Canley (inc. Sir Henry Parkes School)

Yes Dean, this is how it looked in September 2013

... and here's the side of the same building!

Photo Quiz: For anyone who attended Sir Henry Parkes School, this photo was taken some time after it's closure, but whereabouts in the school was it?

I remember that hole in the wall, Tony, I used to have my dinners passed through it to me by the dinner lady! It's a good teaser you have created for us, could it have been used as a projector room for the image to be watched in the big assembly room?

Hi Les, I might have known it wouldn't fool you! It threw me at first 'cos "that hole" is actually square - whereas the black piece of card covering it and visible from the inside in the first photo, it isn't! Yes you are indeed correct, it is the "projector hole" high above the main hall - shown by the arrow in the photo below. There is also a small "viewing hatch" next to it. As someone pointed out, we used to have the occasional black & white film show on a Friday afternoon with Mr Bayliss as the head projectionist. This room was accessed via a door in the entrance area and up a rather narrow staircase.

Thanks for that little puzzle, Tony, and it wasn't an informed guess on my part. You have made me ponder now because when I was at Sir Henry Parkes and Mr Bayliss put on his films (for us, usually if a games afternoon was rained off) I remember him standing the projector in the main hall about a third of the way back from the stage. We all sat around him cross legged but he was definately stood next to us. I wonder if the projector room was installed after I left around 1959. From your picture, it looks like the projector room must have been located above the main school foyer entrance - could that be correct? (Wasn't the ceiling very high )

Thanks Les. You've got me thinking now, I can also remember Mr Bayliss having the projector on a stand near the back of the hall. I must admit I thought when I took the photo that it must have been one heck of a projector to throw it's image from one end of the hall (up in that little room) to the screen on the stage. Maybe it's my mind thats playing tricks and that room was never used. Anyone else recall it? For those that don't know, the screen was a huge affair, rolled up on a pulley system above the stage - and wound up and down by a big crank-handle situated at one side of the stage next to the lighting controls. I've got another pic of that somewhere.

Hi, I noticed a couple of posts regarding TOOGOODS mobile shop which used to go around Canley and Tile Hill, so I thought this picture of the mobile shop might be of interest. The picture was taken in Page Road, Canley. Cheers, Binkey

Hi Foxcote. Regarding the photo of TOOGOODS mobile shop it was amongst over 750 negatives I retrieved from my loft. They originally came from my late father in law who was then a keen photographer in the late 50's and early 60's. They are mainly of family life around Page Road in Canley during that period, although there are also many pics of Coventry city centre. The photo posted is of lads having fun with their trolley in Page Road. The grass looks a bit bare, but my wife tells me that is where the Marley chocks were!! Glad you liked pic of TOOGOODS certainly brings back memories.

Hi Binky11, it would be great if you could post the ones of the City Centre. It must of been around the time of the re-construction.

Hi, afraid the precinct construction was well underway when the pics were taken, but I have put a few in my picture gallery I have just started. Hopefully get a number put on of the cathedral next week when I have a bit of time as we have visitors this weekend. Cheers, Bri

I am trying to find out which year the row of shops in Prior Deram Walk, Canley were built and opened. Any help would be most welcome.

If you go onto the website The Coventry We Have Lost, there is a small piece saying it was laid out in the late 1930s. Around 1939.

View of Prior Deram Walk from 1946 Courtesy: www.britainfromabove.org.uk

Thank you so much for your response scrutiny. It is as I thought.