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1. The Arno Motor Company of Coventry 1908-1916, by Damien Kimberley
2. The Beech on Wheels, by Derek Robinson and forum member Foxcote
3. A brief history of Saint Osburg's, in pictures, by Damien Kimberley
4. The Brough Superior, by Damien Kimberley
5. Coventry Volunteer Fire Brigade - Illustrated London News, Jan 4th 1862
6. Coventry's Great Flood - London Daily Graphic, 2nd January 1901
7. Coventry's Rich Heritage, by Pete Walters
8. Coventry, the Home of the Cycle Trade - 1886 magazine article
9. Coventry, the Silk Trade and the Horsfall family, by Ian West
10. D-Day and Monty's Staff Car, by Paul Maddocks
11. The Dragoon Cycle Company of Coventry, by Damien Kimberley
12. Edwin Brown, Victorian Animal Artist, by Stephen Catton
13. The First Tudor Feast, by Richard Ball
14. The Great Flood of December 1900, and the lost Bridges, by Damien Kimberley
15. Henry Cave, and the 'Lady' Autocar of 1899, by Damien Kimberley
16. The Ira Aldridge Trail, by Simon Shaw
17. Let's talk about Rex, by Damien Kimberley
18. The Lion Bicycle Company of Coventry & Wolverhampton 1877-1882, by Damien Kimberley
19. Miss Bashford, a Teacher's Tale, by Simon Shaw
20. Motor Panels (Coventry) Ltd, by Damien Kimberley
21. The New Bablake Schools - 1889 article
22. New Drinking Fountain at Coventry - 17 Sep 1859
23. Not Forgotten, the 1939 IRA bomb attack, by Simon Shaw
24. The Old Vicarage, Binley, by Anna Eddleston
25. Phil Silvers Archival Museum, by Paul Maddocks
26. Proposal for St. Michael's Campanile c1890
27. Public Baths - The Building News, Jan 24th 1896
28. The Saint Joseph the Worker parish in Coventry, by Terence Richards
29. A short history of Coventry's Theatres and Cinemas, by Bill Birch
30. Sixty Years of Cycling - 1897 magazine article
31. The sound that almost killed my Dad in the War!, by Paul Maddocks
32. The Tapestry and its Hidden Secret, by Paul Maddocks
33. Transport Museum pt.1 - How the Queen's 1977 visit sowed the seed, by Paul Maddocks
34. Transport Museum pt.2 - New Hales Street Entrance in 1985, by Paul Maddocks
35. Transport Museum pt.3 - Creating the Blitz Experience, by Paul Maddocks
36. Transport Museum pt.4 - Coventry's Land Speed Record Cars, by Paul Maddocks
37. Transport Museum pt.5 - The 1987 F.A. Cup Winners' Sky Blue Bus, by Paul Maddocks
38. Transport Museum pt.6 - The Royal Cars, by Paul Maddocks
39. Trinity National Schools - Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal, Vol.XVII, 1854
40. What links a Spitfire's landing gear to a baby buggy? by Paul Maddocks
41. What links R2D2 to a Coventry Hydrogen/Electric cab company? by Paul Maddocks
42. Whitefriars Gatehouse and Toy Museum, by Paul Maddocks
43. WW1 and Wyley of Charterhouse, by Paul Maddocks
44. 1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by John Bailey Shelton MBE
45. Plan for the City Centre - The Architect and Building News, 21st March 1941
 

WW1 and Wyley of Charterhouse, by Paul Maddocks

Colonel William Wyley
Father and former Mayor, Colonel Sir William Fitzthomas Wyley.

The First World War, the 'War to end all Wars', is such a big subject, and unimaginable because of its sheer size and scale. Gruelling trench warfare and the introduction of modern weaponry such as machine guns, aeroplanes, submarines, tanks and chemical weapons. From the carnage and loss of life of so many people on both sides - around ten million soldiers killed and twenty one million wounded, not counting others like civilians - what does hit home is when you hear of personal stories, like the story that changed the course of events in Coventry. It is the sad story of Lieutenant William Reginald Fitzthomas Wyley of the Royal Field Artillery. He was the only son of the wealthy Coventry former Mayor Colonel William Wyley of the Charterhouse Old Priory. Within days of war being declared Mayor Wyley called for volunteers. He played a big part in recruitment in the city, sometimes on horseback, appealing for hundreds of men to join up and serve alongside their fellow citizens and Coventry-men. So Colonel Wyley must have felt that he had played a great part in getting his only son killed, and it also left him without an heir to his company and his estate.

David McGrory's book 'Coventry and the Great War' tells the story of what happened on 19th September 1916. Lieutenant Wyley was killed in action by an exploding shell. He was buried at Avebury, near Albert. His commanding officer Lord Wynford wrote to Colonel Wyley saying; "From my constant companionship with him, as my adjutant for the last four months, I had learnt to like him immensely; and his work, especially lately, had been really excellent. You may possibly know already what a great favourite he was, not only in my brigade, but, I may almost say, right through the artillery of our division - thoroughly high-hearted, always kindly and good-humoured, and ready to infect with his cheeriness on all occasions, no matter what the circumstances. I shall mourn him, not only as a loss professionally, but as a friend."

William Wyley
William Wyley during his college days.

William was only 24 when he died. Many people in Coventry were hoping that he would take over his dad's business and become just as important to the city. He had been sent to all the good schools and was being groomed in the ways of business.

Though his body is in France, a tree and plaque to the memory of William can still be seen in the War Memorial Park. Colonel Wyley was one of the most respected citizens of Coventry, and the news of his son's death affected many. When Colonel Wyley died in August 1940 there was a big service in St. Michael's Cathedral which was attended by over a thousand people. It may have been the last significant service, because within less than three months the Cathedral was destroyed by fire bombs. Wyley left Charterhouse to the citizens of Coventry, a trust was set up, and all the city councillors became trusties. Charterhouse was used straight away as a convalescent home for people affected by the war.

MDT article after Wyley's death
The text below the photograph read: An impressive picture of the crowded Coventry Cathedral, to-day, when representatives of every class and creed assembled to pay a last tribute to Colonel Sir William Wyley, the city's "grand old man" and a perfect English knight.

Colonel Wiley's will left instructions that the house and grounds of Charterhouse should become a trust and all the city's councillors would be the trustees and run it for the citizens of Coventry as a museum for education and the community. Over time councillors changed and the building was used for many things especially due to the war. In its past it's been a convalescent home, old gentlemen's home, hostel for the youth, training centre and college classrooms.

Now Charterhouse has a bright future, and as of Spring 2023 it has reopened after a multi-million pound restoration by the Historic Coventry Trust.

Paul Maddocks, 2023


 
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Whitefriars Gatehouse and Toy Museum, by Paul Maddocks
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WW1 and Wyley of Charterhouse, by Paul Maddocks
 
 
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