Pay the piper...

[Melisandre]

My ex husbands family on both his grand parents side come from Bedworth I understand where you are coming from as an awful lot of Coventry people have moved into Bedworth over the decades but still a little of the old Bedworth humour and personality is still there only with the older people though the old town of Bedworth like Coventry was knocked down and remodernised along with the market being moved from the Street by the Alms houses to where it is now which lost atmosphere.

[Jock Strapp]

I became a miner because I didn't want to be conscripted at that time although I did join the army later.
As you say Bedworth folk were friendly and welcoming and I spent a lot of time there. Went into the pubs and the dance hall in Collycroft, have forgotten the name though.
I trained as a shotfirer at the pit and enjoyed working there and enjoyed the miners company away from work. We had a thriving fishing club and had contests with miners from other mines. As a child I was taught to play the trumpet so joined the colliery brass band but I wasn't good enough for contests.
My few years working at the pit were probably the happiest in my working life.

[Melisandre]

I knew the Woolpack well now gone is this your dance hall.

http://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.coventr ... 737549.amp

http://www.nuneatonhistory.com/townscap ... worth.html

The old cottages in Coalpitfields I ve stayed in the first one and knew the owner Austin Beers. Billy Ball owned the other two to the right.

[Jock Strapp]

Yes, a trip down memory lane, really enjoyed those photographs.
Would you remember the chip shop, just a shed really, half way down Collycroft on the RH side. Belonged to a friend Eddy Day. Munched my way through lots of his chips.
Bing Twigger lived with his parents LH side of Newtown Rd in the Queens Head. Still kept by the Twiggers and has been for many years. Now known as Altie's.
Bing also worked down Frankies and had a nasty accident some time after I left the pit.
The town policeman was known as Big Bonner and quite nifty with his hands but I never had bother from him because I was as big as he was.
The Arden Ballroom, I'm sure that was its name back in the 50s but as you point out it has had several names. After a sweaty evening dancing ( They didn't call me snake hips for nothing ) We would swim in the clay pit behind the Arden.. Very stupid and dangerous.
Also remember Titch Wild, Ben Randle John Allsop, Lofty Stokes and many others.
As for the bagpipes. They started in Ireland and somehow drifted across the Irish sea. Scotland hasn't seen the joke yet.

[Melisandre]

I only recognise Allsops rfrom the late 60s and Stokes the Allsops who lived in Bruce Rd Coventry I knew the mum and twin girls likely related the mother was a lot older than my self as I am in my early 60s now I know the twin girls are now living back in Bedworth they had a brother to.
Yes I recall the shed that sold chips as a child I stayed in Knightsbridge Avenue with Shirely and David Price I also know Mary and Tom who own Bedworth Taxis my son an ex use to work fixing their taxis Gill Franklin my father in law use to drive their taxis. I also remember the Queen Head and the Hit n Miss now gone. I am pleased you enjoyed the trip down memory lane Jock Strap with the photos.