Tayler Brothers Studio, Hillfields

Hi all I've received two images from someone searching for more information on their Coventry family heritage and they are from Tayler Brothers Studio, Primrose Hill Street, Hillfields. I know a little about the studios having run a small project in 2016 about the studio but I felt that it would be a good topic. It was just down from the CDP office, so opposite the Leopard. The Studio closed in 1969 and became ICA Studios for a few years before the row was demolished in 1974 for Sidney Stringer. Sadly the family kept their own photographs but the 'archive' was lost when it moved to the City Arcade briefly. Does anyone have family photographs from there or know more? The chap who contacted me said, 'I have no proof, but believe that they are wedding pictures of Alec Bottrill & Constance Kenning (my grandparents/my late father's parents) who were married in Coventry in 1942.' He's after information about them but also a little more about Tayler's. Any thoughts most welcome.

I think that the family in these photos are almost too well dressed for a wartime wedding.

Mum and dad had their wedding photographs taken at Taylors in 1937. I also had photos taken there in 1945 and 1948.

Thank you for that, Tricia.

Hi Tricia. I have just joined this site, and have seen that you want any info on Tayler Bros. My Husband's family started the photographic shop in 1919 and ran it till Ernie died in 1929, so we will be happy to help you with any information you want. As you can guess we have many photos.

Welcome to the forum Tayler. I'm sure your knowledge of the family business will be of interest to members. Although I have family photos that were taken at the photographic shop in Primrose Hill Street, I was too young to remember having them taken. My only memories of the shop are of portraits, family and wedding photos displayed in the shop window.

Hi Lilian, welcome to the forum

Thank you for your welcome to the forum, I hope we can help in some way. I would like to ask if anyone has any photographs of Tayler Brother's Shop inside or out please.

I haven't got the directories with me right now, but can anyone tell us the address Taylor Brothers Studio was at?

Talyler Bros. number 20 Primrose Hill Street, courtesy of Coventry 1926 directory.

Champ. Britain From Above link to an aerial photo of the area of Primrose Street. Primrose Street was the street that went east from Swanswell pool (to the left on that photo). If you count 20 chimneys along the road, you come to the second of two white painted buildings. That's Taylors. If you haven't already, get a login for BFA and you can zoom in. Sadly there doesn't seem to be a better image on BFA. However this photo from Coventry Digital shows the building ICA Studios Photographers. Another aerial shot but from the early 70s.

ICA Studios was run by Clive Shayler. He sadly skipped his entire photographic archive of Coventry in 2014 on retirement and on the insistence of his wife. He worked a great deal for the Community Development Project, which ran the Hillfields Information and Opinion Centre (below) between 1970-75. CDP itself was John Benington, Paul Skelton, Nick Bond, Bob Zara. They seemed to spend most of their time upsetting Councillor McLatchie and publishing research on Hilfields, showing that whilst the problems were certainly there, the solutions were not. John still lives in Earlsdon whilst Nick and Bob created Coventry Law and Information Resource (CLIR) which is now Coventry Law Centre, still fighting for people's rights.

The big picture in the window is very like the one from Cov Dig above

Is the main road in the middle, going from left to right, Primrose Hill Street?

Yes. Sandwiched in between two shops is is a prefab shop, Lilley's Green Grocery. I had a Saturday morning job there in 1962. Derek Lilley, the son, was in charge by then. When I started, being only fourteen, I could only work four hours. Loved it though. Loading spuds from sacks into bushel boxes was my game. By the time that ariel picture was taken, demolition is not far away, whilst the green grocery trade was being swallowed up by big store shopping.