West Orchard

TSP To me, Rider Betts could be a long story of survival. I'm not sure if they started in Broadgate, but if not, I'm not sure if you know but that bridge linking the two buildings in the centre is the hook and chains that hoisted the bags from off the flat dray lorries into the building and visa-versa. On either side the buildings held the goods corn, cow-cake etc, not sure if they sold blocks of salt. But before the First World War it would have been horses so they would have had stables, many horses, drays, and I believe they had large courtyard next door - I also think the dray-drivers lived in those cottages in the street. But those drivers would have known what each horse was capable of - to take a large load up Bishop Street may have taken a team of six, horses would have fallen to their knees on steep ascents, or maybe they would have attached two extra, unhooked the two at the top and some boy employed to bring them back. The return journey, if laden, the horses were often trapped by their heavy loads which overtook them. In the days before pavements and tarmac roads the drivers would simply drive into the grass verge as a means of slowing down. In 1914 firms had to give up two thirds of their horses to the Army, unable to replace them for years, but by then they were replaced by engined vehicles - many firms did go broke during the period. That Rider Betts survived is one of the stories of Coventry's history.

Another fascinating recollection. I'm always bemused by the old photographs of streets with nothing but horses. My mind can't grasp how long photography has been around. Vehicles with horse power are a lot more familiar to me than real horse power.

You remembered to get your balloon from the rag 'n' bone man then Helen? I remember him very well for a few years after WWII. Kind of missed him in a way.

I'm looking through this topic again and I believe there's a few errors - but then I could be wrong. Neil - your photo on post 47, Gibney 1890-1910, looks to me there's a cinema advert on the wall, Laurel and Hardy? Late twenties or early thirties?

No Kaga - as per the photo it's around the turn of the century. The photo came from a Gibney family relative. I have a large copy which I can zoom in on - cannot see Laurel and Hardy/Cinema Ad?

Neils yard, OK, thank you. I don't have your ability, accept what you say. Regards, Kaga.

The Fish Market, West Orchard, post blitz

Interesting Blitz damage image of West Orchard looking east, and the bombed out 'new' Owens building - slightly further east and earlier than Prof's image above.

NeilsYard. Opposite the car above was MHW iron works. Here they had a massive forge. I believe the building had a corrugated iron (not sure) roof, but when the sun shone in the summer, and the flames of the furnace rose so did the temperature, so the big doors were wide open. The air itself, in and around the factory, was hot. All day long, the place resounded with the deafening noise of the forge - iron on iron - and the shop filled with iron bars, broken wheels, broken ovens. All the same the forge had a great power of attraction. There was always people standing round watching. The men seemed to work at superhuman pace, as if life depended on getting the particular job finished in the next five minutes. It was a fine sight to watch them banding a wheel, or twist and turn iron bars into shapes of flowers and plants for the backdrop of fireplaces and gates etc. It set one's imagination travelling along tracks of swords, shields, and all from hammering the iron. Cannon, and civilization, the plough, the wheel. But also the rhythm of the blacksmith's hammer was to me like an ancient song, a mythical force. It was the Coventry I knew as a boy, and lost.

Interesting view of what was left on West Orchard post-war here -

Gosh Prof, I remember the old fish market when a toddler. All that fish out in the open air for sale!

Busy Market Square

West Orchard Company were a Worcester cider firm from way back in Victorian times or maybe before. Believe they had a stall in the market, so were they before the street was named, or not?

They might have pretended a connection as a sales gimmick. Stan Beasley has it called Vastum Gardinum in 1204. In 1610 John Speed calls it West Orchard. It belonged to the Priory of St Mary and monks are known to make cider so...

Apparently this is the rear of the Meteor Works in 1941 viewed from West Orchard. Looking at maps I think some of the Meteor premises would have gone for the creation of Corporation Street - although I believe the address was actually on Queen Victoria Road (so it must have been big?!) Can anyone pinpoint where the shot is taken from?