"Burglar Bill" and other old tales of Radford

Hi Colin, Nearest we lived to Radford was the new end of Beake Avenue for a couple of years - Whitmore Park, after which my parents took over the Broomfield Tavern in 59/60) My grandparents lived in Chesterton Rd., and their local was the Wallace. Great pub with beautiful beer garden at the rear (car park now) had lots of pop and crisps out there. Dad frequented the Pilot whilst at Beake Ave., and look what has happened to that

Hi Colin, Sounds like your Dad was of the same era as mine, tv off when guests arrive, no swearing, haircut every 2 weeks (whether you wanted it or not!) no playing out on a Sunday and always refer to elders as 'Mr' and 'Mrs' never by christian names. I must admit, I can't say that I agreed with them all at the time! My main ventures to Radford were to have my car repaired at The Ace Garage.

The younger generation nowadays would benefit from a little bit of this to gain some respect.......

The Ace Garage is still going. Schofield paper shop they are related to Mr Glenn who owned the paper shop in Wallace Road, I recall a rag and bone man who use to come round on a horse and cart not sure if its the burglar Bill though. I recall the fishing tackle shop owned by Cloughs set back on the Radford Road a little slip road which no longer exist, they lived in Chesterton Road, I was in their son's class at school, also there was a little chippy set in the wall of the graveyard opposite the Savoy and Poretta's coalyard. I recall the Beaker cafe too, as for the fish and chip shop I used to work there in Heathcote Street but a lot of years later, the shop like the Maypole use to be owned by my elder sister's boyfriend's parents, if it was the on the corner by the chippy his name was John, I also know the name Walton too

Hi Morgana, where have you been ??? A couple of neighbours of my Gran's were the Rollins's and Mrs Bull who was a very close friend to Gran. She always liked to sit on the french door step out the back with her cuppa in the sun. I can see her now. I think I remember the rag and bone man, he gave me a balloon. I lived at Gran's for a while because I had whooping cough. Anyway, they lived in Chesterton Road and at the rear were all the allotments. There was a great apple tree out there (a scrumper's delight). Yes, I did get up to some minor antics Colin !

The Ace Garage has been owned in turn by speedway riders Wilmot Evans and Les Owen

Hello Morgana and Dreamtime thanks for the response. My Dad worked at the Ace Garage for a short while, just outside the garage was the Inner Circle bus stop. I think that service is no longer in use, maybe wrong. The only Schofield Paper Shop I remember is the one in Heathcote Street almost on the corner with Bulwer Road, I wonder if they were related? I have just spoken with my brother Jim Walton and he confirms as I thought Burglar Bill did not have a Rag and Bone Cart, he was the receiver of scrap etc, he hoarded the scrap then sold it on. Having jogged my memory I now remember the fishing tackle shop, on the frontage was a barber's shop, a faggot and peas batch shop and of course the fish and chip shop, great location just opposite the Radford pub. A few pints then fish and chips or a faggot batch, the way to end the perfect day. Lol. As for the chippy you worked in, that has me a bit confused, the only chippy I knew was in Bulwer Road on the corner with Heathcote Street, next to Keelcraft model shop just opposite my gran's house. Having spoken to my brother he confirms that the shop at the bottom of Heathcote Street was called Worthingtons and up from them was a shop called Chattaways (the owner died and was taken over by his daughter Christine Chattaway.) There was another shop next to them, I think they sold knitting wool and patterns just like the Busy Bee on the Radford Road, not sure on that one. At the top of Heathcote Street was my old school, Hill Farm. As for Porretta my dad also worked for him for a while (him as in the owner) and you can still see Porretta lorries today. It's nice to bring back nice memories. Thanks to you both. Colin.

I seem to remember the name Wilmot Evans now you mention it it's funny how it all comes back, thanks again M R.

You scrumping apples, well I'm telling. You little devil. I can just see your gran drinking a cuppa in the sun, that sums up a lot of grans at that time, slower pace I think. Hope to get some more photos on later covering Heathcote Street. Thanks for the response. Colin.

Hi Dreamtime lovely to hear from you, I do pop on now and then to read, been painting done two so far. The name Rollins rings a bell, yes the allotments where at the rear and we use to scrump comming from school down those entries , which are now gated and locked at Walace Road end , thinking back how different life then to now , makes me feel we now live our lives locked up interned. Sounds lovely the picture you paint of her sitting by French doors having a cupa, lucky you getting a balloon we were lucky to get a ride up front on the cart to the top of Telfer Road, later when I was ten mum and dad moved to Sadler Road close to Chesterton Road.

Thanks Midland Red The last car of mine was m o t there, nice lads too. Funny how certain business in Coventry keep like Beepers hair dressers around the corner with Pete and his brother taking over from their dad, who use to do my hair when in my teens, now blur blur years later his son Pete does my hair, the only person I trust with my hair big smile . Also Poretta by the Savoy

Hi Radford Kid yes the chip shop I worked at was the one on Bulwer Road the shop next to it on the corner going Heathcote Street way was owned by John Wells parents whom my sister use to go out with. I too went to Hill Farm, Mr Jones was the head master of the juniors and Miss Penny then Mrs Richards was head mistress of the infants, did you know Hill Farm school firstly was a wooden hut opposite the nursery on Beake Avenue, where flats are now built by where the crossing lady use to cross us . Do you recall the old man in Foster Road , corner to Treehern Road who use to sell toffee apples from his house opposite Lady Mayoress Mrs Cresswell . Yes I still see Porretta s lorries too.

Hello Morgana, A little tale from Radford for you. On my granddads 65th birthday, in the garden, at Chesterton road, family and neighbours gathered, later all having a drink at the Wallace garden. Uncle Walter was (as normal) the worse for drink. Time to go home via the entry's to the back way to Gran's house. Uncle Wal., fell against someone's fence and the whole lot went down like a pack of cards and left the gate and posts standing. From what I can remember we all just look flight up the entry towards Gran's and left my uncle there. I have never seen people move so fast. We all flew in Gran's gate straight up the step and into the kitchen. Someone said where's Wal . My dad (Wal's brother) went and sneaked back to look up the entry and saw him still lying there. Well, they got him into the house and dropped him onto the settee. Funny thing was nobody came out to see what was going on. Never heard anymore about it but the fence stayed as it was for quite a few weeks after that. I can still laugh at the way everyone just flew like naughty kids up that back entry and all crammed into Gran's kitchen. I hope whoever lived at that house is not a forum member ! ! ! ps. Mrs. Rollins had a son named Peter, used to give me comics.

Morgana, I remember your memories very well. The Wooden hut you refer to was my first school I remember writing on slate boards that had a wooden frame as kids we thought the lower school was a bit of a dump. I think at lunch time we would be marched up to the upper school for Dinner and so we got a glimps of how the other half lived, if the truth be known the lower school was for the bottom class , a situation I have always been associated with, me being a bit of a Dunce (I spent too much time having so much fun as a kid, enjoying life to the full and not a care in the world and I don't regrete a thing . Would I have changed my childhood for more academic life? Not an hope hell) . If you remember Hill Farm you must remember the other wooden huts on one side of the playground next to the School playing field? Yes you guessed it that was also my classroom when I moved up from the lower school. Mook the photos the r Wood was my Teacher at time he loved poetry, he was quite a small man, I got on with him very well. The Headmaster was Mr Godard . My first real classroom teacher was Miss Hall, I was deeply in love with her and she got married. I knew then she did not fancy me. That was an hard lessons to learn.lol As for the toffee Apples I do remember that well we would call in on our way home from school I lived in Trehern road ,if I remember the toffee was real Toffee as in a brown colour and not the shiny red you see today, yummy. I am 67 y just wondered if we were close age-wise? Colin. The blue Van is in front of Chatterways shop, to the right as we look at it was Worthingtons, I think the shop to the left sold Wool . I think the first shop that is boarded up was Schofields . the above photos are sad for me as I spent my early days playing outside the shops and I remember the Queen's Corronation party being there. (I was dressed up as Sabu the Elephant Boy) . I wish I could show you some photos of Hill Farm but I promised I would not put them on any Web site. Colin

The hut mentioned at the corner of Beake Ave and Foster Rd was also in the early forties the meeting place for the 8th Coventry scout group following the bombing of St Nicholas church. The 33rd scout group met at the Baptist church on the Radford rd, along with the 11 th battalion of the lifeboys.The batch shop opposite the Radford pub was owned by the Carvell family. Wards the paper shop opposite the Radford club, and the chemist was Knights. Where the Global Care shop now there was the Savoy library. Does anyone remember the spring that was at the back of Porettas by the side of the blackpad, and the battles between the Radford mob and the Fynford Rd mob. These took place roughly where the scout headquarters are now.The lads would gang up, being cheered on by the girls, and have a good old rough and tumble, finishing up with making friends, until the next time, with the opposition. Good old days.