Well Street, Upper Well Street and Hill Cross

Thank you once again Helen. I'm new at this so I am very grateful for any assistance! Could you please tell me where you found the first Hill Cross map, the one with my dad's name, Norman Jackson showing? Many thanks Robert Jackson

I stuck the two together from offline sources. A directory from 1955 and a much bigger map from 1950.

This is number 9 Hill Cross (Court 1 behind) from the excellent Coventry Digital. The archway on the right of this building, (next to the plank of wood) would have been how the court was accessed before the bombing took out the house fronting the street. Next to 9, was 8 and 7. Seen here from the rear before they were demolished.

My parents were living in Hill Cross when I was born - 1954. I wonder if anyone remembers Norman and Agnes Jackson. They ran a grocery and faggot and pea shop there. Any information or indeed photos would be be greatly appreciated. Many thanks, Robert Jackson

Hi Robert I lived opposite the Gas Tavern in the early fifties. I knew a girl called Diana Jackson, her dad ran the pub, I think she had a brother, I think they moved to Walsall. It was a long time ago, are you related to them?

I've posted this one before from CD but I've only just noticed the old property in the centre in the distance - Its probably this one (BFA 1949) which was at the junction of Hill Cross and King Street - It wouldn't have had long left from that City Architects photo!

Its amazing how many things I miss first time around! I'm actually also amazed it was still there at that time. Always on the lookout Helen!

Can't recall if these have been shared before but worth another post - Some very rare captures of the Hill Cross/Gas Street/King Street area pre-redevelopment after their significant wartime damage.

Helen I think I'm right in saying this shows the West Orchard Almshouses? Again the detail is fantastic with every Cart track showing in the mud!

Similar but these are from Well Street south side. A particular favourite of mine.

This sketch is from the Loeb Art Centre in New York. The image is of part of the south side of Well Street. It looks a lot like a sketch by Dr Troughton but both might be copies of something else. It's probably not a live sketch because there is a bush at the end, which I know wasn't there because the next building in the row survived until photography and was a timber, jettied building. Well Street was probably the most ornamental street in the city, still surviving at the beginning of the 1800s. The south side was even more decorative than the north but had been edited even before the rest was demolished to make way for Corporation Street. I don't know the artist T H Clarke. It may be taken from one of the images in the Aylesford Collection - Created for Thomas Sharp, John Nicholson and George Howlet, who wished to illustrate their copies of Sir William Dugdale's Antiquities of Warwickshire. To this end they employed the services of a drawing master, Mr. Jeayes of Coventry. Only Sharp's collection ended up at Birmingham Library, so Nicholson and Howlet's copies are 'lost'. There may have been variations to the three copies. Rob, Bev and I are going to hopefully view the collection in February.

Thanks to Jeffery Stevenson on FB - test shot for my new camera taken late July 1967.

Whilst I was only a schoolboy at the time of that photo Neil, the Factors building was later to become either Coventry Factors or City Electrical Factors, though I don't quite remember which. But what I do remember in the early days of my electrical apprenticeship, (which ended very prematurely due to the high inflation of the 70's), was a building that was used a lot by the electrical firm I worked for.

That junction in its more modern form, is probably my most familiar sight of the city. It's the junction I used to arrive at to turn left to park off Corporation Street (the Debenhams' car park?), to park to visit the Belgrade on the rubble from Coventry Factors and now to park in the Belgrade Plaza carpark for my visits. After the stress of the M6 and the Foleshill Road, it is always a welcome sight.