Broadgate

Hi Kaga, The angle is very deceptive, especially as the second photo is quite zoomed in, foreshortening the view, and making the shelter look closer to the High Street end of Broadgate. If you take a look at this old postcard of mine in my picture library it shows a good view of that east side of Broadgate, and just how many shops were between the Vaults and High Street. Clicking the right-arrow takes you to a similar shot also. Another view of the shelter is in this picture, which gives a nice view down Cross Cheaping & the Burges and right up Bishop Street.

I noticed about the Keep Left signs. Here is another picture:

Here is another postcard view, described on the back as Cross Cheaping in 1935 prior to demolition for the making of Trinity Street. From a photograph by the City Engineer

There is also a picture of the one that looks slightly different in Graham Jempstee's book "Images Of England, The City Of Coventry" taken with the bank in the background and a lot more traffic. There is also a traffic island behind it towards Holy Trinity. It says it is the year before the blitz. I think they are different but in the same place. One before Trinity Street was built and a new one after with keep left signs round it. Just found another picture in the book, taken just in front of the just-completed Owen Owen and showing down Cross Cheaping dated 1939. This one still has the black and white panels at the bottom and no keep left signs or base round it.

The one near the, later than Royal Vaults period, first Owen Owen, seems to be it as well, the correct location (?):

The pictures with the bollards appear to be a later one, I found it on a picture which dated the picture as just before the blitz, I thought I had put it on but it seams to have disappeared. Just a thought would the hut have been damaged by the IRA bomb in August 1939?

I think window damage would be likely. A newspaper front page said "Shop fronts shattered over a wide area".

Love your work Osmiroid

Thanks Neil, I can get enthusiastic sometimes! Anne, the keep left signs might have been a later rule enforced by the council? The Owen Owen period can also be seen with the signs:

A view here of Broadgate showing the Tram Hut in question. It is definitely the same hut and it may (or may not ?) have suffered minor damage in August 1939, when the IRA bomb went off outside the Astley's store just a few yards up the road from it, but I personally just think that the panel fitted on it (below its Windows!) has just been repainted all over in a lighter colour and just had the dark painted curves, etc. on it painted out?

A close up view of the Broadgate tram hut here !

Excellent pictures! Yes, I see nothing unusual in them being redecorated, the bus stops nowadays seem to be changed every few years. ps, Have to query that last picture, as far as we know that part of Broadgate was demolished in 1936, and the City Jewellers building was called something else in the 1935/36 picture pre-demolition.

In this picture, City Jewellers is now something with the letters RE.

That's a good point you've made there regarding the date of the second photo, as I completely forgot about those buildings in the background being demolished the year (1936) you say they were! I've just had a thought, I'll go and dig that photo out again, as it might actually have the date it was taken written on the back of it??? (Hopefully it will have!!! lol).

What's to do with the scaffolding around the then National Provincial Bank in post 512.