Coventry Road Small Heath

[O.C.]

Can anyone tell me if the Numbers of the houses on the Coventry Road Start near Town ie.
Would 78-80 Coventry Road be near to Digbeth ?

 

[Jerry]

Hi Cromwell
Coventry Road numbers do start from the town and those numbers would probably be in bordesley adjacent to digbeth/deritend

 

[Jerry]

As an afterthought I know that a lot of people think the coventry Road starts at the Bullring but it actually starts at Bordesley where small Heath Railway station is

 

[O.C.]

Thanks for that now I have to find out what was at 78 and 80 Coventry Road from around 1850 till 1880 Houses or factories

 

[O.C.]

If It was a Printer named William White it does
I know No 78 was occupied by Mrs Pattison and her brother Charles in 1873

 

[robert]

Ther was a large warehouse /factory around the site you are looking for. It was occupied by an electrical firm called Borshch before being demolished in the early 70,s Jerry the station at the start of the Coventry RD is Bordesley not Small Heath

 

[Jerry]

Your quite right Robert and I know it well so I don't know why I said Small Heath, must be Eggtimer's disease
Kingston hill would be about right, The Greenway Pub was No 202 so working back from there would put it somewhere amongst the council maisonettes which were built, I think, in the 30s
If that is the case it would be hard to pinpoint the exact spot as the existing number sequence wouldn't match the previous one.

 

[steerboy]

Hi Cromwell.

My G/G/Great Grandfather Stephen Mole Master joiner and Coffin maker lived at 66 Coventry Road which I have always assumed was between Bordesley Park Road and Mount Pleasant on the right hand side as you leave the city.

Regards Steerboy

 

[Junie]

The area from the 'Watering Hole' island on Coventry Road to where the Kingston Cinema used to be was known as Kingston Hill. I lived at 110 Coventry Road in the maisonettes (these were built about 1938) during the early 1940's and after at Kingston Road which runs at the back by the park. There were shops on Coventry Road from Watery Lane traffic lights to New Bond Street, then the Dolphin Pub, a fish and chip shop and then Factories, one of which was McGeoghs.

 

[Phil]

Does anyone know if 'Kingston Hill' is on the Coventry Road. My grandparents lived at 77 Coventry road between 1916 and 1930. I am told that between those years they had a shop on 'Kingston Hill'.

77 Coventry Rd is listed in the 1913 edition of Kelly's as a tobacconist at that time owned by a George Heaton.

No 77 was situated close to Sandy Lane not far from the junction.

Phil

 

[lencops]

I cannot remember any shops on the right side of Kingston Hill only the maisonettes, the shops started at Greenway St/Coventry Rd The Greenway pub had a big stone water trough for the horse`s after they struggled up the hill, from there right along to Tennyson Rd at end of Victoria Park (Small Heath Park), there were shops and pubs all the way.

 

[Dianne]

Hi Lencops

the pub named the Greenway had a "watering trough for horses" - I wonder if that is where the pub that used to be on island "watering hole" got it's name from. I have always known that area as "watering hole island" even though the pub is long gone - now a McDonalds ??

Dianne

 

[brummie nick]

The Greenway pub was at the junction of Cattell Road and Coventry Road.
There's been a picture of it posted on the site recently,

 

[lencops]

Dianne, I have a thought that there was a trough there also, but the road is named Watery Lane!, opposite the maisonettes was a pub called White Tower??, the publican was Joe Bradford Blues centre forward in the 1931 Cup Final v West Brom.

 

[lencops]

Brummie nick, I got it wrong, Cattell Rd it is, thanks for the correction.

 

[Junie]

Thank you for picture of the Greenway Pub on the corner of Coventry Road and Cattel Road. The horse trough is now located in the grounds of Sarehole Mill. My grandfather's horse use to have drink of water there whilst grandfather was inside the pub having a pint.

 

[lencops]

There is a large building on Coventry Rd near Small Heath Park it was always called "the dispensary" it was a sort of Hospital with out beds
(i think they were set up by Birmingham Council) where you could go and get free medical treatment & advice they were well used in the time when had to pay a Docter, when the free NHS Started they were no longer needed and the building is now used for office units etc. Len.

 

[lencops]

Situated on the corner of Coventry Road and Henshaw Road, Small Heath Dispensary was built about 1896. The architect was William Doubleday and the building was constructed in grey sandstone. Like many other dispensaries throughout Birmingham, full doctor's services were provided for a large section of the local residents. After 1948, when the services were taken over by the NHS, the building was also taken over and became the Small Heath Health Centre. Len.

 

[lencops]

Number 712 Coventry Road in 1947. This fascinating picture shows the Small heath area still recovering from the effects of the Second World War. Bombing and rationing had taken a toll and in many cases businesses were run as best they could be and not in the ideal way. Here a greengrocers is making adjustments. A sign advertising "potatoes and greens inside" is being hammered up in a way that would give Health and Safety inspectors nightmares today. Just visible to the left on the pavement are the scales used to weigh items. More puzzling is the dartboard fixed to the wall to the left of the two shop assistants!. Len.

 

[brummie nick]

I think the Health & Safety people would be concerned about that board and a few bricks covering the cellar opening as well.

 

[col1955]

i may of asked this before but would anyone have photos of the coventry road by green lane looking either towards regents park rd or away from it. My father owned a newsagents next door to the chemist and the coach pub. I did see a photo at one time but unable to locate.
thanks colin

 

[Vivienne14]

Colin you could try typing in a search as there’re many references and photos scattered throughout different threads. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Had a look around, this is the best I can do at the moment. Found this 1909 photo of the corner on eBay. Maybe if we can identify the Davenports pub it might be possible to track down other images of that corner. Was it the Coach pub you mention ? So few of the old buildings remain todayViv.

 

[Phil]

Colin

Would this be the one you are looking for with the Coach & Horses, then the chemist shop and then the newsagents, it looks like the early 60's to me.

 

[col1955]

Colin

Would this be the one you are looking for with the Coach & Horses, ten the chemist shop and then the newsagents, it looks like the early 60's to me.

View attachment 129812

 

[Radiorails]

Littlewoods is there in the photo. The company survived until 2002; the National Lottery hitting their Football Pools business very hard.
The VP wine advert on the chemists shop wall reminded me that chemists sold wine and spirits at some time in the past.

 

[Vivienne14]

For general interest I’m adding some more images of Coventry Road at Small Heath. Is the first one within Small Heath ? Afraid none of these are dated. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

This one is dated 1904. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

At the junction with Whitmore Road c 1910. Still some evidence of the buildings in today’s view. I wonder what would be revealed if the modern hoarding was removed to the left. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Damage to premises following the 1931 tornado. Viv.