Books on Coventry

Helen, Do you have any book you can direct me to about Vikings in Coventry at any time please, as I can't find them in an historical book. For that matter neither can I find any book that places Leofric in Coventry, or building anything in Coventry.

Here's a book that states Cheylesmore Castle was the residence of Leofric, but it was published in 1857, so not exactly a reliable source. Ladye Godiva (or Coventry in the days of Leofric, earl of Mercia) It does seem to be part comedy and part supposedly historic fact. I suspect you wanted something nearer a contemporary date.

As good as any is A History of Coventry * by David McGrory and I'd have referenced it before but I'd put books away for Christmas. He pulls together older theories and some more modern thinking and research. The problem is that there is very little detailed history of Coventry prior to the Leet Books. Much of the city's past is made up of snippets in books or documents made long after the events. Even understanding of Leofric and Godiva is limited by what's known, what's myth and what's mything... sorry missing. For instance, some theories put St Osburga's on Barrs Hill but I have my doubts that replacement monastery built by Cnut/Godiva would have been so far away from where St Mary's was built. The city has been built over many times and finding even the medieval stuff is difficult. David McGrory writes that St Osburga might be one of the Sisterhood of Barking, due to a single reference. That's not a criticism on my part, that's as good as it gets. As records get translated and/or uploaded, there may be a well of untapped evidence eg I've wondered what the Vatican's library might have on Coventry but I'll let someone else follow that thread. * The price varies a lot but it originally cost £18.99.

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice, working on it.

Mcsporran thank you. I agree with you, but still a good read, in fact I loved it.

I don't know if this is in the right place but while I was looking through one of my many boxes of books I found a fantastic book called COVENTRY: A CENTURY OF NEWS. It looks as though it was published by the Evening Telegraph in 1991 and it has wonderful articles, photos and ads. I'd love to post some of these as they would reach almost every corner of interest in the forum

Helen, your post 248 creates what I think are some errors but how can I answer, without people saying I'm rude, or similar remarks. To be frank your book or whatever you read has let you down on a number of occasions. Opposing you creates a lot of hate against me, but history has proved you wrong several times. Helen, we have big differences about history but mine is backed by English Heritage in most cases. Yours?

Of course I'm wrong some of the time Kaga. Sometimes I misremember, sometimes the source was outdated and sometimes the sources are all wrong. I use lots of sources, including but not limited to books. But if there is a disagreement I try to find new sources to decide one way or the other. The facts about Coventry are somewhat scarce. Many old documents were destroyed by the Protestants. Others were burnt in a fire at Birmingham Library before the wars. New information is coming along as archaeology answers questions but also pose new ones. Our national history is also subject to new knowledge or interpretation. How can any one person keep track of it all? So if anyone disagrees with anyone else, it's best to quote the source rather than relying on memory. And be respectful in the reply. My contribution to solving questions is to try and see clues in images and maps. I like to think I've found some new things out. Certainly stuff that even English Heritage and David McGrory don't know.

You could answer a bit more politely? No one hates you for your opposition, but we do not like the way in which you go about it.

Mick Strong I do not have the education. My schooling stopped when I was eleven, teachers went in the forces etc. You know there was a lot where your parents had a different life to you and I'm like them. I need your criiticism, not your silence, but thanks Mick, I do appreciate what you say.

belushi S.A.S. by Damien Lewis I have long and often argued about the accurate bombing of Coventry, and how they approached Coventry in close formation as if they were on a main road. Coventry is not mentioned, but quashes a lot of myths about the war. To me it fills in a lot of gaps, among the things I knew. It's a library book so doesn't need money.

Thanks Kaga - just read the review on the Waterstones' site - looks an interesting read.

This is not a fiction book, there's a lot I can vouch for, the training at Ringway, the difference between them and my spell (3 years), the weapons that went obsolete, sten gun, 9mm pistol etc, the initiative tests. The recruiting was tougher, a 45% failure rate, and more, but much more was the not knowing in early 45 of what was kept secret in those days.

Hi again Kaga, I just searched, and Damien Lewis seems to have written a few books under the title "S.A.S." Is the one you're referring to, by any chance, "Shadow Raiders"? That one looks closest to what you mention about bombing accuracy, as it's about "Operation Biting", which was the code for the Bruneval Raid where we sent a squad ably led by Major John Frost across the sea to literally kidnap a German Wurzburg radar! I've read another highly detailed book about that raid, and it's captivating. However, the Wurzburg was used to detect British planes, not for directing their own towards targets such as Coventry. X-Gerat (the successor to Knikebein) was used for that. A super book called "Instruments of Darkness" gives a full account of both sides' (and later, others) development of electronic warfare, including all the types of radar and beam finders through to guided surface to air missiles.

Yes, the book is 'Shadow Raiders', and it does say that on 'Moonlight Sonata' they flew on beams that took them directly to the target. I do have one question about the book, but it's not about raids but training of the raids You do realise that all this was classified info for about fifty years, he could not have written before 1980 at least. I'm inclined to believe that bombing casualty lists were also withheld until after the war.