Foleshill (inc. Foleshill Road)

Pete, do any of these Broad Street names ring a bell? Mick Sexton, Paul Jones, Malcolm (Moke) Grimley, John Roberts, Alan Cartwright, Maureen James. All at Broad Street early 60s.

Yes I knew Moke Grimley but not from school, I met him years later through a good friend of mine Clive Towers who has now passed away. Moke was a bricklayer living in Spring Road, Courthouse Green / Foleshill. I don't recall any of the other names you mentioned, tho a Maureen Jameson / Jamieson rings a bell.

Moke was my pal for many years but we went our separate ways after I went into the navy straight from school. I seem to remember he worked at the Morris after leaving school so must have gone into building later on. Although I went to Caludon, most of the kids in my area went to Broad St. I've remembered some more names, all who will about 66 now. Barbara Hines, Ray Hines, Dennis Phillips, Ray Morey, Alan Bassett, Gary and Janice Jones, John Gee, John Burke, Rodney Bailey, Ron Beasley.

Before Hogarth's opened their shop in Corporation Street they had a shop at the bottom end of Foleshill Road. My first watch was bought there - an Avia - when I was around 9, so around 1953.

Anyone remember the big cycle shop about where Halfords is now?

Wasn't the ironmongers called Foreys.

Like this, Norm?

That's the one Cliff. Blimey is there anything you don't have a picture of.

There was a cycle place opposite the entrance to the City Engineers depot. It was originally Volmax, who sold car spares as I recall, and I think it became Hawk Cycles, who sold bikes under their own brand name. Others may remember more than me about it. Foreys was indeed the place. It was a real old-fashioned ironmongers with men in brown coats at grimy wooden counters. I worked at Weights & Measures in Livingstone Road where we had a workshop for adjusting weights and the like. We had an account at Foreys and our monthly invoice always showed a 10% discount so it got plenty of use. Some of the staff would also scrounge the discount too. I recall one old skinflint who asked for (and got) his discount on a 10p battery. Foreys was also where the new recruits were sent for the spoof errands, such as a 'long weight', a can of elbow grease, left-handed screwdrivers etc. They were always 'in on it' and played their part. I seem to recall Foreys having another small branch elsewhere in the city.

I remember a house that I think was on the corner of Eagle Street and Foleshill Rd, opposite the Golden Eagle pub. On the front of it was a stone plaque saying something like "Established 1900, Coventrated 1940, Rebuilt 1946". It always fascinated me as a child, not the least what "Coventrated" meant. I think it may have been demolished when the junction of Eagle Street and Foleshill Road was widened, but I may be wrong.

Yes Mr D Di, it was Hawks, of which I had one of their bikes in the early 70s'. It folded in half to get on public transport and to work the brakes I had to pedal backwards!!! Very health and safety.

Thank you Mr D-Di. Volmax and Hawk cycles ring a bell. I well remember buying a pound of nails from Foreys, many times. A lot of wares were kept in small drawers in a huge old cabinet which covered the back wall of the shop. It was like stepping back in time!!

Obviously there is a strong cycling heritage here, with the Edwardian Coventry Challenge cycle works office block just down the road, a fantastic survivor of Coventry's manufacturing past. What was it used for, though when the Challenge works closed? The unique air-raid shelters at the front indicate its use during the War, and I'm sure I recall the block being used for small businesses during the 60's (one I think made electronic equipment).

Repanco Bartlett occupied the building when I moved to Coventry in 1984 (I remember seeing the name as I went past on the bus). They started making crystal radio kits and now manufacture electronic components. There is a lovely old advert on their web site. According to Companies house they moved to Endemere road off Lockhurst Lane where they are still trading.

Going back a couple of days to the "house" on the corner of Eagle Street with "coventrated" on it, I always thought that it was a chemist shop. I used to ride down Eagle Street on my bike on my way to Priory High School for Girls. I may be mistaken because it is a long time ago! Sometimes my friend and I used to ride home via the top of Bishop Street where PC Don McKay was on point duty. In later years, when he had retired from the police force, I met him during the course of his business and he became a friend.