Radford

I was born in Radford, Coventry. Can anyone recall the field which is set aside of Joseph Cash School, bottom of Owenford Road, Radford, years ago in the early 60s when certain evenings after school you could pay and play games, there was a hut there where a man would sit there inside where all the games were stored too, which you could have stilts, clubs, ball games also in the cold they would light an open fire on the field.

I was also born in Radford, Capmartin Road and yes I remember the green hut but I was very young and I'd forgotten about the toys and stilts and things until you mentioned it. The house opposite the green hut, which is still there, I think it was a caretakers house for a few years, then it got burnt out, well the council rented it out as a council property in later years and my brother lived there and eventually bought it from the council and his wife was still living there up until about 3 or 4 years ago. I used to play with my mates for hours along the 'black pad' footpath.

If you were born in Capmartin Road you would know the Prewetts then, Martin Prewett his dad was Welsh. Yes that's right it was the caretaker's house, I recall it being burnt out too. We too use to play at the Black Pad and stand and watch the steam trains go by while standing on top of the bridge, when the station was there, can you recall the railway station.

The Prewetts rings a bell, not too sure though, depends which end of Capmartin they were in, I was at the Blackwatch end rather than the Cheveral Avenue end but fairly close to Owenford road. My Mum and Dad would probably remember them, they,ve been there forever, they are in the houses that wern't bombed in the war, the ones over the road were. Dont think I remember the train station up the Black Pad but I remember standing on the bridge watching the trains go past, used to walk the Black Pad four times a day when I was a kid going back and forth to Holbrook junior school.

I think they lived in Grangemouth Road the Prewetts so probably you would know them then but do still live in that area, definitely your parents would know them.

Hi there I've just found this forum and didn't expect to have my memory jolted so soon! We lived in Burnaby Rd and used to play along the Black Pad. I'd forgotten all about the after school games in the field with the hut! We had great fun with the stilts and the clubs! We used to stand on the railway bridge when a steam train came through in all the steam, smoke and smuts too! We used to hang around the park in between Rollason Rd and Blackwatch Rd too, there were some swings and a slide & a roundabout I think. So long ago!

So pleased I've jolted your memory yes you are right about the park, which had the humped back slide, taller than the other slide, with a box at the top, sadly the council have taken all the equipment away and is now just an empty field.

I suppose it was all vandalised I'm surprised it hasn't been built on by now!

No it hasn't been built on yet probably because of access they wanted to build houses on the green belt instead and demolish Keresley Wood, and build from Bennetts Road upwards, I was told this land was bought by councillors between Keresley and Keresley village which is where they want to build. I used to play with some friends towards the bottom of Burnaby Road by the train tracks from the factories there, my sister used to also have a friend at the top of Burnaby opposite the Pilot public house now all boarded up my mum and dad used to drink there in the war, a few doors down from the large metal fence from the Dunlop field

I used to live about half way along Burnaby, near where Rollason Rd came out. Our paths might have crossed! I've lived in Australia for 40 years so it was a very long time ago!

Yes they probably have crossed as I would have been 17 40 years ago, or you would probably know my sisters too as I have 5 sisters and one brother which age ranges range from 50 to 69 at present.

So I'm 2 years older than you, my name was Barbara Turner back then. I used to go to Hill Farm school and to Lyng Hall & worked at Courtaulds in Lockhurst Lane. You had a big family! We had our first holiday back to the UK in 2003, to say things had changed was an understatement! It was strange, a lot of things looked the same - but different! A kind of time warp I suppose!

Yes if you look in the Telegraph you should get photos of Hill Farm

For Philip scroll down a little to the disused mill on the Coventry Canal Basin. Britains 1st ever motor car factory 1896. Thought about your Canal Basin photos. This is on the link above under photos suburb Radford

Thank you Morgana for some great pics of Radford and some wonderful information about that part of area which i happen to have lived in for the past 30 years.