Owen Owen

The Coventry Traders Guild, as well as the Co-op, were so impressed with this co-operation that after the war, the Co-op reinvented itself, offering associate traders the facility to trade under the Co-op flag, but as independent. That's how my mum started her two shoe shops in Willenhall & Canley.

The History of Owen Owen The store's history 1937: Owen Owen opens a department store fronting on to Cross Cheaping and what was once known as Little Butcher Row. 1939: War breaks out in September and, by November, Owen Owen is busy advertising "shop early" for Christmas to avoid the blackouts. 1940: The store is bombed during the Coventry Blitz of November 14 and 15, which caused 554 deaths and left 60,000 homeless. The building later had to be bulldozed. 1945: The site of the new store, virtually on the same spot, to front Broadgate and back on to Cross Cheaping and Ironmonger Row, is laid out. A temporary outlet is set up on Trinity Street - a 1930s building remarkably similar to the original store, which still stands today. 1954: In October, the new store is opened by the then Lord Mayor, Cllr John Fennell. Crowds of eager shoppers queue to get in. 1996: Allders takes over and expands staff to 250 full and part-time employees. 2005: Primark buys store from administrators and closes it for what turns out to be a 19-month refit. Only six of the former Allders staff have gone on to work for Primark. There was no year when it did not trade in Coventry. In fact, look at this notice from 1940. November 21st Notice to all staff. Temporary offices have been opened at 2 Queen's Road Coventry. All staff are asked to call there on Friday or Saturday next for their wages and further instructions. If possible please call at the following times Selling Staff: Friday from 10 am to 1 pm cafe Staff: Friday 2 pm to 4 pm Non-Selling Staff: Saturday 10 am to 1 pm What's more remarkable, is that on November 26th, they had secured the first of several temporary premises. A multi-storey shop, which in twelve days were selling again.

Owen Owen advertised in the Coventry newspapers every year in the 1940's and 1950's

All together now, tut tut, are you free Mrs Slocombe? Please delete if this is duplicated.

Owen Owen 1940, the air raids started early. By ten past eight pm flames were coming out of every window in Owen's, there was nothing one could do. It had been searched earlier by firemen to make sure no one was in there. Lots of damaged cars were pushed onto the wide pavement in front of Owen's to free a way for ambulances, etc. By morning some staff turned up for work. Senior staff directed them. On the Saturday morning it was inspected again to make sure there was nothing that would fall, as the King was due to walk by the site. It was a very dangerous building. I believe in 1941 the whole building was pulled down, removed and a huge fence erected round the great hole in the ground, and so it remained during the war. 1945, war ended, and the site was laid out for a new store (see Philip's post #215). Some of the fencing was removed. By 1949 most of the site was cleared of the fence (Neil's photo on the West Orchard topic) and men were working in Owen's basement. The 1951 plan appears on this forum, showing Cross Cheaping now cut off for the building of Hotel Leofric, and Prof says it is now two storeys high. On this topic, there are photos of the traffic system crossing above the old Owen's in criss-cross fashion. 1955, the new store was open and the shape of Coventry changed and Cross Cheaping was lost as a shopping centre. So I believe the basement and Owen's second store was started in 1950.

While looking through newspaper articles for the mystery photo page I came across this interesting 1937 article. I wonder if it was ever used!

I don't believe it ever did, only in practise, but neither could it be got at in the war. I think it was punctured during the raid, and went down the Sherbourne. Interesting what did actually happen, maybe fire brigade records would show it, but then Central Fire Brigade did not attend during the war, works brigade attended Owen Owen.

I came across Slim's old post today, and that got me searching the newspapers for the "alleged" heading. Pretty well remembered, I'd say, although the article is interesting in its own right, too....

Apparently this is clearance work for the original Owen's store -

I recall looking into a similar deep hole through gaps in the boarding during the early '50's. I notice a pile of large stones in the photograph that may have belonged to much earlier constructions. Were any archaeologists involved in the excavations? Ah, I have answered my own question here