Derby Lane, Pepper Lane and the Cathedral Quarter

Further to Osmiroid's image that I posted earlier - here is what must be the latest image I know of of an intact Derby Lane before its destruction in very near to the same spot. This one is dated 1936 and as you can see it still retained its ye olde charm (although probably its olde charm rats as well!). Mirrorpix have recently added some great new images which I will try to add on the forum where appropriate.

Another great find Neil!!!!!! So rare to find pictures from inside Derby Lane.

Hi Neil, I was going to post that Mirrorpix seemed to have more old photos, though they're hard to filter out from the modern ones. I think that the reason Derby Lane is so poorly covered is that it was tall and thin. It must have been quite grand at one point, as hinted at by the artists who have covered the street. They had more chance to show the street because they could exaggerate the angle of view to show it more clearly.

Another great one Neil thanks, looking forward to some more.

Flapdoodle. In the book I think it was Rob recommended - Humorous Reminiscences of Coventry Life - it says "In the summer of 1792, Broadgate was excavated to the depth of 5/6 feet, when a regular pavement was discovered, and upon it a coin of Nero, in middle brass".

Thanks all / Helen. I noted during a search after I posted that you hinted that you had already seen this one. It really is hard to picture that this is where Cathedral Lanes covers now.

I've seen a lot of pictures Neil. I've stopped predicting the end of the image supply because novel ones turn up quite regularly. The Mirrorpix photo isn't the most useful image I've got of Derby Lane. It can't have been long before the war. The Library is on the left, which from my perspective is a modern monstrosity (only in so much as older buildings were demolished to make way for it). The north east end of Derby Lane is somewhat lacking in useful information although I have a few images and I think I've worked out what it looked like.

It's hard to picture that is Derby Lane in the first place, looks so drab, none of the richness of Derby Lane, looks like they were looking for the chop as well as Butcher Row etc.

Following a post on FB about Derby Lane I have only just realised that there is something visible today that links in with the old photo posted earlier in this thread - you can see what I think is the back of today's Yorkshire Bank building still visible from the old image. Anyway I love this type of thing as it really places the Coventry of old to the unrecognisable today.

I also love that kind of clue between pictures Neil. Some of my best Coventry research work does that. Well spotted

Cheers Helen - You can see they have bricked up the window to the left - I'm now just going to have to research the history of that building! Wonder what that room was used for?

Looking at BFA - it almost looks like someone was living in there. This is dated 1949 so they cleared and developed the site quite quickly post-war.

It might have been a fire escape with where it went to destroyed in the war?

Rob's pic

Hay Lane