News

Historian and CovSoc member, Peter James, tells us about the history of the Dunlop company in the city, which is still very active, although under a different name and ownership. Peter writes…… Dunlop Founder Although Robert William Thompson patented the pneumatic tyre in 1845 it was another Scotsman John Boyd Dunlop who produced one that… Read more: Dunlop Aviation

Discover the life and legacy of Alexander Craig (1872–1935), a pioneering British engineer whose work with Humber, Maudslay, and Standard Motor Company helped shape Coventry’s early automotive industry.

Following our recent visit to St. John the Devine Church, we thought it might be interesting to research the history and use of No Fines Concrete in Coventry and elsewhere. No-fines concrete is a form of lightweight concrete made without fine aggregates (such as sand), using only coarse aggregates, cement, and water. The result is… Read more: No Fines Concrete – Then and Now!

Coventry Society Founder member, Paul Maddocks, looks back at Coventry’s history of innovation in the Seventies and eighties with special reference to UDAP Introduction: Coventry in the 1970s and 1980s was a city of change — heavy industry was shrinking, communities were under pressure, yet creativity and social activism flourished. In this blog post, I… Read more: UDAP: A Personal Journey into Socially Useful Design

Explore the legacy of Coventry Ordnance Works, founded in 1905. This huge arms factory powered both world wars, advanced engineering, and transformed Coventry’s industrial history.

Twenty years after her death, Mo Mowlam, the politician who did more than anybody else to secure peace in Northern Ireland, has been honoured with a commemorative plaque at her old school in Coventry. Journalist Julia Langdon, who wrote a biography of Mo Mowlam in 2000, unveiled the blue plaque at Coundon Court School, where… Read more: Blue Plaque for Mo Mowlem

Introduction The local plan prepared by the Council which sets out the future development of the city over the next 15 years has reached an important stage in the approval process. The purpose of this briefing is to summarise it and highlight the key issues. Unfortunately, the procedures are complex and legalistic. But it is… Read more: Progress with the Coventry Local Plan Review

Coventry Society Secretary, John Payne, discovered an architectural gem during his recent holiday in the Netherlands. LocHal: Tilburg’s Iconic Library and Cultural Hub Located in a beautifully restored 1930s locomotive hall, LocHal Library has become one of the Netherlands’ most inspiring public spaces. Opened in 2019, this award-winning venue seamlessly blends industrial heritage with contemporary… Read more: A Library for the 21st Century

CovSoc memer, John Marshall, reflects on part of the history of WH Smith in Coventry. THE name WH Smith has been a familiar part of almost every British high street for around 120 years, with a dependable network of branches selling newspapers, books and stationery. But these ubiquitous town centre stores are now a thing… Read more: WH Smith makes historic exit from Coventry city centre

In the run up to the unveiling of a CovSoc plaque to Mo Mowlem, we publish below a history of Mo Mowlem, written by Angela Atkin and published by the Women’s Research Group. Marjorie Mowlam was born in Watford on 18th September 1949, the second of three children of Tina and Frank Mowlam. She was… Read more: Mo Mowlam