A book review by Paul Maddocks
One of the books I got for this Christmas was the 'A Victorian Resting Place For The Growing Industrial City' a bit of a long title but it's a book that has taken five years in the making. It's about Coventry's London Road Cemetery by Ian Woolley. Many people drive past it, many walk through it, they may jog or take the dog a walk in it. But how many people realise the rich history and stories that are contained within it? It was opened in 1847 and designed by Joseph Paxton of Crystal Palace fame. It was the first municipal cemetery in the country, this was because the city centre church graves were getting full. Coventry was going to have the best for their rich industrialists and dignitaries. The site on the London Road had been an old quarry where a lot of the pink sandstone had come from to make the famous Coventry medieval buildings, like St. Michael's, St. Mary’s Hall, the spire of Holy Trinity and Charterhouse Priory to name but a few. The cemetery holds many famous people like Starley, Singer, Riley, Skidmore, Stevens and Gulson all quite well known, but others with interesting personal history are also featured in this interesting book. It tells you about the buildings like the Anglican Chapel, the Non-conformist Chapel, Promenade Walk, Jewish Chapel, Entrance Tower and Lodge.
Being regarded as one of the finest Victorian Cemeteries in the country, it is also a first class tree and wildlife park. With many rare trees like the Candelabra Limes, Weeping Limes, Wellingtonia, or Giant Sequoia and many more wonderful trees and plants.
This book covers many interesting facts and stories. It's a book you can easy pick up, read some interesting items and go back to them later for reference. Ian Woolley tells me it's not the whole story; he is working on another edition or second part as he is finding out more about different people all the time and it only the early half of the Cemetery.
It's good news that the Cemetery has been given a substantial lottery grant to bring the listed buildings and grounds back in to use, and I feel this book opens your eyes to what great history we have in Coventry.
You can get your own copy from the History Centre, Herbert Museum, Tourist Information Centre and Cathedral Book and gift shop.
