Godiva Leaves Coventry

Godiva was a benign presence amongst us during the time she was here; today we had to say farewell to her as she set off to spread her magic to other town and cities. I had been hoping to see her pass by on the London Road, but a thunderstorn threatened and I was also unsure of the timings. So I got on the 21 bus from Willenhall Precinct and was just in time to see Godiva borne by her Cyclopedia leaving St John's Street by the Police Station.

Godiva preparing to leave Coventry

Since I last saw Godiva, in University Square on Saturday morning, she had acquired a horse: I had earlier visions of her tramping all the way to London. The Cyclopedia moved at an amazing speed: once Godiva had turned onto the road, she was soon lost in the distance.



Godiva graciously inclines her head to say goodbye to Coventry



Godiva Awakes

Godiva on Friday 27th July, trying her dress on

I have been checking up on Coventry's iconic 20ft tall Godiva figure, since she took up residence in University Square last week. It was fascinating to watch the rehearsals, and see the technicians checking out the animatronic features such as her blinking eyes and tilting head.



Those feet, once shod, will trudge through seven towns, all the way to London

Unfortunately, I could not get a ticket for the 'Godiva Awakes' event on Saturday night, but I could hear the throb of the music all the way from Ernesford Grange, and I watched the spectacular fireworks from my bedroom window. Today I am hoping to get a picture of Godiva as she proceeds out of Coventry.



Aeronautical interest in the Willenhall Community Mural

On 23rd June this year, the Willenhall Community Mural was officially revealed to the public. Its prominent position on the side of the Hagard Centre has already attracted a great deal of interest.


A section of the mural showing the Whitley Bomber

 An image of particular significance to the local area is the Whitley Bomber, which was manufactured just down the road at Baginton. The Chace National Service Hostel in Willenhall provided accommodation for many of the workers, who were called up from all over the country.

There are many existing photographs of this aeroplane in books and on the net, but local aeronautical enthusiast Trevor Williams has alerted the History Group to the fact that this is maybe the first time that the Whitley Bomber has been represented in community art.

Random city wanderings

I'm a great believer in the 'Streetcation' : that's a Staycation for lean times. Normally I would spend a week in summer, getting on a bus and going where the fancy takes me, to explore parts of the city away from my normal South-East patch.
This year, because of the monsoonish weather, I have had to snatch a day here and a day there, when the sun showed its face.
Last Saturday was pleasant, so I made a pilgrimage to my favourite ancient tree at the back of Spon Street, and had a look at a few other features along the way.

Old gnarled mulberry tree, growing out of a sandstone wall

I have always loved this tree, which is so old that some of its extensive boughs are on crutches. In late summer it bears fruit which look and taste a bit like blackberries. If you try to pick them, you get into a dreadful mess with the juice, and the pavement all around it is stained purple where the berries have fallen.

Crutches

One of the favourite haunts for music lovers was The Tin Angel on Spon Street. Alas it had to close, but it will be fondly remembered for its poetry evenings and open mic sessions which gave aspiring young musicians a chance to shine. There was always a crush in there; it was amazing how many people could cram into such a small space and still breathe.

Dear old Tin Angel, sadly missed

St John's Church remains a constant and watchful presence over the area, frozen in time. With apologies to Rupert Brooke:
                   'Stands still the clock at five to three, and is there honey still for tea?'

Ancient clock, tells the right time twice in 24 hours

Indeed, honey butties might be on the menu if the bees who have made their homes in the Foyer Wildlife Garden do their job properly.

Homes for insects and solitary bees

Railway rambles

Brookstray play area,with railway embankment in the background

The London to Birmingham railway cuts through our landscape: we're used to trains hurtling by at regular intervals, and the embankment acts as a lush green corridor for wildlife, as well as shielding large tracts of the main line from view.

 How different the area must have been in 1837, when navvies were encamped along the planned route, working all day and through the night by lantern light. The camps were rough wooden huts which housed whole families; while the men toiled with picks and shovels, shifting tons of earth every day, their womenfolk would look after the children and cook the stew. When the Brookstray play area was being constructed a few years ago, the ground was disturbed, revealing what could have been the rubbish dump for a railway camp, judging by the number of mutton bones and shards of pottery that were found.

The railway, which finally opened in 1838, cut the Manor Farm in half: the farmhouse itself was situated where the Willenhall Health Centre now stands. It was a very fine building, surrounded by extensive stables, piggeries and a dairy. A tunnel ran under the railway, giving access to the 'Thirteen Fields' on the Ernesford side of the railway, where the Manor Cottages also stood. These fields, liable to flooding, were used for grazing cattle.




The 'Thirteen Fields'

 An excellent example of the durability of Robert Stephenson's engineering is the seven-arched viaduct over the River Sowe. This can be accessed along the Sowe Valley Trail, and is one of the hidden delights of Willenhall. In the summer of 2010, the Willenhall Local History Group took 15 members of the Coventry Society on an evening walk through the area. Some of them had never ventured into this part of South-East Coventry before, and they were enchanted by the scene under the mysterious arches, comparing it to 'Dovedale'.




Brick railway viaduct with elaborate stone inlay



A transformed landscape

Living close to the Sowe means that I spend many hours wandering along meadows and brookstrays which are always changing: the dazzling white of blackthorn gives way to creamy May blossom, then comes the meadowsweet with its heady summer scent.


The Ernesford Grange School sports field underwater

  In a dry season the river flows gently along, contained within its banks, not much more than a brook. When the rain pours down, it's a different story,though; within hours the flood plain becomes a lake, alive with water birds. The light shimmers on the restless, swirling surface with its treacherous currents and eddies, and there's a dank, murky smell in the air.

Walking the Sowe Valley trail last Saturday, parts of the path by Corpus Christi were swamped. Rather than turn back on my tracks, I took off my shoes and socks and waded through, much to the amusement of cyclists who were riding along high and dry.


Squelch squelch



The Willenhall Local History Group AGM 2012

The Willenhall Local History Group held its AGM on Monday 2nd July. The new Chairman Steve Garrett paid tribute to the late John Russell, who had guided the group since 2001. In many ways it has been a tough year, as we all missed John tremendously. As well as being a dedicated historian, he was also a pillar of the community and a very good friend.

 However, despite our loss, we managed to achieve a great deal during that period, and I'm sure John would be very proud of us. We dedicated this year's St George's Day celebration at the Hagard to his memory; a commemorative plaque was installed in the Hagard Cafe, and a deep red scented rose, specially named after him, was planted in the community garden by the side of the Village Green

We have now forged strong links with Sowe Valley School: members of the group have visited classrooms to talk to the children about their experiences of growing up during wartime, and the changes which have taken place in the area since the school was built.

We also joined forces with St John the Divine Church to provide a display of photographs and artefacts for Heritage Weekend last September, and we are currently planning another event for 8th September this year. Watch this space as there is more information to come.

Despite the rain and chilly winds, the Big Lunch Jubilee Street Party on June 3rd was attended by 130 people. The History Group trawled through their cupboards and attics for 1950s objects, and Hagard staff provided lunch parcels of spam sandwiches and a really delicious ginger parkin cake.

As well as all these activities (including the Art Project which you can read about on a previous post) we have been sorting out the History Office in the Hagard.

We also hold regular Tuesday morning workshops from 9.30 till approximately 12 noon. Everyone is welcome to drop in to these informal sessions: you can't miss us as we are in the main hall of the Hagard.
You can be assured of a warm welcome - and maybe you have an interesting story of your own to tell

The Olympic Torch comes to Binley

Despite the early start and the damp weather, there was a great turnout today for the Olympic Torch Rally. People thronged the Binley Road; people were cheering and waving flags, and a group of schoolchildren had made their own torches out of cardboard and tinsel.
The horses on St Bart's field enjoyed the spectacle and crowded to the fence for a better view.

The Willenhall Art Project

If you're in Willenhall, you can't fail to notice a recent colourful addition to the wall of the Hagard Centre, on the side of the building nearest to the Village Green.
 This series of painted boards forms a timeline of Willenhall's history: 12th Century pilgrims trudging to St James' Chapel; farm labourers harvesting hay in the fields as Robert Stephenson surveys the building of the railway in the 1830s; the influx of workers who were called up for the war effort in the 1940s and stayed in the Chace National Service Hostel, followed by the arrival of displaced persons from all over the world at Baginton Fields after the war. All this is set against an exquisite backdrop celebrating Willenhall's important landmarks and natural beauty.
The project was organised and administrated by Jo Payne of Neighbourhood Action, and creatively directed by Kate Turner, a well-known community artist who has worked on many projects in Coventry over the last twenty years.
In November 2011, Kate approached the Willenhall Local History Group for information. She condensed masses of written and photograpic materials from the group's archives into the themes of journeying and change.
From November to March, the large back room at the Hagard was transformed into a workshop. Under Kate's guidance, the volunteers gained confidence and moved from priming backgrounds straight out of the tin, to mixing colours, cutting and applying stencils and even painting freehand figures into the landscape.
Many people who came along to have a look ended up swathed in plastic aprons and totally engrossed in art work. Even tiny preschoolers were able to make their mark with hand and footprints forming an effective backdrop for the top layer of images.

On June 23rd 2012, MP Jim Cunningham led the installation ceremony, after which all those who had been involved in the project gathered together in the Hagard Cafe for a celebration.