Palmer Lane

And I did so! Derek.

Heathite, When I first saw the picture I thought you had hit the jackpot, I thought you had found one of the original cattle pens from 400/500 years ago, but when I looked again it's not worn or knocked about enough. If it's anything after the blitz then it's not history to me, but saying that I'm not sure if they had cattle pens I'm thinking of - the wooden pens of the market kind I thought would be too frail in my mind, for animals can scent blood and death and have enormous strength. But thanks for your help. Kaga.

Kaga - Here's an image of the Burges showing where Palmer Lane routed. Regarding the cattle pens, Plaza Studio's entrance looks just the right size for cattle pens to be placed and then opened into. If you could recall for us the size of a normal shop front opening in the Burges then we could surmise the thinking behind the construction of those small openings. As you say, cattle were a major part of the daily life, so the traders would have asked for the necessary facilities to be available. The two entrances, Palmer Lane with the bollard in the middle and Plaza Studio, now a shop front, could have been major 'gates' for getting cattle to the rear of the Burges. This would make your recollections accurate (not that I'm doubting you) so it confirms the major activity and trade in that old part of town. I hope the aerial map makes it easier to cast your mind back.

Palmer Lane exited on to Ironmonger Row originally although Ironmonger was further north back then than where it is now.

Correct, Neil - as in Allan Hailstone's photo:

Heathite, Neil Yes, Palmer Lane was in a J shape, the top was in the middle of Ironmonger Row, the bottom in the Burges (the photo and entrance in question). The top entrance was swallowed up in '36 by Owen Owen? Ironmonger Row was level with the churchard, the churchyard came out to where the side of Owen Owen of the 50's was, and, I believe, the entrance to Palmer Lane and the slaughter house for the cattle. The entrance was narrow but could take a horse and dray for deliveries and I would imagine for loads of hay and straw for the cattle. It's almost certain that cows would have been milked in the market, and the dirt and noise appalling - don't forget those small factory sheds in the centre of Coventry as well as the smoke from thousands of domestic fires, and everything covered in soot - the horse-drawn traffic-wagons, four-wheelers, carts, omnibuses, Hansoms, coach houses and stabling for scores of horses. The vehicles all had iron-rimmed wheels and the streets were paved with stone, the roar of the traffic was overlaid with hawkers, street bands, flower sellers and barrel-organs, and the middle to end of the 19th century was a builders yard, fish market, market tower etc.

Here is The Burges in 1937.

Midland Red, Looks a few people round Alice Middleton's, wonder what she had come in, whatever was going to cost a few coupons. Heathite, thank you, everything from West Orchard down to Burtons was knocked down during the war. Burtons downwards to the Wine Lodge I believe survived, certainly Smart's furnishers survived - mainly thanks to the Sherbourne river that supplied water when the mains suffered.

Thank heavens coupons were over by the time I ventured into Alice Middleton's, I was in there too many times. What about shoe shops Kaga? I remember my dad used to mend his own in the shed on a shoe anvil (for want of the proper name). I was always well shod as a child and suffered the fate of rubber soles that used to come unstuck at the toe end and flapped loose. Also wasn't Sutton & Jones on the corner of that row of shops (maybe a later time)?

Dreamtime, It was a shoe 'last' made of cast iron it was in the form of three prongs each prong had a different size foot shape at the end, it was so made whichever one you used the other two was resting on the table or such, giving it a solid base. Over the bridge and on the other side of the road from the 'Navigation' was a wooden cobblers hut owned by Billy Buggins. Billy was only knee high to a grasshopper, about 5 feet tall, hardly came up to his work bench.

Kaga, with all the knowledge you have in your head it's a wonder you don't get headaches, but thank you for the info. I can't imagine Billy being there when we were in the Navi. unless he was in the corner with his pint in his old age. There were some grand ol' timers in the bar in the 60's. (think I have strayed a little from Palmer Lane sorry about that)

Heathite, I appreciate your posts and find them helpful, but you found a large piece of a building in Palmer Lane and there has been no response as to why it's there, where it came from, if it's a new style Wendy house, a skip, air raid shelter, or maybe a chunk of an old historic building? They certainly didn't take it through that tunnel. I'm also having a rethink on the old 'Clodbanks'.

Hello Kaga. Hmm . . if you are referring to the 'Wendy House' on post 43, then that construction is simply a temporary chipboard fascia. It covers the gap which is between the Golden Cross and Forbidden Planet. Am I on the right track?

Heathite, No, I wasn't thinking of any particular item, just being a little sarcastic because no-one came up with an answer. It's one of those things where you don't know something and you feel you should and it just drives you mad. And I cannot find out for myself, that's more annoying. P.S. Heathite, I hate talking to someone I know nothing about, like male or female, district, etc. Ignore this if you need privacy. Regards, Kaga.