Coventry on film

Princess Elizabeth at Coventry (1948)

Today's Telegraph carries these links to various films relating to Coventry

Hi Norm I also have one of those videos. I haven't looked at it for years, but I remember it being a collection of mostly old stills, BBC newsreels and a narrative. It's well worth copying the DVD for posterity. I may actually have already copied it to DVD. I'll have a look. Found it! It works too. Looks like about 40 minutes long. And it's REALLY good! 1. Intro. 2. City archivist explaining the Lunt Fort reconstruction and the history of the original. 3. Origin of name "Coventry" - Leofric/Godiva and so on 4. Prior versus Earl etc 5. Cheylesmore Manor 6. Trinity Guildhall etc 7. Civil War - "sent to Cov" 8. John Hales - grammar school etc 9. City Wall 10. Cathedral construction - compared with new cathedral 11. Fords Hospital 12. True Blue 13. Bonds Hospital / Bablake 14. Plague 15. Watchmaking 16. Industrial revolution 17. Spon End 18. Bicycles/Cars etc 19. Aero industry 20. Machine tools 21. Council House 22. City architecture 20th Century 23. Newsreels of the day..... 24. Ends at the start of the Blitz.

Here's a short movie of the 1930 Carnival. And here a better film of the 1936 Carnival.

Rare footage of 1930s Coventry

More from the 1930s, this time the 1931 Carnival, and the 1932 Carnival.

mcsporran, wow, the very first thing on the 1932 film, I'm sure, was Will Hay and his crazy school kids, we were behind him one year and half way round they gave either my brother or sister a ride on their float as they were tired from the walking, 'oh my' I'm shaking.

1965 City Centre footage: Thanks to YouTube user Ian McDowall - some great home video footage here. I especially love the early shot down Warwick Road.

I've been waiting for somebody to spot the mistake, it's nearer to 1966 than 1965. The station has been electrified and building work has started on Mercia House, although it'll be another two years before the latter is completed.

Post-blitz Coventry, July 1945

Hopefully you can all access this one as I think many of you will enjoy it! Very rare footage of Stoneleigh Terrace and some 'action' scenes around Parkside. On yer' Bike! - Coventry 1967

Oh thanks NeilsYard for posting this one. I forget the name of the daring presenter, but how he managed to commentate while in motion is a major triumph (dubbing?). I for one, had no idea of the variety of old bikes there were in Coventry or even the extent of "made in Coventry". I knew about the "Penny Farthing" of course - my grandmother, I think she lived in a cottage near the Rose and Woodbine, used to tell the tale of Billy somebody or other that used to come down the street on one of those "looking in the upstairs windows". I always had an idea that was Vecqueray St area, doesn`t that follow on from Eagle Street? I also think her sister lived in Eagle Street at one stage. Grandmother Annie Bryan, great aunt Eleanor (Nell) Bryan.

Vecqueray Street links the bottom of Far Gosford Street to Gulson Road, so no, not near to Eagle Street

Please help me I`m lost MR. Haven`t been there for at least 40 years, but I thought I used to get from the Foleshill Rd to the Stoney Stanton Road, by going down the Hill at Eagle Street and following it through to what I thought was Vequeray St at the traffic lights at Stoney Stanton Road. If I was travelling in that direction I used to get electrical bits for the car (bangers) from a small shop (shed) on the right hand side just before the traffic lights. Eagle St - scene of my best accident. I had sold my Triumph Herald (glad to see it go, always having punctures) on a Saturday afternoon, had cash in my pocket, but carless, went up town and back by bus, stopped in Broad Lane, by garage at entrance to Mt. Nod, cars in forecourt for sale - too dear, so had a look at the rubbish round the back, spotted Morris 1000 TDU278 £20 - needed wheels, No MOT, will it MOT? yes with a bit of welding and what they told me was a lay shaft in the gear box. Bought it and took it to my friend Ron Elliot at Brownshill Green, Smithy Garage - he fixed it up enough for MOT, but funds wouldn`t stretch to do the rotten boot perimeter. First time out - going down Eagle St, obliging young lady ran into the back of me - result she paid for the welding of the boot. Did over 10,000 miles in that car including trip to Heathrow to pick up friend from Ghana who arrived complete with child, sundry furniture and an African Grey Parrot in a cage (I`ve got a story about that parrot that I could put on here if anybody is interested). Oh the last time I saw that car, it was being pushed down the road by a farmer and his son to get it started, they had paid £50 and were quite happy with it, were going to cut the top off it and use it as an open moke for the lad to drive around the fields. PS I still run bangers, my Rover 455 goes in for welding and MOT tomorrow.

The traffic lights suggest it was Harnall Lane