Coventry builders

Just a note to say that Mr Alf Youell passed away on Monday, age 98 He is listed on "Famous Coventrians" A really nice man and a great character

Was he anything to do with Youells the builders?

Just checked him out... the name rang a bell because Youells were a well known builder around Coventry and he built loads of properties in and around the town..He lived to a ripe old age....

Among many other developments, he built some houses at Aldermans Green and Warwick Green Bulkington.

Hi all Yes, he built many of the houses when the Armscott Rd & Blackberry Fields area of Wyken was being developed.(1950-60) You might like to read this too. Broadstreet Rugby Club Quote: Over the next few years the club extended, but it became obvious that the facilities at Henley Road were no longer large enough to cope with the number of teams that we regularly playing, and in 1970 the club entered into an agreement with Alf Youell of Youell Investments, to sell only the pitches at Henley Road, and to move to a new ground and clubhouse at Brandon Road. The new ground was opened in 1973 by Bob Weighhill, Secretary of the Rugby Football Union, and it was named the Ivor Preece Field, in honour of Ivor Preece, England and British Lions, who was also the club's President at the time. The club retained the Henley Road clubhouse still run it as a social club with over three hundred members. Once again, the club outgrew the facilities at the Brandon Road ground, and have now moved to the other side of the Coventry Eastern Bypass, to the new Ivor Preece Field. Alf Youell was also heavily involved in this move, along with Persimmon Homes, the purchasers of our previous ground. The new ground was opened by the great Rugby World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson (rugby union), captain of England national rugby union team, The British and Irish Lions, and Leicester Tigers. The new clubhouse has facilities, a 250-seater stand, car parking, five senior pitches, (two floodlit), mini and junior pitches, and forty-six acres of ground. The Ivor Preece field is used for representative rugby with the semi finals of the Daily Mail schools rugby played at both age groups here. England Deaf Rugby use the rugby facilities for training sessions and international matches.

Press report from New Zealand LINK and a previous article regarding this fine man LINK

While searching for information about the late Alf Youell [see separate thread and Famous Coventrians list] I came across this article from 2001, relating to the history of Hall Bros and making mention of E K Youell & Son - two of Coventry's leading firms of house-builders in the 20th century I have grown to know both Alf Youell and Bob Hall (Jnr) over recent years through work, and I also have very fond memories of William Hall (Billy Hall) who is mentioned in the article Billy was in the 60s and 70s a keen member of Hearsall Golf Club and had his "own" chair in the corner of the snooker room which he occupied every night almost without fail - but his main sporting claim to fame was as a rugger player (a product of South Street School) who "defected" north to Rugby League, and I believe became ostracised by Union I wonder if any "senior" forumites have any further memories of Billy Hall, and of the Hall and Youell families?

Hi all. I never knew them as individuals, but I knew contractors who worked in association with them. From the hot link the two comments that I like are: 1. Mr Hall said: "I can still remember the first four houses I built on Sowe Common in Wyken nearly 70 years ago. I must have done a good job because my son Robert is Robert I, Duke of Normandy. Robert I (Robert the Magnificent), d.1035, Duke of Normandy (1027-35); father of William the Conqueror. He is often identified with the legendary Robert the Devil. Now selling to the third generation of people to buy our homes!" 2. Mr Youell, who is the "son" in Coventry firm EK Youell and Son, said: "Bob showed me how to lay bricks when we were both apprentices. Although I prefer to think of it as laying 'artistically burned clay'. Both before and after the war, the rival firms built thousands of homes in the Walsgrave area. At one stage their workforces both had cricket teams which competed against each other throughout the season. Thank you, I like it.

I lived opposite Annie Osborne school in Wyken Croft in the early 90's. I was in the process of building an extension to my house and Halls were building a retirement complex off Gresley Road behind my house. I needed some bricks for my footings and thought I might buy some from the building site. I went round and spoke to Mr Hall (senior). He said leave it with me and then sent his digger driver round with a pack (about 400) of bricks for nothing. He certainly knew how to keep in with the neighbours. Nice guy!!

Mr Youell's obituary has been published in the Coventry Telegraph today LINK

A memorial service for Mr Youell will be held today (Wednesday 11 July 2012) at Coventry Cathedral at 2.00pm

This is a photo of Mr Robert Hall being presented with a plaque, by some of his workforce, at a local event celebrating the company's 80 years in business. The plaque reads: CONGRATULATIONS TO HALL BROS. ON 80 YEARS IN BUSINESS 1933 - 2013 FROM ALL THE WORKERS What a magnificent achievement!

There was a firm of builders called "Allsmiths" they built houses in Belgrave Road, Wyken. I have no idea how many but one of them was my father's house, where I spend most of my youth-hood. Any joy?? Regards to all Berjay

I remember as a kid, helping a gardener in Station Avenue, Tile Hill village. He tended the gardens of a builder by the name, I think, of G.J. Tommy & Son. Lived in the house on the right just before Duggins Lane. I think he had a small yard just before the level crossing that was. Does anybody remember, or used him, in the village??

The 1922 Telephone Directory lists J G Tommy & Sons, Builders and Contractors, Tile Hill Still listed similarly in 1970! Seems he was Jonathan George Tommy, born c1862 in Wem, Shropshire (where his father was a master builder), died 1919 when his residence was Oakhurst, Burton Green