The city of Coventry has a rich and varied history. It has been one of
the most important cities in England since the Middle Ages, when it
first grew rich on the cloth trade and silk spinning. In the industrial
age, Coventry became known for watchmaking and the skilled workforce
later made the city a centre for bicycle, car and aircraft
manufacturing. It was targeted for aerial bombardment in the Second
World War and in a massive air raid on 14 November 1940 much of the
historical centre of the city was destroyed as well as a large swathe of
its housing and industrial buildings. The city was rebuilt after the war
and its regeneration today has been recognised by the award of UK City
of Culture 2021. Celebrating Coventry chronicles the proud heritage of
Coventry, its important moments and what draws so many to this diverse
city today. Its architectural heritage includes Sir Basil Spence's new
St Michael's Cathedral, built in the ruins of the old cathedral,
medieval buildings that survived the Blitz, and Spon Street, where many
of Coventry's historical buildings have been relocated. Many famous
names in industry have made Coventry their home, including a roll call
of the British motor industry - Alvis, Armstrong Siddeley, BSA, Jaguar,
Humber, Hillman, Lanchester, Riley, Rover, Singer, Standard and
Triumph - as well as Courtaulds in the textile industry, Massey-Ferguson
tractors, and Armstrong-Whitworth aircraft manufacturers. Culture and
the arts have always played an important role in the city, from the
medieval Coventry Carol to the Two Tone music phenomenon, and famous
names associated with Coventry include not just Lady Godiva but George
Eliot and Joseph Paxton. Illustrated throughout, this fascinating book
offers a marvellous and refreshingly positive insight into Coventry's
rich heritage, its special events and important moments. Celebrating
Coventry will be a valuable contribution to the history of the city and
provides a source of many memories to those who have known it well.
