Broadgate

Hi JohnnieWalker, you're dead right about Google Earth my mother-in-law's house has my brother-in-law's classic Rover parked outside but as you pass and look back it's replaced with a completely different car.

I know I have stated this before but one of the most difficult things for someone born in the late '60's - and as such only knowing Coventry in pretty much its current layout - is trying to interpret the fantastic historic layout that it was pre-war. As such some of my favourite imagery is where what little remains today can be seen in comparison to its former glory. There's not much left but buildings such as the Provincial Bank allow that. These images here mean you can envisage the layout and demonstrate the width of pre-war Broadgate and definitely locate the location of Smithford Street - which as can be seen must have gone right through where today's Broadgate House is. I have to thank Osmiroid here again as I love his overlay maps on his site that also help to indicate this. 1926 with the Kings Head on the right Showing Smithford Street's path in relation to the Bank/Broadgate

AD, I try hard today to understand the present generation, but to me I remember. I was 5/6 years old when the teacher told us the story of Lady Godiva, we didn't question the story, it belonged to Coventry and Coventry alone. It was us, the people of this great town, Lady Godiva rode through the streets but as she passed the holy church, she bowed her head to the church, ashamed of her nakedness. We understood it, it was part of our culture, part of our belief, and a great part of our history. At the unveiling of the statue in 1949, had the statue had not have had her bowing, or had the statue been placed other than her facing the great church, I think we would have been shocked and angry, for we still lived in those old traditions. It is as hard for people to understand the people of those days as it is for us to understand present thoughts of people of today. As you look at those old statues, you can see just how long those traditions survived and the value people placed on them. Yes, I am sorry to see them disappear.

I'm with you, Neil - love to seek out where the long-lost buildings and streets were in relation to the present I have a scan of one of your images from an original postcard and a (not quite exactly from the same spot) 2010 view

Interesting comparing Cathedral Lanes with the building in the older picture with the rounded end on almost the same spot.

A 'leafy' pre-Cathedral Lanes photo. I took this at the 1985 Motoring Centenary celebrations which I know we've mentioned on here before.

Apologies if I've missed this but when the 'new' layout of Broadgate was done post war - was the area where Lady Godiva was sited 'mapped' to the shape of St Michaels?

Another good picture of my favourite place Neil, oh look and there's my bus waiting. You have made a good point there, I have never noticed that before. I have a feeling we will all go and check that out now. Thanks.

Hi all Twice this week I have been walking through Broadgate at noon. My journeys to school, which often involved walking through Broadgate, I very rarely saw the clock in action as I was hardly ever there on the hour. Hope you like.

Philip, somehow it doesn't quite gel for me, seeing Lady G alongside a marquee. On the other hand it's nice to see you are having lovely weather

A picture of Broadgate in 1942 courtesy of Getty Images.

Thanks McSporran for posting that picture, I for one have never seen it before and only returned to the city in 1947 after evacuation (12 years old), so I particularly remember Burtons was still standing and saw its demolition, but it also appears Owen Owen was still standing in 1942, but I don`t remember seeing it after the war. Did it disappear in future bombing or were these buildings irreparable? (I didn`t think Owen Owen was very attractive anyway)

Roger, David McGrory in his book "Coventry Past and Present" describes it as a burnt out shell. There is a picture in his book taken from the roof of Holy Trinity and it does look beyond repair. I suppose as well that with all the devastation round it, it was easier to start again.

There is also this one of the same view, but somewhat earlier judging by the rubble which hasn't been cleared as much. It's a shame high res copies are ridiculously expensive. I'm still looking for similar views in the extensive Getty archive.

Thanks again McSporran, Owen Owen still looks a bit out of character to me, I don`t know how it would have appeared pre-war, but I would have thought of "brooding dominance". I know my mother worked there, but never really spoke about it - I`ve a feeling she had to leave when she got married. I know it`s off thread, but talking about rebuilding after destruction/damage the Germans seem to have adopted a different approach - I could never understand why we didn`t rebuild the old Cathedral, personally the new leaves me cold.