Market Street (to Smithford Street) and Market Place (to Broadgate)

I have found several references to the pre-war Market Street. However, I cannot find it on any of my maps. I assume it is the street that connected the Market Place to Smithford Street. Does anyone know its location?

"Market Street" was the original name for Market Place/Market Way before it was closed to traffic.

Hi Laurence, I think I have the answer you're looking for. Most maps don't seem to label the smaller streets - in fact even the high-detail 1851 map doesn't mark Market Street. However, I found two that do, so below are extracts scanned from 1905 and 1937 maps of Coventry.... and you'll be pleased to see that you are absolutely spot on with your assumption! 1905 1937

Ah yes. I should have noticed the words "pre-war"!

No worries Dutchman, it was great to see that super photo of the fledgling precinct anyway! You do come up with some great images - I'd love to know where you find 'em.

That's Great Rob. The next question is, does anyone have any pics of the pre-war Market Street? It's interesting to see your map. It explains why the market was known as West Orchard Market, which continued as an open air market after the war for a time, along with the Rex Market and the Barracks Market, before the present market hall was opened. It's also interesting that on the 1610 map the area of the Market is called Cross Cheaping, as opposed to the later use for the top half of The Burgess. Of course, cheaping (or Chipping, in the case of town names) meant a market and, presumably, the Cross was Coventry Cross located at the North end of Broadgate.

There is a story that was current amongst city centre traders in the early 1960s. How much truth there was in it I leave to the reader's imagination. It went something like this: After the war, the Precinct was designed to roughly follow the line of Smithford Street and, running at right angles, was to be a traffic-carrying shopping road, along the lines of "The Future Coventry". That road eventually became Market Way and Smithford Way. Many traders signed up for tentative leases. Then the plans were changed to make the new road into a pedestrian-only road, like the Precinct. Many traders got cold feet and threatened to pull out. So the original plans were reinstated. However, once most of the leases were completed, the plans were changed again, to the eventual configuration of pedestrianised roads with no traffic. This left many of the traders with a sour taste. Of course you may choose to take the story with a pinch of salt!

Hi guys, I have been researching my family history and have discovered that my great grandfather Thomas Hands was the landlord of the Lamp Tavern in Market Street in 1912. Does anyone have any details, photos or any links that may help with my research please? Many thanks Mark

According to John Ashby's "The Character of Coventry" it was located at No 21, was listed as early as 1868 and closed circa 1939. Hope that helps.

Hi Dutchman Many thanks for the prompt reply it helps a lot! It seems that as far back as 1805 my family have our roots firmly planted in Coventry

A great find here - not many images of Market Street especially from the Smithford Street end - It's the building on the right (Spall's) here in Rob's classic shot of the street. Can it be the same Cash's we all know?

No, Neil. Cash and Co were a boot and shoe manufacturer. In the 1900s on the adverts they put W & E Turner under the Cash name. Turner’s were a Leicester company.

I'm liking the early version of the shop. It could have timbers underneath the brick and at least one jetty. That route into the market doesn't seem to be there on the 1750 map and probably looked like the jettied building at the top of Smithford Street.

Newspaper adverts give their address as 29 Bishop Street and 7 & 8 Market Street, they are later in Cross Cheaping but then they have become Wholesale Provision Merchants