Stoke Local History Group

toke Local History Group was founded by John Marshall in the summer of 2018, following the local community's restoration of the Joseph Levi Clock at Stoke Green two years earlier, which had heightened awareness of local history.
The group meets regularly at Stoke Library during the winter and holds outdoor events in the summer. Group activities focus not just on Stoke but also on the wider local history of Coventry. A monthly newsletter or journal, now known as Jabet's Ash, was created in September 2020.

Monthly meetings and newsletters

The newsletters are far more than simple "what's on" publications but contain in-depth local history articles and much more besides.

The year of publication can be selected below - then click the month, which will open a PDF file in a new browser tab, or in your own PDF programme, depending on your computer's settings.

2024

Read newsletters:	Newsletter contents:	Meetings / outings: (10:30am at Stoke Library unless otherwise stated)
January	Remarkable story behind the historic Litten Tree Building in Bull Yard -- Looking back: moments from 2023 -- Coventry Chief Constable during First World War was former England goalkeeper -- Waterworks House to have new role as children's home
February	Discovering Westwood Heath - historic former hamlet of the Stoneleigh estate -- Chief Constable Charsley - 'an impressive figure when leading civic processions on horseback' -- A Bishop's Palace, a graveyard, and now a George Wagstaffe sculpture -- Phoenix Tree - symbol of rebirth and reconstruction	Fri 2nd Feb The fascinating story of the Litten Tree Building will be told by Mark Cook, with a slide-show presentation.
March	Celebrating the Elephants of Coventry -- Coventry Boy statue - a symbol of civic pride -- Stoke's National School - then and now -- From the Caribbean to Coventry, via the Barbican estate	Fri 1st Mar A talk and slide-show with Jill Kashi and Sue Podmore of the Westwood Heath History Group.
April	Group visit to St John the Baptist Church -- Demolition crew tears down disused Harefield Road building -- How Wyken House gave way to the Forum and Poets' Corner -- Rover Showrooms, Three Tuns and Hertford Street: a photo retrospective	Fri 5th Apr Scott Duffin and Adam Wood talk about their new book 'Elephants of Coventry'.
May	Get set to enter the world of a 16th century weaver: our visit to the Weaver's House -- St John the Baptist Church - a magnificent building in the heart of the city -- In search of the past - a stroll through the burial grounds of Stoke Church -- Sacred Heart Church and School reaches 100 years	Fri 10th May Group visit to the historic church of St John the Baptist in Fleet Street.
June	Tomb Tales - an exploration of Coventry's 19th century weaving trade -- Drinking fountain with a story to tell -- Centenary celebrations for Catholic school and church	Tue 11th Jun Group visit to the Weaver's House, Spon Street. Tour begins at 11am.
July	12,000 people visit Herbert Gallery for 'Collecting Coventry' exhibition -- Empire venue in Far Gosford Street sold -- Bull Yard - then and now -- Weaver's House open days
August	So much to see during Coventry's Heritage Open Days! -- Open Afternoon for Kingsfield Orchard in Stoke -- Two more 'Tomb Tales' events at Paxton's London Road Cemetery -- Looking back to 1950s Trinity Street
September	Joseph Wingrave: pioneer of the earliest Victorian photographs of Coventry -- A glance back at the last year -- Coventry Police Museum showcases stories from city's past -- Further advance for Gosford loopline walkway -- Kingsfield Orchard celebrates Heritage Open Days	Sun 15th Sep Kingsfield Orchard, close to Gosford Green, will open for one afternoon during Heritage Open Days, between 2 and 4pm.
October	Coventry's Victorian Murder Mile -- Before and after: the slope up to Ball Hill -- Highfield Road stadium remembered - 125 years after the first match	Fri 4th Oct David Fry talks about Joseph Wingrave - Coventry's pioneer Victorian photographer.
November	The Life and Times of Joseph Paxton -- Celebrating 150 years of rugby football in Coventry -- Blitz deaths remembered at city cemetery -- Whatever happened to Stoke's chapel on the hill?	Fri 8th Nov True crime writer Adam Wood takes us on a gripping journey along Coventry's Victorian Murder Mile.
December	Aerial photograph adds weight to Stoke Chapel claim -- Pub to be sold in historic Bull's Head Lane -- Litten Tree Building set to close	Fri 6th Dec Peter Walters talks about 'The Life and Times of Joseph Paxton'.

Read newsletters:

Newsletter contents:

Meetings / outings:

(10:30am at Stoke Library unless otherwise stated)

January

Remarkable story behind the historic Litten Tree Building in Bull Yard -- Looking back: moments from 2023 -- Coventry Chief Constable during First World War was former England goalkeeper -- Waterworks House to have new role as children's home

February

Discovering Westwood Heath - historic former hamlet of the Stoneleigh estate -- Chief Constable Charsley - 'an impressive figure when leading civic processions on horseback' -- A Bishop's Palace, a graveyard, and now a George Wagstaffe sculpture -- Phoenix Tree - symbol of rebirth and reconstruction

Fri 2nd Feb The fascinating story of the Litten Tree Building will be told by Mark Cook, with a slide-show presentation.

March

Celebrating the Elephants of Coventry -- Coventry Boy statue - a symbol of civic pride -- Stoke's National School - then and now -- From the Caribbean to Coventry, via the Barbican estate

Fri 1st Mar A talk and slide-show with Jill Kashi and Sue Podmore of the Westwood Heath History Group.

April

Group visit to St John the Baptist Church -- Demolition crew tears down disused Harefield Road building -- How Wyken House gave way to the Forum and Poets' Corner -- Rover Showrooms, Three Tuns and Hertford Street: a photo retrospective

Fri 5th Apr Scott Duffin and Adam Wood talk about their new book 'Elephants of Coventry'.

May

Get set to enter the world of a 16th century weaver: our visit to the Weaver's House -- St John the Baptist Church - a magnificent building in the heart of the city -- In search of the past - a stroll through the burial grounds of Stoke Church -- Sacred Heart Church and School reaches 100 years

Fri 10th May Group visit to the historic church of St John the Baptist in Fleet Street.

June

Tomb Tales - an exploration of Coventry's 19th century weaving trade -- Drinking fountain with a story to tell -- Centenary celebrations for Catholic school and church

Tue 11th Jun Group visit to the Weaver's House, Spon Street. Tour begins at 11am.

July

12,000 people visit Herbert Gallery for 'Collecting Coventry' exhibition -- Empire venue in Far Gosford Street sold -- Bull Yard - then and now -- Weaver's House open days

August

So much to see during Coventry's Heritage Open Days! -- Open Afternoon for Kingsfield Orchard in Stoke -- Two more 'Tomb Tales' events at Paxton's London Road Cemetery -- Looking back to 1950s Trinity Street

September

Joseph Wingrave: pioneer of the earliest Victorian photographs of Coventry -- A glance back at the last year -- Coventry Police Museum showcases stories from city's past -- Further advance for Gosford loopline walkway -- Kingsfield Orchard celebrates Heritage Open Days

Sun 15th Sep Kingsfield Orchard, close to Gosford Green, will open for one afternoon during Heritage Open Days, between 2 and 4pm.

October

Coventry's Victorian Murder Mile -- Before and after: the slope up to Ball Hill -- Highfield Road stadium remembered - 125 years after the first match

Fri 4th Oct David Fry talks about Joseph Wingrave - Coventry's pioneer Victorian photographer.

November

The Life and Times of Joseph Paxton -- Celebrating 150 years of rugby football in Coventry -- Blitz deaths remembered at city cemetery -- Whatever happened to Stoke's chapel on the hill?

Fri 8th Nov True crime writer Adam Wood takes us on a gripping journey along Coventry's Victorian Murder Mile.

December

Aerial photograph adds weight to Stoke Chapel claim -- Pub to be sold in historic Bull's Head Lane -- Litten Tree Building set to close

Fri 6th Dec Peter Walters talks about 'The Life and Times of Joseph Paxton'.