Arthur Cooper Gallery

That beings back a memory of maybe 1957/8 when I was walking towards town along Coventry Street when I noticed two cars, one driving north on Milton Street and the other going along Coventry Street towards town. Neither slowed down for the junction and to me events appeared to happen in slow motion. The car from Milton Street hit the Coventry Street one side on which caused it to roll over. I recall a dog jumping through the broken rear window and running away, terrified. I believe the north east of the junction was a bomb site yet undeveloped. I wonder if it made the CET. Would that be in your neck of the woods Rob?

Not far away, Choirboy, probably under a mile.

Several really nice pre war photos, including these two:-

Hmmm..... intriguing. Trying to date it from the the "Me and My Girl" at the New Hippodrome. The choices are.... Mon 19th Jul until Sat 24th Jul 1948 Me and My Girl With Lauri Lupino Lane, Barry Lupino, Wallace Lupino, Eve Eacott, and others. Mon 12th Oct until Sat 17th Oct 1953 Me and My Girl By the Coventry Amateur Operatic Society. Mon 4th May until Sat 9th May 1959 Me and My Girl With Valerie Tandy, George Truzzi and Helen Ford. I think 1948 is too early, and I was leaning towards 1959. However, in theory, from 1955 the Hippodrome became Coventry Theatre, so it ought to be 1959...... but, did they change the signage straight away? Logically it's going to be the 1953 show, but would an "Amateur Operatic Society" get such a huge advertising poster?

I was just looking up the same on your excellent resource Rob but I think that there are too many surviving buildings for the two photos to be post war. There are two showings in 1939 May and October but I think that there is a tree on New Buildings with blossom, so Mon 8th May until Sat 13th May?

Good thinking, Helen - yes, far too many buildings apparently untouched by the Blitz, I'd not thought of that (rather obvious) thing! I'd first looked at the cars, which I felt were likely 1950s - but then again, with no new cars being designed during the war years, they'd look the same before and after! Good shout regarding blossom, too, so probably a May 1939 photo after all. Mon 8th May until Sat 13th May 1939 Me and My Girl The show that made all Britain do the Lambeth Walk. Mon 18th Sep until Sat 23rd Sep 1939 Me and My Girl Show returned by public demand.

There is a comment in the CET on the 6th May 1939 about flowers that had been placed on the island by Trinity Street and Hales Street. The picture does seem to show 2 areas of flowers so this also fits in with your 8th May Helen. Though also on that day there were 2 IRA bomb explosions in Trinity Street.

Hi all, quick bit of research help for me if possible: This is Randolph Turpin (right) who beat Sugar Ray Robinson in 1951 to become World middleweight Champion. He was from Leamington and got a civic reception when he won. This image could be from the 1940s when he was an amateur (with a fancy dressing down) or after becoming champion. Can people spot clues in this image to make the description more accurate? All help gratefully received! Ben

Great shot Ben - can't help with the info but my Dad worked with what I think was his nephew in Warwick in the 80s/early 90s.

Thanks Neil. I'm looking at that Mayor and thinking 'who is he!!!!'

Looking at his Wikipedia Entry - I hadn't realised he had fought at the Drill Hall and at The Butts.

Seems he was a regular amateur post-war, and post his Royal Navy boxing too. Be good to understand more. There's about a dozen images on Cooper showing boxing matches, some at Drill Hall, looking at the light fittings, some at the Leofric too. Sadly he's not in any more images, but there's some great shots, including this corker:

The poster on the wall advertises future bouts at the Arden Stadium, Bedworth. Presumably this was the old Arden Ballroom, later a skating rink, and eventually a furniture showroom. New houses called Old Arden Close now stand on the site. The poster also advertises a forthcoming bout featuring local hero Les Allen who was a renowned middleweight boxer in the Turpin era. Les later ran the skating rink at Longford and also an off-licence at the corner of Sydnall Rd and Bedworth Rd, Longford. This is Les senior not his infamous son Les junior who has featured in the press recently for more murky matters.