Yardley family

Yes Thanks Rob - brilliant photo. That's the closest image I've seen yet to an old shot of Silver Street It must be the only street in central Coventry I cannot find an old photo of. The search continues! And thanks for putting the record straight Dutchman

And in a severe case of ironic timing - latest development proposal. Before: After:

I have been having a look for information on Silver Street and then went off into all directions, I shall never get the housework done All sorts came up that I found interesting, although probably more likely to be some of your Grandparent's stamping ground than recent history. However things developed more slowly in those days, businesses more static and easier to trace, people living in the same area etc. so a pattern can emerge sometimes, and I did find a distinctly 'fishy' connection with Silver Street. Better start with the earliest info that cropped up.. New to me but I found 'Fishy Moore's' in Coventry Telegraph, advertised as early as 1893, 'Moore's City Oyster bar', 16 Butcher's Row, 'fried plaice and chipped potatoes' also, 'bookings for parties, soirees and Balls'. In 1911, at 27 Silver Street, a fish salesman called William Southall, and No. 11, Frank Hubbard, Fish merchant. Couldn't help noticing 'The Jolly Weavers' pub at No. 16, landlord Mr Thomas Yardley ( I suspect the Weavers were thirsty but not very 'Jolly', bet it was hard work weaving in those days). Lastly, at 29, 'The Tramway Inn'. The Street doesn't appear to be very long, there seemed to be about 20 addresses but it brought the road to life for me. Maybe one of those fishmongers sold out to 'Moore's' as a preparation-depot? All before the First World War.

charabanc so sorry - I completely forgot to follow this offer up. I only have names to hand - George and Letitia Yardley

Hello NeilsYard I only have the LRC transcription version which goes up to 1900 but there is no Letitia Yardley listed as buried there before that date. I went onto FreeBMD to check for the death of Letitia and there is only one of adult age listed since public registration began in 1837 and her death was registered in Southam district in the 1st quarter of 1898. There are several George Yardleys listed on the LRC transcript but without further details it would be impossible to identify which one might be your ancestor. it is possible that they are buried at Southam and that might be worth investigating.

Hello again NeilsYard Subsequent investigation shows that Letitia Yardley was buried at St Leonards, Priors Marston (came under Southam registration district) on 18th March, 1898 but her residence was listed as 'Southam Union' which means that there is unlikely to be a headstone.

Hi Charabanc - thanks for all your help with this so far. I've come up trumps. Apologies as it seems we were post 1900. We've found an old grave certificate detailing the grave which contains: George Newton Yardley - Buried Nov.1945 (my great grandfather) Letitia Mary Yardley - Buried 1909 (George's daughter - died as a child aged 6) Letitia Martha Yardley - Buried Aug.1965 (George's wife/my great grandmother) Oliver Soper (nee Yardley) - Buried Jan.1993 (George's other daughter) They are marked as being in a now full plot - Grave No.140 Square 181 Just need to find the location now unless you have a map. I am getting in touch with the council as they can show you apparently.

Hello Neils Yard I do have a detailed map but please check first that you have those figures the right way round. I was walking the cemetery looking for various graves last year and met two men who were searching for a specific location. We looked it up on my maps and found the spot but the marked grave was not what they wanted. Some workers were in the office at the entrance and they looked up the location given and discovered that they had transposed the numbers and so were looking in the wrong place. The records usually give the SQUARE number first, followed by the GRAVE reference number.

Hi Charabanc. The square and grave numbers were taken direct from the grave certificate we found so hopefully the right way around?! I have actually had a response from the council who are going to send me a copy of a map with the location on based on those locations so we'll see!! I'll then be off with my camera and we're going to finally plan to get some sort of headstone/marker made for the spot. If anyone wants any images captured at the cemetery then let me know. Will post results in here. Thanks again for your help Charabanc.

Hello NeilsYard I believe that Square 181 straddles the path in the newer half of the cemetery which was dug up earlier this year to provide more room for burials. There was an article in the local press of a protest gathering led by The Friends of London Road Cemetery earlier this year which resulted in an undertaking that no further paths would be removed. From the main London Road entrance to the outer half of the cemetery, walk up to the first junction of radiating paths and the removed path was to the right going towards 'two o'clock' on a clock face and joining with the middle path just at the top end of the industrial complex which butts onto the railway line. Square 181 is at about the midpoint of the removed path line. Happy hunting!

charabanc I'm off detecting this week - this is the map they sent me:

Your original information was Square 181 Grave 140. Your plan shows Square 140. My plan was much more detailed than this one and was copied from holdings which were at the Canal Basin when the library holdings were there temporarily. The plan shows every individual grave in each square. The originals must now be at the History Centre at the Herbert. For obvious reasons, I don't want to put my contact details on this site but Rob Orland can give you an email address for me if you would like to meet up at the LRC. My plans only cover the northern half of the cemetery (as far out as the railway line), so will not be of detailed use if you are really looking for Square 181 which is in the southern half, though you can just see Square 181 on your map straddling the (now) non-existent path.

The older part of the graveyard was badly bombed itself during the war and many of the graves had to be rebuilt and reburied. That's why the land in many areas of that part is very undulating.

NeilsYard, Check your emails (from Rob) with offer of help.

Thanks for the offer charabanc! I'm working away at the moment but will be in touch