Recent and Industrial History

Pages about recent and Industrial history of Coventry

Woven picture by Cash's labels of Coventry

Life was more simple in the golden days of the wool trade during which Coventry became king. Life moved at a slower pace. Fluctuations in  world trade had less impact on the life of the city.In 1700, 80% of the population of England earned its income from the land. A century later, that figure had dropped to 40%. The Industrial revolution was upon us.

Things changed for us all during the late 18^th and early 19^th Century. And Coventry was not exempt from those changes - in fact it embraced them.

Industries grew, flourished and died within a couple of generations. Nowadays of course we see change rushing over us like a tsunami. Altering lives, sometimes more than once, within a persons lifetime.

Coventry, like any other industrial city, had its ups and downs and has been subject to the vagaries of design and manufacturing fashions, trade agreements, availability of raw materials and labour as well as myriads of other issues that had an impact on Coventry made goods.

From the early days of silk ribbon weaving, through the watch-making period and on to the manufacture of cycles, motorcycles, cars, and machine tools - and during the 2 world wars the manufacture of armaments and aircraft - Coventry has been at the forefront of industry in England.

Manufacturers like Starley and Harry Lawson started to make cycles in the city in the late 19th Century. At the turn of the 20th century the city had a population of 70,000 and these skilled engineering craftsmen soon turned their hands to the manufacture of Motorcycles  and cars. Brands like Coventry Eagle, Francis Barnett, Humber cycles then cars, Alvis, Daimler, Standard, Hillman, Singer, Riley - all Coventry made. And of course Jaguar.

The history of the car in Coventry is well displayed at the Coventry Road Transport Museum.  There is everything here from public transport vehicles to what was once the worlds fastest car and the nearby National Motorcycle Museum at Bickenhill , just the other side of Meriden - of Triumph fame - holds more Coventry motorcycles.

Turboprop engine

Sir Frank Whittle, the inventor of the Jet engine and the brains behind the worlds first Jet aircraft, the Gloster E28 which was built in 1941, was born in Newcombe Rd Coventry. 

Now all but small fragments of these industries have gone. Replaced by service industry. Even the mighty Jaguar car works is leaving the city.