Tailors and Outfitters (bespoke and other)

Anyone remember the tailors shop that was at the top of the High Street, guess it was where the HSBC is now? I had my wedding suit made there in 71. I think there used to be an electrical repair shop next door.

Hector Powe? My father had all his suits made there. It was near, or very near, CVS: Coventry Vacuum Services - in one of those single storey buildings with a corrugated asbestos sheet roof. I guess they were put up after the bombing. Like those in Broadgate, e.g. Lyon's café.

Hi Slim, gone back to an old 2013 thread. MR identified it as Frank Carters

From the High Street thread:

I bought the first measured suit in the Precinct (forget the tailor) but next to and below Woolies, he threw in the jacket free, as a body-builder it was a little out of the order.

Thanks MR, was that big building on the corner a Post Office?

Martins Bank

One of those temporary shops in High St was John Manners, mens outfitters, prior to the opening of the new two storey one in the Precinct. It was where I started a Saturday job aged sixteen and then had a full time post in the new store prior to leaving Coventry at eighteen for college in Bristol.

lindatee2002, could the 'white tower' be the lift shaft of the King's Hotel maybe? The shack on the left is, I think, the Weaver to Wearer tailor's shop which was put up as a temporary measure after the first raid. Post copied from topic Smithford Street (inc. Ram Bridge) on 26th Feb 2021 5:20 pm

Thank you, Prof. I think Weaver to Wearer was around for some time after the war. I seem to remember the name.

Weaver to Wearer has been discussed before, after it went from that corner to the temp shops in Broadgate. The buses became upper deck smoking only, not particular for paratroops, they knew more about places than residents did. It was all identity signs were scrubbed out during the war, including road signs. The white chimney was correct.

Anyone remember Cavanagh's menswear in Hales Street? It closed in the 1980s I think and was next to I Am. Two quality independent menswear shops catering for 20 somethings. They also had a branch in Leamington near the top of The Parade.

John Cheatle (mentioned in an earlier post), the men's outfitters near the Coventry market, facing Queen Victoria Road was the place to buy 'mod' clothing in the mid to late 1960's. I bought an off the rack suit there that I wore for a few years. They had styles that were hard to find anywhere else. I can't add anything on bespoke tailors since I never had any made-to-measure clothing. The one exception being a shirt, which turned out to be one of the worst fitting shirts I ever owned.

1972 directory.

My mum bought me my Beatles collarless jacket from Cheatle's