Earlsdon

A great photo of the Co-op, there's a metal post in front of the shop, is it a telephone box? I have just noticed an interesting carved stone above the Co-op. Earlsdon Street

Hi Foxcote, Isn't it one of those police checking in phones? I have zoomed in a few times but still can't make out what it is above the Co. Probably the date surrounded by some ornate floral work.

Hi I am interested in the history of what I believe to be the original joinery works for the estate at 5 Arden Street. Most recently it has been a mechanics workshop and goodness knows what else before. I understand that it was built before construction of the houses at Arden Street as the joinery shop to make all of the windows and doors for the rest of the street with the intention that when the building work came up to the last plot they would make the windows for a new house on No 5 and then demolish it and reuse the bricks to build the last unit and, obviously the windows and doors. The joinery works was built using ash cement which is weak to allow the bricks to be easily reused. The building actually sits at the back of the plot of No 5 but also of No 7 which consequently has, and always did have, a shorter garden. However, I am told that the builder went bust before all of this happened and as such the joinery works have remained and sit there still (weak cement and all!!) I would be grateful if anyone is able to confirm this and if so if they have any plans, or other evidence of use that help confirm this. I am guessing this all happened in circa 1850 / 1860 era so not sure if photographic evidence is available but if early photo's are then I would again be most grateful. Many thanks to whoever in advance. Mike

Apologies for missing images on other posts - here are the originals (can't locate my photoshop effort) plus a picture of a Mayo & Rugg bottle which is currently on show at The Fireplace Centre, Broomfield Road.

Earlsdon 2014 Calendar Video A self-published 'Earlsdon 2014' Calendar by a chap called Robbie Robinson goes on sale next Friday (25th October) via a launch event at Loaf (Tea Rooms), 40 Earlsdon Street. 7-9 pm. Admission by purchase of a calendar, £8. Lots of complimentary food and drink on offer for buyers. All welcome. Any unsold copies will go on sale at various businesses in Earlsdon the following day - Tinderbox Toys & Trinkets, A P Harvey Wines, Balloons Cards 'n' Things, Loaf (all Earlsdon Street) and Earlsdon Cobblers (Providence Street). 100 copies have been printed initially - the proceeds (after printing costs have been covered) are going to the Earlsdon Drinking Fountain restoration appeal. This is led by Earlsdon Research Group and supported by SENA (South Earlsdon Neighbours Association). As far as I understand, good progress has been made with securing funding and support - Severn Trent have agreed to re-connect it for free and I understand a lotto grant has been applied for on top of other funding that has been secured. It will cost anything between £10 - 15K to restore it to its former glory. It is planned to landscape the area around the fountain and for it become a 'Gateway to Earlsdon'.

In the mid 1970's I was involved in a project to set up some kind of community centre in Earlsdon, this eventually gave rise the Gilbert Richards Centre in Broadway. I was mainly working in the Hearsall area which at the time had an aging population. A few people there referred to Earlsdon roundabout as "ation corner" because on the four "corners "are The City Arms (Intoxication or Inebriation) The Co-op (Co-operation) Earlsdon Library (Education), and The Church (Indoctrination or Salvation, depending on your viewpoint) I have only heard it called this once since then, other than by me, so I wondered if anybody else has? Certainly there are other parts of the country that have similarly named parts eg Nottingham and Brighton.

In the version I heard, The City Arms was 'Damnation' - presumably to counter 'Salvation'

There are actually five roads radiating from it - and therefore five 'corners'. The fifth one has normal housing on it and so is 'accommodation'.

The business is for sale, if anyone is interested! Link

I have come across an article about Earlsdon, written by a John Mathias for the Coventry Standard in 1958. In it he refers to a Palace of Entertainment which stood in Earlsdon St round the corner from the City Arms, where the Imperial Cinema would be built. Does anyone have any knowledge of this please? Also does anyone have a picture of Thomas Stevens house, Holly Bank, which was in Earlsdon Avenue South.

Presumably the successor to the Imperial was 'La Continental' The stills displayed from the 'art' movies it showed kept a young man very entertained.

I used to play with the son of the family that owned Holly Bank in the mid-to late 50's. The grounds were like a lost world - lawns, drives, fountains etc. Then there was the coach-house and the bells to summon the servants. Next door was Dr Kenderdine's house - nearly as impressive.

This was our Doctor's house! There were three Dr Kenderdines in fact - Dr Tom, Dr Dick and Dr Eric. Dr Eric was the oldest and our Doctor. He lived in the house and the Surgery was in a little building in the garden with a gas fire in the waiting room. They had a lovely pond with a bridge over it and Mrs Kenderdine sometimes gave us an egg from her chickens. This would be in the 1950s. Later the Surgery moved to a more modern building near the bottom of Albany Road near the Butts. A far cry from our Doctors and surgeries these days mores the pity!

Here are three of a series of photos of Dr Kenderdine's house which I took in 1982, prior to demolition. It was originally built for James Walker, the Earlsdon watchmaker.

Thank you so much Greylad! It has brought back so many memories. The surgery must have been in the little building shown in your middle photograph. It looks as if it may have been a stable or coach-house at an earlier time. Dr Eric always seemed very old to me, but he was certainly still practicing in the early 1970s. I didn't know that his house had been demolished as I now live in Devon. I suppose its now the site of another block of flats?