IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Earlsdon Avenue South, COVENTRY, CV5 6QE

The drinking fountain on Earlsdon Avenue South has been restored in 2015 complete with water supply. The water from the taps drains via the upper bowls down to a reservoir in the base available to passing dogs, cats and what have you. In 2008: Image] As can be seen from a comparison of the two photos it has been turned through 90 degrees and is slightly further away from the road. According to the Historic England listing the fountain is one (and the only operational) of two surviving drinking fountains of this type manufactured by George Smith & Co. at the Sun Foundry, Glasgow. It was originally erected in 1870 outside Image] in the city centre (visible in a Francis Frith postcard of c. 1884, when it appears to have been surmounted by a lamp) and later moved to this location in 1921 after the opening of the nearby Memorial Park. It was reputedly in operation until the 1970s although I can't recall it working in the 1960s. The other fountain can be seen here: Image] (2008) and a closer view (repainted) in 2017: Image] Another very similar casting: Image] and two others with similar bases: Image] (Faversham, 2014) and Image] (2005) External links : Original location (Frith): https://www.francisfrith.com/coventry/coventry-church-of-st-john-the-baptist-c1884_17127 Historic England listing: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1443610

There is currently a fund raising effort in progress to get this drinking fountain restored.

Looking across Earlsdon Avenue as it leaves Stivichall Common. For close ups of the drinking fountain on the right, see Image and Image

There are several of these "Eeyore's house" constructions scattered around the woodland.

19th Century drinking fountain situated on Earlsdon Avenue as it leaves Stivichall Common. Manufactured by George Smith & Sons of Glasgow in the 1860s, it was originally sited outside St John the Baptist's Church in central Coventry, moving here in 1921 after the opening of nearby War Memorial Park. Grade II listed - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1443610. For a wider view, see Image

19th Century drinking fountain situated on Earlsdon Avenue as it leaves Stivichall Common. Manufactured by George Smith & Sons of Glasgow in the 1860s, it was originally sited outside St John the Baptist's Church in central Coventry, moving here in 1921 after the opening of nearby War Memorial Park. Grade II listed - see www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1443610. For a wider view, see Image

The most likely purpose I can suggest for the pole in the foreground was as a sewer vent pipe. These were installed in Victorian times to vent gases that might build up in the sewers below. The large semi-detached and detached houses lining this road were constructed in the early 1900s and the 1920s with a few later 20th century additions. The pole is unlikely to be a lamp standard being of a much larger size than the short lantern-topped poles seen in old photographs of Earlsdon, nor is it anything to do with tram-line infrastructure as no tram routes ran along this road. Detail of the base of the pipe: Image]

The base of what I think is a sewer vent pipe. Context: Image]