Upcoming Events

April 2024

Thursday 11/04

19:30 – 21:30
CovSoc AGM

Monday 15/04

19:00 – 21:00
Coventry Society Committee Meeting
Recurs monthly

May 2024

Thursday 09/05

19:30 – 21:30
CovSoc Meeting
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Monday 20/05

19:00 – 21:00
Coventry Society Committee Meeting
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June 2024

Friday 14/06

All Day
CovSoc Visit to Pershore

Saturday 15/06

All Day
Civic Day

Monday 17/06

19:00 – 21:00
Coventry Society Committee Meeting
Recurs monthly

July 2024

Monday 15/07

19:00 – 21:00
Coventry Society Committee Meeting
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Thursday 18/07

14:00 – 16:00
CovSoc Visit to Maxstoke Castle tbc

August 2024

Thursday 08/08

14:00 – 16:00
CovSoc Visit to Sherbourne Valley Project

Monday 19/08

19:00 – 21:00
Coventry Society Committee Meeting
Recurs monthly

September 2024

Wednesday 18/09

19:30 – 21:30
CovSoc Meeting

Monday 23/09

19:00 – 21:00
Coventry Society Committee Meeting

October 2024

Wednesday 09/10

19:30 – 21:30
CovSoc Meeting
Recurs monthly

Monday 14/10

19:00 – 21:00
Coventry Society Committee Meeting

Saturday 19/10

All Day
Heritage Conference

November 2024

Wednesday 06/11Friday 08/11

Feister gathering

Wednesday 13/11

19:30 – 21:30
CovSoc Meeting
Recurs monthly

Monday 18/11

19:00 – 21:00
Coventry Society Committee Meeting
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December 2024

Wednesday 11/12

19:30 – 21:30
CovSoc Meeting
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Monday 16/12

19:00 – 21:00
Coventry Society Committee Meeting
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January 2025

Wednesday 08/01

19:30 – 21:30
CovSoc Meeting
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Monday 20/01

19:00 – 21:00
Coventry Society Committee Meeting
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February 2025

Wednesday 12/02

19:30 – 21:30
CovSoc Meeting
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Monday 17/02

19:00 – 21:00
Coventry Society Committee Meeting
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March 2025

Wednesday 12/03

19:30 – 21:30
CovSoc Meeting
Recurs monthly

Monday 17/03

19:00 – 21:00
Coventry Society Committee Meeting
Recurs monthly

Coventry Coat of Arms by John Poole

John Poole - Coat of Arms

On the end wall of the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, facing the shops in Earl Street, is a carved crest of the Coat of Arms of Coventry City Council. The coat of arms was updated after the war with a Phoenix and the Eagle of Leofric added to the design. It was sculpted by Anthony John Poole, better known as John Poole.

John Poole was born in Handsworth, Birmingham in 1926. A gifted artist he gained a place at Moseley Road Junior School of Art at the age of 12. At 17 he worked in the studio of William Bloye learning letter carving. At 18 he joined the Coldstream Guards & the Parachute Regiment. After the war he did many different works of art in and around the West Midlands.

His first major commission was the monumental statue of ‘The Sower’ for the Cannock Library, in 1957. This caused a bit of a stir; it was felt that a coal miner should be the subject for the statue not a nude boy casting seeds, (sowing the seeds of knowledge).

Sculpture by John Poole at Cannock Library

There are thirty of his major commissions in and around Birmingham, the most notable being “The Rotunda Relief” at Lloyds Bank (1963). This is a 1,500-square-foot (140 m2) ciment fondu mural for the Lloyds Banking Hall in the newly built Rotunda in Birmingham, which was subsequently Grade II listed by English Heritage.

Poole sculpture at the Rotunda in Birmingham

In 1969 he won the Otto Beit medal for Sculpture for his “Risen Christ” at St. Dunstan’s Church, King’s Heath.

Risen Christ at St. Dunstan's Church, King's Heath

He also did work for the Cadbury family and the St. Francis of Assisi Church, Bornville Village. Because his work was so varied he could do most things asked of him and he did not mind doing coats of arms and just plain lettering.

Poole sculptures for Bourneville

One such work of art is the memorial to Sir Basil Spence on the wall just opposite the entrance to the new Coventry Cathedral. Other works by Poole at the Cathedral include the Hutton memorial and the ‘Home Front Memorial’.

Memorial to Basil Spence, Coventry Cathedral

Hutton plaque at Coventry Cathedral

Poole home front memorial

John Poole died in September 2009. 

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