Corporation Street

The Belisha Beacon was introduced in 1934, the black and white zebra, I believe, after the war. The way I saw it, the Sherbourne ran from one end to the other, under the pavement, a bridge and an ancient building each end. A stick of incendiaries right down the street, quickly put out, Luftwaffe, annoyed, came back with a second stick or more, the Sherbourne came to the rescue. A fireman said ".... you, We shall not be moved". Don't you just love old Cov.

Neil, Brill, Here we have a shot of the bottom of the market, lower West Orchard late 1930s, do you wonder why you were so confused at the buildings? TSP on the West Orchard topic said he thought the Ryder Betts building was the last to be demolished. The way I see it, yes, but when? If there were no buildings below RB then that's why I cut through into the market. Solves everything for me.

Midland Red, thanks but 1976 and those temp shops still there. But Neil's post 29 both sides of the street derelict nearly a century ago, and no answers on this forum, sure intrigues me, and can find no answers either, but there at the back of my brain, damn! Someone posted recently that young men in that street were breaking the law, about gas masks. I meant to ask why? Anyone remember?

Not derelict, but simply newly built, Kaga. Corporation Street was only opened in 1931, so in the mid 1930s was not yet populated with buildings. The photo appears to show cleared ground ready for what was to come.... and a few years later "Gone with the Wind"!

Corporation Street was officially opened by Mayor William Batchelor on Monday 15 June 1931 but plans for a new thoroughfare between Hales Street and Fleet Street had first been suggested in 1910. (1) The city's population had grown dramatically, and the city centre was becoming congested. Together with the increase in population, the city's weaving industry had given way to light engineering and cycling factories, and the crowded jumble of industrial premises, together with public buildings and poorly maintained domestic housing was of growing concern. To help address the issue, the council proposed a new road to ease traffic and clear away the slums. Contrary to expectations, however, the Council found its scheme being rejected at a town meeting in January 1911; it was revived in 1914 to a more favourable response but was postponed with the outbreak of World War One. It wasn't until 1920 and the passing of the Coventry Corporation Act, that the Council was finally able to go ahead with its plans. In the next five years, it would acquire the vast array of properties that populated the site - several licensed premises, numerous factories and shops, as well as eighty seven houses. These houses were little more than slum dwellings, arranged in courts that often stood in the shadow of old factory walls. The ground beneath them was riddled with old cellars and wells. The Council would eventually build eighty homes at Gulson Road to replace the ones it demolished, as well as take special precautions to secure the new carriageway's foundations. When Mayor Batchelor finally cut the ribbon and declared Corporation Street open it was, perhaps, just a small indication of how Coventry was responding to its rapid growth as a modern, industrialised city: the day after the opening, the "Midland Daily Telegraph' reported that the Coventry Extension Bill was being sent for its third reading; the passing of this Act would eventually bring areas such as Foleshill within the city limits. (2) Notes: 1) A full report on the opening of Corporation Street can be found on page 3 of the Midland Daily Telegraph, 15 June 1931 edition: "Corporation Street: Opening of Coventry's New Thoroughfare'; 2) The Coventry Boundary Extension Act eventually brought within the city limits parts of Binley, Exhall, Foleshill, Keresley, Walsgrave on Sowe, Willenhall, Wyken, Allesley, Coundon, Baginton, Stivichall and Stoneleigh. It also brought approximately 17,000 extra people within the city. According to the 1932 City of Coventry Municipal Handbook, this put the population of Coventry at the end of 1931 at just over 167,000.

This excellent photo was passed on by FB user Shaun McDermott and is shared with his permission - My Grandmother, Mrs O. Roberts, and my Mother, Miss E. Roberts, aged 9, selling Poppies on Poppy day 1930, to navies on Corporation Street, Coventry .... this photo has on the back 'Copyright photograph by Midland Daily Telegraph and Coventry Herald, Coventry' ... note that my Gran is wearing her own WW1 medals ... she served in the Territorial Force Nursing Service throughout the Great War, mostly in the Middle East ... A shame we cannot make out the detail in the background but I think with the cobbles it might be somewhere around St John's as they built the road. Interesting to note the light rail setup to remove debris.

This is Hill St Corporation St corner before temporary shops if I am not mistaken!

The Rex Confectionery and Tobacconist on Corporation Street, 1960.

Another nice art deco building we lost.

Corporation St 1931

A repeat photo, Prof. Right bang in the middle of the picture, the black V that touches the roadway goes into and under the long block of buildings, is the river that comes into view and out into the open, and West Orchard is the street that runs in the right hand corner by the side of the domed market hall.

Another one from the recently donated clippings. 1963, taken from the Telegraph offices. What was to become Boots and Allied Carpets to be built behind those hoardings.

Neil, The river is directly beyond those shops, the nearest it came to Corporation Street. By the time it reached the Rex buildings it was easing off, south slightly. The Newsome buildings (he ran the Hippodrome) was off the photo at the top right hand corner.

Looking south towards Corporation Street from Fretton Street/Well Street One I've not noticed before. This could have gone in Art Deco buildings or pubs. The Esso building on the right was officially called Fretton House and was the corner where the Belgrade was eventually built, albeit set back from the road. Bottom picture is The Freemason's Tavern.