Photo poser - Jack Frost and his steam roller

I've been in touch with the Warwickshire Industrial Archaeological Society, who are putting the photo on their "Can you help" page and will also show it at their next meeting, for the benefit of those not online (Their website is here for those who might be interested)

Just some more food for thought on this subject I have managed to copy the view on Google maps at last. This is a view of the Spon End Arches from the service road at the back of the units on the Alvis Retail Park. The old buildings at the back are Spon End Industrial Estate but a later date if this is our site. There is a variation of the height of the wall on the top of the arches on the right hand side which may be the difference that is hidden behind the steam roller. I have also noticed there is no registration plate on the steam roller so does this mean it was put on the road prior to 1904? I have also been pondering the ?HITE. This would not have been very obvious to people on the ground but would be seen from a train. I wonder if rather than being a straight forward company name it is an advert for something. Somebody has gone to a lot of trouble to send someone up on the roof and paint a sign that would not be seen from the ground. It could have been something painted on the old mill perhaps before it was demolished and the Chain built. I have also been considering the heaps of stuff lying around. When I was young (1950's) we used to walk along the chain gardens every week to my grandads in Melbourne Road. The only thing I can remember is the allotments on the right and that the path service was made of very black stuff like the stuff in the heaps. Just also found that when John (Jack) Frost's daughter was baptised in 1906 they were living in 31ct 10st Spon Street and he was a gas labourer.

Can't argue with anything you say! Although I can't find anything on old-maps online to support it Just to add a bit to the story, Jack is seated in this photo : and this is a certificate from the Mayor of Coventry after the end of World War I - he served with the Royal Engineers Road Troop

Hi all I am loving this, whatever the outcome. In just a relatively short period in time, you Annewiggy, have set standards of research such that you would have to be a front runner for any job in a detective agency. So many on this thread have pulled together, that for me it is almost mind blowing. Thank you all so much. I used to think that history was boring at the junior school. I should have been with you all at that time.

I agree Philip, Annewiggy is a winner at the detective work, she doesn't give in! So interesting to see Midland Red's last posting as well.

Thank you gentlemen for your comments. I agree there is nothing at the moment on any maps or aerial photos which can confirm any of this. As for history I was never interested at school, it was just learning facts and figures and I have never been any good at remembering things. It was not until I started doing my family tree and realised that these things we learned in history were actually going on around my ancestors. I have managed to find 10 generations of my family all in Coventry and my 7 x g grandfather was mayor in 1690, he met William of Orange and would have been round in the civil war so I have a deep interest in Coventry. Family trees are also a bit of detective work as this picture has been. I should have called myself Miss Marple. I also find it wonderful how much information is on the web now and what people take time to share with us. Sermon over PS Jack Frost became a steam roller driver before he joined up in 1916!

Hi Anne. It's just a damn shame the Waterworks was not near the arches, because it had two chimneys and it would have tied in with everything don't you think?

The 1911 Census shows him as 'Steam Roller Attendant, Coventry Corporation'

I was thinking more of the corn mill chimney on the other side of the viaduct. You can see it marked on the map the Dutchman has put on here. It is a little way from the arches but it is possible that the distance could be distorted as mentioned previously on here.

This link doesn't solve the mystery location of Mr Frost and his Steam Roller but it's an early Roller in action up the High Street and shows a gang of men working just as the men in the mystery photo would have done, I can spot the foreman, overseeing the work! Road Works in the High Street

Could this be the site some 20/30 years after the original photo?