Riley mural, Riley Square, Bell Green

Image: © A J Paxton Taken: 12 Sep 2022

A pair of brightly-coloured murals enlivens the gloomy entrance to the Riley Square shopping precinct from Henley Road. They are painted on the walls of Joseph Latham House, the block of flats which straddles the entrance. This photo shows half of the mural on the northwest side. Riley Square is named after William or Billy Riley, the local boy who gave his name to Riley Motors and its cars. His son Percy built his first car in 1898 at the age of 16, working in secret because his father, a bicycle manufacturer, did not approve. It was not until 1907 that Percy and his brothers convinced their father to switch from making bicycles and motorcycles to automobiles. The company was bought by Morris Motors in 1938. See Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riley_Motor and Graces Guide https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Riley . In the background can be seen other scenes of Bell Green life. The pub is the Rose & Crown, which still stands at the top of Aldermans Green Road, although it was rebuilt in the 1950s. To the right, a double-decker tram with an advertisement for Lifebuoy soap descends Bell Green Road towards Coventry city centre. The other half of the mural can be seen here Image

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