A Dark History of Coventry

Coventry has been a major city in England since the Middle Ages. As the city grew, deprivation, crime and its punishment were ever present alongside prosperity. The increasing population attracted by Coventry’s successful industries – ribbon weaving and clock making, then later bicycle and motor manufacturing – was also prey to gangs, violence, robbery and murder. Punishment was severe, whether through imprisonment in the city dungeons and later Bridewell and gaol or execution. Deprivation for many continued through the Industrial Revolution and beyond, and during the Blitz in the Second World War Coventry suffered unparalleled destruction. In A Dark History of Coventry author David McGrory delves into the often lesser-known but darker stories from Coventry’s past. This fascinating insight into Coventry will be of interest to all those who want to know more about the city’s remarkable history.