History of a City: Coventry

Page 6 of 7

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Opening themes
• 3. The Industrial Revolution
• 4. Urban growth and industry
• 5. Redevelopment in the 20th century
• 6. Where to go next
• 7. The disappearing past
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Where to go next

Although there is no such thing as a typical British town or city, many aspects of Coventry's history are mirrored in other urban centres: its medieval origins; its expansion as an industrial centre in the 19th and 20th centuries; and its redevelopment since the war, with traditional industries giving way to new technology-based industries and retail complexes.

For anyone interested in looking at their town or city, it is these themes that may provide a way into urban history - perhaps the history of the suburb in which you live, an industry associated with your family or the town's social infrastructure, such as its schools or hospitals.

'... there are a vast array of documentary sources to look at ...'

In addition to the physical record, there are a vast array of documentary sources to look at: school log-books, medieval court records, monastic records, probate records (wills), company accounts, Ordnance Survey maps, deposited plans, diaries and antiquarian papers, as well as the records produced by central and local government.

As with any research, rather than just plunging in, read what other historians have said about your topic and get some sense of the things to look at and the sources to use. Most modern histories of towns and cities, such as those produced by the Victoria County History, will have a detailed list of the sources used and where they can be found.

You will have to visit a number of different places to search for sources, although your first port of call is likely to be the local city or county record office.

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Published: 2005-03-07