Books on Coventry

Well, I'm the lucky owner of the said book from e-bay, haven't got it yet but looking forward to it

Hello Dutchman, I received my copy of The City of Coventry (Images of England) yesterday. I'm very pleased with it, thanks for the tip.

I see that there are several copies of "Master & Artisan in Victorian England." for sale on ABE books for less than a pound (plus postage).

Thanks for the tip about the books, DBC

Finally found out where they are. They are part of the Coventry History Centre which is in the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum. Unfortunately I haven't seen a copy yet as it is only open Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am to 3.30pm. It may be a few weeks yet before I can go but I will.

Evening Lincolnian, Bravo for pursuing the book. I reckon the Dutchman thought they may be held in the History Centre I was wondering how you were progressing with the search.

Hi Foxcote, once again many thanks for the lead. Unfortunately Monday is the only day I am free to go when it is open so it will probably have to wait until the Christmas holidays. They also appear to have a wealth of other local material down there which obviously a lot of people on this forum are aware of, reading through other posts, so it looks like a busy Christmas for me

Well. let's hope Father Christmas comes up with the goods

I found some interesting free-to-view publications, one is very heavy going and only for the dedicated historian - bear with it though, there's an address index and a name index at the back, it has loads of latin but translations which are worth looking into because it's like an old version of court appearances in our modern papers. Details like old inhabitants of St John's Street, Dede Lane, and what they got up to! Useful to save and go back to for reference. Index of old Coventry Street and Names at back of book

I found another one which is a lighter read Great illustrations, a time-line of all sorts of useful stuff, I expect some of you already have it but it is free to read on Google Books. Don't give up on the start, a lot of the info is towards the back 'A History of Coventry' by Benjamin Poole

Due to a recent article I found on 'Edward Bradshaw', I noticed a reference to another book (which has been ordered already) Sounds a winner - 'Humourous Reminiscences of Coventry Life' by T.M. Whitley

The story of Duckfat Bradshaw is also related in John Ashby's "The Character of Coventry"

If only he had said his knife was for cutting his pie

You will love that book when it arrives Foxcote, it is indeed a winner! I managed to get myself an original 1888 copy, which was extremely lucky because, according to the author in the preface, only 100 copies were ever made! I only know one other person who has a copy, and we both rate is as one of the nicest books written about Coventry, with genuine and amusing tales of life in the city leading up to that time. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.... and well spelt, by the way! Another old book I can highly recommend is "Old Coventry and Lady Godiva" by F. B. Burbidge, 1952. It's colourfully subtitled as "Being some flowers of Coventry history gathered and arranged". It begins with a nice run through of Coventry's history and ends with more reminiscences - some of an equally humorous nature!

How lovely, I am looking forward to it now more than ever. I didn't even see an original. There was another one by Benjamin Poole, Antiquities or summink, £670 seemed a bit of a Dugdale affair. I have a facsimile of the Antiquities of Warwickshire but you can see it for free on 'internet archive', nice engravings and maps. Mine is under the sky box cos it is the same dimensions and it is easier to look online than heaving it out Oh do look in the back of the Benjamin Poole, that's where I found the 'Tree transportation to the Cemetery'. The time-line with the removal of City Gates and all sorts was great. That's ordered as well