Market Street (to Smithford Street) and Market Place (to Broadgate)

On the 1891 Census, George Jenkins and his family are living at 28 Market Street and 61 Smithford Street, he is the manager. It is listed as one house. On the picture of the Leopard Inn in Smithford Street that you told me about, Helen, you can see the short side of the shop on Smithford Street. In 1891, 62 and 64 are occupied by a game dealer and 64 is Leopard Inn occupied by Henry Yardley, my great grandad's uncle, so the numbers tie up. The street furniture in the Market Street picture does not seem to tie up with the advert and strangely one of the advert pictures has a lamppost on the corner and the other one does not. Although I have just read that the Corporation allowed them to put a lamp on the corner of Market Street and Smithford Street in 1887! 56 Smithford Street was the Empire Vaults. 56 was auctioned off by the Markets Committee in 1929. It later became BHS. Just a few ramblings but maybe help with a time line. I certainly agree that the picture may not be in Market Street.

Just a thought out of the blue. G E Copp, who is named as manager on the advert, set up on his own at 25 Hertford Street. His advert in 1910 says he is late manager of Cash & Co. Is it possible that this is Mr Copp in his shop, there is no shop sign and the slope might suggest Hertford Street. I don't think he stayed there long as in 1911 he is at another address.

I can't find Copp. I think the business on the left is a photographers and one on the right might be a newsagent? My head hurts.

Copp could have only been in Hertford Street for a couple of years. A 1908 advert names him as manager but in 1911 he is at 63 Albany Road running his shop there. The 1908 ad also says 'business as usual, our extensive premises nearing completion'. Yes, this is another one we need to get the time machine out for.

I'm not getting anywhere fast with that second photo. What I have spotted is the sign on the right in what looks like ronicle. Did Coventry have a Chronicle newspaper? The words underneath look like FLOOD SCENES CHILDREN DROWNED. The building to the left definitely looks like a photographers.

There is no Chronicle, Helen, on the online site, only Telegraph, Herald and Observer. Nothing on Google.

Helen, that sign on the right looks like a newsagents billboard with a daily paper's headline, possibly The News Chronicle, a daily paper of that time.

Thanks Anne and argon. Now, any ideas when it was? Mr Copp is very elusive

There are articles about flood and 18 children drowned in America printed in a Leicester Daily Post and Birmingham Mail in 1913.

More great teamwork, guys 'n' gals. I still get the feeling it's Smithford Street, with the gradient of the road.

...or Hertford Street, Neil?

argon's US flood looks a good candidate for the year but I'm looking at Spennell's for 1912/13 and I'm not finding a decent match for the three businesses. I can't find Mr Copp. Photographers were in smallest supply, bootmakers were 10 a penny. But chemists also sometimes did photography services and maybe stationers too. Arghhhhh. The lamppost doesn't look familiar and is it me or does it look like the top's been removed? It merges into the decoration of the building. It's like a joke - a photographer, a bootmaker and a newsagent go into a pub... but which one?

In Nov 1911, G E Copp was advertising for staff at Bronson Shoes, 20 Cross Cheaping. In Dec 1911, Copp was selling off his stock, from 2a Earl Street - all stock to go, at below cost

I'll try those two MR. The lamppost is a problem as I can't match it to any style I've found within the centre. It could be from the outer areas but that gives us an ever expanding cordon with few photos to match it to. Unless more info pops up or someone finds the location by accident, I think it will remain a mystery. It might not even be Coventry. I now think it's highly unlikely to be Market Street due to the reasons people have identified. I don't think it's Smithford Street or Hertford Street either. In fact I can't find lampposts in any Coventry pictures that match that one. Some of the old sketches show something closer but you can't tell much from a sketch and it would date the picture too much earlier and I doubt that's the case.

I was thinking the same thing, Helen. The lamppost has a fancy bit at the top. Cash & Co had several shops all over the country. The only other picture I can find is one in Wisbech but that has a central door.