Hillfields

As a regular visitor to King William Street in the 1960s I enjoyed reading Jan Mayo's recollections of the area. I'd totally forgotten the fish & chip shop next to the Howitzer but if I remember correctly the off-licence on the other side was also a sweet shop? The owner of that establishment did well out of me especially on Fridays just after I'd collected my pocket money. The cinema had already closed by then and I once found the remains of a 35mm film reel on a bonfire in Albert Street which was immediately behind King William Street. The footage that remained was the opening titles for "The Longest Day". The street also boasted one of the last of the old-fashioned Co-Op branches. It had counters running the full length of the shop down both sides. You gave a list of the things you wanted to the girl on the other side of the counter and she fetched them for you. No self-service then and probably no shoplifitng either! On alternate Saturdays the area was dominated by "Radio Sky Blue", the Tannoy system at Highfield Road. You didn't need a radio to hear music, just open a window and it came blasting in. Like Jan I was dismayed at what passed for "modern development" of the area and prefer to remember it as it was back then.

I have just remembered another name who used to live by me, she was part of us as well. Bernice Meakin(g?), does anyone remember her? Peter.

Who remembers the fish and chip shop just a few yards along from the Alex cinema going towards Perkins Street? I have heard that it is still standing and now is a kebab shop or something. We used to go there in the early fifties on a Saturday evening with our basin and get faggots and peas. Peter.

My wife (nee Sheila Fogg) lived two doors away from Bernice, and grew up with her, Gordon Waller and Derek Varley.

Good morning, Greg. Well, this site has done it again, wonderful. I do remember your wife without a doubt, give her my kindest regards. Also Derek, sadly my memory for names is not what it used to be and only certain names spring to mind every now and then. It is a case of the old saying "a lot of water under the bridge" since we all played together as kids. So what can Sheila tell me about the other three? Does she remember a lad named Anthony Super (might be an incorrect spelling of his surname), I remember one day when we were all playing, Anthony stabbed me in the eye with a garden fork, quite accidentally, but I was rushed to hospital by ambulance and my dad was driving the ambulance, he was a City of Coventry ambulance man. Anyway no serious harm was done. So brilliant, as I sit here now thinking of your wife, more things are "springing to mind", I must apologise for not remembering her name, but there are probably more names from my childhood days that I have forgotten as well. As I said what can Sheila tell me about the other three, are they still about? It would be great to know. Cheers for now, Peter

My dad was a city ambulance man and got killed in 1950 whilst on duty at Baginton aerodrome (as it was then known). He had a large funeral and a photo was taken by the Telegraph of the courtege passing the old fire station by Pool Meadow with the firemen standing to attention out the front of the station. The photo the telegraph took was put in a beautiful thick frame by Coventry Glass and was passed to me when mum died, anyway that photo is still in "Cov" and is in the West Midlands fire station showcase in the city where I donated it on permanent loan. So can anyone tell me when Perkins Street ceased to exist? I recently looked on Google earth and was totally surprised that it is not there any more! It does not even come up on any modern map, not even a mention of the street. Many happy memories do come back to me of my childhood in that street and Vine Street and surrounding area. What "baffles" me is, a lot of the old "Cov" in that area still exists, albeit not in a very good state, also nearby streets are still there, but not Perkins Street, so why was that street wiped out? Anyone know? Peter.

I believe it was blocked-off when the current school was built on the site? A short stub road still remains.

I was at the Coventry History Centre on Wednesday and I saw a picture of a tram turning from Vernon Street into Paynes Lane. I had a look at the current map of Coventry and found that Vernon Street no longer exists. I last worked in that area in 1970. I found that Hillfields (originally Harnall Fields) has changed beyond recognition. I checked my 1927 map and confirmed that everything I remembered from 1970 was unchanged from 1927. So the City council must have sanctioned all the changes since then. For example, Colchester Street and Winchester Street are now the back alleys (entries, jetties) to the original roads. There is now a new road, Vauxhall Road, that cuts through everything. I wonder why they could not have left the old street names in place.

The council decided to remodel the whole of Hillfields as far back as the 1940s and with a few minor exceptions blocked every private application to rebuild or renovate existing buildings. The only reason the old Hillfields survived as long as it did was that the council simply didn't have the money to implement its wider rebuilding project.

Now that is a lovely photo InnisRoad, full of 40s and 50s character. I wonder where the baby in the pram is now??? Might be a member of this forum LOL. Peter.

Behind the baby in the pram is a brick wall, behind which is a big house that I'm sure was the vicarage where the clergy from St. Peter's Church lived. Tricia

Yes it was although the picture gives the impression there are more buildings behind the wall than there actually were. I believe the homes on the left were totally destroyed in the war along with many of the nearby buildings? The Royal Albert pub however miraculously survived in the middle of the carnage!

You're on my stamping ground here, the Royal Albert was my dad's local!! The vicarage was a very big house with beautiful gardens. During the 50s they had a garden parties there in the summer - although I never went.

That's three nice topics. Jan's story of Hillfields ;which I have just read again), fish & chips, & faggots & peas. Jan's story is just like a painting which I want to be in somewhere. Whilst still at school, I had a Saturday job at Lilley's greengrocery, in Primrose Hill St. Mr Lilley, along with his son Derek, looked after the business. They had another shop on Foleshill Rd.

Hi, The chip shop was called "Arthurs". Our Friday night tea used to come from there, in time to watch the "Army Game" on tele. The couple who owned it lived up towards Bell Green. Even when I grew up, I always had a bag of chips to take home after leaving the "Locarno". Memories!!!