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

1930s Austin's Monthly Magazine articles, by John Bailey Shelton MBE

as originally published in Austin's Monthly Magazine from November 1832 to June 1939

Compiled and transcribed by R. W. Orland, 2005

I'm sincerely grateful to the Shelton family for their kind permission and encouragement to publish these works.

J. B. Shelton's post-war book A Night in Little Park Street can be viewed here (in PDF format).

Contents

Display ALL articles

Date:Subjects covered:

1932

NovGosford Gate
DecCo-op Site, West Orchard

1933

JanWest Orchard, Bridge etc.
FebBroadgate Excavations
MarBroadgate Excavations
AprBroadgate Excavations
MayBlack Bull Inn, Pepper Lane
JunBlack Bull Inn
JulCox Street - River Excavations
AugCox Street - River Excavations
SepCox Street - River Excavations
OctCox Street - River Excavations
NovCox Street - River Excavations
DecPark Side Excavations

1934

JanPark Side Excavations
FebBurges Excavations
MarBenedictine Site Excavations
AprBenedictine Site Excavations
MayBenedictine Site Excavations
JunBenedictine Site Excavations
JulCoventry Castle
AugBenedictine Site, Palmer Lane Guest House
SepBenedictine Site, Wooden Bridge
OctAntiquities Exhibition at the Drill Hall
NovWell Street Excavations
DecPriory Pool & Mills

1935

JanPriory Pool & DIstrict
FebNew Buildings, Tower Foundations
MarCity Wall, Cook Street Gate, Plumb House
AprPriory Tower
MayPriory Tower, Gulson Road, Round Tower, New Gate Foundations
JunBroad Well, Burges Ford, Palmer Lane
JulWhite Friars
AugMeeting House, Smithford Street
SepMeeting House, Smithford Street
OctMeeting House, Smithford Street, St. John's Hospital Excavations
NovSt. John's Hospital, Barracks Square, Black Bull Inn
DecBarracks Square, Black Bull Inn

1936

JanBarracks Square, Black Bull Inn
FebButcher Row
MarButcher Row
AprButcher Row
MayButcher Row
JunOwen Owen's Site
JulOwen Owen's Site
AugOwen Owen's Site
SepOwen Owen's Site
OctTrinity Street
NovTrinity Street
DecTrinity Street

1937

JanBenedictine Museum
FebPool Meadow to Priory Street
MarPool Meadow to Priory Street
AprPool Meadow to Priory Street Excavations
MayBull Ring, Pottery Kiln, Hippodrome
JunHippodrome, Rex Cinema
JulBablake Excavations
AugCow Lane Site Excavations

1938

MayRex Site, Trinity Street
JulBroadgate Excavations
SepBablake Excavations, Co-op Site, West Orchard
OctTrinity Street, Bull Ring
NovSt. Mary's Cathedral Site, Bull Ring
DecSt. Mary's Cathedral Site, Bull Ring

1939

JanPost Office Excavations
FebSt. Mary's Cathedral Site
MarArt Gallery and Museum
AprArt Gallery and Museum
MayArt Gallery and Museum
JunBablake Excavations

St. Mary's Cathedral Site, Bull Ring

November 1938

EXCAVATIONS ON THE SITE OF ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL, BULL RING (now Trinity Street)

When under-pinning the Blue Coat School and other premises at the rear of Trinity Street, quite a lot of very interesting stonework was discovered. In one place the stone was so massive that I believe the back portion of the pillars which are to be clearly seen in Priory Row was discovered. About ten or twelve walls were found, most of them running East to West, but three walls ran North to South. The front of this Cathedral is said to have resembled Lichfield Cathedral. The width was from the south end of the Rev. Bryan's house, which stood on the south side of Priory Row, to Iron-monger Row, and the outer wall here was built within six feet of the 13th century pottery kilns mentioned in a previous story, and during excavations, several pieces of pottery were found, also a quantity of the material used in the making of vessels. At one time I thought the kiln was closed down on the building of the church, but discovering what I have, I believe the kiln was used for baking the vessels for use by the builders of the church, and closed on its completion. In one place near to which we found a number of burials, was an older wall, which may have been a wall of the Abbey, or Minster of Godiva's time, and was in its original position. Another wall having been rebuilt contained a beautiful arch key stone of an earlier church, though partly broken. Before the walls of this church of the 13th century were built, a quarry for the stone required was made on the site, and after the rubble had been thrown back, some-times to a depth of 15 to 16 feet, the wall was built on the rubble. At the depth of about 8 feet near the school, and on the floor level of the building being erected, a stone coffin lid was found, having on its top a carving of a sword with decorations in the form of four horse shoes, and a ring in their centre. No coffin was found beneath, although probing with a bar took place. Some experts think it is of Celtic design, others of the 13th century. The ivory handle of a knife or dagger was found with one of the skeletons, a great number of which were found. These remains have been collected, and stored in boxes; some of the skulls and jaws were in as good condition as when interred, and 14 to 16 teeth still in their places. Some specimens have been sent to Gulson Road Hospital for doctors to examine. Several skulls are thought to be of young men slain in warfare, they having received blows on the head with a sharp instrument. Two chests of remains have been interred last week (Oct. 12th, 1938) at a depth of 8 feet at the south west corner of the new building, and the other remains will be interred at a later date, with others I expect to find.

The building being erected on the west front of the church is to be called The Tower House, and although iron girders are to give it strength, the front will be in keeping with its neighbouring houses once called the "Lych Gate," and will be ornamented with a figure of Lady, or Countess Godiva on a horse, and also the Coventry "Coat of Arms."

The "Blue Coat" school was at one time called the "Tower House," and was made into a house by the Rev. Bryan, in 1649. In my "Benedictine Museum" I have a picture of this house showing the tracery of the 13th century and two windows, while at its base is a piggery and cowsheds, in which the butchers of old Butcher Row and the Bull Ring kept their animals.

Next month I will write about the Church and its measurements.


 
 
 
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