Victorian drinking fountain to be brought back to life

[dutchman]

The restoration of a Victorian drinking fountain in Earlsdon is set to go ahead after it won support from the Heritage Lottery Fund.



The HLF has approved a grant of £9,800 towards the cost of restoring and bringing back into use the fountain, which stands on Earlsdon Avenue South, close to its junction with the Kenilworth Road. Work is expected to begin in the next few weeks.

The project is being co-ordinated by two local community groups, the South Earlsdon Neighbours Association and the Earlsdon Research Group, in partnership with Coventry City Council, Severn Trent Water and the specialist Fountain Company of Glossop in Derbyshire.

Peter Walters, who chairs the organising committee, said, “We’re absolutely delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has agreed to help us bring the fountain back to life.

“It is not only a handsome artefact from Victorian Coventry, but it played an important part in improving public health at a time when water-borne diseases like cholera were endemic in this country.

“Many people will remember it and we’re looking forward to seeing it working again.”

The cast-iron fountain was made by the Sun Foundry in Glasgow in the 1860s and, it is believed, was purchased by Coventry Corporation and sited outside St John the Baptist Church in the city centre around 1870.

It was relocated to Earlsdon Avenue in 1921, at a time when the nearby War Memorial Park had just been opened. It was last in use some 40 years ago.

Public drinking fountains in the streets, fed by the mains, were an important weapon in the war against disease in Victorian England.

Coventry itself had suffered a cholera outbreak in 1849 which killed more than 200 people.

[rebbonk]

Would you drink from it? Knowing the morons Coventry is blessed with I doubt that I would.

[dutchman]

Restored Victorian drinking fountain in Earlsdon thought to be only one in UK still working



A Victorian drinking fountain in Coventry has been restored to earn the place of possibly being the only one in the UK still working.

The fountain, in Earlsdon Avenue South, Earlsdon, was unveiled to the public yesterday.

The cast iron fountain, made by the Sun Foundry in Glasgow in the 1860s, was restored using a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £9,800.

The project was co-ordinated by two local community groups, the South Earlsdon Neighbours Association and the Earlsdon Research Group, in partnership with Coventry City Council, Severn Trent Water and the specialist Fountain Company of Glossop in Derbyshire.

Peter Walters, who chairs the organising committee, said : "There are a handful of similar fountains remaining in the UK, but it is believed that this is the only one still working."



Thursday's ceremony was attended by local residents Mary Maginnis and Ruskin Tromans.

Mary lived in Earlsdon in the 1930s while nine-year-old Ruskin is a pupil at Hearsall School.

As a child Mary was forbidden by her mother to drink from the fountain, however she was one of the first to test it out.

After her first swig, she told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire: "It's gorgeous.

"I've been wanting to do that for how long?"

Mr Walters told the Telegraph: "It is not only a handsome artifact from Victorian Coventry, but it played an important part in improving public health at a time when water-borne diseases like cholera were endemic in this country."

The fountain was in Spon Street until it was moved to Earlsdon in 1921.

Public drinking fountains in the streets, fed by the mains, were an important weapon in the war against disease in Victorian England.

Coventry itself had suffered a cholera outbreak in 1849 which killed more than 200 people.

Last year the Architects Journal in the UK launched a competition to design a new generation of public drinking fountains, aimed at combating the rising production of plastic water bottles.

[Melisandre]

It looks wonderful.

[rebbonk]

It looks wonderful.

It does. But my earlier comment still stands.

[Melisandre]

Sad to say I agree with your previous comment Rebbonk which is a sad really.

[dutchman]

One-of-a-kind historic Earlsdon drinking fountain given Grade II listed status

A restored Victorian drinking fountain in Coventry is now on a list of nationally important historic buildings.

The Victorian cast iron drinking fountain in Earlsdon has been given Grade II listed status by government agency Historic England.

The agency listed the structure because it’s a reminder of a time when clean public drinking water from the mains supply was a key part of the fight against waterborne diseases such as cholera.

They also listed it because it’s the only one of its kind left and because of the elaborate design.

Peter Walters, who chaired the organising committee, said, “It’s wonderful news for us and we are hugely grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund, who backed the project with a major grant, to Coventry City Council, who supported us all the way and to our restorers, The Fountains Company of Glossop, and to all those who have contributed to this accolade.

“What’s most pleasing is that our fountain was made at a time when drinking fountains in the streets, fed by the mains, were an important contribution to public health.

"Now, more than 150 years later, it is still fulfilling an important function, helping to cut down the over-production of plastic bottles, which is so harmful to the environment.”

The fountain is one of 25 structures in the city to be nationally listed for their special architectural or historic Interest.

Among others are Coventry Retail Market in the city centre, the cathedral ruins and Bond’s Hospital in Hill Street, city centre.

[dutchman]

The fountain shown in its original position outside St John the Baptist in Fleet Street:

[Melisandre]

Lovely picture I wonder why it was moved I suppose its safer where it is now though .