Hayward's of Earl Street

Thank you Dreamtime, it was not Haywards but Arthur Hammon, corner of the Burges, where I had my first long trouser suit! But I remember the name of Haywards equally well. Can't remember where the shop was, but the outfitter in the Bank Chambers in Hertford St I do recall.

Sorry william21chelsea, I was wrong about Haywards though a long established firm of outfitters. My parents took me to Arthur Hammon for my first long trouser suit when I was eleven. I remember the thick carpet upstairs and the latticed windows.

My brain is a lot rustier than yours Prof as I can't ever recall Haywards, but I always thought A Hammon was more upmarket and always bought my hubby's shirts from there. Funny how men always remember their first long trousers, must have been quite an event at the time.

That`s it Prof. Bank Chambers, thanks for the prompt! Somewhere at the back of my mind comes a name Statham and Fensom. Have you or anybody else heard of it? (Just dug out my Old Boys tie - it`s akin to a piece of string now - I had hoped they might have put a label on it - but no such luck. As a by the by, my dad used his tie as a belt to tie up his trousers)

That's ok, I do know Haywards started in 12 Broadgate in 1868, moved to 3 Earl Street until 1903 when the building was demolished to make way for the new Council House. They moved to 16 Broadgate and remained there until they were taken over by Salts from Leicester, but I am not sure but based on ages it would be 40s/50s

Hayward's in Cross Cheaping 1835.

Thanks for that, he was trading a lot earlier than I thought

Re Haywards after the bombing. I now have a picture in my mind of the outfitters and school uniform suppliers in a temporary shop in Corporation St, opposite Agers shoe shop. They probably survived in the Precinct, though I can only recall Gibberds in the Lower Precinct.

Hi. I live in Hertfordshire so not sure of modern Coventry. My grandfather moved from Coventry to Barnet during WW1. I have been researching my family, who were watch case makers in Coventry, for about 35 years. From my research and a family diary of 1863 I could walk you around old Coventry, but modern - not so good. I have only been twice but, now retired, plan to visit more. I do feel I have a connection. Thanks for your comments

Wish you success in your research william21. Over 65 years researched my Coventry ancestors, back to N. Warwickshire pre 1600. It then becomes more problematic with records like Manor Court Rolls and of course Wills to trace them.

Here's a photo showing Haywards in Broadgate.

Prof, Cracking photo, I would say mid to late thirties. I can now see how a kid could be lost from parents in that scene. What a great reminder, thank you. Kaga.

The photo above is a great reminder of Coventry before the war - this was the 'hub' of Coventry for shopping, and had been for half a century (people moved from the Burges to here, not vice versa). The street always thronged, not yet fully electrified, there was a buoyancy in the air, unemployment seemed a thing of the past, new fashions and designs were reaching the shops, ladies' backless swimsuits for the daring, the new cars were on the streets, the city was gay and full of endeavour, talking pictures, telephones, the motor bus mixed in with the trams, belisha beacons, automatic traffic control. The badly needed reform of the slums to cheerful houses was being given attention by the council. And I was six years old before Disney appeared.

Not the clearest of images unfortunately, but here's a view of Hayward's in Broadgate!