Spon Street

It was formerly the Coventry Motor Sundries factory and Plaza cinema car park Norman.

Thank you for reply Dutchman. I left Coventry early 1960s and returned 1990 ish. So many changes , not all for the best. ... Norman.

I am looking for info. on the people who used to live in the three cottages at Court No. 7 in Spon Street - the premises are now used by the Watch museum. These cottages were occupied I think from about 1880-1980 (give or take 10 years). Can anyone help me with some names? If not of the families living there then perhaps the name of the landlord/owner of the land or who built the cottages? Thanks.

Hello EMH and welcome to the forum There were 27 cottages at one time in Court No.7 which was also known as Shakespeare Yard. I think the three remaining cottages were Nos.25, 26 & 27. In 1891 No.25 was occupied by Annie and Henry Hopkins (hairdresser). No.26 was occupied by Joseph Penn (watch movement maker) and Maria Penn (woolen spinner). No.27 was Louisa and William Ward (cycle machinist). I think the cottages were built by the brewery and some were eventually incorporated into the Shakespeare pub.

Hi EMH This is from the Coventry Herald March 1887 British Newspaper Archive. Good description of layout of houses 22-27

Having a quick look on google, Dutchman, I think the Watch Museum is in 22,23, and 24, but on a visit there I seem to remember a building that could have been a coal house so it may be that some of 25, 26 and 27 were incorporated in the museum.

Firstly, thank you for your quick responses Dutchman and Annewiggy. My husband has done some sketches of the Watch Museum and is wanting to include a few lines on the history of those cottages. I've tried looking at the Herbert Archives and also on the Census (but without names have had no luck)! So, your info. will be VERY helpful to him and we will try to find more about the cottages and people who lived there soonest. Again, many thanks for your help. Regards, Eileen

The same shops viewed from the Holyhead Road side, presumably taken after the war as the two shops on the left-hand side of the first picture are now missing:

In the mid to late 50's my friend and I used to go down Spon Street to a second hand shop that she said was owned by her uncle. Going towards town, the shop was on the left hand side but I am not sure how far along this was, and it was quite small. I believe it was called Davenports, or maybe that was just his name and may not have been on the shop front, I can't remember now. Anyway, what I do remember is managing to buy what were probably ex-juke box records that had a large hole in the middle but you could get some "middles" with a small hole in them that clicked into place so you could play them on your record player. I remember getting Twenty Flight Rock by Tommy Steele from there, and possibly one or two early Elvis records, at bargain prices. Does anyone remember this second hand shop? In the early 50's my family moved from Coundon to Hearsall Lane, and my mother worked at the GEC in Spon Street, where she would do wiring for television sets, and often brought home hundreds of multi coloured beads (the ends of the flexes she had cut) and I made endless necklaces and bracelets with them. I also remember the GEC having Christmas parties for the children, and we were always presented with a lovely gift. One of mine that I treasured for years was a sewing set - a pretty box with a hinged lid and three drawers, full of needles, threads and buttons, all you needed to sew with.

There was a record shop called J Fennell opposite Crow Lane, on the left as you headed into the city. There's a picture of it in the Library pictures. Search for fennel

Correct, it was Davenports It's the temporary building to the right of the pub here:

Thank you Dutchman. It is good to know my memory hasn't deserted me completely ! Where on earth do you find all your photos of Old Coventry? There are many on this Forum that I haven't come across before. I probably have most of the books of old photos of Coventry that have been produced and sometimes sit for ages looking through them, often with a magnifying glass so I can read the names on some of the shops. Several years ago a kindly old gentleman called Mr Beasley lent me four or five albums of wonderful old photographs, one being of the 1960's, which had photos of Hillfields, the Swanswell, Ford Street, Pool Meadow - all of which I remembered as a child because my grandmother used to live in Lower Ford Street. I often wondered what happened to the albums. However, one day at work at Little Park Street Police Station I was introduced to a visitor, David McGrory, by Tony Rose, who used to, or may still, look after the Police Museum (had to change the name from the Black Museum!). David has produced several books on Old Coventry, and it transpired that he now owns all the albums that Mr Beasley had.

Janey if you look top left side in the grid there are more in Members Album s which if you click on each photo it will enlarge each photo belonging to each member.

They're all on the internet Janey (or were at one time). Many of them can be found in the "Library pictures" link top-left of this page but it helps if you already know what you're looking for.

Why didn't I think of that! Thanks again to Dutchman and Morgana. I still have much to explore on this fascinating forum.