Slum clearance

Had to put this on, it's a link to a great site that was found the other day. Coventry's slums Maybe I shouldn't have started a new topic but I have been sifting through the site and found a lot of interesting stuff. Edited by Midland Red, 9th May 2018 4:50 pm (Revised link inserted)

Just noticed, it was Routes66 that found the site. I have found loads of brilliant ones, ring road, city centre, haven't done any housework yet this morning I'll put some more on if required but maybe forum folks want the fun of finding them, themselves now we know about the site.

That's great Foxcote, thank you, as you say, I'm sure people will enjoy searching through the archives themselves. It's a shame there appear to be no recognisable features in the above clip. Anyone have any clues?

Spon End, weavers cottages. Albion St, Moat St, Thomas St. (probably)

A lot of so-called slum clearances were just the destruction of perfectly decent houses for the sake of it - by people who wanted to inflict their vision of utopia on us. What is even more annoying is these people don't understand why no one is grateful to them for what they did! They lived in country cottages while designing high-rise hell. Even recently Coventry city council demolished a row of perfectly decent houses and replaced them with an empty space. Many areas in cities are former slum areas that have been renovated and look fantastic - and in Coventry streets like Craven Street look quite elegant with their period features either restored or replaced, as do some of the side streets around Earlsdon. I'm sure there were some buildings that were problematic, but the wholesale destruction that appears to have taken place seems to have done the city a total disservice and left it lacking any real character or possibility to create lively urban areas in which people want to live.

I loved that footage, and I anticipated that the Dutchman would be able to provide us with the location. I have looked at some Albion St old photos and think it is a strong contender. Funny though, it's only a few days ago that I was explaining about William T Wright, the artist and his local work, one of which was Albion Street. 'Sunday in Albion Street' Edited by Midland Red, 9th May 2018 4:56 pm (Revised link inserted)

The caption is slightly misleading. That's actually the view from the junction of Thomas Street and Albion Street, looking towards Crow Lane. The Albion Inn on the corner closed in 1962, just after the newsreel footage was shot. It was usual for a pub to be left standing in total isolation for a while after the surrounding houses had been pulled down.

Dutchman, do you think it's somewhere around this region? Thomas St.

Yes Foxcote A giveaway is the communal boiler house in the back yard of the weavers cottages in the newsreel. It was a common feature in that area.

Hurrah! Would never have found it if it wasn't for your knowledge though. What a magic area, oh and the poor cat sitting on the doorstep

Wholeheartedly agree with Flapdoodle by the way, a very eloquent and passionate appraisal of the unsympathetic planning guidelines towards our heritage buildings.

Regarding the last link of Thomas Street, I have to put this on because it seems to be the frontage of the same buildings? Thomas St.

Yes, there's a colour version on the first page of the Spon End thread

Thanks Dutchman, the colour ones are brilliant and all the information. There's an interesting brick arch on the end of one of the colour shots. I noticed as well on another photo that there was a pub on a corner called the 'Prince of Wales'.

I was passing Lincoln Street yesterday and I see that the Salvation Army has disappeared - what a waste of a perfectly sound building. In the 60s we demolished a line of terraced houses in the street to make way for that. The same applies to the Ambulance Station, that was only built in the 60s and they demolished it and built a smaller one.