Billy Graham in Coventry

Billy Graham has died at the age of 99 Post copied from topic Obituaries on 22nd Feb 2018 8:56 pm

Billy Graham had the largest attendance at Highfield Road ever, 1950's.

Not true, of course, Kaga. Just an old story which surfaces from time to time, but as much of a myth as the rest of the stuff he came out with. The largest attendance at Highfield Road was the 51455 that saw City beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 on 29th April 1967, a day any City fan of a certain age will remember.

MisterD-Di, sorry, but of course I meant up to that time, mid-fifties. I have no idea after that as I had left Coventry. But of course I agree that it was all blarney.

Actually, the previous record of 44930 had stood since March 1938 for one of the notorious battles with Aston Villa from that era. I am not actually sure that Graham ever appeared at Highfield Road at all. Jim Brown's comprehensive history of the stadium doesn't mention it, although he does mention the Jehovah's Witness gatherings which attracted around 8-10000 for a few years. Checking Graham's own website, it lists all his appearances in the UK and Coventry doesn't appear. So I suspect it's even more of a myth than we thought, unless anyone can confirm otherwise.

Hello MisterD-Di, I have attended many of Billy Graham's live UK presentations including his London visit in 1954, my best memory of that was I liked the crisps & Vimto, I was seven. The nearest to Coventry that he came was to Birmingham, the Aston Villa stadium 1984, but what several football stadiums did provide were big screen links. Regards whether Highfield Road was involved or the stats involved, I haven't a clue.

Looking through the newspaper archives his presentations were relayed in 1955 to the Matrix Hall, Bethel Church Spon End, Sibree Hall and the Central Hall, mostly from the presentation in Glasgow. It says that 46000 attended at Wembley but I can find no mention of Highfield Road.

I'm fascinated by these last few posts as my late mother once told me she had seen Billy Graham when I was just a young child (I was born in 1952). She went with a neighbour and neither of them could drive, so I assumed they saw him in Coventry. Here is a list of all Billy Graham's appearances in the UK. If she did see him in the flesh she would have to have travelled to London or Glasgow, unless she only saw him on screen at one of Annewiggy's venues. Obviously this is the most likely. Delving deep into my mind I now vaguely remember my mother saying that she saw Billy Graham at the Central Hall - I always assumed he was there in person.

I remember going to a Billy Graham Relay at the Sibree Hall (Warwick Row?) but I would have thought it was later than 1955, as I would only have been 6 at that time and I'm sure I was more like 12 or 13.

Have just spotted the list on the previous input and guess it was probably the 1961 one relayed from Manchester when I would have been 12.

I`m pretty sure there was a video link at a church in Whitley in the late 80`s.

Coventry49, I only listed the 1955 ones. He was in the UK in the 1960, I think 1961 as it was proposed to have a relay to the Warwick Road Congregational Church. I can't find any more but it is quite possible there would have been one at Sibree Hall

I can't really believe this, There were huge posters all over Coventry, I would think in the CET as well advertising the meeting at Highfield Road - trouble is I don't have a clue of the date. I thought about mid-fifties.

No, Billy Graham was linked to Harringay, London, for his visit there. I was at the Central Hall, which included films of him in USA I think, though could have seen those at the Junior Tech School, in the Theatre.

There seems to be a lot of varied thoughts on this topic. What I hoped for was someone connected with Highfield Road could throw light on the subject.