Little Park Street

Yes, Cliff, pre-restoration. Glad they saved it.

Some of it. I believe that only the façade and some of the reinstalled interior features are original?

Yes, Helen. Thanks to my friend Andy McGeechan on FB: 14 Little Park Street Coventry (Francis Smith 1725) Built on the site of a Jacobean house, it's notable cantilevered staircase was incorporated into this fine Georgian town house. Named "Kirby House" in 1874 after being purchased by local solicitor Thomas H Kirby though it had fallen on hard times by the 20th century. Listed Grade II in 1955. The initial restoration estimate in 1959 was £10.000, but only £6000 could be raised. Coventry City Council tried unsuccessfully to have it delisted to broaden the options but the cost had reached £77.800 by 1971. The real heroes of this piece are the builders WA Blackburn who in 1980 bought it off the financially struggling developers (who'd bought it off CCC) and with Architects Crouch Butler & Savage, and historic consultants RS Melville they salvaged all they could and reproduced everything else using extensive photos taken during 1969. The office blocks either side made the site viable and paid for the restoration at the same time. Sold to Sun Life in 1982 it became Varley Hibbs & Co in 1987 and subsequently the Citizens Advice Bureau in 2013.

Apols about the GIF inclusion but thanks to Martin Wykes on FB - don't think we've had the Masonic Hall captured so well on here before.

Hi Neil, there's a link to that image on post 12, Adrian posted it in July 2012. I also found it using an internet search, so I colourised it out of interest.

Brill, Heathite. Cheers - apols, it was only 9 years ago! I obviously look at too many Old Cov images!

Thanks to the Coventry Archives - looks like a pan of my post #314 but includes that Masonic Hall! Edited by member, 26th Feb 2021 5:31 pm

I believe my parents lived at Court 16 house 4 during the 40s and early 50s until they were relocated to Walsall Street in Canley and my grandparents, apparently, lived in the next court(?) Trawling through this topic there are numerous posts 1, 2, 47, 75, 134, 160, 162, 185, 199 which kind of give me an idea where Court 16 was located in relation to LPS today. I believe it was opposite what is now Greyfriars telephone exchange and MR’s post 134 on this topic captures that magnificently. Great photo MR, I will have to ask you some techy questions about your cameras, lenses, speeds and apertures at a later date. If any of you brilliant people out there can somehow pinpoint exactly where Court 16 house 4 would have stood in today’s street that would be great. Btw The Kings Head looked a cracking pub, I would have liked to have gone in there for some medicine.

Location of Court 16 house 4 Step forwards and back to see the area at different times, including the 1971-1981 1:1,250 version with the modern police station. The maps aren't 100% accurate and vary between years so you can only be close but not exact. Google map location

1957:

Great finds, Manor House - thanks for sharing. Helen, is that Kirby House in the background of that middle shot?

I agree, great finds 20A. Yes Neil, it is Kirby House.

Did anyone ever find info on the compulsory purchase order for the Little Park Street demolitions?

Interesting shot from Coventry Archives - Middlemores, Little Palace Yard and most of old LPS has gone but still a good view of that old building behind the then new Civic Centre. Edited by member, 22nd Jul 2021 4:43 pm

Neil, I have to say, you folk are the reason for keeping me up late at night. Great findings from all of you. Many, many thanks.