Your 7 Wonders of Coventry

I know that everyone's are going to be totally different, but here are my 7 in no particular order. 1. Henry Parkes Junior School. Had a great time here, and won my first football medal 2. Woodlands School. I may be in the minority, but I enjoyed my 5 years there. 3. Wickman Ltd. Fantastic apprenticeship that really set me up for my working life in engineering. I had a happy 18 years at Wickman and was really sad to watch its decline. 4. The Locarno Ballroom. How could any one leave this place out? 5. Canley Club. From 14 years old I went fishing, played football, darts, snooker. Worked behind the bar. Such a great place growing up. 6. The Standard Cinema. From Charter Avenue, we would walk up Fletchamstead Highway, pay a tanner to watch Dan Dare. 7. Walsgrave Hospital. The birth place of my 2 eldest children. Eternally grateful to this place.

Modern wonders or old ones?

Your choice. Mix & match?

That's a fab post, Mick. The hospital, for at least five reasons in my family, also the Loco. (Locarno) Brill, brill & brill.

Mick, Of those, number 2, Woodlands school, good and bad memories, I was glad when my time was over. number 4, Like most of my age at that time, fond memories, broken hearts etc etc. number 5, The Standard, Saturday matinees. number 7, Walsgrave maternity hospital, where both my sons were born.

In no particular order 1) Done up Swanswell and Cook Street gatehouses - each was special for different reasons but both made me very happy to experience them for real. 2) Belgrade Theatre - I've enjoyed many plays and it was part of what lured me back to the city. 3) Belgrade Plaza hotel and carpark - the convenience of the hotel and car park made a nervous visitor very happy, until NCP took over. I might not have plucked up the courage to embark on the project, let alone keep it up without such a secure and accessible base. 4) Herbert Archive and foyer - pleasing building with lots of lovely information and friendly people 5) St Mary's Hall - it will go up my list when I can finally get back in. 6) Ruined cathedral - bathed in emotion and almost more beautiful because of the damage 7) M6 Novotel - where I booked in when I first started my job in Coventry. Staying there lead to one of my best birthdays, one of my best snowy experiences and the delight of watching Clothes Show models totter in high heels dodging deposits left by Crufts contestants. I was tempted to put the Flying Standard but it's the company that makes it special. I have a list of my favourite ancient Coventry wonders but I'd struggle to cut back to 7. St Mary's Hall is the only one that would be on both lists although Whitefriars might get onto the lists if I ever get to see it.

Hi matchle55 Don't forget, you still have 3 more to add !

Can I join as a visitor with adding The Ring Road as without it their would have been no Coventry as we know it today,

Of course you can Dougie, and while scary, I've had cause to thank it when I've missed a turning. Just go round again

Might I add some? 1. Holy Trinity Church - where my parents married in 1940, I was confirmed there and spent several years in the choir, and my grandparents, and my pal Jack, are interred in the churchyard. 2. Trinity Hall, Ford Street - happy memories of the youth club there, with Saturday night dances with local bands appearing, such as Woody Allen & The Challengers, Tony Martin & The Echo Four, etc. 3. Standard Motor Co. - my dad worked there for 43 years, and I spent many hours there when he was playing tennis at Tile Hill Lane in the 1950s. 4. Daimler Co. - grandad worked there for 57 years, ending up as Works Supervisor, and he often took me into the factory on a Saturday morning in the 1950s. 5. Highfield Road - dad started taking me with him, probably 1954, every Saturday afternoon, first team and reserves. First hero was Reg Matthews, later on it was George Hudson and Ian Gibson. 6. Coventry Hippodrome - regularly went to The Birthday Show and pantomimes as a youngster, and then to the fabulous one night stands in the 1960s. 7. Brandon Stadium - where else! I was a late starter (1963), but enjoyed the best times watching Bees under Charles Ochiltree, with, of course, the legendary Nigel Boocock.

Mick, I seem to have misunderstood this topic somewhat so here are my "other three" Hillfields, where both sets of grandparents lived, a good place to live in the 50s. Alfred Herberts, my paternal grandparents, both were long serving, my grandfather started in 1919 and retired in 1962. Massey Ferguson, as a contractor I must have been the longest serving non-employee.

(1) I too misunderstood the topic, I only put the Ring Road as in the future people will say, how did they build this? (2) Coventry bicycle manufacturing, as it was the mother of the bicycle world - a bit of history for us outsiders of Coventry (3) The sewing machine (4) Watch and clock manufacturing (5) Car making (6) Lace making (7) I leave this one up to you. To me, the new Broadgate should stay for the future (8) Just had to add this one to my list. Coventry was the only city in the country brave enough to try out the new way of building all through the winter months with the two jackblock flats in the 60s. I watched both of these being built, they are the only two.

Nice list Dougie and a great take on the question