Holbrooks and Holbrook Lane

Oh wuunderfull. Anne. Actually I cannot call anyone on spelling. Best wishes.

No, nor me, Phil, that is why I worked with numbers, not words! And senior moments don't help either. And very often my keyboard puts in different letters to the ones I type.

OddSock, Happened all the time - you got married, lived with parents until such times you could afford your own place, either to rent or buy. it was families helping one another.

Hi all, Sorry for the delay in replying - again, thank you to all those who posted in response to my question - much appreciated. Still puzzled as to why grandad took out a mortgage 1929/1930, but didn't appear on the Electoral Roll as living at Holborn Avenue until 1935 with the inbetween years seeing them listed at his parents' house in Eagle Street? Perhaps Anne is right when she says the Electoral Roll may not have been as accurate as possible? Or, if I'm being tongue firmly planted in cheek, perhaps the Electoral Roll man always called round when the two of them were visiting his parents!? I certainly don't think it took the builders five years to build the Holborn Avenue house, but, then again, they did build them to last in those days??

Oddsock, At that time they used to advertise houses, and sell, before a turf had been dug off the field. You have to try and go back to those times to find out what the system was in those days. Too often I find that people can't grasp today the life of before the war to today's modern world. You can read about it, but can't grasp it, like I can't master today's technology. Look at your grandparents and see the gap. I hope I don't offend anyone, or try to lecture, but there is a huge difference, in thoughts, hopes and dreams in the last century. Today I am infuriated by my thoughts being broken by some near me and their hand-phones interrupting those thoughts, the lack of privacy, the lack of respect, the lack of honesty.

Have finally added a series of images to my gallery, taken during construction of the Foleshill/Holbrooks bypass (prior to the Ricoh Arena & Arena Park) - but I was also able to capture Holbrooks Infants & Juniors School before it was demolished. OddSock

Holbrook Lane as seen in the late 1950's!

Managed to revisit an area from my childhood wanderings yesterday, some areas being seen for the first time in about 40 years, which proved enlightening as I could directly compare the images in my memory to the reality of today without having seen the inbetween. Regretfully, I rarely get the time or opportunity to take a couple of hours to walk about on foot - but, after yesterday, I must try harder to make that time! As a former pupil of Holbrooks Infant and Junior School, before the by-pass link road cut through 'our' sports field, I can clearly remember the huge Dunlop factory that is no more - the site now buzzing with house builders, transforming the area all the way back to Beake Avenue. Further along, climbing the Lockhurst Lane railway bridge, I was disheartened to see so many of the shops now seemingly being used as glorified storage containers - their windows either white-washed or boarded up against from inside, but offering the odd glimpse of 'stuff' being stacked up inside, and their frontages left to go to rack and ruin - a far cry from the row of independent shopkeepers I remembered? Down the steps to what us kids referred to as 'The Black Pad' - a little-known side road, next the bridge, that diverted off to run alongside the railway tracks towards Radford Aerodrome, then changing into a tarmacadam footpath running all the way to Blackwatch Road. How sad to see that this whole area has been allowed to fall into such neglect. So much rubbish has been dumped over the fence, and into the overgrown vegetation of the railway verge, with little hope of anyone taking responsibility to clean it up? Those familiar with the area may remember the pedestrain footbridge, spanning the railway tracks where the narrow road ended, and the tarmacadam footpath began. A wonderful, impressive metal bridge, with lattice-style panelling. Now, the lattice work has gone, presumably due to health and safety concerns, and the sides are boarded up - only those of a tall stature now able to peer over and take in the view. Not that the view was ever that good, the demolition of the factories, alongside the tracks, leaving just their concrete footprints, just adds to the sense of neglect. A brick-built clubhouse has appeared near to the footbridge - I don't remember that, but it clearly keeps the aerodrome playing fields actively in use and, I hope, safe from the housebuilders grasp? Unfortunately, the walk along the path to Blackwatch Road is much more depressing. On the left, overgrown vegetation entwines itself through the fencing, whilst on the right, it appears the developers have scraped the adjacent land and allowed the spoil to form a 15-20ft embankment of detritus alongside the path - a mixture of building rubble and more general junk, clearly added to over the years by nearby residents looking to get rid of their bulkier items. Nearing the end of the path, I remembered a small collection of Council-owned lockable garages - the majority of these have been knocked down now, but there doesn't appear to have been any follow up plan and the land has just been left? Finally, having made my way up Blackwatch Road, I cut through to the 'recreation ground' - a green space that will be familiar to those who have lived locally, framed by Grangemouth Road and Rollason Road, and once known for having a rectangular, tarmacadam 'all-weather' pitch as well as a selection of swings and slides for kids to wear themselves out on! Whilst relieved to see that this green space survives, and remains open for the public use, the all-weather pitch has gone, along with the playground equipment. The whole space is now a rectangle of grass, with two lines of young trees planted along its length. A nearby Council sign encourages the visitor to walk, or jog, around the perimeter of the field to improve their health and well being, but all I witnessed was dog walkers - and, strangely, no dog poo bins?! "....but, after yesterday, I must try harder to make that time!" - you know, thinking about it now, I probably won't. I think I was happier with the memories I had.

Hi OddSock, The area that you describe having descended the Lockhurst Lane bridge, is shortlisted to be the new Foleshill Railway station. From 1962, I remember it well.

When we were kids it was fun to go down the black pad to see "tin lizzy"make its way across Burnaby Rd into the factories that was at some point Motor Panels. It was then across the Lockhurst Lane bridge to see the trains go in and out the station, then down to Farr & Readies for a penny bun to scoff on the way home via the back entries across Catesby Rd and into home.

I believe the batch bar was opposite the Lyric when it was a bingo hall, run by our neighbours from Masser Rd.

Do any of you Holbrooks people remember a butcher's called Potter's? I think it was in a little row of shops near the Lyric.

Hello Anne, I can't remember the name Potter. I knew Drapers, Dunn & Hewitts, butcher's in Holbrooks. Also, in answer to the cooked meat shop, batches & baps, I remember that well. Roughly where the Polish cafe is now.

Holbrook Lane 1960

Hello, The name G.E Harcourt, at 281, was my boss at Ctlds. The address 347 (back) refers to the flat at the back of Venus fish & chips shop, the flat is still there now. I came to live in Holbrooks in 1968. Thank you for that. One of those addresses trading as Alena mini market, has just been closed, the Landlord & proprietor fined by Coventry magistrates for illegal trading. That's in the news this morning. Addresses north of the junction of Parkgate Rd, are Wheelwright Lane.