Union Street

Is anyone aware of a canal company office in Union Street - possibly demolished after WW2. Heathite - any chance you could look in one of your directories at all please? Someone has asked me for the company name and I can find no reference currently.

Hi Neil. Here's what I have for Canals. 1912, Sutton & Co., carriers (Agency) Union Street. 1912, Coventry Canal Co. (Peters & Sons, agents, Bishop Street). and the image below for 1935. I hope it helps . .

Brilliant again - Thanks!

I don't know how Heathite does it. I'm hopeless with the directories.

Thanks to Damian Cunningham on FB. View from LPS Police Station offices across Union Street. The last days of that small row on Cheylesmore - you can also see the topshops upper right cleared to build 'New' Union Street.

There were never going to be a canal agents in Coventry in 1935, and it is doubtful if the one at Sutton Stop was working in 1935. It would be doubtful if any Coventry agents were working after WWI, the basin was closed to traffic by 1938 through neglect.

Neil, Regards that canal message, look, the basin part of the canal closed way back, no working boats visited the basin from 1935 onwards, the office (top of Bishop St) was moved to Sutton Stop about that time, the basin bypassed. It was more likely that the Union St office was closed way back in WWI, boats were pulled by horses and the army sent 8,000 horses to France, none returned, over half canal horses. Business suffered, most agents closed down. Hope this helps.

This one has recently turned up on FB - obviously taken from an unmentioned book so I cannot credit however I am struggling to pinpoint the location - despite the narrative? Where was this row in relation to the Manor House?

They're pretty much along the line of Manor House Drive. In the early 1960s I delivered newspapers to one of those houses - I reached it by passing through the gate of the Manor House from Old Cheylesmore. I could then continue up to St Patrick's Road, coming out between Friars Road and Warwick Road.

Thanks Cliff although I need to pinpoint on a map as I saw none of it. Were they known as Eaton Cottages by any chance?

NeilsYard, not having been around that area for many a year, the houses on the far side of the car park, IF my memory is correct they are on the corner of Friars Rd and going to the right would have run onto to Greyfriars Lane. Going to the left would that have gone past the old Labour Exchange. Memory being correct then the corner house would have been where my great aunt Amy lived. I recall getting to the rear of the houses there was an entry between the houses and what looks like a green garage. Surprising how something clicks in your memory bank when you see something, I was only a "nipper" when I recall going there with my mother.

The photographer would have been standing where the blue dot is on the map below - immediately above the dot are the cottages I don't know about the name

Can you see what you are looking for on this 1939 Britain from above ?

Thanks Cliff - Eaton Cottages then perhaps?

I think this may be it. Union Street and its environs was so different compared to New Union!