Kings Head Hotel, Broadgate

Neil , It was farther back than that picture, it was just under the bridge in later years, the boards about ten feet high, next to the Empire.

Neils yard If you look on post 281, Hertford Street topic, you will see the Kings Head rubbish. If you look on 26 and 41 of Kings Head topic you will see the reception desk. Maybe you can enlarge it and tell us all what you see. I certainly don't have the know-how. Hope it helps.

Thanks Kaga - although those interior shots (the only ones I am aware of that exist) are of the 1st floor not the reception.

NeilsYard, It shows you both shots, ground floor and 1st floor, and nowhere can you see a bell.

As per Helen's comments and the capture of the stairwell in the back - if you look at Blitz damage images you can see the stairwell was standing towards the rear of the hotel. I don't think the ad Anne found was the reception, Kaga - much as I'd love to see it.

Great find scrutiny Where did you get that from? Sounded like a lovely evening. What's that first 'Artist' listed as?

It looks like "George Jennings - - Bass". Perhaps a big man with a very deep voice?

He might play the bass? And for Neil lot 628 is very diverse with what is in it.

Brill! Well done

If you have very feint pencil or ink on the back of a photo you can sometimes read it under ultra violet light. You can get a really powerful torch off eBay for a couple of quid. It also helps on old deeds etc.

Very interesting

Thanks moriarty, I'll try it

Today's cracker from my recently donated clippings! It's 1934 and this is one of the cellars underneath The Kings Head. Its brick, so the clipping states, approx 17th century. I think the hotel was first recorded in 1703. The cellars were all filled in apparently post-blitz.

NeilsYard, May I make a suggestion? Before the hotel, it had been a horse and coach place, the first real taxi service in Coventry - it may have held in the region of a dozen horses in the stables. This looks like an oat/corn feed vault, about the right size. There are no signs of wine/barrel racks, nor a sign of thralls for butter and cheese, so that would be my guess.