Spon Street

I've discovered that one of my ancestors was living in Spon Street in 1853 in property owned by a Mr Robert Hewitt close to Newcombes Yard. Does anyone have any idea whereabouts in Spon Street this would have been? Edited by Midland Red, 13th Dec 2017 5:04 pm (Post copied from topic "Coventry Telegraph")

Hi Malvern. I have spent many happy hours looking at the newspaper archive site. Just had a quick look at the new Coventry pages, thanks McSporran for the heads up, found my step grandad reported as falling off his motorbike and injuring his face. He always told me that was why he grew his great big moustache to cover his scars. An article for 2 properties for sale says they are on the south side of Spon Street, near to Crow Lane, known as Newcombes Yard. Hope this helps.

Hi, here's a bit more info regarding the yard. Apologies if it's a large image. Done for clarity.

Newcombe's Yard became yard number 13 (south side parallel to Crow Lane as Anne wrote) and was accessed from the side of number 40 (a picture of it in the library and the entrance to yard is on the left). In later years it ran round the back of the Rudge Works.

Helen, Anne, Heathite - "brill"

Thanks for all the information everyone. In the censuses the property is referred to variously as just Spon Street, 50 Spon Street, and Shakespeare Yard. Newcombe's Yard was a new one on me, but I think this now pins down the location!

The Shakespeare yard was behind number 18 and number 50* was a bit west of Newcombs's yard. There are pictures of 50 (in a Godiva Procession picture). Search for Mrs Brooks gladiator. The building to the left is the Eagle pub at 48. 50 was the second half of the next building (consecutive numbering, not odds and evens). The Shakespeare is at this link. The yard still exists but the front building was rebuilt.

This could be the area.

That's Court No.6, Heathite (probably Shakespeare's Yard as it's behind that PH) - if they're looking for Court 13, that's between Crow Lane and Meadow Street

Hi and thanks for that, I'll try again.

Heathite, your blue line just goes over the boundary of The Shakespeare yard, of which the east side still exists. The middle of Newcomb's Yard is just under the 50 of your label. It ran from the R of Spon Street to the R in (Trafalgar) Street near the river in a series of westward steps. I'm not guessing, it's marked on the 1850 map by name. I'd recommend to anyone trying to find a named yard to try and get a copy of the appropriate Board of Health Map. Various experts on the city seem to make mistakes because they haven't looked at those maps in detail*. Some of them prefer the later Ordinance Survey maps because they are more GPS accurate but the wealth of detail on the BOH maps (produced by the early Ordinance Survey teams) makes them essential in understanding the pre factory city. Some time between 1850 and 1888 maps the named courts were numbered so using the two together is the best option of all. The name on the courts often referred to the business/owner that fronted the street. Number 50, Newcomb's Yard and Shakespeare Yard are all distinct and quite far apart, albeit all off Spon Street.

Sorry, it took so long to press post, I was too late.

Thank you for the help Helen. So is it under here?

That covers the bulk of it. I think that Trafalgar Street was built along an old mill race and Newcomb's stopped at that point. Probably with a mill. In 1850 the Rudge factory on the east of Crow Lane was a silk dye works. Most of the yards were still gardens. Meadow Street was called Albert Street.