Ministry of Pensions fire, 1964

Great to see born and bred and Rob Thanks! Can someone just clarify where are we viewing from in most of those shots please?

Thanks for the kind comments. If you use this map as a reference.... https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/covmaps/map_scans.php?no=15 ... and pan to the top of the London Road, their shop was probably just to the right of the letter "L" (just round the corner to Elliotts) - looking directly north to Gosford Street. The building on fire is not, I believe, the main one still at the side of the street, but at right angles to it.

Great pictures Rob, and lovely that they have been donated. Best thing about being able to put them on the internet is that they can still be taken to be stored in proper conditions but at least people can see them. Historic Coventry will soon be the best place to come for pictures. Look forward to the "never to be seen again views". My grandmother worked in that building when it was ministry of pensions in the Social Security Department. I can remember being taken there when I was little by my Mum to see her in her office. She left a few years before the fire as they moved down south.

It's great seeing the area I grew up in in colour once again. Almost all of the other archive film and photos - while still excellent - are only black & white. Of course the fire adds to the colourfulness of the area which was otherwise rather drab. Note the expanse of clear blue sky which was a feature of the long hot summers we used to have back then.

Right then, time for some more.... here are those Ring Road slides I promised. There are some really interesting views there, and some that I'm struggling to work out an exact position for, so I hope you will all help out here and have some fun in the process. The first two images, the aerial shots will be good to sort out - both where they were taken from and which direction. Number 9 also - where was that one taken from? And then there's numbers 10, 11, 12 & 13, with Holy Trinity spire virtually hiding behind St. Michael's. Here's a link to Google Maps looking at roughly the same angle.... but it looks so different now! Maybe someone can sort that one out too. And then on picture 18 the street we're looking at is, I think, now buried under the new sandstone building in this street view. I believe it's the back of the Police Station we're seeing in the old photo. It would also be good to learn more about the views in photos 19, 20 & 21, which look like Hillfields, but I could be wrong.... and probably am! And the last few.... well, over to you who know so much more.... I'll fill in details on the gallery as we learn more. Have fun!

Nos 10-13 show the London Road roundabout as viewed from the area outside Elliott's car accessories. Note that the malting tower of the Midland Brewery is still standing between Much Park Street and Little Park Street on the extreme left of picture #10. The same malting tower is visible centre-right in picture #24 with Transport House on the extreme left and weavers cottages in Whitefriars Street on the right. #18 is the original Ringway St John when it was a dual-carriageway with cycle lanes. At the time when the photo was taken it was still possible for vehicles to join the Ringway from what was left of Much Park Street and a car can be seen doing so. I think #19 has been flipped left-to-right and is a view westwards showing Givens House in Trafalgar Street, Spon End with Spon Gate House in the distance. The Moat Street flyover is in the background. #20 I think is another view of Givens House. #21 is the Hertford Arms in Hertford Place with the Moat Street flyover behind it.

Flippin' Ace! The changes are unbelievable - no wonder its so hard to place areas for anyone of a certain generation...... Thanks for sharing these.

My favourite is Slide 11 which shows that in the 1960's Coventry people drove Coventry made cars. We can see a black Hillman Minx from the early 1950's, a Red Hillman Imp with what could be a 'four numbers and KV' registration number which is a Coventry number from 1963/4, a red and white Hillman Super Minx with a 'four numbers and VC' registration number which is a Coventry number from about 1963, and finally a white Standard Vanguard or Ensign from the late 1950's or early 60's. A similar shot today would show a german car, a french car, a japanese car, and a korean car. I would like to add my thanks for sharing these images.

I remember the fire very well. Nobody realised that tax records were stored in the building. If I remember rightly, part of the building consisted of a tall tower. After the fire attempts were made to demolish this but due to its structure, the tower resisted. However, shortly afterwards, the tower collapsed on its own. Miraculously no one was injured when this happened. I was not aware that Gulson Hospital was involved in any way.

Was this the very ugly building which was/is on Far Gosford Street?

Gosford Street, Nos 81-99. Far Gosford Street began much lower down, where Astley's warehouse used to be.

Hope Coventry brigade had improved by then, for they lost some major fires in the fifties. We went as back-up to a major fire, believe it was B'ham Airport, good job we wasn;t called into action for we had left the major Big nozzle in the station, not replaced from after cleaning, few minutes before call out .Went to farm fire, lad told to throw suction hose farther in to pond, well'is stuck in mud, fell flat in green slime, week later same lad stuck at top of TL over grocery store, crew elsewhere few minutes, lad had eyebrows singed, coat almost on fire, quit force a week latter. Happy days.

Hi. I have just happened across this topic. I remember the 1966 fire in the 'tax offices' in Far Gosford Street. I remember it well because I had not long started work, not long out of school so I know the year. I was working at Grey and Rushtons at the end of Far Gosford Street, number 93 I think, not sure though. We came out to see what was going on, it was a very big blaze. I think there was a cake shop very nearby on the same side. On the opposite side to the bank that is. Grey and Rushtons were instrument manufacturers, vernier caliper and height gauges being their forte. They even had one employee who was nearly 80. We weren't evacuated even though there was lots of smoke and some debris in the air.

Yes, 93 it was

The 1964 fire - thanks to Jane Hewitt - first one taken from Lower Ford Street.