Coventry at Work (People and Industries Through the Years)

Coventry has been a major center of trade and industry since the Middle Ages. Mediaeval Coventry was known for making tiles, cloth, buckles, statues and stained glass. Other textile industries followed, the dyeing of cloth with the famous Coventry true blue and silk-weaving. Much later, in the twentieth century, Coventry became a pioneer of synthetic fiber manufacturing. Clock-making grew from the 16th century, and later watch-making – Dickens carried his Coventry watch until he died – and in the 19th century Coventry also became known for bike manufacture. This also led to Coventry becoming the hub of car manufacturing in the twentieth century. It was Coventry’s expertise in this area, as well as aircraft, military vehicles and armaments that led it to being targeted by enemy bombing in the Second World War. Coventry at Work explores the working life of this city in the East Midlands and its people and the industries that have characterized it through the ages. The book will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of Coventry.