Hillfields

Hi Jan, Giles was the name of the newsagents on the corner of Berry Street and Brook Street. Mr Giles was a bookes' runner (in the days before licenced turf accountants). I used to take bets from my mum and dad to him and at the end of the week he used to give me a bar of chocolate.

Hi Tricia, of course you are right. I remember now, it was Sadlers, didn't they have a son who died young of Measles or am I getting mixed up again?

Hi Jan & Trish. Yes, I remember Giles papershop in Berry St well. My dad always used to get his paper from there on his way to work at the Bristol Siddeley. He died in December 1963 with kidney disease. But I always remember when my mum went to settle my dad’s newspaper bill, Mr Giles told her to "forget it". A kind man, I seem to remember. My dad also liked reading Science Fiction & always bought his books from Luckmans book shop in Gosford St (remember them?). They were like a second hand book shop as far as I remember. But you could also exchange them like a library. Also, talking about naughty mags as you were, my dad used to buy "Spick & Span" mags, which were so tame compared to today’s mags. Some newspapers today are more pornagraphic than those 1950s girlie mags. But again, like my comics of old, are probably worth a small fortune now.

Hi to all, I used to have to go to the slipper baths, always considered it a great waste of my playtime waiting. But the thing I want to ask you all is, do any of you remember Arthur Lindon? His parents had the Joke Shop on the corner. Also Ian Kemp? He lived on the corner of King Edward Rd. Lastly, is your brother Geoff West approx 63 and went to Freddies? If so he was in my class. It would be nice to know what has happened to all my old school mates. On Friends Reunited there is a class photo 2a 1961 at Freddies, if it is your brother, he should be on it.

Hi, I remember Lindons well; it was a joke and toy shop in Vernon Street, just a few doors away from the Royal Albert pub. Mum used to pay 6d a week into their Christmas club to get us toys at Christmas. I can't remember it, but I met someone last year and he was telling me that there was a barber shop at the back of the toy shop. I remember a Kemp family, they lived at the top Berry Street, just before the phone box and entry that lead to Primrose Hill Park. I seem to remember they had a son called Ian, their was also a daughter called Joan, and another girl who I worked with for a short time at Alfred Herberts, but for the life of me I can't remember her name. I'm sure Jan will be responding to you soon regarding her brother.

Tricia, you have a much better memory than me... now you have described exactly where it was I can remember the joke shop clearly and also where the Kemp family lived. scrutiny, my brother Geoff is now 64 years so you probably were in the same class. Have looked at the photo on Friends Reunited and can't see him on it... maybe he was off school that day.

Thanks to both of you, it’s just that I would like to know how some of my class mates have fared over the years. I counted up the number of us on the photo, there are three missing so you could be right, Mayjan. I was one of the younger ones in the class so there is a difference in ages.

According to "Pictures of Coventry" these are views of the Slipper Baths:

Ah Dutchman that picture has brought back so many memories, I had quite forgotten that the Slipper Baths looked like that at one time. I could only remember the new modernised ones that they built... I have a couple of pictures of them, with myself and a friend standing on the steps must dig them out and put them on here. Thanks for that.

I've just visited 31 Coronation Road, next door to where mayjan lived. The house is in nice condition and is about to be rented out. The road is in a poor state though and in need of some TLC from the Council. Looking around, I don't think you would find many of the old Coventry families there now, well not with the names that you mentioned!

Found these two photos of the slipper baths, myself and my sister Kate on the steps of the rebuilt baths and myself and my brother Geoff in front of the wall of the original baths.

My father became vicar of St Peter's in 1970 and we moved into the old vicarage in Paynes Lane, the back of which you can see in the photo. We were the last family to live there as in approximately 1975 it was demolished and we went to live in the new vicarage in Charles St up near the church. Although I was only eight when we moved out I have strong memories of the place, playing in Primrose Hill Park, running up and down the jetty that ran alongside our garden, and the streets the other side of our garden wall being kocked down and carted off in trucks - ours was the last to go. The whole area was in a bad way, as I recall it a vast dusty wasteland, but I think of it fondly nevertheless.

That's a nice thread. I used to attend St. Peter's Church and went to confirmation classes at the vicarage, also attending the summer garden parties. The vicar at the time was Father Jones, who could give a very good sermon. When he seen anybody falling asleep he could raise his voice so that it would wake them up (mainly me). There was also a Brother Stewart who became Father Stewart later on. Funny how paths cross, I went to my future brother-in-law's wedding in Rugby, I was sitting in the front pews when out he walked, asking me if I followed weddings. Father Jones became a missionary and went to the Philippines, married and then came back to tour England giving lectures on his work out there. Do not know what happened after that.

Does anyone have information on this subject? I was only a tot when this happened, and my uncle Charlie took over as the landlord. I believe the murderer was never caught.

That's correct Sally and the detective in charge of the case said on his retirement that was the most bitter regret of his police career.