Coventry in 1957– Still Change, Change, Change…(and the aftermath of Suez… not unlike 2026!)
(From Alfred Herbert News Vol 31 No 3 September – October 1957)
Historian and CovSoc Committee member, David Fry, has been studying past editions of the Alfred Herbert Newsletter. These Newsletters are much more than just a works magazine and some articles give an invaluable insight into the thinking in the city at the time they were written. The article below is extracted from a 1957 edition, looking back at that current year of activity in the busy post-war city, and is written in the idiosyncratic style of an Alfred Herbert’s employee.(captions are as originally written).
1957 saw a number of recognisable elements of the current city centre come into being.
THE year 1956 turned over a messy—and ironic—leaf into 1957. Messy because the beautiful crisp white Christmas had turned into the more usual dirty, dull drizzle; ironic because it found President Eisenhower, who had condemned the Anglo-French protective sortie into Egypt, now seeking power from Congress to use armed force in the Middle East should he consider it necessary.
Neither did the coming of the New Year seem to herald any brightening of the city’s industrial outlook for early January brought yet more dismissals and more short time work.
On the 9th the country was sorry, but not surprised, to hear that Sir Anthony Eden had, due to ill-health, resigned his position as Prime Minister, although it certainly was something of a surprise to learn, two days later, that he had also resigned his position as Member of Parliament.
As a consequence the Queen appointed Mr. H. Macmillan as the new Prime Minister.
And still the industrial barometer fell and by January 24th 4,400 people were out of work and 57,000 on short time in Coventry.
Again came the note of irony.
While everyone was doing their utmost to arrest the decline of employment in Coventry, 1,600 day workers and 300 night workers at Briggs Bodies went on strike with the further result that on the following day 1,200 had to be suspended from Ford’s.
By January 30th the result of the strike had reached Coventry and as a consequence 150 people were put on short time at Carbodies.
On the same day came the news that 900 bodymakers had gone on strike at Fisher and Ludlow’s, Birmingham, while 2,100 miners in South Wales had also gone on strike.
By the 31st, as a direct result of the Briggs strike, 21,000 workers were idle at the Ford plant.
The industrial barometer was indeed falling sharply.
February 2nd was a historic day for one of Coventry’s oldest firms for it was on that date that George Newark and Son Ltd. left their premises in New Buildings, which they had occupied for the past 150 years, for more modern and commodious works and offices at Canley.
Another old landmark had vanished from the centre of the City.
Then came a little brighter news for on the 4th the Briggs strikers returned, while on the 7th the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the Bank Rate was to be cut from 5.5% to 5% thus easing slightly the credit squeeze.
Not that this news was, at the moment, of particular importance to the city’s rock ‘n roll fans for whom a heavenly portent was drawing near, no less than a visit to the Gaumont Cinema of Bill Haley and His Comets, who met with a wonderful ovation.
Two days later, on February 12th, a shocking disaster befell Coventry.
At 5.46 p.m. just as the last employees were leaving the Jaguar Car factory in Brown’s Lane, the fire alarm was given. Almost within minutes, parts of the factory were an inferno of flames and despite the efforts of the Jaguar Fire Brigade, and Coventry, Birmingham, and Warwickshire Brigades, a third of the factory was gutted and half of it put out of action.
All through the night the fire raged, a furnace that could be seen for miles around, and while firemen fought to control the flames, day workers who had not left and night workers as they arrived toiled in the blinding heat, falling debris and torrents of water to rescue what they could.
When day dawned, the service and despatch departments, the woodmill and the tyre and chassis stores were in complete ruins and everywhere wherever space could be found were cars which had been rescued from the flames, many of them badly damaged.
As a result of this fire which caused damage estimated at several million pounds, 3,500 of the 4,000 workpeople were thrown out of work, but with commendable promptitude Sir William Lyons, the energetic chairman and managing director, together with his executive staff, at once started the task of reorganisation with the result that on the following Monday, only five days after the fire, production, although on a limited scale, had begun once more.
On February 13th it was announced that the Cathedral Council had commissioned Sir Jacob Epstein to design and make a 25 feet high figure depicting Saint Michael in conflict with the Devil which would be placed on the wall at the side of the steps leading down to Priory Street.
On the 22nd the question of unemployment in Coventry was brought to the notice of the House of Commons—and three days later 200 miners went on strike at Binley Colliery.
And then bad news of another sort came from the Coventry Finance Committee to the effect that rates were to be raised by 3/2d. to 19/6d. in the £, possibly to offset the debt, announced a few days later, of £217,827 that the Council had incurred through overspending.
On March 4th the strike at Binley Colliery, which had by this time affected 1,000 men, spread to Coventry Colliery where another 700 came out in sympathy.
At the same time, the Jaguar announced with very pardonable pride that the whole of their 4,000 employees were back at work again.
This was followed by the also pleasing news that several other car firms were resuming full production.
It seemed strange that while the car industry was doing its best to get back into its full working stride, the miners were doing their best to do the opposite, for on March 6th 5,000 miners at Arley, Griff, and Newdigate Collieries also came out on strike.
As to the rights or wrongs of their case it was, as always, a matter of opinion, but opinion undoubtedly veered sharply against them when a spokesman of the National Union of Mineworkers unequivocally called it anarchy.
This, however, did not prevent the Haunchwood and Ansley Hall Collieries from joining the strike, making a total of 7,800 miners idle.
Again, the by now somewhat wearisome question of Coventry Railway Station was brought up.
For years the Station, totally inadequate for the needs of the city it attempted to serve had been the target of great criticism, and oft repeated had been the assertions that “something would be done about it”.
At last, however, it did seem that things were moving in the right direction for on March 7th Lord Rusholme, Chairman of the British Railways, London Midland Region, visited Coventry with some of his chief colleagues to inspect the Station. After some very disparaging remarks about its inadequacy he said “We hope to provide a Station at Coventry which will be equal in every respect to the new Coventry now being built”. He envisaged new platforms, a new parcels depot and a modern car park which would cost in the region of one million pounds and be completed within four or five years.
On the 9th the men at the Griff, Haunch-wood and Ansley collieries decided, after hearing the true facts of the case, to return to work and three days later Binley and Coventry followed suit. As a result of this stoppage 56,000 tons of badly needed coal was lost.
And then came an ominous threat that overshadowed the whole of the nation’s industry.
Both the engineers and the shipyard workers had advanced claims for a 10% wage increase which had been rejected by the employers.
As a result, the 200,000 strong shipyard union had decided on strike action on March 16th and, on behalf of the engineers, a trades union chief had declared that there was a “threat of a major conflict in the engineering industry”.
Three days later it was announced that the engineers would go on strike on March 23rd.
The thoughts of those who were old enough to remember turned to 1926. . . .
On the 16th shipyards throughout the country came to a complete standstill for the men were solidly behind the unions. This was no empty threat.
On the 20th the engineering unions said that the engineers would progressively be brought out on strike in areas at a time. This, it was thought, was an effort to help the Coventry engineers who had suffered in the recent slump for, by bringing them out last they would at least have a chance to make up a little of the leeway that unemployment and short time had enforced on them.
Then came yet a new threat for the 370,000 strong National Union of Railway-men which had also demanded a pay increase rejected outright the employers offer of 3%.
By March 22nd the railway dispute was settled but the engineers’ strike had begun and 1,000,000 men had been withdrawn from work in many of the major aircraft, electrical and general engineering industries.
The second stage of the strike started on March 30th when 500,000 men were called out in the London area. It was also announced that on the following week-end Coventry and district would be called out.
Fortunately, on April 2nd it was decided to call off both strikes on the 4th pending an investigation of the workers’ demands. Thus was Coventry spared the ordeal of the strike and with a sigh of thankfulness once more tried to cast aside the clouds of gloom that had dogged it since the beginning of the year.
On April 12th it was learned that Sir Anthony Eden who, seriously ill, had been flown to America, had been operated on in Boston.
By now some of the adverse effects of the Suez venture were lightening. Bus fares which had gone up at that time were reduced, while unemployment in the city had improved to such an extent that it was stated that it had been halved and was still going down.
Meanwhile two church dignitaries were making two very different sorts of statement.
Dr. Cuthbert Bardsley, the Bishop of Coventry, speaking of the new cathedral said that it would not only be the city’s greatest glory but also one of the world’s places of pilgrimage.
How very different was the utterance of the newly released Archbishop Makarios who, speaking in Athens said “We want self-determination and we shall fight for it”.
On April 18th work was commenced on the foundations of the new circular retail market. This would cost £365,000 and would be finished late in 1958.
Work was likewise proceeding apace with the building of the new Council Offices facing the Council House which, now that the railings had been removed, could be seen by the public.
And yet more building, for on May 1st the preliminary work was commenced on the new premises for the Coventry Evening Telegraph whose original offices and works in Hertford Street had been destroyed by bombing.
The following day saw the results of the Court of Inquiry into the engineering strike published. The Court recommended an increase of 8/6d. a week unconditionally or ll/6d. a week with conditions and a 12 month wage-standstill agreement.
The next move was with the trades unions —would it be war or peace?
And then came a rather poignant moment in the building of the magnificent new Precinct for on May 4th the last shop in Smithford Street, Marlowes the furniture dealers, closed its doors and was given over to the demolition squad.
Smithford Street, one of Coventry’s most ancient—and certainly most well known— street which, as “Smythes ford” had been there in the 12th century was no more.