Vicar Lane

Helen F. The printing works were the old Coventry Mercury, adjoining that was Wyley chemical works - the shop was up a few steps. It had two windows - in one hung a preserved green lizard. A man named Acroyd from Palace Yard built Wyleys chemical works and warehouses at the time Hertford Street was built, and a linen draper held the corner shop before the alteration was made. An engraving of the time showed a man and women kissing under Peeping Tom. The Kings Head was then built and Peeping Tom transferred to the Kings Head. Opposite the linen draper was a Mr Moy and between him and the next building was a winding passageway behind Broadgate, which led past the Three Tuns, ending at the Castle in the corner of old Cross Cheaping. At the corner of Broadgate and High Street was Loveitts, then Goodmans, then the Coventry Standard, and next to that was the narrow passageway of Pepper Lane.

Did we confirm the bridge was for the printing works?

In the 1912/13 directory it only mentions - George Downing - cycle repairer Lee Beesley & Co - electrical engineers (I've heard that name in modern times) Back entrance to the Empire Theatre Iliffe and Sons - printers Even the pub isn't mentioned by then - which would tie in with the lack of sign in the photo. So I think it probably belonged to the printers.

Lee Beesley And from reading that page, it looks like the building on the east side of the bridge was Lee Beesley's but that they were a partnership with Iliffe (the link says Iliffe but we know better). So we still don't know who had the billiard tables but it could have been either company or it might have been just an advert for someone else. Oh, and I almost certainly have come across this company as a contractor to the place/s I worked.

Helen, Could you tell me if that's Vicar Lane that you can just see, next to the Kings Head, in post #1 of this topic. Also, where would the Corn Exchange have been? Thanking you in anticipation, Kaga.

You can't see the entrance to Vicar Lane in that image, it's off to the right along Smithford Street. The Corn Exchange/Empire Theatre (second one) was just beyond the hotel, down Hertford Street. The entrance to Vicar Lane on Smithford Street is at the dot in the photo below though it's not very clear. There aren't any photos I know of that show the area properly. It was roughly opposite Market Street. This picture is looking east towards Broadgate. The Kings Head is out of sight beyond the tall buildings on the right. It might help to look at this map to orientate yourself. Old map of Smithford Street - needs Flash Player to run.

Brilliant, Helen - thank you. Can't believe there was once a time I was amongst that scene, how much we lost in one night. I struggle to remember, the hub of Coventry, almost a century ago, gone in a flash, or so it seems - no traffic lights, no buses, the policeman in white gloves orchestrating everything at the top of the street, a generation ago, old women, baby carriages, horse and carts, a number of Kings, rising and falling, all in one lifetime.

Thank you Kaga. You make me think harder about the buildings and often spot stuff I've missed and/or got wrong. Little details sometimes make a big difference. I've never zoomed in to that part of Smithford Street before and noticed the entrance to Vicar Lane. I've got better views but from much earlier and by artists. As for remembering stuff from places I've lived - I'm terrible. I'm very impressed by your recall. Even before the war it was a time of rapid change.

Helen. What are those tall towers, centre left at top of photo? Any idea? Is that gabled building the Dorothy cafe perhaps?

What you can see in the background, Prof, is the north side of the High Street from the corner of Bayley Lane onwards. I think that the 'towers' are chimneys on one of the taller brick buildings about half way to Hay Lane, assuming that we're talking about the same features. To put the view in context, below is the image it was taken from.

Thank you Helen!

Helen is still one of favourite Old-Cov people thanks to the Vicar Lane discoveries at the start of this thread. However there has been some recent talk on one of the Coventry FB pages due to the posting of an advert for the opening of the original M&S store in Coventry on Smithford Street in 1929. I knew Peter Knight (Coventry Rebuilt) had referenced this (indeed it appears the ad came from his website), however I had not realised that this original store was built on what was 12, 13 & 13a Smithford Street - nor indeed where this actually was. I looked on Rob's ace Library Pictures section and lo and behold, there is an image of this store - probably the one Peter used for his 'adaptation'. However after also referencing maps I now realise this was right next door to the side of Vicar Lane looking south and indeed Rob's photo shows this! Helen, you can see the bridge over the lane to the left - it was there all along! Rob, hope you don't mind but have added an enlarged version to the server for all its extra-sized superb-ness!

The Herbert (so (c) to them) just added this one to their Facebook page. Interesting to see so I have zoomed in a bit as you do not often get that section on the southeast side in as good a view. Helen, I was hoping to spot the entrance to Vicar Lane but it must have only been a small passageway.

Nice zoom Neil. See the tall chimney and if you look down from there there is a 2 storey building with 4 windows and a sign above the two left ones? That is the left side of Vicar Lane as you look at it. That was a big timber jettied building that is on the same corner as Troughton's sketch of Vicar Lane. Only by the time the photo was taken it has been modernised with brick cladding and a display front.

I've always found Smithford Street endlessly interesting, with ever something new to spot in any old photo. Like you, Neil, I also wondered where the entrance to Vicar Lane might be in a photo, and so I've zoomed into my own CDV version of that one above.... and I'm still not certain! But, could it possibly be just this side of the white sided building in the centre, below?