Book Launch: David Fry ‘The Coventry We Have Lost: Forgotten Foleshill’

Pictures, maps, memories and stories

Book Launch: David Fry ‘The Coventry We Have Lost: Forgotten Foleshill’

Postby dutchman » Mon Dec 18, 2017 11:16 pm

Coventry Archives & Research Centre

Image

Come into the Archives for this book launch with author David Fry who will be signing copies of his new book ‘The Coventry We Have Lost: Forgotten Foleshill’.

Foleshill is the largest and most diverse of Coventry’s suburbs with a complicated but fascinating history. For many centuries it has had no clear centre, just a series of scattered hamlets that have spread out over the twentieth century to join up into one large suburban area.

Image
Cash’s Ribbon Factory on the canalside at Foleshill (1870)

Foleshill is not just the Foleshill Road but also Longford, Bell Green, Alderman’s Green, Hawkesbury, Courthouse Green, the Stoney Stanton Road and even part of Holbrooks.

Although Foleshill looks a bit of a muddle today, old photographs and estate plans help to show the pattern of its growth from a late nineteenth century semi-rural parish.

Image
Lockhurst Lane, Old bridges over the railway (1923)

In the nineteenth century when large landowners restricted development in other directions, Foleshill offered the city the main opportunity for expansion for housing and industry. This has continued during the twentieth century, but war and redevelopment have meant that only old photographs reveal the change from old fields to a built-up area.

Image
Foleshill, Narrow Lane (1913)

David Fry has been interested in Coventry’s industrial history since working as a teacher in the city from the 1970s. Albert Smith has worked in many aspects of the city’s post-war engineering industry and has experienced at first hand the boom and bust periods, as well as a spell working in Detroit.

Their mutual interest in old Coventry photographs and photographers led to the publication of their first books in the 1990s. But now both are retired they have more time to write books to promote an appreciation of the unique character of the different areas of Coventry.

The book is available to buy from the History Centre at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum and the author’s website: http://www.thecoventrywehavelost.co.uk/

Image
User avatar
dutchman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 50286
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 1:24 am
Location: Spon End

Re: Book Launch: David Fry ‘The Coventry We Have Lost: Forgotten Foleshill’

Postby Jock Strapp » Wed Dec 20, 2017 1:00 pm

I went to School with Dennis Cakebread, we both lived on Hall Green Rd
http://www.denspages.co.uk/roots/bellgreen.htm
User avatar
Jock Strapp
 
Posts: 407
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 3:09 pm

Re: Book Launch: David Fry ‘The Coventry We Have Lost: Forgotten Foleshill’

Postby rebbonk » Wed Dec 20, 2017 1:21 pm

That's an interesting site Jock. I'd forgotten it, thanks for reminding me. :thumbsup:
Of course it'll fit; you just need a bigger hammer.
User avatar
rebbonk
 
Posts: 65568
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2009 7:01 am


Return to Local History

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests

  • Ads