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nd now for another wonderful photographic celebration - this time David McGrory has given us a super selection of VE day street parties from the Keresley area. Some of the locations are known, but others are, I'm sure, identifiable with your help. And whether the street is obvious or not, there's always the chance that you might spot one of your relatives in a picture - or even a young version of yourself ! Please don't hesitate to contact me if you recognise anyone or can help to locate these places that were photographed celebrating our hard fought victory at the end of the Second World War.
Clicking on any photo will open up a much larger version - click again to return.
Although this photograph had "Hardy Road" written on the back, two eagle eyed forum members, "Morgana" and "Deanocity3", have correctly identified this street as Conrad Road, and here's an image courtesy of Google Street View to show how it looks today.
Great news to hear from Mark Waring today that this first photograph contains members of his own family. Formerly a Keresley kid born in 1954 at the old Keresley Hospital (which became the Royal Court Hotel), and a pupil at Woodlands school during the late 60s, Mark thought he'd take a trip down memory lane to view his old school....
"Whilst looking through some of the historical material concerning Coventry, I came across the above photo and instantly recognised my Grandfather - William Overton. He is the third person on the right hand side of this photo and lived at number 7 Conrad Road. I also believe that my Grandmother and possibly my Mother and her brother & sisters might well be located towards the back of the photo."
Once Conrad Road was established as the street in the first photo, it didn't take too long to work out that the two photos of the party above were also held in that street, and here Google Street View shows how it looks today.
The first photo on this page might not have turned out to be Hardy Road after all, but as "Deanocity3" has identified, Hardy Road does feature as the setting for this gathering of the local children, and today it looks like this in Google Street View.
Yet another visitor to the site, Christine Heap (nee Lomas), has recognised themselves in one of these super photos....
"I have found myself, aged five on the photo of the children in Hardy road - I am the girl in the middle with a hair ribbon, looking at something the boy with the tie is holding. I was born and grew up in Chesterton road. We lived at 48, but our neighbours were the Masseys on one side and Purbricks at 46."
"Deanocity3" has also given us an exact location for these two photos of the same table, which is outside number 20 Frazer Road. Google Street View.
Alan Haywood has written to tell us about his relatives, who he's recognised in this second Frazer Road party photograph....
"The chap at the back right with his hand in the air is my grandfather, Jack Haywood; the curly-haired boy behind him on the fence post is my father, John Haywood. Additionally, the lady five down from the front on the right, in front of the lady with the flower in her hat, is my grandmother, Leila Haywood (nee Horne); my uncle Roger is on her lap."
Thanks to forum member "Deanocity3" for noticing that this group of mums and babies are also in Frazer Road, which is featured in the two photos above.
Alan Haywood would also like to add some more names to the array of faces here....
"The mother and baby third from the right is my grandmother, Leila Haywood (nee Horne), with my Uncle Roger Haywood, currently residing in Blackpool. They lived at 22 Frazer Road."
Thanks are due to "Deanocity3" again for working out that these two street party tables (above and below) are in Beresford Avenue, with the readily identifiable house on the far corner of Fisher Road looking just the same in today's Google Street View.
This street proved more difficult to locate, but my sincere thanks go to Janet Hanks, who has written to tell us this:
"Unknown Street 1 is Beresford Avenue, Foleshill. The photograph was taken outside my gran's house (Lilly Sewell), No.48 (the house on the right in the photograph). The other house is No.50 and belonged to the Clarke family. My father, John Robinson, is the man standing on his own at the back of the picture."
You can see how these properties look today on this Google Street View.
Janet also has this to add about the first Beresford Avenue photo:
"In the first Beresford Avenue street party picture (photo A above), my gran and mother can be seen. Mother is sitting directly in front of the man standing, Mrs. Clarke is next to her (closer to the camera), and my gran is sitting next to Mrs. Clarke."
How wonderful it is to also hear from Maureen Bent, who has recognised herself and her brother in this third Beresford Avenue photo....
"I am the girl on front row with white ribbon in her hair with my elder brother Michael standing to the left of me - probably holding the hand of one of the Tooth boys. We visited my Grandparents - Mary and Ernie Wright from No. 14 Beresford Avenue every Saturday. Happy memories of visit to Beresford!"
Forum member "Mattash" was the first to identify the street in this pair of photos as Benson Road, the photo probably being taken from approximately outside number 4, as can be seen today using Google Street View.
Another forum member "Artful" has a recollection that his uncle owned a house across the road from the Wallace pub, and it can be seen on the right of these photos as the house with a garage built into the side.
More fantastic news as we hear from Wendy Heaney, who is extremely pleased to find herself in the first of these Wallace Pub celebrations....
"I was really thrilled to discover this photograph which I can recall seeing amongst the family archives. I was two and half when this was taken and I am on the right hand side to the fore of the photo, you can only see my head peeping around an older girl. My father is the gentleman to the far right of the picture with a bald head and wearing a tweed jacket. We were the Newton family and lived at 71 Keresley Rd. I don't recognise others on the picture but if any come to mind I will let you know."
Another lovely contact has been made by Christine Boylan (nee Oxley) who has spotted her young self here...
"My father, Harold Oxley, is on the back row holding me aged two years. My mother is just in front. They were living in a rented house in Keresley Road, their home at 15 Dickens Road having been bombed in the night of the blitz in 1940. We eventually returned once No. 15 was rebuilt in 1947 by Mr Haddon, who also lived in Dickens Road. My father worked at Daimler during the war on fighting vehicles and ambulances."
How wonderful to hear from Gary Daffron, who has come up with a whole host of names of those among the celebrating throng here....
"Some names of people in the Wallace Pub VE Day Photograph: Mrs Tait - John Tait - Dianne (Tait) Holt - Mrs Saunders - Michael Saunders - Warwick Eden - Rosemary Eden - Hazel Lines - Mrs Lines - John Lines - Brian Warner - Eileen Warner - Jean Baldwin - John Clark - Clive Piggott - Deidre Pearson - Patrick Pearson - Bernard Pearson - Margaret Frame - John Frame - Margaret ? - Ray Cowlishaw - Christine Oxley - Howard Oxley - Michael Holt - Lawrence Holt - Alan Judd - John Price - Joy Price - Heather Newlyn - Margot Newlyn - Barbara Bannister - Audrey Bannister - John Shakespeare - Bernard Green - Mr Jarvey - Margaret Jarvey - Judith Godden."
Wendy Heaney, who last contacted me in August 2014 (Wallace Pub, photo A, above) is pleased to see that the site has had further updates since, particularly Gary Daffron's contribution just above. Wendy adds "The names Margaret Jarvey and Judith Godden are familiar to me, as they were our neighbours along the Keresley Rd. I think I recognise Judith on the photo but not Margaret and Mr. Jarvey, but it was a long time ago!
Pleased to know the project continues, I am looking for old photos of Hill Farm School; my attendance time was from the mid to late forties."
More super news as we hear from Diane Ord, nee Chapman, who has recognised herself in this Wallace Road photo....
"I have a copy of the photo taken at the VE party. I am the baby in the arms of my mother on the far right (just in front of the two chaps in dark suits giving the Victory sign). We lived at No. 31, which is the fifth house from the junction with Dickens Road, and can be seen in the photo."
Many thanks to you, Diane.
Lovely to hear more about this street from Judith Franks.... "I lived at 69, Keresley Road until I married in 1965. I remember Wendy Newton as she was then, very well. The Jarvies lived at 67, Margaret, Barbara and their parents. Mr. Jarvie was a plumber. I also recognise Kenneth Dale and his wife, Win. He was a solicitor, I think, in Coventry - their daughter Gillian is sitting at the table. They lived in Wallace road just by the corner."
Many thanks again for this, Judith.
The Wallace Road party was taken from approximately this position on Google Street View.
Please contact me if you recognise anyone.
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