Spon Street (Click to see this topic in full)
There are Whitehouses listed at the back of 158 in 1939. There is a John Joseph and 2 Elsies but you should be able to sort them out by the birth dates. Looking on the little maps above there seems to be some buildings on the back of the house. Perhaps Fennell's turned them into rental accommodation. I 1939 in the book I have it says 157 was Averns Cycle factors 138 was Fennell, Piano dealer and 159 British Pompom Silk Trimmings. Until 1905 all 3 houses are listed as

Spon Street (Click to see this topic in full)
Unfortunately not Aw, all I know is they lived in a house in a courtyard behind Fennells' shop. My mother worked in a pom pom factory that she told me was located near the entrance to the court.

Spon Street (Click to see this topic in full)
Thanks NY, Fennells, along with other neighbouring premises were demolished to make way for the ring road sometime in the early 60s. The Ford in the image could well have been my father's but am unable to see the registration.

Spon Street (Click to see this topic in full)
They are on the 1955 directory (shown here) plus the Court Positively Pottering - also on the 1960 but that's the last one I have -

Spon Street (Click to see this topic in full)
Ok, question for all you folk out there that have access to all manner of material ie maps, detailed drawings, archives.... A) When did Fennells vacate their premises 157/8/9 Spon Street and relocate to Lower Precinct? B) Is there a record of a dwelling situated in the courtyard at the rear of said premises?

Spon Street (Click to see this topic in full)
Wow, superb picture. Far left under the arch was the access to Fennells' yard with the music shop already demolished. My mother and grandparents lived in a house located in the yard.

John Fennell (Lord Mayor) (Click to see this topic in full)
08 April 1965, Coventry Evening Telegraph.

John Fennell (Lord Mayor) (Click to see this topic in full)
Hi Bob, welcome to the forum In the Midland Daily Telegraph 17th October 1935 there was a John Fennell being selected as Labour candidate for the Longford ward.

John Fennell (Lord Mayor) (Click to see this topic in full)
My Mother Margaret Hall nee Fennell was the niece of John Fennell. I have often wondered which political party he represented

John Fennell (Lord Mayor) (Click to see this topic in full)
My moher-in-law, Mabel Lord (nee Pitt) born Longford was first cousin to John Fennell.

Record and music shops in the city (Click to see this topic in full)
You've just described Ralph to a tee Slim, he was the delivery driver. My late Mum worked for Fennells for decades.

Record and music shops in the city (Click to see this topic in full)
When I was 14, and in the radio club at school, our old black and white Alba television, which also included a vhf/fm radio tuned to the 3 BBC stations, went dead. I knew nothing about televisions, only radio, amplifiers, electrics etc., so Fennells were called out to repair it. A stocky man came out, and after fiddling for a while said he'd have to take the set back into the workshop for repair. Two weeks went buy, then Fennell's van pulled up. It was in the summer holidays, and I though great, we're getting our one and only tv back. Short stocky bloke, fag in mouth, got out tv from the back of the van and carried it up to the house. He said that it was BER (beyond economic repair), not worth bothering with, scrap etc. My dad said he recognized the man from years before as "the mad drummer". Dad said he was well known, because he had a cleft palate, and used to drum in a local band, and went berserk, bashing hell out of the drum kit, which was what he was famous for, hence the nickname. Anyway, my father being an engineer, albeit a mechanical designer with a rudimentary knowledge of electrics, made sure I did not electrocute myself when, later that evening, we set about repairing the tv ourselves. After a while, I found a 5W 2k2 wirewound resistor open-circuit. So the next morning, I got the bus to town and went to Electronic Services (remember them?) to get a replacement resistor. After my dad had finished work, the resistor was soldered in, and the tv sprang back into life. That fired up my enthusiasm for doing repairs, especially where the professionals had failed. Another bonus was that repairing tvs was lucrative, especially when colour came out, which attracted a premium price. I later learned that the resistor fed the screen grid of the PL81 line output valve. Hence no pic if faulty. Our old Alba soldiered on for a few more years before giving up the ghost. I then determined that the LOPT had failed, which was a terminal case for an ancient television with a low emission tube.

City centre shopping precincts (Click to see this topic in full)
In the round cafe photo, which was 1963 and obviously taken before the erection of C&A/Mercia House and the demolition of the pub etc. in the distance, the Lower Precinct had Fennells, etc. and Gibberds with the Pancake Parlour virtually above on the l/h side but nearer the upper Co-op entrance. Which side is the H&M store now at?

Owen Owen (Click to see this topic in full)
The History of Owen Owen The store's history 1937: Owen Owen opens a department store fronting on to Cross Cheaping and what was once known as Little Butcher Row. 1939: War breaks out in September and, by November, Owen Owen is busy advertising "shop early" for Christmas to avoid the blackouts. 1940: The store is bombed during the Coventry Blitz of November 14 and 15, which caused 554 deaths and left 60,000 homeless. The building later had to be bulldozed. 1945: The site of the new store, virtually on the same spot, to front Broadgate and back on to Cross Cheaping and Ironmonger Row, is laid out. A temporary outlet is set up on Trinity Street - a 1930s building remarkably similar to the original store, which still stands today. 1954: In October, the new store is opened by the then Lord Mayor, Cllr John Fennell. Crowds of eager shoppers queue to get in. 1996: Allders takes over and expands staff to 250 full and part-time employees. 2005: Primark buys store from administrators and closes it for what turns out to be a 19-month refit. Only six of the former Allders staff have gone on to work for Primark. There was no year when it did not trade in Coventry. In fact, look at this notice from 1940. November 21st Notice to all staff. Temporary offices have been opened at 2 Queen's Road Coventry. All staff are asked to call there on Friday or Saturday next for their wages and further instructions. If possible please call at the following times Selling Staff: Friday from 10 am to 1 pm cafe Staff: Friday 2 pm to 4 pm Non-Selling Staff: Saturday 10 am to 1 pm What's more remarkable, is that on November 26th, they had secured the first of several temporary premises. A multi-storey shop, which in twelve days were selling again.

Spon Street (Click to see this topic in full)