Warwick Row and Greyfriars Green

Great shot Cliff! I actually walked up past Warwick Row last weekend and it's interesting to see the view across towards the station is becoming similar to the one pre-ring road. In fact the line of white boardings where development is to start by Grosvenor Road echoes the line where Stoneleigh Terrace / the tax offices once stood.

I'm amazed there are people complaining about the green - it looks absolutely fine and is probably the greenest and most pleasant entrance into a city I know, and the loss of the flyover has made a difference. Saw it earlier today, and even though its winter it looked lush and green - I wish my garden looked that good! As for anyone thinking it's an eyesore! Just because it has changed since you helped look after it doesn't make it worthless.

As an historic forum on Coventry, can anyone tell me a more important place in Coventry during the 2 wars for our young men in the forces. As we all know, majority of young men between 18 and 25 were called up, scores would arrive home on leave at the railway station, all hours of the day and night, and a short walk down Warwick Road was the YMCA. Some too late for the last bus home, especially the outskirts of the town, for a few shillings the YMCA offered a clean bed and an early start, plus a rest room and a cup of tea etc. I have only hearsay at the time on this, but I truly believe this was the case, and to me was worth a mention on this forum.

Heres an interesting view of the bottom of Hertford Street showing the Three Tuns and the Rover Showrooms. I think I'm right in saying - though I was surprised - that todays Litten Tree is still principally the same refaced building. Is it me or is that some Telegraph Pole!!

The caption to this photo gives some information - and it has also been discussed in this thread

An ancestor, by the name of Eusebius Caldicott, a retired ribbon manufacturer, died in 1882 at St Swithins Terrace, Greyfriars Green. I believe this was a terrace of houses which formed a southern boundary of Greyfriars Green, which was cleared away to build the infamous ring road. Do any photos of the Terrace exist? I have not been able to find it on the street maps published on the site.

Hello ButtLane and welcome to the forum This may be the one you're thinking of?

That's part of Stoneleigh Terrace which has its own thread here. Not sure if in later years part of it was referred to as St Swithins Terrace but Dutchman's photo is the same row.

An aerial view of the Rover Works courtesy Getty Images. A hi-res version is available, a snip at £485!

What happened to the arm? Anyone know?

From a site called Waymarking.com The statue was damaged during the Second World War and was only restored in 1979. After a long campaign by Starley's great grandson and interested locals. By the 1970s Starley's statue had fallen into disrepair. Starley's nose and Fame's arms were broken off. With years of organic growth and carbon stains from traffic fumes, the marble statue of Starley had begun to look tired. In 2006, as part of a city-wide restoration project, Coventry City Council commissioned EcoLogic to return the statue to its former glory. Hope this helps.

Thanks yet again Anne!

One of my early memories is from the mid 60s going to see the Christmas lights in the city centre. Travelling in from Warwick Road the first view of the lights was the huge tree (oak or beech) on the corner of Greyfriars Green which was wrapped in lights. I believe this tree was pulled down when the ring road was built.

Hello Greg: You must be referring to Sir Thomas White, great benefactor to Coventry who set up a fund for apprenticeships and education of Coventry born young people. I benefitted from this charity in the late 50s when my education grant from Coventry (a mere £100) was insufficient for the fees at the College I attended in Bristol for five years, and had to be supplemented with bursaries from the College and what I could scrounge from charitable sources like Sir Thomas White's. For this I have been forever grateful and should remove my cap in recognition whenever I visit Coventry which nowadays is all too infrequent!

Article from the Coventry Evening Telegraph - 7th August 1974. Not sure, as it's a little difficult to see - but I think this is before the arm broke off (?).