Coventry Pubs

Ooh I wish I'd known, I was in there earlier in the year when we were trying to find the pubs. I should have joined this forum sooner

This memorial was erected to the quaintly named William Flower Lane, one time landlord of the Royal Vaults in Cross Cheaping. He also had connections to other Coventry pubs. William was a serving soldier most of his life, his service records describe him as 5' 10'' tall with brown hair and hazel eyes. Whilst stationed in Sheffield he met his wife Emily. Emily's life was marred by tragedy, one of 18 children, only 7 saw adulthood. Even then her older sister Adelaide died young leaving a husband and 7 small children. On William's discharge from the Army in 1896, his given address was The Peeping Tom Hotel in Hertford Street. Maybe William didn't adjust to civilian life as he re-enlisted and was sadly killed in the Boer War in 1900 whilst saving a wounded comrade. Emily and her brother Ernest continued to run The Royal and were joined in Cross Cheaping by their sister Tryphena and husband Richard Moore. The Moores ran The Queens Arms at number 18. Tryphena was widowed in 1911 but ran the pub until 1918. I'd like to think the Lanes' marriage was a happy one. William's Army records note he was of exemplary conduct, good humour and temperate habits - whatever that means! They sadly had no children but her two of Adelaide's children moved to Coventry and married there. Sarah Pett married John Idiens, a man of means and 36 years her senior! Basil Pett married Theresa Nauen who ran a shop in Spon Street. He was decorated for gallantry in WW1 but the marriage didn't last. Whether it was the death of brother Ernest in 1913 or her own failing health, Emily left the Royal that year and took a house in Meriden Street but developed cancer and returned to Sheffield to die 5 years later. One of the executors of her will was a Jonathan Hewitt who ran the Old Stag Inn. I only learned of my Coventry connections quite recently and came to visit this year. Although there is little left of anything connected to my family I discovered Coventry's unique charm and now a little piece of my heart will always be there. If you've managed to get to the end of this without losing the will to live, thank you for your patience

Family histories are interesting and the hobby has opened up a lot of research data. I've been trying to map Coventry's old buildings and the pubs are an essential guide to where things were. In the oldest images the pubs were often denoted by a lantern attached to the outside, so those without temperate habits could see their way to the pub in the evening and stagger back at night. The names of the pubs changed over the years but the locations moved about too, eg The Spread Eagle on West Orchard moved up and down the road such that it was hard to match up the maps and the images of it.

Well said, we came over here in 1955 from N. Ireland, Belfast and what changes have taken place since then! Gerry.

Student block planned for the site of the Fletch

What's the Fletch?

The Fletchamstead pub was on the corner of Fletchamstead Highway and Standard Avenue opposite where the Standard Motors used to be. It is currently a second-hand car showroom.

Bulldozer used at The Grange - but it's not been demolished

The Bricklayers Arms, Cromwell Street - with a Coventry-built, Coventry-registration car

Just as I remember it MR, the fishing club had its headquarters there. Where else to tell the tales of the one that got away? Lovely bunch of men who introduced me to fishing, leave at 5am to wherever the venue was, tackle up and fish for 4hrs, weigh in to see who won then back home. Every Sunday. Because I was an apprentice they would not let me "chip" in for petrol and sneak me in without paying the bank fee and buy me a drink after. oops, i used to work part-time in the "Fletch" as well, saving to buy my first house.

Great pic. MR, thank you, was that all tiled at the front? I am sure my mum, May Toseland used to be in the ladies darts team at the Brickies. Take care all, bad weather due.

Looks like it, Dreamtime - here's a link to Google Street View, showing that the tiles have been replaced - and someone's pinched a door - and the bike!