Gosford Street

Helen, following on from the comment not long ago about the walk through into Whitefriars Street, here's the other side from that last photo and the RH edge of the Whitefriars 'entry' - thanks to Martyn Lomas on FB, his grandfather's shop.

A lovely photo. It shows the scale of the buildings compared to Martyn's grandfather - who looks like he's holding something trying to escape out of the bottom of a bag.

Woof!

Sadly Food Express is the same spot today

Hi Neil, I know you've said you have the address now for D Lomas, but I'll post these images for other people who may find the courts & house information useful. The image with the address given as 13 court and 4 house is from the 1926 directory.

Gosford Street 1860

Many thanks to Heathite for help locating this. What would I do without you? A fine picture probably taken after the bombing as it's one of the few areas that survived the war. North side of the road. Anne posted an image from the rear of this building as it was being demolished. Oddly these buildings aren't part of the Historic England collection.

Apologies to all as I know the forum has been a bit quite lately, so keen to get back on to posting some of the images I've recently uncovered from a pile of donated newspaper clippings that I've not seen around before (or at least could not recall!). This latest one is interesting. It's Gosford Street looking north - post-war as there is bomb damage visible. I think that's around numbers 32 onwards on the left. The original Hotchkiss works on the right until it was taken over by Morris in 1923 as the engine works. Now used by Coventry University and named the William Morris building. The spot where the photographer is standing is pretty much where Ringway Whitefriars goes over today.

Very nice Neil but I think it's from before the war. The missing buildings are just straight demolition. The one on the left is number 24 that survived but the next 2 were bombed out. The tall one survived the war and was number 28. The photographer was indeed where the Ring Road was destined to be built.

Thanks Helen - I was just going off the notes in the newspaper where the photo came from that mentioned what they thought was blitz damage to the roofs. The clipping is clearer - the sign on the left states 'George Nichols Builders Merchants' so directories might help us confirm a date?

It might have been after damage but before demolition to prevent it falling down.

George Nichols was at number 23. Number 28 was the Denbigh Arms and number 22 was The Three Crowns in 1850.

Thanks again Helen - so 23 would have been right opposite The Mermaid.

22 and 23 were both opposite the Mermaid, yes. And the rest. You could have been paralytic in less than 100ft pub crawl. These properties were supposed to be linked by tunnels but there was probably the remains of a very old defences ditch, later turned into a drain that ran all the way to the river in the north.