Books on Coventry

Hi Helen, is it Coventry Up to date Views and Reviews, if so I do have it, it is an amazing book. This is the one I bought from Atherstone hospice shop several years ago, and because it was old they priced it at £3.99! It has so much information and pictures in it. You will love it.

It is Anne, thanks. Mine was £10 plus postage but second hand books are rocketing in price. Apart from the cost, I'm pleased that books get recycled. It looks like Rob has a copy too. I'm genuinely excited waiting for it to arrive.

It is well worth £10 Helen.

So it arrived today and I can confirm that it's a must for anyone interested in Coventry industry, including watchmaking. Loads of sketches and photos of the various factories, including interiors. You'd recognise many of the images but there are loads I've never seen. One description (page 116) talks about the success of the coming year of 1896, so the book is no earlier than that and not much later. The big surprise to me is that I've not come across a Yardley yet

A very good set of books at what looks like excellent prices. Just check the price with other sellers to make sure the price + postage is cheapest. If you buy more than one the seller may reduce the postage. Coventry The Hidden History by Iain Soden, a regular Coventry archaeologist. Book about historical Warwickshire building designs by Nat Alcock, a significant historian for the area. Same shop, check out some of their other books.

Just received from my daughter… Bloody British History Coventry By David McGrory Not read it all yet, but noted under `sources` a certain Rob Orland. Often when starting reading a history book and work backwards from the end and so in this case I have already got to the section "Yellow vs Blues" blood curdling tales of how elections were carried out in Coventry at one time. Now I understand why my grandmother used to tell me "the gutters ran with blood" I was also interested in the "Weaver`s Riot" in that one side of my family were involved, I believe in the cottage industry side of the silk weaving industry and I believe a certain `Mr Butler` was a journeyman who collected finished work door to door and took it off to London. I also was told the story of another member of the family who I think was a sort of weaver`s trade organiser, who in the words of my grandmother or grandfather told me that he used to speak (probably illegally) at the green at the bottom of Hertford Street (the name escapes me at the moment) and they said, "The people ran down Hertford Street to the green shouting "Dick`s up, Dick`s up"". I also know there is some sort of notebook about the Association of Silk Weavers that my grandmother or one of her sons presented to the City Archive - Mrs Annie Turner. I don`t think mentioned in this book, my grandfather W.H.Turner and his two brothers, George and Alec, were involved in the watchmaking trade and Alec Turner was Mayor in 1943. My grandfather showed me his tools which he kept in his garage after he retired and showed me how he engraved with what he called a `stylus`(?) and told me he used to work at a bench with his apron pinned to it to catch bits that were pared off shavings of precious metal or other bits that fell. There was another family member who was a watchmaker, Tom Turner, who I also believe kept the “Hearsal Pub".

I'm afraid I can't claim any real credit for that book, Roger. I often help by scanning and preparing images for publication - Dave's the man with the knowledge! Nice to hear of your family connection to some Coventry history though.

Thanks for that Rob. Memory has returned, they ran down Hertford Street to Greyfriars Green. Not sure if they would have been greeted then (by I think I remember) a statue of Sir Thomas White(?). I should remember I was in White`s House at KHVlll and must have passed or been there most of my school life. Also I was an early customer of the King Wa Chinese restaurant - nearby.

Apparently, Roger, the Sir Thomas White statue was built in 1883, so probably wasn't yet there when the weavers' events were going on by Greyfriars Green.

I receive the Postscript catalogue and in this month's there is offered “Coventry in the Great War” by Leonard Markham, price £4.99. It concerns WWI. Anyone have it or read it?

There’s a review here

Not a book about Coventry, but an interesting reference to the Coventry Blitz. The book, "A History of the United States" by Boorstin and Kelly is an American High School textbook written in 1981. It's a very comprehensive book, and includes information about other parts of the world if it is relevant to US History. In the chapter on WW2 there is reference to Churchill, saying he knew Coventry was going to be bombed, but to protect the Ultra secret he allowed the city to be sacrificed. As far as I'm concerned that is a myth, and I've read so in several books. But when did that myth arise? And is there an element of truth?

Finally got this book that I have been after for a couple of years. Had an alert from eBay that it had been listed at £19.99, did a deal and bought it for £25.00 within the hour. Better still, it is signed by John Ashby, Nov 2014.

It's one of the most sought after, Mick. I made an offer for a book about Charterhouse recently but thankfully the seller turned me down because they were selling copies at the Herbert for £2. There are two I'm still looking out for and I'm hoping that the Herbert might republish one of them.

I found a book on Coventry called “111 Places in Coventry that you Shouldn't Miss” by Rob Ganley, published in 2021. I think it was $4.95 so I was only expecting a pamphlet type of thing. No, it's a nice fat 230 pages of descriptions and photos of these places. There are even some maps to help you find them. It even gives you direction on how to get there on public transport. Also - wait for it - there's a mention of Rob Orland in the back! It's part of a series that includes Bristol, Manchester, Copenhagen and Toronto in German as well as English.