Stoneleigh Terrace

In the 60s there was a driving test centre located in one of the terraced houses, I took my motorcycle test there, the examiner used to watch you ride around the perimeter of Greyfriars Green and then jump out in front of you for the emergency stop, all was going well until this point. The rest I leave to your imagination

Hi all. I am imagining you ran the guy down, you didn't did you?

I meant the old Bluecoat School Dream - in Priory Row. matchle55 - did you ever get to go inside Stoneleigh T? Just wondered if you could recall what they were like?

Shall we just say that he and I had an altercation, he leapt out when I was about 10' from him and was surprised when I ran in to him, he was crouching behind a car so I hadn't a clue where he was. I must add that I was only doing about 20mph in anticipation. I think what irked him was me saying "does this mean I've failed"

Neil, yes I did, as an apprentice painter. They had high ceilings and ornate cornices, really elaborate skirting boards over 12" high and intricate mouldings around the doors. The staircases were a dark wood and would have been spectacular when new with lots of detail work. The hall floors were mosaic and the ones that I went in were all different. This was only a few years before the buildings were demolished and they were showing their age. The firm I worked for was an old established firm, we used to mix our own paint, so a good job was guaranteed, we did some good jobs, sadly they were few and far between.

What a fantastic insight matchle55, thanks for sharing - I can really picture the scene. From British History Online and a report of The City of Coventry Domestic Buildings - dated 1969: "To the south of the city, however, the Warwick Road area continued to be the favourite site for middle-class terraces and for detached and semi-detached houses. The most impressive terrace is the Quadrant, dating from c. 1860, which consists of ten large three-storied stucco houses built on a curved frontage in a still Classical style. Of slightly later date is Stoneleigh Terrace in Queens Road to the south of Greyfriars Green which was designed by James Murray. (fn. 67) Nos. 1-5 are of variegated brick with stone dressings, having Gothic porches with polished marble shafts and carved stonework in the gables and to the window-heads of the second floor. Nos. 6-9 and 10-13 are blocks in a similar but less elaborate style. The house called the Towers at the junction of Queen's Road and Warwick Road has an ornate Gothic front and is part of the same group"

Does anyone know if Greyfriars Green was also known as Warwick Green - or did Warwick Green exist anywhere else? Stoneleigh Terrace Architect James Murray is listed in his obituary as being of Warwick Green, Coventry? Did he end his days in his own building?

In 1861 2 years before he died Neil he was living at 5 near Warwick Road. The previous house on the census was 10 Quadrant. Can you locate it from that

Warwick Green was the small park between Warwick Row and Queen Victoria Road:

Is this Stoneleigh Terrace in the background on this old postcard

Yes

Thats a belter Deano cheers Dutchman - is that the patch of land with the Starley memorial marked on it?

Yes

A view from Britain from above from 1939