Famous Coventrians

On Frank Whittle - my grandpa and grandma, his parents, Moses and Sara Alice (known as 'Sally'), came from Bolton, but moved to Coventry in about 1903. Frank was born in Earlsdon, but the family moved to Leamington in about 1911. In Coventry the family lived in Newcombe Rd. and then Arden St., where my father was born. If anyone is a Frank Whittle "enthusiast", I have a huge pile of photographs, both of the family and early Power Jets, which I would be happy to share.

Ah, so that's where the 'born in Lancs' came from! I think it was in a book about Earlsdon - you know, one of these slim soft cover things. I have a signed photograph of Frank with his son in the cockpit of a passenger jet, which I won in a history quiz last year. I, for one, would be very interested to see your collection!

Hi Keith, my collection is currently in Devon at my brother's house, but is heading back here quite soon. As soon as it is back, we could arrange a viewing. It is probably going to be scanned and ultimately displayed in the museum. I would also like to have a chinwag about your motor industry career, which sounds really interesting. My email is ogstonian@googlemail.com, if you want to drop me a line.

I'll do that!

Hi Everyone! What about Don Fardon? He's got a CD out (2006) entitled "Coventry Boy - the anthology". I'd always understood he was a Coventrian. Used to listen to him in the early 70s - "Follow your drum". Great! Still got the 45. Thought he had a Pub somewhere in New Buildings in the 80s?

What about Carmen Silvera of '?Allo '?Allo and Compact fame? I think she was a Coventry girl, she used to live in East Street in Hillfields.

Oh yes I remember her, didn't realise she was a Hillfields girl like me Bernie! I seem to recall she was a great actress and used to smoke a cigar!

Wikipedia states: Carmen Blanche Silvera (2 June 1922 - 3 August 2002) was a Canadian-born British comic actress of Spanish-Jewish descent who moved to Coventry with her family when she was a child.

I remember her father very well, dear old Roly Silvera, who played bowls at Stoke BC and lived round the corner in Wyver Crescent And he had the biggest hands I've ever seen !

One character in 'Allo 'Allo who is almost (sorry, nearly) a Coventrian is Arthur Bostrom from Rugby... Good moaning So, how about Sally Jones then?

I saw 'Allo 'Allo! on Swedish TV once, and it was subtitled in Swedish. It was hilarious seeing the misspelling in the subtitles when he came on!! As I remember, instead of Goede Morn it said something like Goede Mern, and all of his words were translated like that. I used to understand quite a lot of Danish (Jeg forstor lille Dansk!) so it was easy to spot the misspellings. I have to say, I enjoyed it even more than the original!!!! I see that, ironically (earoonically? ) he speaks fluent French!

John Judd - Born in Coventry in 1942 - started as a Climax employee but went on the design and manufacture his own Formula One engines:

Someone else up early! Good morning Neil Beautiful looking engine.

Earlier this year I got involved (in a minor way) in research about a Coventry church organist who made quite a name for himself in the USA. Norman Coke-Jephcott spent most of his life in the USA as one of their most respected church organists. He was born at the home of his parents, Edwin Coke Jephcott (Professor of Music) and Annie Mary Jephcott (nee Clarke) on 17th March 1893. His parents living at 11 Bishop Street, Coventry. Norman's father Edwin had studied under the organist at Holy Trinity Church in Coventry. Edwin taught privately the organ, pianoforte, violin, violoncello and singing to pupils in the Coventry area and was in the choir at Holy Trinity, Coventry. He was Organist and Choirmaster of St Giles Church, Exhall, Coventry from 1903 to 1910 and had the same roles at St Thomas Church, The Butts, Coventry between 1904 and 1909. At the age of only 15 (in 1909) he was assistant organist and assistant choirmaster at Holy Trinity. Norman became Organist and Choirmaster of St Giles Church, Exhall circa December 1910, succeeding his father when he left St Giles. He continued to work as assistant at Holy Trinity. In 1911 Norman responded to an advertisement in Musical Opinion where a parish of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Kingston-on-Hudson was searching for an organist who also to be able to play tennis. Norman was offered the position, travelled to the USA and spent the rest of his professional life there. In 1912, the American Guild of Organists conferred their diploma of Fellowship on Norman which apparently is the highest academic honour an organist can gain in the USA. Norman moved to Utica, New York State, in 1923 as Organist and Choirmaster at Grace Church, about 250 miles north of New York City. In November 1931, The Dean of St John the Divine in New York City, travelled to Utica to listen to Norman playing the organ and leading his choir. The Dean considered Norman to be the best organist in America and Norman at the age of 38 was appointed as organist-elect at St John the Divine, the world's largest Gothic cathedral. As well as being organist, Norman was Master of the Choristers at St John's. The Cathedral boasted a choir of 40 boy sopranos augmented by 20 or more adult men. Norman retired as Organist and Master of Choristers from St John the Divine on 1st September 1953. In retirement, he spent part of his time re-organising the music of St Luke's Church, West Harlem, where, as in his previous positions, he won the enduring admiration and affection of his choristers. He also continued teaching privately, composing and giving recitals. Norman died in March 1962, his obituary was carried in the New York Times on 15th March 1962. There was a large gathering for Norman's funeral at St John the Divine on what would have been his 68th birthday. If anyone has more information on the family it would be appreciated by the family

Where's Philip when you need him?