PhilDec 7, 20215 minBare Knuckles, Music and MurderOver the last few days I have attended events that have caused me to reflect on the history of some of our local pubs, the pastimes...
PhilNov 4, 20214 minThe Winter Queen, the Weavers and the WorkhouseWalking back from town I broke my journey sitting on a bench on Binley Road backing on to the wall of the Stoke Park Estate. This is...
PhilOct 8, 20213 minThe Silence, the Gunpowder and the ScotsIn a recent blog post "Tudor Tangles and the Dreamy Caludon Connection" I looked at connections between the Berkeley family of Caludon...
PhilSep 21, 20217 minGoing Loopy around the Weighing Machines!I recently spent a Saturday taking in some of Coventry's offerings during the Heritage Weekends event. My first stop was the Canal Basin...
PhilAug 30, 20213 minTudor Tangles and the Dreamy Caludon ConnectionMy city centre guided walk, "The Bard, the Blitz and the Tudors" focuses partly upon the aristocratic Berkeley family of Coventry's...
PhilAug 26, 20213 minGiant Killers, Amateurs and ArabsThe start of the football season has seen the Sky Blues return to the now renamed Coventry Building Society Arena (still hard not to say...
PhilAug 8, 20212 minBack on the trail of the dogs and the hermits.....Following the lifting of restrictions I am aiming to get my Coventry themed local history talks, walks and research services up and...
PhilFeb 17, 20213 minHermitage FarmHermitage Farm was still operational when I was a child. At the bottom end of the scout field between Mellowdew Road and Browning Road...
PhilFeb 16, 20211 minA Hermit Lived HereA Hermit lived here. That's why my road is called Hermitage Road. Hermitage Road after Hermitage Farm (also known as "The Hermitage")...
PhilSep 15, 20204 minTwo Halls, Bombs,Berkeleys and the Subterranean LinkI spent Monday evening attending a virtual zoom meeting of the Coventry Society which featured a positive presentation by Mark Webb of...
PhilSep 4, 20202 minOffspring of Killers and Orphans of MurderSomething quite different (for me!) in my blog post today. In yesterday's post I gave mention to local street names which act as a...
PhilSep 3, 20206 minHabits of the future and a stroll through historyOur methods of working, learning and getting entertained are habit forming and it has certainly been the case over the last few months...
PhilJul 29, 20204 minThe Monks, The Sheep and The PilgrimsIn my last post I looked at some aspects of Coventry's coal mining and motor industries. Today I move on to retail and tourism - two...
PhilJul 26, 20209 minCabs, Cold Places, Coal & CanalsI spent yesterday (Saturday) evening viewing some interesting TV programmes relevant to our local industries that put me to thinking...
PhilJun 25, 20204 minDog racing, profanities, paganism and healthy smoking - all in one day!I have spent much of the recent "lockdown" period working on what I hope will eventually become a publication dealing with all things...
PhilJun 18, 20204 minMouldy Old Dough, Dr Who and an Ancient EgyptianWhen I was growing up I would often hear my grandma, my dad and other older native Coventrians lament the lost "character" of their city....
PhilJun 14, 20209 minThe Black Prince, Horse Racing and the Sky Blues - What's in a name?Some of my recent posts have dealt with connections between Caludon Castle and William Shakespeare. Early scenes from the history...
PhilJun 12, 20206 minFrom Lords to Lockdown and the Future of WorkI regulary go for walks with my dog Spike around Caludon Castle Park and often imagine the activity which would have gone on there...
PhilJun 11, 20204 minDon't lose your head as you brush up your ShakespeareThe BBC website today reported the discovery of what is thought to be "The Red Lion" - London's earliest theatre. The story links the...
PhilJun 8, 20202 minBack to Business with the BardAs the lockdown restrictions gradually ease I am hoping to start offering guided walks again in Coventry in the not too distant future. I...