COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

The Tories just took away the housing benefits which enabled people to live in places where there are jobs such as in West London!

As far as I know, my maternal family were "sent to Coventry" in the 1930's as there was no work in the part of Scotland they lived in. Nice to see times have changed ...

Love the clown smilie by the way, caught a bit of deputy prime ministers questions the other day and it was cringe worthy in the extreme. To think I voted for that party!

My late housekeeper's father was forced to move from Lancashire to Coventry. He was subsequently crippled for life in a horrendous foundry accident and his wife had to go out to work to support the family. Before my housekeeper died I suggested those days would eventually return to Britain. Her generation having experienced the great depression, she refused to believe it claiming there would be "riots in the streets" if the government ever tried it. How times have changed.

Peter - my mums family did the same in the 40's. they were from Baillieston near Glasgow originally. A lot of my Scottish family moved away to different parts of the world looking for work.

Elaine wrote:Peter - my mums family did the same in the 40's. they were from Baillieston near Glasgow originally. A lot of my Scottish family moved away to different parts of the world looking for work.

I think my lot set off from Wishaw - but if the family tree is to be believed their roots were in Ayrshire / Dumfries & Galloway. Seem to have traversed the West & South of Scotland looking for work before moving to Keresley / Holbrooks. I think before they left for Cov they travelled to Glasgow especially to see the legendary Gorbals in all its glory!

Few people were given a choice. They turned up at the labour exchange in Lancashire, Wales or wherever on Friday to collect their dole money and instead of being paid were given a one-way train ticket and told they start work in Coventry on Monday. Few would have even known where Coventry was. It was only after they found accommodation locally that their families could join them.