Butcher Row ('Great' and 'Little')

Does anyone know if John Butcher had a shop (1899 or 1900) at the end of the row. His son told me his dad could lean out of his upstairs window and shake hands with the butcher who had the shop opposite, which from the photo looks feasible. John Hudson was the secretary of the Coventry Butchers Harriers, formed because working in a shop environment on Saturday meant that butchers were prevented from being involved in cross country running for a club because their fixtures took place on a Saturday afternoon. Different 'trade' Harrier clubs existed in different parts of the country for the same reason. Leeds had a Leeds Wednesday Harriers as did Huddersfield [half day closing being a Wednesday], Keighley Tradesmen Harriers in Keighley [Yorkshire], while Halifax also had Tradesmen Harriers offering membership only to shop workers; both towns had a Brewers Harriers which catered for that particular industry as did the one in Coventry.

Hi Colin I'm sure Heathite can refer to the directories for us.

I've had a bit of a look at Heathite's kindly copied directories and can't find a John Butcher on those 2 years but they don't cover everyone I think. Still not got to grips with the directories though.

Hello, I've just finished looking at everything relevant that I have. I also searched Ancestry in the census section, no luck in either.

CliffB has struck again and gives us a great (though sad!) comparison before and during the clearance for Trinity Street. Slightly different angles as taken from different spires but really interesting views all the same. Helen, we had not really noticed that lovely row on West Orchard in the era in such detail.

Two favourites of mine The first has a good view into the heart of Broadgate. The foundry and factory on West Orchard constitute a gap for me. There's a similar painting, taking a panorama from the High Street to Palmer Lane but I've never seen it in colour. It's an interesting comparison with these.

A nice view of the Royal Vaults building shape, in an unfortunate picture.

Yes indeed. The best picture I have ever seen of the art deco Boots and I think the only one ever of the basket works. Wonderful, thank you.

Neil, I think these last two are the best photos of pre-war Broadgate and you can hone in to see the detail. Inspiring! Thank you.

Which was the basket works, Osmiroid?

This end was never a problem, it was the bottom half. New Buildings was the hold up and had to go, four-lane Trinity Street then allowed the flow of traffic from the north into Broadgate without problems, made a world of dfference to Coventry.

I'm sure that it made the traffic flow better even though they had to demolish most of the Butchery to build Trinity Street. The irony is now they've pedestrianised most of the area.

Neil, I wish I knew! Not me who mentioned it

You can't see it, Neil, it was behind the building in front. See West Orchard.

Hi Neil. I have searched the newspapers but can find no pictures of the cellars where Butcher Row was demolished. I also find that the pictures that are in the CET are such poor quality that it is a waste of time posting them. If bk has digital images from the CET then hopefully they are the originals and much better quality. I do have some special editions supplements from the CET that my mum used to save for me, so there may be something in one of them, but I will have to leave that to some future date. I have just reread the booklet I have, "A Harvest of History", the life and works of JB Shelton. The author does quote Shelton as saying in the August 1936 issue of "Austins Monthly Magazine" that "all the old cellars were being filled in". I found several references to this magazine by Shelton and searching for it online it took me back to the HC site as Rob has put them all under number 28 in History Articles in the Historic Coventry section. In the CET are mentions regarding the demolition of Butcher Row, etchings by Samuel Lines and drawings by TD Hamson. This sketch is from "The Harvest of History" book. It says J Hanson but I wonder if it is TD Hamson. Also Shelton's plan of Trinity Street overlaid on Butcher Row which might help you locate the buildings for the cellars you are talking about. There is a plan but I don't think that will copy well but if you have any problems just ask.