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Holmsdale Road, COVENTRY, CV6 5JP

The building stands at the corner of Foleshill Road and Holmsdale Road. It was built around 1931 to a design by W A Johnson, an in-house architect of the CWS (Co-operative Wholesale Society). Two storeys were intended originally, but it was built with three, which has evidently led to some cost-saving skimping on the details on the top floor https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MCT718&resourceID=1029 , but the parapet has attractive art deco flourishes nonetheless. The building was empty for some years and until fairly recently still bore a Co-operative Emporium sign on its Foleshill Road facade. Opus Foods moved in around 2011. Heart of England Co-op maintained a supermarket nearby until 2006, when competition from the Tesco hypermarket at the Arena site proved too much; the Co-op store continues to trade as a funeral director.

Sri Guru Ravidass Temple, on Foleshill Road: http://www.ravidassji.org.uk/about.htm

This is a temple of the Ravidassia community and is dedicated to Shri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj, a holy man and social reformer, who challenged the caste divisions of Indian society and taught a religious path available to all; see Image] . The temple opened in a converted industrial building in 1996, as explained on its website here http://www.ravidassji.org.uk/about.htm . The adjoining building, to the left of this photo, is still used by an aerospace engineering company.

Harminder the cycle-powered mechanical elephant all but stole the show at the 2021 Diwali procession in Coventry. She can be seen here passing the Ravidassia Temple on Foleshill Road (for a view of the temple by day see here Image). Harminder was commissioned by the Indian Hindu Welfare Organisation (IHWO) of Northampton for Diwali in 2014 and was funded by Arts Council England; see her webpage here https://www.festiveroad.org/portfolio-view/harminder-the-elephant/ . In the howdah on Harminder's back can be seen her female pilot, perhaps one should say mahout, who is pedalling and steering the elephant, while behind her stands another woman playing the role of Sita, returning triumphant, freed from captivity to the demon king Ravana. An elephant is a suitable mount for an Indian princess. A cycle-powered elephant is also a very appropriate creature for Coventry; an elephant appears on the city coat of arms and it is represented in many places around the city, see for example here Image The bicycle and its Coventry pioneer James Starley Image have been featured prominently in the 2021 UK City of Culture events in the city, of which the Diwali procession, named 'Abundance', was one; see for example here Image

The temple occupies a former warehouse on Foleshill Road, adjoining an engineering factory, but is seen here from a pocket park on Livingstone Road, looking onto its side elevation. Shops on Foleshill Road, including the Chaiiwala teahouse, can be seen in the distance. The city council website describes it as a 'multicultural temple' of the 'Sikh-Ravidassia' faith, that offers 'Solemnisation of marriages, auspicious, inauspicious gatherings, punjabi classes, NHS classes for people living with long term conditions. Interpretation of the Guru Granth Sahib. Learning of tabla.' https://www.coventry.gov.uk/directory_record/15183/shree_guru_ravidass_temple Members revere the 15th century poet and contemplative Shri Guru Ravidass Ji, who was a chamar or leather-worker and therefore outside the Hindu caste system and 'untouchable'. He nevertheless developed a wide following and influenced the Sikhs, whose first guru, Nanak, he is believed to have met. The Wikipedia article on Ravidas(s) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravidas includes, besides an account of his life, a photo of the front elevation of the Foleshill temple and a description of the complex relationship of Ravidas' followers with the Sikhs, which has led to the two traditions parting company in the early 21st century. The website of the temple itself can be found here http://www.ravidassji.org.uk/index.htm .

The front of Shri Guru Ravidass Gurdwara is on Foleshill Road.

She has opened her business in a front room of the otherwise empty pub, having moved there from smaller premises further up Foleshill Road. Her striped Barber Shop sign can be seen above the windows of her salon. The building is a prominent local landmark in Foleshill and dates from around 1900, though there has been a public house here since the 18th century. The General Wolfe pub closed in 2011; see Image

This building is a former public house standing at 551 Foleshill Road, at the corner with Station Road West. There has been a pub here since at least 1793. The present structure dates from around 1900 and exhibits an ornate Renaissance style executed in red brick and terracotta. It resembles Birmingham pubs more than Coventry ones, particularly those of James & Lister Lea, who may have designed it, though the architect is unknown. See the Heritage Gateway site, which quotes the City of Coventry Local List of Buildings and another City Council publication, A Survey of Public Art in Coventry, 1980, p.22 https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MCT317&resourceID=1029 . General Wolfe defeated the French at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham outside Quebec City in 1759, which proved decisive in winning Canada for Britain. Both he and the French commander Montcalm died of wounds received in the fighting. The pub was known as a rock and roll venue. It closed in 2011 and the building has since been used as a restaurant. See also the Historic Coventry site of Rob Orland https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/cph/main/pub.php?pg=general_wolfe . At the time of writing and photographing the building was disused.

Parish church on Foleshill Road: http://www.achurchnearyou.com/coventry-foleshill-st-paul-church/