Gosford Street

Neilsyard wrote "A more modern image (80's?) of the old Morris works building looking a bit forlorn". You can clearly see the remains of the top floor, (used to store blankets for emergency use), which had been gutted in the fire of 1963 and demolished soon after, the floor becoming a new flat roof !

Hi everyone. I am an old member returning. I find reading about Gosford Street brings back old memories. Can anyone tell me where was the location of Number 14 court 2. Was it town end or Far Gosford street - Right or Left side? Many thanks

Welcome back Tony - Court 2 was west end of Gosford - right by the junction with Cox Street - you can just about see it here lower right. I'll look for another with the Court numbers but I'm sure Helen can pin-point for you -

Hi Tony, welcome back. Looking at court 2 it doesn't look long enough to have 14 properties, even if it inherited court 1 properties when Cox Street was widened. Are you sure that it wasn't court 14 house 2? That survived the war. Or court 11 house 14? If you let us know the name, we might be able to help. nb Issue partially resolved and moved to Hales Street.

Nicola Smith on "The Coventry we Used to Know" FB has done it again with this fabulous image from the M.Tom's collection. It's Gosford Street looking west towards town - probably just outside the Morris works (as per the workers' Bus Stop sign!) - The Mermaid Pub visible on the left. A reminder that Mr Tom's collection came from his job at the time which was to photograph areas to promote advertising space - hence whey they all have at least one Billboard showing on them!

What a cracker! The building second from the right with the chimney at the front was number 33, originally the Blue Pig. Some point after the war it became the post office. Many thanks to Neil, Nicola and Mr Tom.

I find myself a little confused by the photo. I recall Barton Brothers "Electronic Services", where I spent most of my pocket money from 1958 onwards, as being on the other side of the Gosford Street, unless I am totally disorientated. Did they move before moving again to the Arcade?

Hello, Yes! They moved to the top of Earl St, that's now a fast food cafe, on the right hand side looking towards Broadgate. Most of my railway electrics & electronics came from them.

How interesting to compare this amazing view with the modern-day Google image. In one way it's nice to see that the buildings between the Whitefriar's Ale House and the Oak pub appear to be original - but yet the right-hand side..... oh dear! How lovely it used to look with those original properties that had to make way for the Ring Road.

It's another blinder Rob and I've passed on thanks to Nicola for allowing me to share these. She is not local to Cov these days but has said she may visit next year so I have offered her an invite to the Herbert for a chance to meet if she is available which she has welcomed. A little more on the background to Mr Toms - I hadn't quiet got his history details correct: M Toms (I think Martin?) was an acquaintance of my dad who lived in Cannon Hill area, I don't know if he is still alive, but the photos were his dad's, who was a photographer. His job was to go round Cov on his bike or motorbike and sidecar (which features in many of the photos) and take photos of billboard posters in order to get more more companies interested in using this type of advertising. I think all the photos are post war, around 1949/50. Great Now & Then btw

There are still little gems turning up. This one below is from the 1951 Development Plan book. It shows kids standing at the bomb shortened end of Court 17, looking south southeast towards the gap in the factories. Top left is the end wall of the Fox and Vivian. On the right is the remaining end of Court 16, where a small range of buildings was destroyed. You can see roughly the same line of sight in this image from Britain From Above. Don't forget to get a free login to be able to zoom in.

Helen, you mentioned the Fox and Vivian, it was the first pub my parents took over after they were married. Didn't it have green shiny ceramic tiles on the front walls? You would have been too young to have ever seen it.

Hi Jo It changed over the years. Initially it had about 3 bands of tiles of slightly different type but yes, they were green. The lowest level was the darkest and largest tiles and covered the foundation level up to the steps. The next level was only slightly lighter and went halfway up the doors. Finally there was a lighter level that went to the top of the ground floor, with various decorative details in a darker green. That top level of tiles and the decorative details round the doors and windows look like they were later painted over. The upper building at the front was cream render. Originally the side and rear were red brick but may have later been rendered. It's hard to tell with grainy b/w photos. The reason I know the colours is because there is a Sydney Bunney painting that might be in the book Impressions of a Graceful City, if you've got it.

There are a few good photos of the Fox and Vivian out there, including from the pub section but for possibly the last view before it was demolished a rare colour picture from Coventry Digital. From that, it looks like the paler green tiles did survive.