Discussion forum on Far Gosford Street - Contains pictures

[rebbonk]

[dutchman]

In case anyone is holding their breath for the restoration, I remember the scaffolding going up around Black Swan Terrace in Spon End and it was about ten years before it came down again. In all, it was about thirty years between the buildings being boarded-up and re-opened again and during that whole time it was the most hideous eyesore you could imagine!

By the way, it's unclear from the postal address whether the buildng next door to Scholars (formerly All Saints Schools) was once a pub or the one two doors away.

Excluding pubs, I don't think there's a single building being used for same purpose as it was when I lived nearby in the 1960s? it may be hard to believe now but many of the buildings near the top of Gosford Street were still private residences back then. I used to play rat-a-tat-ginger with the door knockers on my way back from St Mary's school

[Elaine]

My dad used to work at Coles timber yard in Far Gosford Street when I was young. I can't remember exactly where the entrance was but you had to go through an alleyway between buildings to get there. There is a photo on the Pictures of Coventry site of the area where it was.

[dutchman]

My dad used to work at Coles timber yard in Far Gosford Street when I was young. I can't remember exactly where the entrance was but you had to go through an alleyway between buildings to get there. There is a photo on the Pictures of Coventry site of the area where it was.

The entrance was the gap beteeen these two showrooms and was also the entrance to Astley's car park:


Astley's car park:


Timber yard and orchard:


There was another timber yard further up Far Gosford Street accessed via an archway next to the baker's shop:

[Elaine]

I wish I could remember exactly where it was but I can remember that there was a television shop next to the alleyway. this was in the 60's. The workshop was quite a way down and there was stacks of timber under covers and made up packing cases that were used when exporting motorcycles. That was one of their main contracts.
We used to have to go to Gulson Road dentists (shudders at the memory) and then we would go and see dad at work. We had to go by the dairy and it always smelt bad.
Sadly I can no longer ask dad about this as he passed away last month.

[dutchman]

I wish I could remember exactly where it was but I can remember that there was a television shop next to the alleyway. this was in the 60's.

It was called "Bednell's" Elaine and is just showing on the right edge of the picture. The shop stood proud of the showrooms either side of it and you might remember there was always a statue of an elephant perched precariously on the upstairs window ledge? Bill Bednell sadly passed away before I could meet him leaving his widow to run the shop and bring up his three sons alone. She was then cruelly evicted to make way for new road developments.

The workshop was quite a way down and there was stacks of timber under covers and made up packing cases that were used when exporting motorcycles. That was one of their main contracts.

I've seen a picture of them Elaine but can't remember where?

We used to have to go to Gulson Road dentists (shudders at the memory) and then we would go and see dad at work. We had to go by the dairy and it always smelt bad.
Sadly I can no longer ask dad about this as he passed away last month.

Our deepest condolences Elaine. Likewise there are a million questions about old Coventry I would have liked to have asked my housekeeper but will now never get the opportunity

[rebbonk]

The Far Gosford Street website. - Worth a look through

[PoundShopPeter]

When they demolished All Saints was it because of lack of use or did they plan to build something on the site?

My Gt Grandparents were married there on 19 April 1897 and lived in one of the "courts" on Far Gosford Street after - "11 Court 13, Far Gosford Street" where my Granddad was born on 12 May 1913.

I often wonder if they ever shopped here - 33 Far Gosford Street - when it was a provision store owned by William Kent. His wife Mary is pictured in the doorway in July 1906.

[dutchman]

When they demolished All Saints was it because of lack of use or did they plan to build something on the site?

According to "The Coventry We Have Lost" (Vol 1) it was purely lack of use and there were never any plans to use the site for something else.

I was hoping someone would write a definitive history of Gosford Street and Far Gosford Street like they have for Spon Street and Spon End then people would be able to look up the details of building occupation for themselves.