Broadgate

I was a police officer in the early 70s in Coventry and the city centre was well covered in those days, particularly when the pubs closed. Most people had been seen onto their last bus and Broadgate was quiet soon after. I don't recall seeing people behaving badly on the island and if they had done, or climbed onto the horse they would have been swiftly dealt with! It may have happened on a very rare occasion when the police were tied up with a more serious incident and youths took advantage of this opportunity. The only time people were on the island was in the summertime at lunchtimes, just lying on the grass, which nobody minded.

A couple of the group of pictures I took in the early 60`s and nobody on the island despite a huge crowd round Broadgate. In those days, people simply had more respect than to `trespass` onto the island.

Although it's before my time, from the 80's I remember most people would go around the island rather than straight across. Not sure if it was due to 'respect' or it just being a bit awkward. However, I think if those that designed the green space had realised it would be avoided I don't think they'd have bothered with it. Broadgate is/was a very highly used part of the city centre and a node of numerous different routes. With that many people using Broadgate to have the vast majority of the space completely empty and not even used for traversing Broadgate or sitting down would be nonsensical. Why create a public green space if the public aren't going to use it? It's not like it was for environmental reasons as it was grass and bedding so hardly going to soak up pollutants etc.

Might be time for this one again!

Here's a terrific couple of side-by-side views of pre-war Broadgate (though not long before as the Boots building has been 'modernised'!), taken looking west from probably in front of the Holy Trinity area. Firstly looking more south-westerly towards Hertford Street - and then directly west looking at the lovely shop buildings and the gap to the left (same Boots building as in the first photo to the very left) being the walk in to Market Place - It's so very hard to realise this would be the same later green-grassed area we would know and love, although somewhat more bricked-over now!

Broadgate 1932, before Trinity St, and other photos Blitz pictures - Coventry Blitz: Forgotten photographs from a warden

I remember it just like this. 1946, I was eight at the time.

I have been sent this wonderful photo taken by someone who was ten years old at the time. It shows the Godiva statue in October 1949, shortly before its unveiling, which was on the 22nd.

Rob. Hi! Do you know how close to the unveiling? I have a feeling the cover was changed shortly before the unveiling to a shortened cover, would anyone know or any thing mentioned in the CET?

At the unveiling the statue was covered with a cover of a Stars and Stripes Flag and Union Jack. It was unveiled by the wife of the American Ambassador Mrs Lewis Douglas. Apparently the flag was swollen by the rain and she had to be helped with the unveiling in the end

Hi Kaga, The person who sent me the photo said that they "saw the veiled Godiva on several visits to what we used to call "up the town" and did not realise how rare a photo of it would become". So it could have been perhaps several days or even weeks before the big event.

The statue was brought to Coventry and placed on the island on the 31st September and according to the Coventry Telegraph it was completely swathed in a large canvas cover. The sculptor Sir William Dick Reid made a surprise visit to the City on the 23rd and asked for the cover to be removed so he could see it in place so for a short time people in the city were able to see it. I would imagine that the cover was left then until the flags were put on just before the unveiling so he was lucky to get the rare snapshot Rob. All the pictures in the newspaper show it with the flags.

That's a super piece of information Anne, thank you - it adds nicely to our understanding of the statue and Broadgate's history. I wonder what Sir William would've thought of the statue's current surroundings?

A final bit of info. The statue was presented to the City by Mr W H Bassett-Green who I think has cropped up before. A retired Coventry builder he left the city after he was bombed out and was then living in Winchcombe.

Annewiggy, Yes, that's how I remember it with a large tarpaulin down to the floor. I think there is a bit of tongue in the cheek here by CET - there was a very strong rumour that someone had put a bucket of something behind the horse so they removed the large cover for a small one so that wouldn't happen at the unveiling.