"We Saved It"

Starley Road Mural

I have included more detail about the story 

behind this mural (further down the page).

(Below) are some of the late Victorian houses that

line Starley Road close to Coventry City Centre.

The road was named after James Starley,

father of the bicycle industry.

The story goes something like this:  

The bombs that fell on Coventry during the Blitz

in WW2 missed Starley Road leaving this road in tact.

In 1970s the Council came up with an unpopular plan 

to demolish this inner-city terraced street

and replace it with a tower block. 

The local residents had other ideas.  

A mural was painted (not the one you see here)

on this end terraced house.  It was a picture of a tower block

 with an X through it and the words 'Starley Road - Save It'.

By September, 1978, the residents did just that.  

They formed the City's first ever housing cooperative

and replaced the mural with the one shown here today.

Below is the full size mural declaring

'We Saved It'.

There is a small children's park next to this building.

Participating in Monday Mural