News

John Marshall of Stoke Local History Group tells the story of a former congregational chapel. In the 19th century the area we now call Ball Hill was little more than a small hamlet, sometimes known as Stoke Knob and noted for two distinctive features – a pub, which still exists, and a congregational chapel.The congregational… Read more: Whatever happened to Stoke’s chapel on the hill?

Historian and CovSoc member, Peter James, tells us the first part of a story about the development of the cycle industry in Coventry. Peter writes….. Born on 21st April 1830 in Albourne near Brighton in Sussex, James Starley was the son of Daniel Starley a farmer. When he was young and growing up on the… Read more: Father of the British Bicycle Industry

The Coventry Society is concerned about a recent planning decision which we feel has not given adequate protection to the River Sherbourne. We would like to see the protection of the river strengthened in the review of the Coventry Local plan. The Charterhouse is a wonderful asset for the city, but one of its disadvantages… Read more: Protecting the River Sherbourne

In August 2024, we told you about the Iliff family and their home in Allesley Hall. For a fuller history of the hall we turn to the website of the Allesley Park Walled Garden Group. On this website CovSoc former chairman, Keith Draper, has written a detailed illustrated history of the hall. The text below… Read more: More History of Allesley Hall

Following the two recent blogs about the Town Wall Tavern, CovSoc member Malvern Carvell has sent us a comprehensive history of this much-loved pub. Malvern writes….. The Land along the lane known as the Town Wall was marketed for building between 1825 and 1827 and it appears that the pub was built and opened in… Read more: More of the History of the Town Wall Tavern

Coventry City Council has received an outline planning application for the residential development of this important iconic location [PL/2024/0001869/OUTM]. The key issue is whether the proposed development respects and enhances the heritage of the site. In 1896, the Daimler Motor Company, founded by H J Lawson, set up its manufacturing base on Sandy Lane (which… Read more: Former Daimler Factory, Sandy Lane

CovSoc member, Peter James, tells us about John Hough and the Coventry Ragged School. Peter writes….. John Hough was born in Warwickshire in 1821 the second of five children. His parents were Thomas Hough and Ann Powell. By 1845 he was living at 20 The Burgess working as a pork butcher and provision merchant. Some… Read more: Victorian Education

The Coventry Society is disappointed to see the heritage damage done to another listed building in the city. The Oak Inn at 120 Gosford Street is a Grade II listed building dating back to the medieval period. It is described as ‘an early timber framed structure altered in the 19th century by refacing in stucco.… Read more: The Oak Inn

This article is from the November 2024 edition of Jabet’s Ash, the newsletter of the Stoke Local History Group, courtesy of its Chair, John Marshall. John writes…. The next meeting of Stoke Local History Group will feature local author and journalist Peter Walters who will talk about the remarkable life of the Victorian landscape gardener… Read more: The Life and Times of Joseph Paxton

In a recent blog post we wrote about the “Donkey Box” – the snug at the Town Wall Tavern. CovSoc member, Fred Luckett, who has written several books about pubs in Coventry tells us more about the origins of this little room. Fred writes….. The ‘donkey box’ was in fact the old ‘jug and bottle’… Read more: The Donkey Box