Wartime housing and shops

Hi Kaga, I remember the image you mean but I can't find it either. Forgot to add the date, 1960

This is from one of Dutchman's old posts, please remove if you think it is a problem, but it is from Life magazine originally !

Thank you, Annewiggy, do you have a date for the picture? Gas centre you were right, but the whole post seemed strange to me. I believe it hinted a wartime picture, but surely that can't be right. The trendy shoes, the gawdy hat, looks like silk stockings, the lady's face - more fifties fashion.

Dutchman's site says Easter 1941, Kaga

Annewiggy, Impossible - the blackout, rationing, bombing, war losses, fashion, everyone strained to breaking point in 41. It needs more explaining, but Dutchman you can't really question, so let's forget the photo. But many thanks, Anne.

Looking through the newspaper archives, John Sellright were in Smithford Street until 1940. He appears to be in Hales Street at the end of 1940. He is only in Corporation Street in about April 1941 and in November 1941 he is advertising at new premises in Smithford Street. My grandmother re-married in July 1941 and she is wearing an outfit to match the one in the picture. Anything is possible to a woman if she wants to make an effort Kaga, Hitler or no Hitler.

Annewiggy Did we have a Smithford Street in 41? Maybe half a one. Did we have pre-fabs in 41, was all the rubble cleared in 41? I seem to remember in 41 we were in hell of a mess, in every which way. I just can't get me head round that photo is genuine. I can't remember that street looking like that till late war time. But don't get me wrong, I do appreciate the good work you do.

There would not have been much rubble in Corporation St apart from the Rex, and perhaps the Sellrights shop had just opened in one of the new temporary shops. Anyhow it is not a fake.

Kaga, Prof. The Telegraph reports the council agreeing to build the pre-fab shops in December 1940 and reports in January 1941 that they are building in Corporation Street.

Prof, Argon. Yes, they did build quite fast those temp shops, they needed them badly, but there was still rubble about. I didn't say the photo was fake, but needed more explaining. I know the clothing rationing only started a few weeks after the raid. but in 41 even the rats were eating the carpets. But in 41, dressed like that?

As it appeared in Life Magazine, I suspect it was staged and posed

Kaga. Looking at the photo on Coventry's cinemas by NeilsYard, no. 521, where the temporary shops were built in Corporation Street had not been developed in 1939, and so could account for no bomb rubble.

That was exactly my point Argon! It was a newly developed street and not built up until the temporary shops had gone,quite some time after the war ended.

Argon, Prof. Easter week 1941 we had two bombing raids, the Coventry Hospital, and Spon End got hit badly. I was under the impression that Corporation St in between got hit, somewhere near where the Belgrade is now.