Friends of Sherbourne River

Friends of Sherbourne River is a new group which was set up after the Civic Day event held at Charterhouse on 21st June 2014. A small group was formed all of whom have concerns and interest in the health and future of the river.

We have meetings and clean-up days along the river. Also we have been working closely with many agencies who control the river and the land connecting to it. We want to improve the quality of the river, to protect all its wildlife and provide a walking route along all of its length. Not many people know of Coventry's Sherbourne River and that it flows through the city centre as most of it is covered or built over.

The river starts at Corley Rocks flows through Coundon Wedge, Allesley, Spon End then it goes undergroud by Ikea under the city centre. You can see it in a small part behind the Burges in Palmer Lane then it goes undergroup passes the swimming baths and comes out at the bottom of Gosford Street. It then flow through Charterhouse Fields then through Whitley joining the River Sowe just past the Jaguar plant. They both flow into the River Avon.

We are testing the water to find people who would like to join the Friends of Sherbourne River and become a member contact:-

The Friends of Sherbourne River,

Paul_maddocks@yahoo.co.uk

tel 07814 327614

Sigfried Bettman's Home Gets Blue Plaque

Surely there’s no better place to celebrate the life of someone who has contributed greatly to their home city than putting a blue plaque onto the house where they lived or worked. One who’s life story has largely been forgotten is Siefried Bettmann who lived at Elm Bank in North Avenue for more than 40 years. As founder of the Triumph marque, he came to Coventry to make bicycles more than 100 years ago. Motorcycle and car making by his company would follow over the next four decades.

Through Les Fawcett, a member of our committee, a link was forged with Stoke Park Residents Group, and the Society commissioned a blue plaque to attach to the front of Bettmann’s Victorian mansion.

On a delightful sunny September afternoon The Lord Mayor, Councillor Michael Hammon and Lady Mayoress, Ms Mary Maginniss, arrived to do the honours. In his address prior to the unveiling he told an audience of some 40 how his family home had been in Lower Stoke just down the road from the Bettmann residence. How he had grown up there when the Bettmanns still lived at Elm Bank, making it an extra pleasure to be asked to unveil the blue plaque.

Among the other guests that Society Chairman, Keith Draper welcomed were Miles Perkins and Charles Strange of Triumph Motorcycles at Hinckley who had financed the making of the plaque. Also present was the National Motorcycle Museum that had brought along early examples of bikes made by Triumph; the Triumph Owners’ Club and Vintage Motorcycle Club. Cars were represented by TR models owned by Dave Dunkley and Dave Atkins.

In his address our Chairman recalled how the Bettmanns were passionate about their adopted city. In the early days they formed the Annie Bettmann Foundation to help young men and women between the ages of 18 and 29 to start up their own business. The Foundation survives to this day.

►Motorcycles made by Siegfried’s company became known as the ’Trusty Triumph, because they were so reliable. Then more than 30,000 machines were made for the British Army and allied forces during the First World War.

►Siegfried’s first car was launched in 1923 and produced some very fine vehicles in the 1930s. Sadly Triumph went into receivership in 1939. By this time the motorcycle side of the business had been split off when the Priory Street works was purchased by Ariel’s Jack Sangster.

►The Triumph marque continued after the war in the ownership of the Standard Motor Company. The last Triumph to leave Canley production line was in 1980.

►The Triumph motorcycle story continues with the Hinckley firm making some of the world’s most stunning bikes.

Ian Harrabin talks to the Coventry Society - 5th October 2015

The talk was a very interesting and positive presentation of current and potential developments being undertaken and pursued by Historic Coventry (ex. Charterhouse Trust) that are looking to establish a “National Trust” for Coventry.

Ian opened by observing that the sun is currently shining for the environment in Coventry, with support from the City Council, the City of Culture bid, and funding from the Coventry & Warwickshire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership).

Historic Coventry aims to positively address the external image of the city, promoting the amazing legacy of historic buildings and to help realize the potential. Ian has just completed a tour of the city with Historic England which has underlined this potential, that spans the medieval period through to the post-war re-developments. The aims are to re-generate historic and listed buildings, pay respect to the city’s heritage (e.g. the city walls and gates) and to access funding to facilitate activities.

Ian presented a broad range of potential developments including:

• Re-open the bridge restaurant and improve the pedestrian link from Hertford Street to Broadgate.

• Bring old buildings (Whitefriars monastery, Whitefriars gatehouse, Priory Row cottages, numbers 22 & 23 Bayley Lane…) back into use to generate revenue that would fund activities. These buildings could be developed to provide “premium” visitor accommodation that is sadly lacking in the city centre.

• The on-going multi-million pond regeneration of the Charterhouse, and the broader development of a Heritage Park encompassing the London Road cemetery (or rather the Joseph Paxton Arboretum Park). Ian outlined the potential to link up this sizeable open space (a green wedge) to Gosford Street / Gate via the River Sherbourne, and to create a cycle / pedestrian route along the former railway loop line to the historic Gosford Green.

• Create a visitor destination along the River Sherbourne along the lines of an Eco-development.

• Application to get the Sherbourne railway viaduct listed; Ian indicated that any help and support for this application would be appreciated. The striking viaduct carries the West Coast mainline over the River Sherbourne and is a Network Rail asset in need of refurbishment that could be greatly enhanced.

• Bayley Lane (numbers 22 & 23 together with the ex-Browetts building) could be redeveloped to include a “Tea & Cakes place” and accommodation to house and promote both Historic Coventry and the Coventry Society. This would require volunteers to man the development, would any members be prepared to offer their services?

• The Burges Townscape – Ian outlined the plan to redevelop this Historic Conservation Area, restore a number of historic buildings along the lines of the very successful Gosford Street / Fargo development, to expose and open up the stretch of the River Sherbourne along Palmer Lane, and to link the area into Millenium Place and Priory Place. The schematic visuals shown were exciting and inspiring.

Ian’s presentation was very well received, and generated a lot of interest at the Question & Answer session. Matters arising included:

• Establishing a Tourist Information Centre that is fit for purpose and visible to visitors and tourists in the city centre, possibly located in Broadgate?

• Ian outlined the significance and opportunity offered by the City of Culture Bid; this will bring people together (including Coventry and the wider Warwickshire), and will promote and develop tourism together with the associated economic and job creation benefits. It can also change the rather negative impression of Coventry (as a dump) and present a positive impression to potential developers who are often individual decision takers.

Society member Susan Daniel thanked Ian for a very interesting, positive and uplifting presentation.

There is real interest within the Coventry Society to improve the Quality of our City Centre, and to respect and develop the rich historic legacy. We are aligned with the objectives of Historic Coventry and the exciting developments outlined by Ian, and we will look to encourage and support these projects. Ian stated that delivering the objectives is dependent on resource and activity. We can all play our role in this, and the Committee welcomes the views and opinions of all Society members, and would appreciate any active support and offer of help in pursuit of these initiatives.

Together with Historic Coventry, the Coventry Society looks forward to promoting Coventry in a positive light, acknowledging the rich historic legacy, and developing the City Centre as part of a forward looking vision for Coventry.

Chris Daniel

Secret Coventry by David McGrory

Another book review by Paul Maddocks

For those who read my last book review, I got another book this Christmas that I would like to share with you; it was 'Secret Coventry' by David McGrory.

David has been a historian specialising on Coventry for many years. He has written many books including 'The History of Coventry', 'Haunted Coventry’, ‘Coventry Suburbs', 'Coventry Blitz', 'Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in Coventry', 'Coventry Then and Now in colour’ and lots more, including being co-author of 'A Thousand Years of Coventry Pubs'.

David told me that over the many years of his writing, he had come across many interesting facts and information that he had not been able to use. This book is the gathering together of all those interesting and amazing facts. This sounds like it was going to be a bit of a miss-jointed bunch of facts, but it is not! It is an interesting book of revelations about Coventry's forgotten and untold tales, and its heroes and villains. Topics are many and varied, ranging from Hippos to Roman Coventry and from Tunnels, Crypts & Hidden Chambers to Green Men and Hidden Art. The book describes the Cult of King Henry VI, Coventry's status as the centre of culture in the Elizabethan period and Shakespeare and Players in Coventry. What I really like is the painstaking research that has gone into long lost buildings like the Coventry Castle that was once in the centre of the town and many more wonderful historic treasures.

The only down side to this great book is that not everyone will have the chance to read it and realise how important Coventry has been in English history and the sad loss of many buildings due to war and redevelopment. You may think you know Coventry, but take another look around and you will find more than you could possibly imagine.

David's next book 'Coventry and the Great War' will be out on 15th March 2016. So we may be having another book review around that time.

Secret Coventry can be purchased from all good bookshops and Amazon. RRP - £14.99 (paperback).

The Author, David McGrory

Update on Conservation Work in the City

The Coventry Society's next meeting should be very interesting. It is a talk by Christopher Patrick the City Council's Conservation and Archaeology Officer. He will be giving us an 'Update on Conservation Work in the City'. The meeting is on Monday 8th February at the Shop Front Theatre, Theatre Absolute, 38 City Arcade.

Coventry has over 400 buildings listed for their architectural or historic interest. These range from the medieval St. Mary's Guildhall to Coventry's 1960s railway station. Coventry also has an exceptional range of archaeological remains dating from the prehistoric period to the 20th century.

Coventry has often suffered from the misconception that much of its history was lost in the Blitz of the Second World War and the redevelopment that followed. But this is far from the truth, and Chris will be telling us all about what is happening with historic buildings in Coventry. Chris has recently been working on Coventry's Conservation Areas which are being reviewed and updated. Chris will be telling us about the updates so if you want to hear the latest come along.

The meeting starts at 7.30p.m. and visitors are welcome with a £2 donation. There will also be free tea and biscuits.

As a special offer, if you join the Coventry Society at the meeting we will give you a free pass to any National Trust property. The passes are courtesy of Civic  Voice and are valid for single entry at any NT property until the end of May. They are worth up to £14 (depending on which property you visit) and since joining only costs £12 for a single and £18 for a couple, you more or less get your money back! 

New Heritage Group for Far Gosford Street

Far Gosford Area Community Heritage Group - this is a new group which was set up last year. As the title says it's a group who are interested in the history and heritage of the Far Gosford area.

Far Gosford Street is one of the oldest streets in Coventry, having its origins as an extra mural suburb of medieval Coventry along the main route into the city from London and Leicester.

The street has been populated since medieval times and has over the years been host to a broad and varied population and mix of activities. There were shears men and dyers of the medieval wool industry. Metalworkers and locksmiths dominated the street in the thirteenth century, with weavers and drapers taking over in the 14th and 15th centuries. The street was the home of ribbon and silk weavers with their distinctive “topshops” still to be found in the street. Latterly the watch making industry, bicycle production, motorcycles and the car industry all found homes in the street.

Over the centuries, slow and piecemeal change has helped to preserve much of the historic fabric of the street, which largely avoided the devastating air-raids of the Second World War. Post-war redevelopment has also generally passed it by. As a result, Far Gosford Street is the last remaining street in the city centre to retain anything like its pre-war character and is therefore of primary importance.

The historic character of Far Gosford Street is recognised through its designation as a Conservation Area and major improvements have already been achieved through a Phase I Townscape Heritage Initiative.

The Aims of the new group are to raise awareness of heritage, to show the importance of heritage within pride in place and regeneration and to bring heritage to a wider audience. It will act as a catalyst for the long term resilience of the street and seek to get the street known as a city destination, which will foster wider economic growth.

The intended outcome of this Forum is to gain a greater level of engagement with the broader community in the area, and through meetings and community events raise awareness about the history and heritage of Far Gosford Street. In this way these groups will have a greater awareness of the street’s historical importance and come to value the heritage in the street as a platform for economic sustainability.

The core group will receive training to enable them to effectively represent the local community in the area and to give them a voice on heritage in the street by highlighting and discussing issues affecting them.

Our Vice Chairman, Paul Maddocks, has been made Chairman of the group and would be happy for you to contact him if you would like to get involved, or receive more information.

Email Paul at paul_maddocks@yahoo.co.uk

New Plans for Coventry

Two important plans for our city were published by the City Council in January. The Coventry Local Plan has been many years in preparation and makes many significant changes, especially in relation to the Green Belt around the city. The second plan is the City Centre Area Action Plan, which sets out in more detail what is planned for the city centre.

Both plans are open for consultation until the 29th February 2016 and our committee are currently studying the documents carefully before coming to any conclusion. We encourage all members to look at the plans and make their own comments. You can find out more information, and download all the documents, on the City Council's website.

Download the Coventry Local Plan

Download the City Centre Area Action Plan

Coventry Society Supports New Plans for The Burges

A £25m development is planned to kick start the regeneration of the Burges and Hales Street area of Lady Herbert’s Garden and the Burges conservation area. The plans include opening up the river in Palmer Lane as well as the creation of restaurants and cafés which will front on to a new square, turning the river into an asset for local people and visitors. The site is Council-owned and forms the last remaining part of the Phoenix Initiative, Coventry’s Millennium project that saw the development of Millennium Place, Priory Place and the Transport Museum as well as the uncovering of the Priory Ruins.

This Townscape Heritage Initiative grant scheme will be similar to the Far Gosford regeneration initiative and will be managed by the Council and Historic Coventry Trust.

Ian Harrabin, Managing Director of Complex Development Projects and Chairman of Historic Coventry, said: “These exciting proposals provide a landmark building of innovative design to finally finish off the Phoenix Initiative but, more importantly, it will kick start the regeneration of The Burges quarter, providing the financial driver for the opening up of the river and the restoration of one of the city’s most historic areas." Ian added “Far Gosford Street has been a success and now that its regeneration is almost complete, there is an opportunity to retain the staff and their expertise and to roll this into the delivery of another major initiative. The Burges is ideal for this approach as, like Far Gosford, it has been in decline for decades and is one of the last untouched parts of the pre-war city. It is an historical gem and an asset that we can’t afford to overlook, especially now with the bid for City of Culture."

“Opening up the river will create a new public space with waterside cafés and I’m sure it will be a major draw for local people and visitors. The development of waterside areas has been a big success in other cities and although the Sherbourne is small, it is a secret river which flow mainly under the city centre. I am glad this is happening as its been a dream of mine since 1995.”

Developers Complex Development Projects and Unite Group plc will be submitted a planning application for the first phase of the project on land in Hales Street adjoining the River Sherbourne and the Coventry Society wish it all the best when it goes for Planning approval later in the year.

RIP MARGARET RYLATT MBE

Our Vice Chairman, Paul Maddocks, remembers Margaret Rylatt MBE, Coventry City Archaeologist

I am very pleased to have known Margaret. When I started work at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, one of my first jobs was to design covers for two different publication that Margaret had written about the Lunt Roman Fort in Baginton. The first cover was for an academic archaeology report of the dig she had done with Brian Hobley who was then the city archaeologist. When Brian moved to London, Margaret took over the position. The publication contained many detailed drawings and academic information, so the cover had to very restrained and quite plain. The other was more like a guide to the Lunt Roman Fort, its history and interesting features, and was a more easy to read, a lay persons book so the cover was more atmospheric.

Margaret was a very friendly person and was always able to get the best out of people. This was a great gift that she used over and over again; like getting the Royal Engineers Army Team to build replica Roman military buildings and defences at the Lunt Fort. By challenging the soldier to do what the greatest army in history did 2,000 years ago with limited resources, it was a challenge they could not refuse. They first building ditches, ramparts, wooden fences and a grand entrance gate that became the symbol of the 'Lunt'. Each year the Army would come back and build something else, such as the Granary which houses the Museum and interpretation centre. After that came the 'Gyrus'; a horse training arena, unique in Roman history, where Margaret was able to get re-enactment groups to put on displays and fight like 'Gladiator's. Unfortunately the Army project stopped around the time of the Falklands war and was the start of many cuts in the military budget. This is sad as if the 'Principia' (Headquarters office block) and some of the barrack blocks could have been completed they could have been used as hotel chalets and hostels for students and families to experience the Roman way of life and also putting money back in to the running of the museum site.

Margaret was not put off; she was able to get local schools, especially the wood work and metal work teachers, to make siege machines like the Roman catapult, made from large timbers, metal gears and ropes. I was able to assist in setting one of the catapults and firing it for filming in a TV series on military weapons. Margaret was also able to come up with other ideas like getting the Youth Training Scheme to build a large model of the fort; this was all done in the old Alfred Herbert's factory, in Edgwick, Coventry.

Margaret’s work was not all at the Lunt; she did many other “digs” around the city. The most viewed dig was in Broadgate. Margaret would dig in the blazing sunshine only in her Bikini top and shorts, with her bright red hair tied back she attracted a lot of viewers. But out of this interesting archaeological dig came one of the most important finds, a pit full of medieval leather shoes. It must have been on a site where a shoe maker had cast off any shoes that were too difficult to repair; they had been thrown into a wet midden or pit which preserved the leather.

Margaret also did a dig on the Charterhouse site but her main contribution was the gardens where she was able to get the Youth Training Scheme to layout and plant six gardens one from each century. She also got in touch with the Coventry Art College who made sculptures for the wooden arch that vines now grow over, plus many more sculptures to decorate the site. The garden still exists, but is a bit overgrown, though the new Trust are bringing it back to life and it is fondly known as Margaret Rylatt Gardens.

When I first started at the Museum in 1975, Whitefriars was a Museum open free to everyone. But it was in the time of the first rounds of Council cuts and was closed. Margaret moved her office from the Herbert Museum to Whitefriars Monastery. I used to go and visit her in her small office with her assistant Mike Stokes. Although the building is very large, with a great big hall that runs the complete length upstairs, the office was the only place you could heat and keep warm. Margaret was able to get the Whitefriars open first by persuading the Imperial War Museum to hold an English Civil War traveling exhibition there. It opened for one summer season and got re-enactment groups to come and do displays and demonstrations and they set up camp on the grass lawn alongside the building. Margaret's contact with the Coventry Art College was to lead to many end of year sculptor shows and they were held upstairs in Whitefriars. Sadly it would be impossible to do this now as the large open space is a store, full of all the artefacts that the Herbert cannot put on display.

Margaret’s swan song was on the excavation of Coventry's first Cathedral, St. Mary's Priory. The popular TV programme 'Time Team' joined the dig and were so excited at what was being found there, they even broke their own rule and came back for a second time so were able to see and find the amazing under croft. This was part of the Millennium Phoenix project and a visitor centre was built on the site to explain what a fabulous and important building this was and you can see Margret on various computer screens talking and explaining things to visitors. Unfortunately in the same month as her death, the Culture Coventry team have decided to close the Visitor Centre as a part of the new programme of cuts. I am not sure if any plans have been made for the Cathedral Guides open it up on special tours and what is going to happen to the Multi-faith centre which is upstairs in the building? The last day you can see Margaret on the screens is Saturday 27th February 2016.

Margaret’s funeral is on Tuesday 16th February at 9.45am at Canley Crematorium, Coventry.

Margaret was a warm fun loving person and very knowledgeable, I and many people will miss her.

Margaret with the team of Coventry Art students at Charterhouse

Soldiers building the Lunt Gateway and the Granary

Charterhouse Sculptures

Recognising Coventry’s Public Art Heritage - William George Mitchell (born 1925)

According to Wikipedia, William George Mitchell was born in 1925. He is an English sculptor, artist and designer, best known for his large scale concrete murals and public works of art from the 1960s and 1970s. His work is often of an abstract or stylised nature with its roots in the traditions of craft and "buildability". His use of heavily modelled surfaces created a distinctive language for his predominantly concrete and glass reinforced concrete sculptures. After long years of neglect, many of William Mitchell’s remaining works in the United Kingdom are now being recognised for their artistic merit and contemporary historic value, and have been granted protective and have listed status.

Recently one of his major works has been Grade II listed by Historic England. The ‘Story of Wool’ is a sculptural mural which is located at the International Development Centre on Valley Drive, in Ilkley, West Yorkshire.

Other famous works he has done are the bronze sliding doors and carved stone bell tower of the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

Coventry also has an important work by William Mitchell. The decorative cast concrete wall of the former Three Tuns Public House in the Bull Yard was done by William Mitchell in 1966. It is one of over 140 Public Art Works in Coventry.

Our Vice Chairman, Paul Maddocks, remembers William Mitchell appearing on several editions of the BBC show Tomorrow's World explaining his ideas for the different public art projects he was working on at that time.

The Coventry Society is concerned about the future of this important piece of art, as it is affected by the City Centre South development. We are pleased to hear that Rachel Lancaster, our Cabinet Member for Public Services, has her eye on it for relocation and we look forward to hearing of her plans in due course.

The Society is planning to organise a tour of Public Art work in the City Centre for Civic Day on 25th June 2016. Participants will discuss which works of art deserve national listing and we will discuss what needs to be done to safeguard Coventry’s rich heritage of public art. This is particularly important in view of Coventry’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021.

This is an opportune time to look again at Coventry’s public art, as Historic England are currently holding a major exhibition called “Out There” now open at Somerset House, London, telling the story of post-war public art created between 1945 and 1985. It is time that Coventry’s contribution to public art is nationally recognised.

Unique Opportunity to View Part of Coventry’s History

Saturday 27th February will provide a unique opportunity to see the uncovered history at 31, 32 and 33 Far Gosford Street. These Grade II listed 15th century timber-framed houses were only partially occupied and in a declining condition before the Far Gosford Street townscape heritage scheme. There was water ingress and the rear of 33 had suffered a fire and had partially collapsed. Now the timber-framed properties have been painstakingly restored and brought back to their former glory by Coventry craftsmen. The restoration has revealed original medieval features hidden and covered up for hundreds of years. The buildings are being restored using traditional techniques with green oak to restore the main timber frame structure to its original form attached to the remnants of the original timber frames, and wattle and daub and lime plaster repairs internally. The work, which is being carried out by Coventry-based Complex Developments Projects, started last March and is set to be completed by April this year. The restoration has been overseen by conservation officers and architects with specialist knowledge of historic structures.

31 - 3 Far Gosford Street Before restoration

A one-off open day is planned on Saturday February 27th which will enable the public to see them in their restored condition before they recommence their commercial life. At street level they will house commercial premises while upstairs there will be private flats. The project has been funded by both the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Regional Development Fund and is the final stage of the regeneration of Far Gosford Street.

The Far Gosford Street properties will be open on Saturday, February 27, between 10am and 2pm and there will be guided tours at 30-minute intervals.

31 - 33 Far Gosford Street during renovation

31- 33 Far Gosford Street - after

The Philanthropist and the Clock!

The Story of the Joseph Levi Memorial Clock and the Man it Commemorates

One evening in 1850 a group of Coventry business gentlemen were on their way to hold their weekly meeting in the Smoking Room of the White Lion Hotel, in Smithford Street. As the business men made their way there they had to pass between many beggars and people asking for handouts on the streets. Many of them were unemployed ribbon weavers. The free trade movement allowed cheap imports from the Continent and Coventry' s ribbon industry had been devastated as a result.

The business men started to talk about this problem and the plight of the weaver’s families. One of them felt particularly touched by the problem. Joseph Levi was a quill salesman. He suggested that they should each drop a penny in a box every time they visit the Inn. This money would go to help "genuine cases of distress". Several business friends agreed and Joseph contributed two shillings and sixpence. This was just the start, as Joseph travelled on his business he would urge his clients to contribute and soon money was coming in from around the country and even from abroad. In 1854 Joseph set up the Coventry Philanthropic Institute to administer the cash. At the first meeting there were 17 members. By the end of the year they had 150 members and had delivered 5,000 quarts of soup and 540 4lb loaves.

Joseph Levi

Originally members donated 5 shillings a year and then collected donations from their workmates and neighbours. To get more money and publicity and to have a good time they organised dances, whist drives, processions, football matches and took part in the annual Lady Godiva Pageants.

The Butts athletic stadium was a popular venue and they held annual sports days and cycle races there. In 1888 one event at the Butts attracted 3,000 people. In 1913 the Societies organised an aviation display at what is now Coventry Airport. There are also records of baseball matches being played. They set up a special fund to help the families of Prisoners of War in the First World War. An annual event was the Christmas children’s party. There were Christmas parcel funds for families and one society records in one year in the 1930s delivering 500 joints of English beef at Christmas.

Eventually there were eight Philanthropic Societies in Coventry and their names and dates of founding were commemorated on the sides of the memorial clock. Their names were:

Coventry Philanthropic Institute (1854) based at the White Lion, Smithford Street;

The Golden Cross Pub (1859);

Chapelfields (The Watchmakers) (1883);

Hillfields (1888) based at the Swan Inn, Yardley Street;

Earlsdon (1900);

Foleshill (1904);

Stoke (1904);

Charterhouse (1925).

The clock in its orginal condition

There is no doubt that Joseph Levi's idea and the generosity it encouraged helped many people in Coventry over very many years. For some people it made the difference between life and death. Their work carried on until the founding of the welfare state as we know it, after the Second World War.

Over the years Joseph Levi was forgotten in Coventry, except for the memorial clock that bears his name and likeness. This was paid for by a grateful public and erected in Stoke Green Park in 1934. The clock was built at a cost of £650 and was constructed by the Lion foundry in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland.

The clock’s original mechanical movement was replaced with an electric movement which corroded over time and caused it to seize. Although a beloved feature in the park, vandals defaced it with graffiti, and managed to throw a rim and tyre onto the clock tower. The neglected structure fell into disrepair, and the council eventually encircled it with a fence as a safety precaution. The clock was dismantled in 2011 and put into storage to allow the construction of the play area known as Dr. Dave Tick Tock Play Area.

The clock being removed

Our Vice Chairman, Paul Maddocks, was giving a talk to the Gosford Green Residents Association and was asked if he know what had happened to the Levi clock. He found out that it had not been cut up for scrap but had been put into safe storage for the museum.

The Gosford Green and the Stoke Green Residents then started a campaign named ‘Time to Bring the Clock Back’. The National Lottery were asked for money and agreed that if the local community could raise £10,000 they would put the rest in. Paul helped with designing a logo and the group did various fund raising projects including 'Rock around the Clock' dances, fairs, talks and displays.

It took around four year to raise the money and the Lottery were true to their word. With the support of the City Council the clock has been restored and is now going back with a new colour scheme. Its new location, close to the original one, is on the triangle of land known as “Godcake island “on Binley Road. Its return is a fitting memorial to a man who contributed much to the city’s history and the community that hasn’t forgotten him.

The newly restored clock is being unveiled on Saturday 19th March 2016 at 12 noon at Godcake Island (next to Tick Tock Play Area) Binley Road, Coventry, CV3 1JB. The Lord Mayor will be attending and local school children will be singing.

Here is a poster for our next meeting:

The Philanthropist and the Clock! - Updated

The Story of the Joseph Levi Memorial Clock and the Man it Commemorates

One evening in 1850 a group of Coventry business gentlemen were on their way to hold their weekly meeting in the Smoking Room of the White Lion Hotel, in Smithford Street. As the business men made their way there they had to pass between many beggars and people asking for handouts on the streets. Many of them were unemployed ribbon weavers. The free trade movement allowed cheap imports from the Continent and Coventry' s ribbon industry had been devastated as a result.

The business men started to talk about this problem and the plight of the weaver’s families. One of them felt particularly touched by the problem. Joseph Levi was a quill salesman. He suggested that they should each drop a penny in a box every time they visit the Inn. This money would go to help "genuine cases of distress". Several business friends agreed and Joseph contributed two shillings and sixpence. This was just the start, as Joseph travelled on his business he would urge his clients to contribute and soon money was coming in from around the country and even from abroad. In 1854 Joseph set up the Coventry Philanthropic Institute to administer the cash. At the first meeting there were 17 members. By the end of the year they had 150 members and had delivered 5,000 quarts of soup and 540 4lb loaves.

Joseph Levi

Originally members donated 5 shillings a year and then collected donations from their workmates and neighbours. To get more money and publicity and to have a good time they organised dances, whist drives, processions, football matches and took part in the annual Lady Godiva Pageants.

The Butts athletic stadium was a popular venue and they held annual sports days and cycle races there. In 1888 one event at the Butts attracted 3,000 people. In 1913 the Societies organised an aviation display at what is now Coventry Airport. There are also records of baseball matches being played. They set up a special fund to help the families of Prisoners of War in the First World War. An annual event was the Christmas children’s party. There were Christmas parcel funds for families and one society records in one year in the 1930s delivering 500 joints of English beef at Christmas.

Eventually there were eight Philanthropic Societies in Coventry and their names and dates of founding were commemorated on the sides of the memorial clock. Their names were:

Coventry Philanthropic Institute (1854) based at the White Lion, Smithford Street;

The Golden Cross Pub (1859);

Chapelfields (The Watchmakers) (1883);

Hillfields (1888) based at the Swan Inn, Yardley Street;

Earlsdon (1900);

Foleshill (1904);

Stoke (1904);

Charterhouse (1925).

The clock in its orginal condition

There is no doubt that Joseph Levi's idea and the generosity it encouraged helped many people in Coventry over very many years. For some people it made the difference between life and death. Their work carried on until the founding of the welfare state as we know it, after the Second World War.

Over the years Joseph Levi was forgotten in Coventry, except for the memorial clock that bears his name and likeness. This was paid for by a grateful public and erected in Stoke Green Park in 1934. The clock was built at a cost of £650 and was constructed by the Lion foundry in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland.

The clock’s original mechanical movement was replaced with an electric movement which corroded over time and caused it to seize. Although a beloved feature in the park, vandals defaced it with graffiti, and managed to throw a rim and tyre onto the clock tower. The neglected structure fell into disrepair, and the council eventually encircled it with a fence as a safety precaution. The clock was dismantled in 2011 and put into storage to allow the construction of the play area known as Dr. Dave Tick Tock Play Area.

The clock being removed

Our Vice Chairman, Paul Maddocks, was giving a talk to the Gosford Green Residents Association and was asked if he know what had happened to the Levi clock. He found out that it had not been cut up for scrap but had been put into safe storage for the museum.

The Gosford Green and the Stoke Green Residents then started a campaign named ‘Time to Bring the Clock Back’. The National Lottery were asked for money and agreed that if the local community could raise £10,000 they would put the rest in. Paul helped with designing a logo and the group did various fund raising projects including 'Rock around the Clock' dances, fairs, talks and displays.

It took around four year to raise the money and the Lottery were true to their word. With the support of the City Council the clock has been restored and is now going back with a new colour scheme. Its new location, close to the original one, is on the triangle of land known as “Godcake island “on Binley Road. Its return is a fitting memorial to a man who contributed much to the city’s history and the community that hasn’t forgotten him.

The newly restored clock is being unveiled on Saturday 19th March 2016 at 12 noon at Godcake Island (next to Tick Tock Play Area) Binley Road, Coventry, CV3 1JB. The Lord Mayor will be attending and local school children will be singing.

Update

Residents from Gosford Park Residence Association and Stoke Park Residents Group celebrating the restoration of the Joseph Levi Clock. After two years fund raising the clock is back , well done to everyone. It has brought back great pride in the area. The re-launch event took place on Saturday 19th March 2016. 

Our Vice Chairman, Paul Maddocks, chose the colours for the re-installed clock, based on the old Corporate Council colours. 

More about the launch from the Coventry Telegraph.

Monday 11th April 2016 at 7.30 at Theatre Absolute, 38 City Arcade

Our next meeting is our AGM. After the very short formal business we have a speaker from Civic Voice. Ian Harvey, the Director of Civic Voice will link us in with the wider world of Civic Societies in the UK. 

The Making of a Modern City 1939 - 1973

It always takes someone else to point out your good points, and Coventry' post war architecture is an example of this.

On this Monday 21st March, the Coventry Society committee was invited to a book launch by Historic England. Historic England is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Duncan Wilson, the Chief Executive of Historic England told us that he had spent the day looking around Coventry including The Charterhouse, Fargo Village, the three Cathedrals, St. Mary's Hall and then The Precinct and the circular market before he was introduced to the City of Culture 2021 bid team and had had a great day.

The new book by Jeremy and Caroline Gould is about Coventry’s post-war rebuilding, which was both innovative and influential, but is often overlooked and overshadowed by the story of the catastrophic war-time bombing of the city. Historic England has published this new book which celebrates the rebuilding of the city. The redevelopment of Coventry City Centre to plans by Donald Gibson and his successors Arthur Ling, Terence Gregory and Harry Noble has provided an intensely urban and civilised centre, embodying new planning principles. Post-war Coventry was hugely influential and Gibson's ideas helped to shape the rebuilding of other city centres, the post-war New Towns and developments in Europe. Despite incremental change in the subsequent decades the planning and architecture of Gibson's city centre are still clearly legible.

The most striking things first in the book are the great plans for Broadgate and the car free pedestrianised shopping precinct and the amazingly modern Basil Spence's Cathedral. But the story starts before the war when the Labour Party took control of the City Council and with the leadership of Councillors George Hodgkinson, Sidney Stringer and George Halliwell. They dominated the all-powerful, all-party Policy Advisory Committee. One of the first acts of the Committee was to propose the appointment of a City Architect and to create a City Architect's Department, distinct from the Engineering Department run by Ernest Ford. Alderman George Hodgkinson, a trade unionist and permanent secretary to the Coventry Labour Party had a strong sense of social purpose and was deliberately looking for a young and visionary architect and Donald Gibson aged 30 was appointed City Architect in January 1939.

When Coventry was rebuilding its new city there was very much interest from everyone. Architectural Review and Architectural Design magazines regularly reported the latest designs in Coventry. In the city it was said you would see groups of visiting suited delegates from around the world, eager to learn, proudly being shepherded by Alderman or a member from the City Public Relations Office. Coventry was being used as a model for other local authorities and copies of manuals with titles like 'Shopping in Coventry' ,'Working in Coventry' ,'Coventry City Region' , were printed in the thousands and sent to them. The trouble of being a trail blazer is its all prototyping and others refined the designs like Pedestrianised shopping became shopping malls etc.

The modern demands of a growing city on its centre are now very different from those of the post-war years. Coventry needs to grow and plan for its future and change will inevitably affect the city centre. This book aims to inform the public and decision makers of the significance of Coventry, and especially its centre, so that change can be managed in ways that will continue the life, use and enjoyment of the best of Coventry's remarkable post-war heritage.

Historic England recognises that Coventry has many fine historical building, but also has many important modern buildings. Some of those already listed as buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest are Coventry Cathedral, the Central Swimming Baths, Coventry Railway Station, Broadgate House, the Belgrade Theatre, the City Market, Lady Godiva statue in Broadgate and the Three Tons mural sculpture by William Mitchell. Also in the suburbs are listed Basil Spence's three Churches (Wood End, Willenhall and Tile Hill), Woodlands School and Limbrick Woods Junior and Infant school. But this book goes further and details what the authors regard as great architecture; listing and illustrating many other buildings that could be at risk of disappearing before their importance to the history and development of modern architecture is realised.

This 164 page paperback is crammed with 138 wonderful photographs, plans and maps and is priced at £14.99 and is worth every penny.

I hope everyone gets to see and read this fascinating book, especially our decision makers.

Paul Maddocks

Coventry Society Vice Chairman

St. George in Coventry? 14th Century Propoganda

One of the oldest surviving examples of spin will take pride of place at the St Georges Day Open Day, Saturday April 23 at the beautiful St John the Baptist Church, Fleet St Coventry.

In the late fourteenth century, Coventry was beginning to lag behind several English cities in the pilgrimage stakes, despite its large number of Churches and Monasteries.

So the story was hatched amongst the religious elders that Englands patron saint, St George, whose standing was soaring due to English military successes, was born in Coventry!

At Caludon Castle!

A chapel was built and various churches and buildings latched onto the spin, installing artefacts and statues.

Very little of that early marketing campaign remains, the best being the carvings of St George and his faithful dragon, who still look down on the Church from its prominent position on St Johns east wall!

These will be the highspots of the visitor tours which will take place throughout the course of the Open Day (10am - 4pm) under the watchful eye of the Church founder, Queen Isabella and her faithful knight.

Refreshments will be available in the hall throughout the day, and there will be a photographic and a historic exhibition on show and the Coventry Mummers will be performing their St George play at 1pm.

Ben Sinclair, a recognised stained glass expert will be around in the morning explaining the art and craft of medieval and modern glass.

There will also be children trails, a text book sale, organ and musical recitals and a fantastic church to walk around!