Exactly 70 years ago today...

Pictures, maps, memories and stories

Re: Exactly 70 years ago today...

Postby Melisandre » Mon Nov 14, 2016 10:59 pm

Great photos


I agree Tricia :)
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Re: Exactly 70 years ago today...

Postby Melisandre » Mon Nov 14, 2016 11:07 pm

An older acquaintance of mine often tells a tale of those being trapped, with no hope of ever being dug out, being gassed to put them out of their misery. True or not, I wouldn't like to say.


That would nt suprise me Rebbonk if it was true.
I from an early age of 12 have learned not to trust what the press write nor some historians.
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Re: Exactly 70 years ago today...

Postby rocksolid » Mon May 02, 2022 9:58 pm

Hello,
Just wanted to give a bit more info on the photo said to be of Burton's, corner of Smithford Street. In fact it was the half-timbered building housing Noel Fashions on the corner of Trinity Lane, built at the time of the construction of Trinity Street so c 1936/7. Here is a link to a photo taken from Owen Owen's store, It's the building on the far left opposite Boot's the Chemist.
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/627830004290688665/
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Re: Exactly 70 years ago today...

Postby dutchman » Mon May 02, 2022 10:25 pm

Hi Rocksolid and welcome to the forum :wave:

Thanks for that. :thumbsup:

Here's another view showing the building you mention lower-right and Burtons far-left:

Image

And another from inside the shop itself:

Image
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Re: Exactly 70 years ago today...

Postby Blitzkid » Tue May 03, 2022 9:52 am

Dutchman
I recognize every one of these pictures, but there not from the MDT book of the blitz. the one of Cross Cheaping and the Owen Owen canopy shows the last shop to be hit before the men's wear shop in the Burgess on the left hand side. But surely you were not around in those days. The MDT(now telegraph) book about 1948 time was the best Blitz book of all by a long way.
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Re: Exactly 70 years ago today...

Postby Blitzkid » Tue May 03, 2022 10:13 am

that front of Owen Owens, there was a smashed car, on the night of the blitz, under that canopy, dragged of Trinity Street to allow ambulance and fire tenders to move. so that makes your picture days after. But still great shots, The telephone and tram wires that came down wrapped themselves round the wheels of the amb- fire tenders and the men, coiled wire sprang and zipped all over the place, stopped the trams dead in there tracks, what a night to remember.
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Re: Exactly 70 years ago today...

Postby rebbonk » Tue May 03, 2022 12:14 pm

:thumbsup:
Of course it'll fit; you just need a bigger hammer.
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Re: Exactly 70 years ago today...

Postby rocksolid » Tue May 03, 2022 12:45 pm

Blitzkid wrote:Dutchman
I recognize every one of these pictures, but there not from the MDT book of the blitz. the one of Cross Cheaping and the Owen Owen canopy shows the last shop to be hit before the men's wear shop in the Burgess on the left hand side. But surely you were not around in those days. The MDT(now telegraph) book about 1948 time was the best Blitz book of all by a long way.


Hello,
I'm new to this board and though not a Coventrian (I'm a Wulfrunian) thought I had all the books about the blitz but don't know the 1948 MDT book you mention. What was the title?
BTW have you seen these shots of the City Arcade?
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/ne ... /591984038
https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/ ... y-23695427 (photos 5 & 6)
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Re: Exactly 70 years ago today...

Postby Blitzkid » Tue May 03, 2022 4:54 pm

The queens hotel Hertford street and you can see why the King could not use Hertford st on sat the 16th I believe he used Much Park street?
The Queens Hotel, was original the Red Lion Hotel, it's caption,
"Wh0ere the Red lion staring o'er the way
Invites each passing stranger that can Pay"
The figure of the red lion was from the White Lion Hotel Smithford street that went bankrupt so sold to the red lion who painted it red
August 20th !862-- some pranksters decided to paint it back to White as the driven snow. he re-painted it, but the following year he feared they would do the same, so he posted people to watch him, and in the dead of the night three people appeared with ladder and a kettle of paint, as the watchers appeared they ran off, leaving the ladder and black paint behind.
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Re: Exactly 70 years ago today...

Postby Blitzkid » Tue May 03, 2022 5:57 pm

The White Lion Hotel at 50 Smithford street was the oldest Hotel in Coventry it had the normal bar and rooms above. a small cobbled yard led round the back to stables, Corn market, at 51 was the large corn Market. in Victorian times, the corn Market era was over so the main Coventry post Office took over 51, in early Victorian times-- 1902 the P.O moved to Hertford street, sweet or some small shops replaced the P.O.
In 1920 the White Lion was re-built, brick by brick, it re-opened in 1921 but now it had a bay window on the second floor, the Landlords Lounge, where he could sit and watch the people below.
In 1933 Hitler came to power, Claimed Germany a fascist state, and Europe was in turmoil, meetings in every Country, and every where.

Now the White horse could see the way to more money, it aquired no 51 and in 1934 it built a restaurant, kitchens, another bar, and a function room, turned the roof into staff live- in quarters, it Hired out the function room to the fascist party, placed the advert signs from of the front of the building to the pavement (found a couple of years ago by Coventry) and now Coventry had running fights secret meetings, the communist started the daily star, and friend's and brothers joined different Political groups. and Coventry/England was no longer the friendly place it once was.
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