Coventry Carnivals / Godiva Processions

Great photos of the day, Tony. Hope you remembered to take your 'Titfer' because it must have been one of the hottest days of the year

I think a big "thank you" should go to Coventry City Council for continuing to stage the Godiva Festival at the War Memorial Park. Certainly the weather helped this year and I think a great time was had by all. This photo gives us some idea of just what an amazing turnout can be achieved by such events - the largest FREE festival in Britain (I'm led to believe). This view of the crowd was taken (by me!) from the top of an 80ft high "cherry picker". Needless to say - I didn't look straight down!

A fantastic set of photos there Tony, anyone would think you'd handled a camera before!!!

Thank you Rob. This was my first event for over two years and after carrying two 3Kg cameras around for three days my body is complaining now!

I have acquired some old photos and think that they might be of interest. The first 4 are of the carnival taken in Jordan Well. I'm not sure of the date but it would have been after 1943. I have been trying to add some to the gallery but not successfully yet. I have more pics of Much Park Street where my family lived and Whitefriars Lane and also 3 packs of City Engineers postcards so if someone can help I would be grateful. thanks

Hi Elaine, and welcome to our forum. I'm sure we can help you I've sent you an email.

thanks to you and Rob for your emails. I shall have another go later and hopefully do better. I think I was having one of those days when nothing worked as well as I wanted it to

flipping 'eck I finally managed to get to this stage. The photos were all taken in Jordan Well possibly by my uncle.

Hello Elaine The picture had to be taken at some time between 1949 (when the temporary shops were built) and 1959 (when they were demolished). The council initially resisted the building of temporary shops along that stretch of road but relented when it became clear the planned new art gallery could not yet go ahead.

Brilliant pictures - thank you!

1911 Godival procession:

Hello crossh9 & welcome to our Coventry Forum. Thank you for the picture

Thanks, if you look on the right hand side of the photo it's my gt grandfather's shop, 3 generations of Samuel Corbett lived there since about 1820 and in Garden Row behind Smithford Street. The group of people above the name S CORBETT is the Corbett family, the youngest is my nan. They were jewellers, goldsmiths, watch makers. My gt grandfather maintained the Market Hall clock, he died just before it was demolished.

Lady Godiva was Miss Viola Hamilton as seen in the book Godiva's Heritage by Albert Smith and David Fry published in 1997, several photo's from 1911

Some posts have included references to the Coventry Carnivals. Perhaps the subject deserves a subject of it's own? So to kick off ..... looking through old family photographs, my wife claims the photos are from two different carnivals when she was young. I think part of the set (the last few) are not from Coventry. Am I correct, or am I correct, or am I in the dog house???? If they are all of the Coventry Carnival, what are the buildings?? And what years might they be??