| Historic tour of Coventry: Spon Street - right hand side |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=spon-st-right |
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Return to the Historic Tour Page
Right hand side....
The north side of Spon Street looking eastwards towards the town centre.
St. John's Church tower can be viewed in the ... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Bablake School & Bond's Hospital, Hill Street |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=bablake |
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The first half-timbered Tudor building in the picture below is the old Bablake boys school, and beyond that, the cream fronted building is Bond's Hospital. The latter, also known in days gone by as ... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: St. John's Church, Fleet Street |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=st-johns |
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Standing proudly between Fleet Street and Hill Street is the church of St. John, also known in times past as Bablake church. Above and to the right are two views of the church; from ... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Spon Street |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=spon-st |
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Just around the corner from Hill Street is Spon Street where there is still a high concentration of Tudor aged buildings. Many of them are not original to the street and have been rebuilt there ... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Christ Church, New Union Street |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=christchurch |
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Here are two views of Christ Church, which stands between New Union Street (originally Union Street) and Warwick Lane. Both photos are from a similar standpoint but separated by over one hundred yea... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Cheylesmore Manor House |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=cheylesmore-manor |
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A little farther up New Union Street you can access Cheylesmore Manor House through an alleyway opposite the Greyfriars Lane junction. Known nowadays by most Coventrians as the "Register Office"... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Ford's Hopital, Greyfriars Lane |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=fords |
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From the Manor House, you can cross New Union Street into Greyfriars Lane and on the right you will arrive at Ford's Hospital.
This hospital or "almshouse" provided sheltered accommodation for ... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Pepper Lane & Bayley Lane |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=pepper-la |
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Here is another view that is largely unchanged in around two hundred years. You are looking from Pepper Lane into Bayley Lane. On the left is the old County Hall at the end of Pepper Lane. When ... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: St. Mary's Guildhall, Bayley Lane |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=guildhall |
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On the right of this picture, the half-timbered building jutting out is 22 Bayley Lane. To the left is the ruins of St. Michael's cathedral.
The view of the Guildhall from the outsi... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Council House, Earl Street |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=council-hs |
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Although not an ancient building, the early 20th century Tudor design Council House is still worthy of inclusion on a walk around Coventry.
Taken around 1970 by my friend Brian Ro... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Coventry Cross |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=coventry-cross |
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| Historic tour of Coventry: Holy Trinity Church |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=trinity-ch |
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This first view of Holy Trinity Church was taken by our son, Steven, when he was only 8 years old. The view is from Broadgate with the Cathedral Lanes shopping centre just visible to the right, ... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Lychgate Cottages & Priory Row |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=lychgate |
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Adjacent to the entrance to Trinity church can be found these three 15th century cottages. Originally one building named "Lychgate House" they have long since been split into three separate dwel... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: River Sherbourne - Palmer Lane & beyond |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=sherbourne |
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As with virtually all major settlements, Coventry developed in the vicinity of a waterway. For well over a thousand years the River Sherbourne has been central to our town's history, and... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Whitefriars' Gate & Much Park Street |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=whitefriars-much-pk-st |
| Whitefriars Gate
Tuilt in 1352, this was the gateway to Whitefriars monastery which was 300 yards to the east. After restoration in recent decades, the building became a toy museum in 1973 an... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Whitefriars' Monastery |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=whitefriars-monastery |
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It was from the Oriel window in the photograph on the left that Queen Elizabeth I addressed the people of Coventry in 1565. The words of her speech were unfortunately never fully recorded but it... |
| Historic tour of Coventry: Charterhouse - Carthusian Priory of St. Anne |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/tour/content.php?pg=charterhouse |
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Rear of the Charterhouse Monastery. (Photo: Steven Orland, 2013)
Alongside the River Sherbourne, just a few minutes walk down the London Road from Whitefriars' monastery, lies the monastery... |
| History pages: Vicars of St. Michael's Church & Cathedral, Coventry |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/history/st_michaels_vicars.php |
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A full list of Vicars of St. Michael's Church & Cathedral in Coventry, compiled from a list displayed in the New Cathedral. If you notice this list become out of date, please contact me to remin... |
| Coventry's City Wall & Gates: Coventry's City Wall: Introduction |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/wall/wall.php?pg=wall-history |
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In January 1329 King Edward III granted permission to the Prior and 'goodmen' of Coventry to collect taxes, specifically to fund the building of a protective "Town Wall". By that time, Coventry had ... |
| Coventry's City Wall & Gates: The 12 Gates of our Town Wall |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/wall/wall.php?pg=gates |
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Beginning near Pool Meadow and moving anticlockwise around Coventry, the twelve gates were:
Swanswell gate (previously known as Priory gate) - completed c1440, still standing.
Cook Stree... |
| Coventry's City Wall & Gates: Swanswell (Priory) Gate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/wall/wall.php?pg=swanswell-gate |
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Of the original twelve city gates, only two remain.... Cook Street Gate and Swanswell Gate, also known in times gone by as Priory gate; pictured left in an 1840 engraving. A large portion of wal... |
| Coventry's City Wall & Gates: Lady Herbert's Garden & City Wall |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/wall/wall.php?pg=lh-garden |
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Between Swanswell and Cook Street gates exists the best preserved surviving section of Coventry's old city wall. Either side of this lies Lady Herbert's Garden which was laid out by Sir Alfred H... |
| Coventry's City Wall & Gates: Cook Street (Tower) Gate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/wall/wall.php?pg=cookst-gate |
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The plaque affixed to the gate informs us that it was built around 1385, and presented to the city by Col. W. F. Wyley in 1913 prior to its first restoration five years later.
The next tw... |
| Coventry's City Wall & Gates: Bishop Gate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/wall/wall.php?pg=bishop-gate |
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As you approach the top of Bishop Street, you'll be ale to see the 'Canal Basin' Bridge, which stands very close to the original site of Bishop Gate. (Pictured in David Hale's illustration below... |
| Coventry's City Wall & Gates: Lamb Street to Well Street |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/wall/wall.php?pg=lambst-hillst |
| City Wall & Tower near Lamb Street
From the base of the Bishop Street footbridge you can head westwards towards Birmingham along a pathway parallel to the ring road, and after a hundred y... |
| Coventry's City Wall & Gates: Hill Street to Spon (Bablake) Gate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/wall/wall.php?pg=bablake |
| Hill Street Gate
Hill Street Gate by Coventry artist, David Hale. (This image must not be copied or reproduced in any way without permission from the artist.)
The David Hale illustration... |
| Coventry's City Wall & Gates: Greyfriars' to New Gate, London Road |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/wall/wall.php?pg=greyfriars-newgate |
| Greyfriars' Gate
The next gate in our tour is Greyfriars' Gate, which would have stood near the bottom of the modern day Hertford Street, at the corner of New Union Street.
Thi... |
| Coventry's City Wall & Gates: Gulson Road to Gosford Gate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/wall/wall.php?pg=gulsonrd-gosfordgate |
| Town Wall at Gulson Road
A little further east and the next section visible is an incredibly substantial length of wall still in use alongside Gulson Road.
Although showing the wear a... |
| Coventry's City Wall & Gates: Cox Street Wall & Mill Lane (Bastille) Gate |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/wall/wall.php?pg=gosford-milllane |
| Town Wall near Cox Street
On the north side of Gosford gate you will arrive at the longest existing section of wall, around two hundred metres in length.
It stretches from west of the Sky ... |
| Coventry's City Wall & Gates: Completing the circuit: The Wall around Pool Meadow |
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| https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/wall/wall.php?pg=poolmeadow |
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The original line of the wall between Mill Lane and Swanswell gates was rather different to the finished product seen laid out in John Speed's map of 1610.
The original route taken by the wal... |
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