Binley Road

The Stoke Rectory is out of the photo on the left. Church Lane begins LH corner of the picture. Before the Triumph estate was built, there were playing fields. 192 is just out of the photo on the RH side. Same as the houses shown. This was the home of my maternal grandfather who co-founded Coventry City Supporters' Club. The Biggin Hall pub has recently been built in 1923. Photo c.1928?

I'm glad you mentioned the Rectory, Prof, it's given me a good excuse to show off this fine postcard of it that I got some time ago....

Some buildings still recognisable!

Rob's 2nd post of the Stoke Rectory. My brother's best friend (later best man) lived next door.The daughter of the Rector was in my class at Stoke National. I was invited in there to play, probably aged about six. I was shown the library (the bay window room at the front), the first time I had ever seen one. We played on the stairs and in the hall. Very large house to a small boy! Sad that it has gone a long time now.

Johnnie Walker Just out of the picture on the right is or was an accordion shop. This used to be Steven's the chemist when I was a child during the war. I often went in there with my mother as it was originally her home with my grandparents 192 Binley Road. I remember the big glass jars filled with coloured liquid that were traditional. The shop was what had been the lounge or front room of my grandparents.

Another view of Binley Road from Bulls Head/Empress Buildings Cov & N.Warks cricket ground on the right. From 'The Coventry we have lost.'

Wow, what an amazing view Prof, looking out of town from just beyond where Iceland & Lidl now reside. And so narrow, too! Where did you find this super picture?

That is the question Rob! I've had it for so long, I don't know but I suspect I found it on-line (I see it is on line as 'The Coventry we have lost' with others including the tram, and Charterhouse Rd where my dad and aunt were born.) I've been so familiar with the almost unchanged view on the left at least, though that long wall has probably disappeared. I might have mentioned that just out of the picture on the right were the stocks, nearer to the Bull's Head. Have they survived? I shop at both Iceland and Lidl here but did not know they were in Stoke. My great-aunt lived at one of the houses on the left, about halfway up towards Raleigh Road. I used to visit her some winter evenings when there would be a blazing coal fire in the hearth - a warm welcome.

Binley Road Stocks are still there, as is a long fence for the cricket ground

Thanks AD, good to know that and thanks for the photo! Knew them through all my childhood.

Some of my happiest memories of those days of Coventry were those long streets where you could see fields out front and fields out back, and you knew everyone in the street, with names like Joey Potts, Tommy Smith and Billy Jones - all you could pronounce and spell and sounded real Coventry. Where there wasn't a tree in the area where I hadn't climbed, a few yards down the road and you were lost from view, no man made noise, where kids could play happily without fear, where starlings sang together, and sparrows. The merriest of little birds twitter and laugh and fight and play just the same as us kids, and kids were as brown as a nut. In winter the snow used to get a lot deeper. That had a way of quietening things down, nice and peaceful, and we kids used to shovel people out and not hang around for money. You didn't do that with neighbours, it was all part of the way of life back then. Just a mile from town and you could walk out into snow, unmarked except for tracks of birds and animals. You could hardly believe people were sipping coffee and reading newspapers a short distance away, unaware of the peace and beauty that surrounded the city. Street after street was like Binley Road, half in half out of Coventry, a community that helped each other, that stuck together - that doesn't seem to happen any more. But there wasn't any money in it so people drifted away, but glad for that experience and background they once had.

So did we. It was part of normal growing up and development. You learned not to be daft enough to fall and injure yourself. I can't remember when I last saw kids climbing trees. I daresay it's banned nowadays under the elf'n safety nanny state!

TSP That is a super photo and I believe the florist/fruiterer shop is 196 Binley Road. Next door is Kitty Wells, who had the shop still during and after the last war. My grandparents lived at 192 1920-36 approx. It was still a fruit and vegetable shop in the 1950s-60s but I forget the owner's name. The draper's shop next to it, 198, was run by a Mr & Mrs Barlow. I think Mr Barlow travelled around selling clothing, perhaps as a tally man, though I am not certain.

The fruit shop was my grandparents and was located at 196 Binley Road. Appear to have lost text from original posting.