The Shop, the Pub, the Farm
The pub’s just round the corner, the Oak and Black Dog to the left of the shop. This was really the heart of the village. In the “games room” there would be quite a crush of people playing “cheeses” (a variety of skittles on a table) and darts. A lady and a man played an accordion in one of the rooms on Saturdays, it used to be quite a knees-up, a bit of a sing-song. You know, a bit of a boozer, but everyone had set places to sit in, if you sat in someone else’s seat they stared at you… and you moved!
The old man in the pub
What about when we met that man in the pub, he must have been about 90 then! When he told us there had been a fire in our house in 1898, when they were a block of barns. There’s a farm opposite there too, then. The centre of the village then was very different. It was rural, people had to walk everywhere didn’t they. You could hear the cows mooing from our house because the farmer got up late on a Sunday and they needed milking!
Comments
Interesting page, thank you. The first photo (1900s) -The photographer was standing at the School Lane end of the Village Green and looking back toward the Oak & Black Dog Pub. The house on the right (with the cart outside) is now Brookside Stores. The little street dead centre is now the ‘drive’ to Yew Tree Farm and next to it is the Oak & Black Dog car park, where the gate is. This is actually earlier than 1900 because the thatched cottages had a tiled roof put on them in 1897. I live in them now.
My family farmed at Moor Farm in the centre of the village from approx 1920 to 1984. Cows may have been mooing on a Sunday morning but certainly not because the farmer got up late! I have treasured memories of living in the centre of this warm and dynamic village that was also touched by the hard workers of industrial Coventry. I went to high school in Rugby. A very special place.
This is a picture looking at the first Bakery and Grocer that was started by Thomas and Elizabeth Goddard. Thomas was also the 1st constable for the village. The Goddard’s lived in the village for centuries. The Wilcox family then continued the bakery after Thomas died in 1875. He was my gg granddad. Thank you for sharing a lovely photo.
Hi Scott,
Thanks for the comment, and thanks for the lengthy look back of Stretton’s village life! Did your family pass on any other memories of the bakery by any chance? If so, we’d love to hear them!
Hi Benjamin,
Yes I have more history as my g granddad Samuel Albert Goddard was born in Stretton and worked at the bakery along with my gg grandad Thomas born 1811. Samuel born 1848 wrote his biography in 1925 and I am writing a book and adding his history with mine. I will share when I am finished and I will also add the book to the history center in Stretton. Correction regarding Thomas being the 1st constable. I reviewed my g granddad’s memoirs and there were two more before him by the name of Elijah and John.
I remember Mr Simpson’s farm, If I remember correctly he had two sons, big men as i remember as a small boy. We spent many hours playing in his field called the hillies, a field just above Suttons nurseries. Again I think there was a caravan site in this field that reached up to the top of school lane, this would have been in the early fifties. Am I correct in remembering the Simpsons farm was refered to as “skitches”?
Absolutely fascinating to read these old accounts! It will be fascinating to read your book Scott and will keep an eye out for it. I am trying to find where the Elkingtons lived in Stretton and it’s fascinating to read all the comments and try to visualise my family there.
I lived on the old army camp opposite the Hillies from 1946 till 1952. As a family we had nowhere to live. The council gave a house in Wolston in 52, many happy childhood memories come back. By the way cannot find no entry in World War 2 list of bases but it did exist, can assure you.
As a youngster in the 50s I lived in Burnthurst Lane and attended school in Stretton . I wonder if anyone living there now remembers me.
I have just remembered the headmasters name was Mr Austin, and one of the teachers was Miss Thorpe.
Dear Jill, I’m sorry I missed your comment some years ago. The earliest map of the village we have (1763) shows an ‘Elkinton’ living near the centre of the village (probably where the shop is now). Get in touch via our History Society website and I can probably help locate some later Elkingtons too.
I lived in Princethorpe and attended the old Stretton C of E junior school. Headmaster Mr Austen with other teachers Mrs Thorpe, Mr Maude, Mrs Mills, Mrs Sensicle… Mrs Lomas who taught needlework. Mr Austen retired and his successor was Tom Gullick who lived in the old school house next to the school. I remember a good friend at school was Roger Whittle, known as Jet – nephew of the famous Sir Frank Whittle who lived in Rugby Lane and indeed many others. I was a member of the choir and Sunday school at All Saints when the vicar was the Rev Squires. I played football for Stretton Athletic and they used the Oak and Black Dog before a new pavilion was built and Ron Healey was the Manager. I still have photos taken in the 60s so if they are of use let me know! I stiil have friends who live in the village and whenever I visit it brings back many happy memories
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