Longford (inc. The Red Hills)

crickey thats great to hear from you dont see many from the old days exept mick dodd john davis we still go skating believe it or not at wyken roller skating club which has been going longer than longford rink every tues 6pm to 9pm but not as big as longford was. also remember the di dis vans. my sister wendy lived in one of the houses past the park on the left for some years also I had a mate who lived almost opposite windmill road & my mum & dad are buried in windmill rd cemetary. when I lived in bellgreen we used to walk down the black pad to longford or through longford park as said memories

I left Longford in 1964, settling first in an apartment (flat) on Gloucester Street (off the upper Holyhead Road), so as to our paths crossing, it's simply a matter of time and place, as in a confluence of events. I do no doubt it for a moment. Your knowing THE PILOT and its Mondays night jazz club, certainly suggests a "certain age" (unnecessary to particularize), shall we say!? But work (probably) has taken you away from there - maybe like with me, for what appears to be centuries, or maybe more recently - but I have to ask: Are you not impressed by what Longford has become? Certainly, I am. Yes, the Dovedale/Rivoli/Ritz/Dovedale cinema is but a husk of what it once was, and we have lost the Saracen's Head, Griffin, and New Inn pubs, the Capitol Skating Rink and all, but the old village post office is chi-chi beyond belief, some of the housing developments are completely awesome, and, indeed some of the centrality that the city planners have brought to the old village beggar belief, so I am in awe of this new village that bears little resemblance to the the miserable little place that Longford once was, notwithstanding our (yours and mine) earlier efforts (I'm sure) to make it a cheerier place. The generations after us certainly prevailed in this regard, and I cannot but salute the efforts of these good people - those who stayed and made renewed efforts, and those who came in fresh - saw the place "wanting" in many aspects - and gave it their all. I have nothing but admiration for all these good folk. Wouldn't you say, Longford Lad?

if you dont mind me saying I too think longford looks nicer now.but when I go past on very few occasions I get a warm feeling of times gone by & look to see anyone I may remember.( possibly no one by now ) yet it only feels like yesterday I used to go there also its great to hear peoples memories who lived /born there.

I'm just the same Pete . I instinctively look for a gang of 15 year olds who are all well in their 60s now . Perhaps I'm hoping to see myself amongst them . Sad to see the Ritz as it is , the New Inn gone , Griffin gone .I remember the snooker hall , to some a place of ill repute , to others a haven of peace to while away the hours . We thought nothing of the long walk from Proffitt Avenue , through the black pad and Windmill Lane . Lovely memories of our youth . However I don't dwell entirely in the past .I'm off for 9 holes while it's not raining .

agree with you shame some places are gone .its nice to remember the old times as long as you dont go over the top with it.look toward the future .which will be our past with different memories.the reason I got on this forum is I was looking for info on the capitol skating rink it put me on this forum about longford I never knew this forum existed glad I did ive met a friend from longford days who I havent seen since the 1970s plus heard great stories about longford

Glad, Pete, that you're enjoying this forum, even gladder ( if such is possible) that you have met anew an old friend from Longford, my stomping ground in my childhood days. Meeting people in the flesh via this forum, is pretty well denied me, for I live so far away, but I have met some fine people on this forum, with whom I have developed one-on-one themes raised on this forum. For example, Mickw Nuneaton, brought to me sad news of the death (in 2009) of a very dear friend from yesteryear, a guy I had last seen (in his Earlson home) in September of 2008. I was staying with friends in Buckinghamshire, and I took a train up from High Wycombe, specifically to see my seriously-sick friend. Mickw not only gave me the news of my friend's departure, he provided me with the address of his widow, an address I had lost. I've also met - and had personal correspondence with Jeff, a Longford resident who lives in one of the top-shops at the Hurst Road/Longford Road intersection (if I may use a North American term), the top-shops opposite St Thomas's church on Hurst Road. Jeff and I had a meeting of the minds, notwithstanding a major gap in our ages - Jeff being the younger of us. I am, frankly, overwhelmed by what Jeff and his generation have made of my old village - it's a joy to see the old village, these days. There's no doubt in my mind that it was a joyful place to grow up; however, Longford always struck me - as a child - as "run-down" though I was never sure whence the downwards-run began. That said, and by no means diminishing my childhood experiences, experiences that trained me/ gave me a useful and productive work life, I celebrate Jeff and his cohorts, including I am sure, many Longford folk who saw in the village, saw in the city of Coventry, all manner of things that eluded me back then, when I went away returning only for brief visits, none of which amounted to a hill of beans compared to what the "stayers" experienced, what the newcomers were able to imagine, comared with the goers-away. I've also met Dutchman of Spon End, a knowing, wise and delightful companion among those of us who use this forum for a brave adventure into yesteryear. Imagine my surprise in finding his knowledge extended well beyond the city walls, and compared favourably- perhaps too favourably - with my knowledge of my own business (film & television), but - shocking and all as this was to learn, it is of nothing compared with sharing my time via this forum with Dutchman. And there are many more, including MikeH in London in my own province of Ontario in Canada, whom I have never met - an emigre like myself, but an emigre with fond recollections of Coventry and a great eye for detail, respecting changes to the city since we left. Deanocity in Keresley also seem to know far more about the city than any one person should, and there's that astounding Holbrooks man, PhilipinCoventry, one of the moderators of the forum. There's Midland Red, Dreamtime in Perth ,Western Australia, GVB from Longford, Longford Lad (not to be confused avec moi - LongfordLad) in Langen, Germany, and so many more whose contributions to this site please themselves, to be sure, but - more importantly - please so many others, and certainly please me. This site does not offer what it says on the tin (I think Philip lost the tin somewhere - just joking), but it opens up a panorama of the city we knew, the city that is, the city we know it might become. You are a fan LongfordLad!? You may say that, Maddie. I, of course, couldn't possibly comment.

G'day, A great post LongfordLad (Toronto) I am not a Longford lass but I do so enjoy reading - and learning - from all the Coventrians whether near or far. You all sound nearer on the forum and that is what makes it so enjoyable. By the time you receive this I could have put the kettle on, how near is that !!!! All the best to you...

Hi & thank you so much for your post & tribute to our forum, LongfordLad (Toronto) Can I have one lump please Dreamtime & just a little milk. Thank you

Well, after that long one, "i,gotostoke and eat my at" . Knew that" wind" would blow over.

I really can't comment on Longford and how it has changed. I think it was about 15 years ago that I was last in Coventry. I left Longford in the late 60's and Britain in 1976. I used to come back often when we lived in Germany the first time. I was transferred to the Far East in 1980 and the return trips became more infrequent. Now back in Germany again, my business trips always seemed to send me off in the other direction, and since my parents passed away there was little cause to visit Coventry. However, now retired and with more time on my hands, I am planning to visit Coventry in the spring (and of course Longford.) It is always interesting to revisit the old haunts of one's childhood and youth. Maybe it is nostalgia. Some things never change, and sometimes they have changed so much you get lost. I have many fond memories of Longford. Some of them very vivid, but they sometimes seem so far away as if in a previous life. That is the great thing about this forum: It keeps refreshing the recollections and triggering new memories. Many thanks to all the contributors, moderators and administrators who make it work. 15 years ago I had the feeling that there was a little more life in Longford -- at least around St. Thomas's Church. It did not seem to be as drab as I remembered it.. Longford Park was being re-landscaped and part of the park had become a housing estate. Many of my old pubs had already disappeared. The Dovedale/Ritz looked like a fortress out of the set for a science fiction film. I think I was more surprised, and even depressed by what "they" were doing to Broadgate and the city centre. I am sorry to say, I felt like a bit of a stranger in my home town. I think over the years not only has Coventry changed but I also recognise that I have changed. I am sure LongforLad and the other expats here notice the same. I am looking forward to coming back in the spring and reliving a few memories and looking up a few old friends. Who knows, I might even be able to make it to one of the famous breakfast meetings!

From you, PhilipInCoventry - praise, indeed, Sir, praise, indeed. Thank you.

Thank you, Dreamtime, and make mine the same as PhilipInCoventry's cuppa, but skip the cube of sugar.

My most recent visit to Coventry was a day-trip in 2008, to see a friend who was in pretty poor health. I did not make it as far as Longford, so most of my views of the more recent Longford, the quite charming little village it has become, derive from what I have read and seen on this forum - superb photographs from Midland Red and from Jeff in Longford, who shared with us quite astonishing images, along with well-written narratives from both posters. Enjoy your trip this coming spring, and do try to make it to a breakfast meeting.

For the first time in 55 years I finally have a copy of my full birth certificate - until now I've only had the short version. My late dad's occupation is stated as 'Stone finisher - concrete manufacturer'. As I remember him telling me as a child that he worked at Longford Concrete I'm presuming that where he worked when I was born. My question is: does anyone have any idea what a 'stone finisher' would have done? Thanks in advance