Coventry's origins

Thanks again Anne. I wonder if Radford Hill was a name used by developers to make the area sound posh and desirable.

Belushi, hi! Geography data 1880: Radford Road bridge, 327 feet above sea level Radford reservoir gates, 330 Drapers Fields, 328 Canal House, 303 Hales Street, 261 Hope this helps. There was a famous play called "Strife", 1910 time, about the struggle of South Wales Miners, should you be interested.

Thanks Kaga, that was brilliant. I know that it is uphill from town to Radford - I've walked it many times! Radford Reservoir - had to look this up on an old map - never knew it existed, though I notice it was called just "Reservoir". It was just opposite Barr's Hill House, so I'm not sure I would class that as Radford as it's quite a way from Radford Village.

Radford Reservoirs are alongside Scotts Lane at the top of Barker Butts Hill. They were opened in the 1930's.

Belushi, The well I mentioned earlier had this large piece of granite at its side, geologists considered it to be deposited by glacial action. The pipes went along what was known as the old road in 1874, they were found when the Radford sewage farm was being built. Radford had lively scenes at political elections. Coventry was at the forefront of industrial times. Enlightenment came throughout this period from a few intellectuals, thinkers and writers whose freedom and thoughts slowly changed attitudes, greatly to the country's benefit. There had been little attempt to alter public health - cholera outbreaks were often, but I believe Radford sewage farm was the first in the Midlands (one of the first, not sure). The radical transformation of Britain from the 1840's, when Queen Victoria was shot at, to new attitudes, politics, from poverty to progress is great reading (for me).

Sorry JLR - these were the Coundon Reservoirs. The one Kaga and I are talking about was on the Radford Road opposite Barr's Hill House in the C19.

I'm intrigued, Kaga, by your reference to Radford Sewage Works. I can't find it on old maps, and the only sewage works with that name I can find on the Internet is in Plymouth.

There is mention of a sewage tank on this 1906 map, by the railway line. In 1916 the allotments committee was trying to acquire the old sewage works, Radford Road, but the general works committee were not prepared to hand it over.

Looks about here where the cycle track is off Bridgeman Road

Thanks again Anne. I take it your 1916 reference is from a newspaper. I wonder what eventually happened to the old sewage works.

Corley Rocks, where we used to gather armful of bluebells, was little different to the Corley Rocks in the 11th century, apart then it had a pre-historic fort above the rocks and a Corley farm hall, described by George Eliot in 'Adam Bede'. Owned by Godwin was Corley Ash and Corley hamlets, before the Normans came. .

"Mercia" was the language of the Midlands (not the place) and today it is spread all over the world where English is used. In the 9th century AD we had the Danish language and law, mixed in with Mercian and Latin by the aristocrats, then we had French by the Normans. But today the world speaks the ancient Coventry language. Are we proud? Bloody right we are.

Kaga, there's an interesting piece about the Mercian language on Wikipedia. More stuff I never knew.

Belushi Yes, thanks, trying to put it altogether is the hard part. Note the papal rule was there all the time, even William the Conqueror had to ask the Pope if he would get rid of five English bishops. Thoughout WWII, the name 'chad' popping up over a wall was for ever appearing, also the cartoon 'Kilroy was here' - people used to put their own name was here but it wasn't from St Chad.

For anyone who's never seen a 'Chad' - Liverpool's speedway team post-war were known as The Chads