Coventry Ordnance Works

My grandad, HW Kendall, left Grantham for Coventry in 1905 to work at the Ordnance Works. He was a skilled toolmaker, seen in this photo in the courtyard of St Mary's Hall during WW1 (front row, second from left). He may have been the Secretary of the Group, as he was later involved with early Trade Unions.

Small Tool Dept, Ordnance Works, is almost certainly where HW Kendall, my grandfather, worked as a skilled toolmaker. An apprentice at Hornsby's in Grantham before moving to Coventry in 1905. He ended his working life at the Alvis until his death in 1948.

I visited the Midland Air Museum with my youngest last Saturday. I know we have discussed this before - there is not a single complete intact Whitley Bomber left in existence, but this was saved from a tragic crash in 1942 which may form one day the basis of an attempted recreation

Yes, it had a short life span of about 5 years, before being out of date.

I should have added it was number one on the hit list for the Coventry Blitz, it was already being made in 1939 so no change over of machines etc.

Employees leave Ordnance Works

I like that one Prof. What better time and place to be buying your evening newspaper (presumably), even the dog is meeting his master. Fashion statement of the day - flat caps.

Yes Dream, a Coventry cap with six panels and a button!

Prof, I thought that the Coventry cap is eight panels

Prof. I find it astonishing that someone can see panels and buttons from there and mention it, while I can only see about five cycles among all those Coventry workers - that is astonishing, and that doesn't get a mention?

Kaga, I can't SEE the panels and buttons, it is just that I know what a real Coventry cap looks like. Perhaps some employees could not afford a cycle or were saving up for one.

Perhaps most of the cyclists had already gone by the time the photograph was taken. My recollection of the great tidal wave of workers pouring out of the big factories was first those pedalling furiously on bikes and then shortly afterwards the mass of walkers. It may just be that most of them only lived a few streets away so walking to work was the best option - just think how many houses there were in those streets surrounding the Ordnance Works.

Well, my father wore a flat cap, I didn't take any notice at the time how many panels it was made up with, perhaps it didn't have any. All I know, come rain or come shine he always wore it to and from the Standard, Banner Lane, and hundreds used to pour out of those gates. It looked well used (of course), oily (most likely that would have been the Brylcreem), and when it rained he wiped his saddle with it too. He would come in the kitchen with it on, it looked the perfect fit after years of use, and he slung it on a hook on the back of the kitchen door where the hot water bottle hung as well. Had I thought at the time I would have kept it as a keepsake. I think only the 'yuppies' wear the tweed type ones now and they look very trendy. By the way would they have padlocked their bikes in those days, and did they each have their own parking space in the bike racks? Those in the Prof's photo on the bikes may have been the bosses who could afford bikes and those walking were the workers.

Yes Argon, you are right. Sorry!