Spon End

Interesting to compare with Philip's photo taken last September

Circa 1983. Compass Court is in the final stages of construction in the background with just a few more windows yet to be installed. The picture was taken from the top of BT Mercury House in the Butts which is now the Ramada Hotel.

Thanks Dutchman for the info re this photo. About 1983 you say. I wondered where it had been taken from. Midland Red, just looked again at Philip's aerial photo. Big changes. I am sure there must be an aerial view of same area pre 1960 to further compare?

Yes interesting as it gives the exact position of the GEC compared to todays Skydome complex. Thanks for posting.

This is the best I can do - 1969, and you'll need a magnifying glass!

Great view if you zoom in MR.

Thanks Dutchman for the great photos. Thomas Street was "across the river" from us in Trafalgar Street, or a walk down Trafalgar Street, passing the Cov Radiator factory and turning left at Sadlers grocery shop, passing one of the courts on the way. I hope my memory is correct here!! Nice to see.

This 1963 map shows the relative positions of Thomas Street and Trafalgar Street: Albion Street is now the Ring Road. Moat Street is now the Butts Radial Relief Spur. The courtyards behind Thomas Street were still in use for some time after the relief road was built. The Globe public house (bottom right) would today be bang in the centre of the Croft Road roundabout!

Thanks dutchman, It was Vincent St, across Sherbourne from Trafalgar St.!! I should have known that. The map is great to see.

Just reviving this Dutchman - looking at the photo of the Plaza I cannot work out where exactly I'm looking today to get that view? Is this going Westbound standing on whats now the Nissan dealership?

You would be standing on the forecourt of what is now Godiva Carpets looking westwards towards the Nissan Showroom. At the time the photo was taken the cameraman would have been standing in front of a petrol station with a stock-car parked on the forecourt.

The Arches in Spon End have another story to be told about them. In 1857, 23 of the 28 Arches fell down and the line was not in use for some time after. As you drive under them, you will see the difference in brick work. The replaced bridge was of bricks, the original was of sand stone. It happened only 7 years after the line had opened.

And another story about the arches. The arches in Spon End was the starting line on May 9th 1908 of what 'can be considered the first true marathon to be held in Britain.' (The Guinness Book of the Marathon by Roger Gynn). The race Headquarters was the nearby Black Horse pub. It was one of half a dozen trials used for the 1908 Olympic Games in London but was nearest in length to the final Olympic Marathon distance from Windsor to the White City, the distance not being adopted officially until the early '20s. The Coventry race ran (!) via Meriden and Stonebridge to finish at the West Bromwich football ground.

I don't think the building that replaced it would have met similar conditions - so why was it allowed to be built there?

The council totally ignored its own planning rules, not for the first or the last time.