What happened on THIS day in Coventry's history?

Telegraph photos taken on 29th May

29th May 1675 After the old six bells from St. Michael's steeple had been taken down and broken to pieces 3 days earlier, they were cast into eight new ones on this day, the 29th May 1675. 29th May 1843 The first stone was laid of the gothic structure of St. Osburg's Roman Catholic church, Hill Street.

On 29th May 1948, Coventry Bees entertained Tamworth Hounds in a National League Division 3 Match at Rugby Road. Despite conceding a 5-1 to Bees in heat 1, in the fastest time of the night (79.4 secs), the visitors came out on top by 47 points to 37. Scorers for Bees were: Fred Yates 5+1, Bob Fletcher (c) 10, Bernard Tennant 5, Bert Lacey 5, Ralph Horne 9, John Yates 3+2, George Smith 0, Derrick Tailby 0 Bees would go on to finish eighth out of twelve in Division 3 (two places above Poole Pirates! ) Bernard Tennant was track announcer at Hyde Road, Belle Vue, in later years ____________________ Six years later, on 29th May 1954, Bees were beaten 35-48 at home by Swindon Robins in a National League Division 2 fixture. Charlie New's winning time in heat one was 11 seconds faster than that in the 1948 match above! Bees scorers were: Charlie New 11, Johnnie Reason 2, Jack Wright 0, Jim Lightfoot 0, Jack Hughes 5+1, Vic Emms (c) 8+1, Derrick Tailby 1+1, Peter Reason 8+2 Bees again finished in eighth place, this time out of 11 teams - but only ten points covered the top ten sides at the end of the season, Rayleigh Rockets cast adrift at the bottom of the table

Telegraph photos taken on 30th May

30th May 1962 Premiere of the War Requiem (written by Benjamin Britten, jointly conducted with Meredith Davies) in the New Cathedral. 30th May 1982 Pope John Paul II visits Coventry. 30th May 1988 A Gloster Meteor crashed, killing the brave pilot, who, knowing he could not prevent the crash, managed to steer the plane away from a highly populated residential area and into open ground at Ernesford Grange.

Dreamtime yesterday asked about the Crock Fair It would appear that its predecessor many years ago was the Pot and Hardware Fair The following notice, dated 30th May 1867, appeared in The Coventry Herald ___________________________________________________________________ COVENTRY GREAT FAIR. THE Mayor and Corporation of the City of Coventry, hereby give Notice that the COVENTRY GREAT FAIR will be held in the POOL MEADOW, and that the POT and HARDWARE FAIR will held in the SMITHFIELD MARKET, in the said City. All Persons wishing to take GROUND for STANDINGS at the Great Fair are desired to apply on or before WEDNESDAY, the 19th day of JUNE next to Mr. ABRAHAM WEBSTER, 38, Raglan-street, Coventry, who is appointed to Collect the Fair Tolls. The Authorities will not allow of the erection of any Shows, Stalls, Booth, or any other thing, unless the Ground has previously been taken and paid for. The Ground in Pool Meadow for Booths, will be LET to the Highest Bidder, at SAINT MARY'S HALL, on MONDAY, the 17th day of JUNE next, at Six o'clock in the Evening. No Person will be allowed to set up any Stall, Booth, or Public Exhibition, on any Ground not set apart by the Authorities of the City for the holding of the Fair, and any Person offending in any one of these respects will Prosecuted. By order of the Estates' Committee, THOMAS BROWETT, Town Clerk. Coventry, 30th May, 1867. ___________________________________________________________________ Strangely, it doesn't show the date of the fair!

Morning and thank you MR, nothing stays the same these days, any source of enjoyment is taken away from us. However, I have just been viewing some old Picture Posts (price 4d) and it has reminded me of the great times we had on our day out at the fair on the common - Such is life!

31st May 1457 Queen Margaret of Anjou visits Coventry 'privately' to view the Mystery Plays. 31st May 1830 On this day in 1830 a Mr. Green ascended from Coventry in his balloon. 31st May 1947 The Freedom of the City is conferred on Royal Warwickshire Regiment. The event of 1830 might seem rather tame nowadays, but back then.... someone flying into the air??? Mysterious forces at work, surely!

Telegraph photos taken on 31st May

1st Jun 1485 Richard III came to Coventry to see the Corpus Christi 'Mystery' plays. 1st Jun 1907 Frank Whittle, inventor of the jet engine, born, at Newcombe Road, Earlsdon. I hope Richard enjoyed our plays while he had the chance - a couple of months later he was doomed to be slain at Bosworth, and then consigned to a bit of a lie down beneath a carpark in Leicester! Frank, meanwhile, gave us all something a lot more useful, and got millions jetting around the world at the speed of sound. What a shame the authorities in the 1930s didn't take his idea more seriously. It's hard to understand, with modern hindsight, how the patent for his amazing invention was allowed to lapse and the idea eventually taken up by the Germans before we saw its real potential.

Well done Rob are you trying to educate us with these, if so you may succeed this is a link to Frank Whittle I've been looking at if anyone is interested. Feel free to delete

Rob, Dougie. I really enjoyed reading the Frank Whittle story. And can fully understand the fight he would have against the bureaucrats, the bangs and explosions around his area in those days must have been fun. Brill.

2nd Jun 1953 The people of Coventry indulge in the national celebrations for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, with parties in pubs and clubs, or out in the street in fancy dress, or simply gathering around a television set in perhaps the only household in the street able to afford one! Telegraph photos for 2nd June

Rob, was that the day the Mayor of Coventry fainted at meeting Princess Elizabeth? delete this if you so wish.

Ooh, I didn't know about that - if anyone knows more about this I think we'd all love to hear more.