Holbrooks and Holbrook Lane

Thank you so much for your replies regarding the wasteland query, cannot remember finding clay pipes, I do remember seeing trucks going along the railway, we were always warned not to go anywhere near the tracks. Someone started a fire one day in one of the disused buildings, the fire brigade was called and all the kids from miles around came to watch.

I attended Holbrooks nursery, infants and junior school from around 1969-1976, the main entrance being off Holbrooks Lane opposite Burnaby Road. At that time there were two separate school buildings, the nursery and infants in one and the juniors in another. We had a separate canteen situated by the playing field which I believe belonged to Dunlop. Schools from around Coventry use to congregate before the summer holiday for a fun afternoon of sporting activities. The main organiser of the day was a teacher named Mr Thomas. Does anyone have or know where I can obtain any photographs of the school before it was demolished please? Thank you in advance to anyone who can help. Regards Sharon

The family lived in Sharnford in Leicestershire at the time and he is buried in Sharnford churchyard.

Virtuous1 - I, too, remember Holbrooks Infant and Junior School and with great fondness. Mr Thomas was one of my favourite teachers in the junior school - but I also remember the Headteacher Mr Haw, whose face always turned deepest red when he became angry or shouted at us misbehaving angels!! Other teachers I remember. Mrs Greenham and the dreaded Mr Hartwell, who never seemed to like small kids much - strange profession to follow then??! Sadly, one of the newer teachers (I believe her name was Cathy Logan?) was killed in a motoring incident in town, outside Fishy Moores if my memory serves me right? A tree and memorial plague were planted next to the main pedestrain entrance in her memory - I still wonder what became of these when the school was demolished and the surrounding area redeveloped? During my time there (left in 1977) there were at least two arson attempts - I still remember seeing the burnt out classrooms and that awful burnt smell that lingered for weeks! The main hall was a square room that was central to the junior school - again, I vividly remember the wooden parquet flooring and those horrendous climbing ropes which I could never successfully tackle. Good memories of the playing field - in particular 'Sports Day', and wasn't there an old timber building at the rear of the school, by the pedestrian footbridge (railway crossing), used for lessons?? I have some photographs (somewhere) of the school buildings just before the bulldozers moved in - the windows were all boarded up and our beloved playing field had already been dug up to make way for the new road layout - I must try to post them for everyone!? Last but not least - does anyone else remember Mrs Brown, the lollipop lady, who made sure all of us little tots got across Holbrook Lane safely?

I was born in Radford in 1951, but we moved to Masser Rd in 1955. I was enrolled at Parkgate Rd School and stayed there until we moved in 1958 to the Everdon Rd Estate. Those that were older and wiser than me thought that it would be good to send me to Holbrooks School, but it was a disaster. The toilet block was outside and I remember on one occasion when I excused myself but got too involved with playing in the playground. A Welsh teacher, who was not even my own teacher, saw me and decided to punish me himself. He beat me so unmercifully that the marks of his fingers remained on my arms for many days. When my parents objected, he was dismissed and I had to have sessions with a Child Psychologist (pretty progressive for the late 1950s). On his advice, I was transferred back to Parkgate Rd, having found a way of coming of the back of the estate into the back of the school. Two final comments. I had several younger siblings who all attended Holbrooks and loved it. Many many years later, one of my nephews moved into the area following the death of his mother (my sister). He was to attend Parkgate Rd. It was a big culture shock for him because he had always lived in Wales. I was trying to encourage him by telling him that I had attend the school and that he might find a marble that I once lost in the playground. Jane, my wife, retorted that 'Uncle Bryn lost his marbles years ago!'.

I lived in Pembroke Road until 1952. I remember quite well those years. Although I can't remember much that happened earlier today. We lived in number 16 and I started school at Holbrook Lane in 1946. I even remember the first day, walking hand in hand with an embarrassed Frankie Wales who was probably 3 years my senior. We used to play on the wasteland over the tins (Zinc Fence) in the field that eventually became the Everdon Road estate. I remember cadging German badges from the POWs that did all the roads. We used to go blackberrying over there, behind the ICI factory. That's where I saw my first Spitfire flying low over the ICI roof, all blue it was. I can remember that wonderful roar as it zoomed over us, I could even see the pilot. We all waved and the women jumped up and down. Can't remember the year though. We used to play in the Doctors backyard (on the corner of Holbrook Lane and Rotherham Road). He had a miniature racing car in there, chain driven Fraser-Nash. We tried push starting it, but it was too hard for us. I remember though jumping over the paling fence and catching my brand new grey flannel jacket on the pales. Got a good hiding for that. We used to walk to school past the bombed out cinema, can't remember what it was called. We found souvenirs behind there in a burned out army lorry. Shells and stuff we traded for fag cards. The old Dunlop factory wall had bullet holes in it. Can't for the life of me remember what the park was called. It was opposite the Co-op where my Aunt Elaine worked. I remember getting into trouble from Dick Turland when I played superman on the Bayliss concrete company steps. We had gangs back then, although I never was in one. They used to steal our bonfire wood. We had the biggest bonfire on VJ day in 1945, had a tunnel under it to light it from. Oh what a party that was, all the steel tables came out and we had lots of jelly and blancmange in all sorts of shapes. I bet you can't get that stuff today.

Hello everyone! With reference to much earlier posts on this thread regarding Roland Avenue, does anyone have any idea when the houses on nearby Holborn Avenue were built? My grandparents lived there up until 1966, having moved in around 1935 (possibly earlier?) - I have my grandfather's 'Mortgage Account' book, detailing how he borrowed £442 10s 0d over a period of 20yrs to buy it!! It's left me wondering whether or not they were the very first occupants? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Hi, it must have been built between 1926 and 1935. It isn't in the 1926 directory but it is in the 1935. Maybe someone can narrow it down further.

An ad from 1934. There are other adverts at different prices and different agents so they must have been built in separate phases. So he would have been the first to occupy it.

Hi, there are adverts from October 1930 selling houses in Holborn Avenue.

Thank you for the swift replies!! The mortgage he took out was dated December 1929, with his first repayment being in January 1930. However, and this is what has always puzzled me, the Coventry Electoral Role lists both of my grandparents (married in 1929) as living at HIS parent's house in Eagle Street between 1930 to 1934?? Only when I look at the 1935 Electoral Role do I see them listed as living at Holborn Avenue!? Stranger and stranger! Early night I think! Thank you again.

Sorry Oddsock, I misread your question and looked for Roland Avenue instead of Holborn. The houses in Holborn Avenue were for sale from 1929. I wonder if they just did not change the records for the electoral role for a couple of years. I don't think they were so paperwork savvy in those days. Sorry again for the error.

Hi Anne, Not a lot changes. My mum's shop in White Street should have been Mercia Gowns, but a clerk entered it as Marcia Gowns. It would have been a right game of rose trees to put it right.

Completely understand Philip. When we had the window company we had to have a van painted by a sign writer. The driver had driven it for about 3 weeks before we noticed it sad 'Alumininium'. We used the same painter another time when the company took on a small computer company. This time he managed 'Comminications'. We told him to go to Specsavers and didn't use him again!