Little Park Street

Bushills was on the corner of Cow Lane a bit further into town but on the same side as this one. This was a bicycle factory originally. This factory was mostly on the site of Bridgeman's, although that building had gone a long time before they built the factory. There were quite a few buildings and a small road between the two but you'd have been able to see both from the Little Palace Yard. Banner House was almost halfway between the two.

My 1938 map has that building just as a 'Pressed Panel Works'. Says there was a skating rink behind it as well on Cheylesmore?! Never noticed that before. Great spot, Helen (again!)

"My 1938 map"... just too modern and new fangled for me I've got to give you some competition in the 'finding great images' competition It matches one of yours that now seems to be missing of the bombed out factory.

Ahh yes - I've been steadily trying to go back over all those old linked in images that have now disappeared now Rob is letting me use the forum server to store images in. I'll have another dig!

I may be wrong but is this the building. It says it was Little Park Street from "Coventry up to date" 1896. It is 4 stories which looks the same as your picture Neil with a one storey building to the left of the picture. "PART of the face of Coventry 44 years ago, before war ravaged the city and led to the major redevelopment that is still going on. The picture. taken above Cheylesmore in 1921, was found in an old desk at the B.S.A. Company, Motor Cycle Division, Birmingham. Possibly the most interesting feature is the Little Park Street factory of the Coventry Machinist Co. (1), which later was to become the bicycle works of the Swift Company. Destroyed - The factory was destroyed during the war and part of the site is now Union Street. The roads in the foreground are Quinton Road (extreme right), St. Patrick's Road (centre) and Friars Road (left), linking with Cheylesmore. Other landmarks in the picture are: Christ Church (2), which now, of course, has only its tower and spire intact, old Broadgate (3), Holy Trinity Church (4), Coventry Cathedral (5) and the Council House (6)." Not a very clear picture! From an article in the Coventry Evening Telegraph, February 1965.

Good picture Ann. It's not the one on Little Park Street but the other side of the same factory complex - eg on Cheylesmore Road.

Great site about bikes and a page on Swift/Coventry Machinists Image from the site showing the oldest part of the factory, built on Bridgeman's plot. In the far distance you can see the wall and big gates that fronted onto Little Park Street before another stage of the factory was built. The left part of the compound was built over half of what was a bowling green, the other half becoming the garden for Banner House. You can see the trees. The left most part of that compound and the buildings in front were eventually turned into a road. To the right of the factory there was another garden that belonged to one of about three or four Georgian houses including a Ladies Seminary. The front block was later modified into the version in Anne's picture with the building on the front left being the same one as in Anne's photo.

And another image from Another old bike site with masses about Coventry Machinists

1963

Thanks to Debbie Dean Nelson on FB -

Haven't seen this one before Neil, and in colour too. It must be early 1960s. Just past the timbered building on the right there is a space - a bomb site and the looking towards the council House you can see the side of the houses in LPY.

Hi Rosemary Hope you are well. Yes I thought you might like that one although I was not sure if LPY had gone by then. Looking at maps it seems that may still be it although I'm a bit confused about dates. On old-maps the 1953/55 maps certainly shows it all still in place however I think their dates are wrong as on their 1958 map the Police Station is there and LPY gone. The newspaper clipping you sent me about the demolition of the Yard had 1961 written on it? Can anyone confirm the date it went and the Police Station was built? Isn't it funny that you would end up working there in the Police. BTW Rob's Library pictures has this one which shows the gap - is that the same side of LPY?

Newspaper articles about the demolition say August 1961 Neil.

Thanks Anne. That's what I had - old-maps dates are wrong.

There was a Compulsory Purchase Order for the 1961 demolition of various buildings, the council claiming it was for a restaurant quarter or something, which they obviously didn't do after destroying the buildings. I saw it mentioned on the Herbert Gallery website a few years ago but never saw it again.