College, Holyhead Road

Have travelled up Holyhead Road a few times recently. I notice on a corner a hotel, not sure how long it has been there. Does anyone else remember when it was a college?

Hi! Can you be a bit more specific regarding the exact location?

Near Barras Lane.

I think you must mean the Days Hotel on the corner of Barras Lane. I am sure that was a hotel in the 50's. I went to my dad's works Christmas party there and saw Harry Corbett and Sooty! It was just the old building then, the extension being added later but they may have demolished some of the old building. I am sure someone else may know.

It was the Aston Hotel for many years. I'm sure many others could confirm.

Also Godiva Hotel. It was mentioned elsewhere, but only as a hotel - no mention of a "previous life"

I don't know if this is related, but old ordnance survey maps show a "College House" at 64 Holyhead Road (on the site of St Osburg's School) from the earliest 1888 map to 1914. In 1937 it is shown as "Club" and post war it is shown as the BTH (British Thomson-Houston) Social Club until it was demolished in the late 1950s/1960's to make way for the school. Regards, Peter.

It's a coincidence if it is, as 64 Holyhead Road is currently being discussed here on the "Working Men's, Sports and Social clubs" thread

From my wonderful book "Coventry up to date 1896". College House was "ladies Collegiate School". The principal was Mrs J W Newsome. "The house occupies an excellent position in Holyhead Road, and is enclosed in its own spacious grounds on one of the healthiest sites in the district. It was a day and boarding school . The course of study embraces religious instruction, reading and elocution. English language and grammar. English history and literature, geography and map drawing, arithmatic and mathematics, writing and composition, book keeping, French, hygiene, geology, botany, political economy, drawing, music - theory and practice, harmony and class singing - Swedish and musical drill, shorthand and physiography. There was also gymnastics, drill, calisthenics, dancing, swimming etc. There were also extras including German and Latin. The salubrious situation of the establishment renders it peculiarly suitable for Indian and Colonial Children who will find a happy and comfortable home."

Hi & thank you Anne, That is fabulous.

Some will shoot me for saying this but it's a great pity college education is not the same today! A brilliant post from Anne.

Thank you. I think this book was best ever buy at £3.99 the information and illustrations are brilliant. I would think that Mrs Newsome was quite forward thinking at the time as well, when "Ladies" education was probably not so common

She was Ellen Ratcliff Newsome (nee McWatt) who died in 1900 aged 70. She married John William Newsome in 1862 - he died in 1901 aged 65 (his address is given as 35 The Crescent, Holyhead Road) J W Newsome was a tobacconist, and he and Ellen lived at 2 Fleet Street (1871/1881 censuses) - she is listed as "Ladies School" and "School Mistress" The 1901 census shows a number of assistant teachers and pupils at "College House" - the Newsomes had by then passed away Their son, Frank William Newsome, followed his father's profession, and in 1901 lived at 32 Holyhead Road - in Spennells Directory 1912-13, he lives at 32 The Crescent, Holyhead Road, which is listed as "Crescent Art School" Spennells confirms "College House" as 64 Holyhead Road, by then the residence of Walter Turrall, who was a Textile Manufacturer (1911 census)

There is a zoomable scan of that College House image now on CD -