Coventry Co-operative Societies

I think I have posted before on the Co-op Santa ride, but what the heck. I worked at the Co-op on Saturdays and holidays from about 1956-59, mainly on the carpet department. Christmas in the basement was wonderful, who remembers the Snow Princesses or what ever they were called. I think the ride was actually introduced during my first year there. It was good to be treated as an adult at the age of 14. Best treat was sitting with the undertakers in the canteen, talk about an un PC crowd.

My dad-in-law was Mr Harrison, he was there at the time you worked there. As a teenager, my husband used to love visiting the store and he asks you if you can remember who Santa was. Do you remember Len Day or Fred Price as being Santa at that time. Sounds as if you loved it there. It sounded just like 'Are you Being Served' when my husband describes it at that time. He has never had a bad word for any of the staff there, it sounded a great environment to work in.

I can't remember names but Len Day rings a distant bell. The carpet department was run by a father and son team, I can picture their faces and think their names were Harriman (came as I typed). It was always Mr. ---- when addressing the more senior staff. I did enjoy it, a pleasure to be there with 12/6d in the pocket for a days work. Happy days.

You were nearly there, it was Jack Farriman and son.

Thank you for that. The elder of the two Farrimans was very formal although the younger was one of the lads. I think that he took over when his father retired. Looking back it's amazing how 14/15 year olds were trusted to serve customers who wanted to buy a carpet. Mainly 4x3 yards Axminster in those days, some Wilton for those with deeper pockets. but broadloom on rolls was becoming more popular. Lots of lino on rolls was sold, a heavy job, difficult to measure and cut accurately. If the customer took it home themselves we had the job of getting it to their car. A good friend of mine also worked on a Saturday but he worked in the Sports Dept. in the basement which did not have the heavy lifting side of carpets.

Tom Hipkiss kept the Minstrel Boy in Allesley Park for several years after the Fox, I never knew he was a butcher with the Co-op.

Hello again Dutchman, Who admires the walls when you are dying for a beer ? Here's to your health Exactly where did the Co. go. eventually. It must have been a little before my time, or was it after the 2nd WW. Oops! no I was not born before the war.

Hello again Dreamtime Actually I was far too young to drink inside the F&V. Circa 1965 I was friends with the Sanderson twins whose parents kept the Oak Inn at the top end of Gosford Street. During the summer their father was the relief manager at the F&V while the regular manager's family was away on holiday. As such we had complete run of the place (except for the licensed areas where kids were not allowed). The three units which made up the Co-Op must have closed some time after the war as they were still listed as Co-Op in 1939. During my time in Gosford Street they were used as a second hand shop, cafe and (possibly) a hairdressers. I used the cafe a great deal as it was very reasonably priced by the standards of Gosford Street and had a friendly manager. My memory of the other two units is extremely vague except for a flying model of a Hawker Hurricane with underwing rockets in the window of the second-hand shop.

What a surprise, you must be an early riser, according to our time you should still be snoring !!!! Thanks for your reply as above. My early memories of Gosford St. is of the milk bar over the road and sitting on the high stools waiting for my knickerbocker glory, and have no recollection of a Co Op at all and after they left the F & V mum looked after the shop in King Richard St., but we resided in Welland Rd., It was not until a few years later they re entered the licence trade and ran the Alvis sports club, then the Broom then the Navi and then got their own place The Wheatsheaf in Kettering. I remember going in the Co there, it was like going well back in time. By the way the milk bar, as they were called then, had a cow on the sign hanging outside. Enjoy your day Dutchman

I seldom get to bed before 4.00am Dreamtime. As a totally independent server owner I have to reboot at around 2.00am when traffic is most quiet and then monitor the line for at least another hour. That would be Far Gosford Street Dreamtime, a few hundred yards up the street. There were no milk bars in Gosford Street that I know of but quite a few cafes. Gosford Street runs west from the river to Jordan Well. Far Gosford Street runs east from the river to Gosford Green. Thanks Dreamtime, mine has just started!

Hi Dreamtime, the milk bar you are thinking about was the 'Moo Cow' in Far Gosford Street. I had forgotten all about the high stools. They had delicious milk shakes

Of course it was Tricia, and it was 'Far' Gosford Street up the park end, now I remember. Not Co Op related but it was nice remembering anyway.

I think that their Coop number is probably ingrained in many people's memory. Whenever I was sent to the Co-op my Mum always said "Don't forget the Divi" and asked me again when I got back to make sure.

Can anyone beat my husband's Co-op number, he got it when he was born and it is 654

Beats me - 31777