Yardley family

Hi Neil Thanks for the link. I did know a little of the story as I am in contact with Elizabeth through Ancestry. My gr grandfather would have been another brother to their grandfathers as well. It was nice to see the story in the Telegraph though. I know my grandfather visited Brooklyn in 1895 so it could well have been to visit his uncle. According to my cousin who is sadly no longer with us, grandad had told her that he ran away to London when he was 16. He was brought back but he said he was going travelling when he was 21 which is what he did. I don't know how long he stayed but he must have returned before 1900 as he married then and had 3 children. By 1905 his wife and children had all died. He married again and my father was born in 1916.

More Anne! Kenilworth Abbey. Seems there was a John Yardley (alias Erdeleye - origin of the name?) who was Abbot of Kenilworth Abbey in 1458. Got about a bit didn't we!

As far as I can tell it's not online but there is a drawing of Silver Street in Dr Troughton's Sketches of Old Coventry. The Turk's Head was a two storey building with an overhang. It has two windows upstairs and a tiny pitched roof dorma in the roof. The sign for the pub can even be seen in the drawing. The buildings to the right of the pub are these. Start of Silver Street The sketch is a bit odd as it shows the Turk's head a lot bigger than the one on the left of this drawing but I think it was just because he was running out of paper to record the view. The drawing would have been from the mid to early 1800's as Dr Troughton died in 1868.

Thanks for the info Helen - will try to check out that book! Unless anyone here has a copy?

I have the book and have scanned that picture. The book was printed before 1935, don't know if I can put up a copy here but I could send you one?

Anything over 70 years old is definitely safe to publish, so please share it. (That's a great book by the way!). Anything newer.... I'd say still publish, and we can always remove any image that the original owner objects to - quite unlikely though. Cheers, Rob

Now, if I did that right... this time there should be a picture below, sorry about the quality, the paper is quite dark.

Uploaded to Memories Of Coventry (unknown owner) The Turks Head Pub - now The Diplomat

Thanks Helen - that's brilliant! MOC - that is the current building which is completely different to the original pub my great-great grandfather ran - I don't think it's actually in the same spot either but there's nothing left of the original Silver Street and hardly any old photos.

Glad to help. I've found another image from when it was the Tramway. It's in Sydney Bunney's Coventry - impressions of a graceful city but that one is a recent imprint so I'll try to email it rather than upload. Incidentally there are also two and a half pictures of the Anchor Smith on Gosford Street, I think I remember someone was looking for pictures of that too.

Neil was the picture that Helen sent the one with the Tramway Inn?

Yes Anne - have you seen it? Can send on or post in a relevant thread?

Slowly. To be honest I've been tied up with other things recently. My uncle has done quite a bit but he lives in Greece so I don't see him much. Think I have mentioned to you before my auntie believes there are two Yardley families from Coventry. The only other one I have met who was not a known relation was a chap who runs Friswells Picture gallery in Earlsdon - one of yours?!! I did have a strange experience a little while ago whilst trying to locate my great grandparents' grave at London Road. I know the grave is unmarked and I contacted the council who put me on to someone with a map of the cemetery grave markers as I had a document with some references to locations within London Road. Off I went rambling through the undergrowth in the oldest section looking for any obvious signs. I eventually gave up (thinking people must be wondering what I was doing!) when I noticed a single mound almost completely hidden under weeds and nettles right by the railway line. I pulled away at the dirt and undergrowth and wiped away at what was once obviously a headstone (like a scene in Indiana Jones). To my complete surprise the name YARDLEY appeared. I don't have the details to hand other than it was not one of the names I was looking for - wondered if it might be of use to any researchers on your side. I'll get the full details when I'm next at home for you - it was just an amazing coincidence. Happy hunting!