Castle, 24 Bond Street
| These premises have been known by different names during their history: | FROM | TO | NAME |
| 1849 | 1863 | CASTLE | |
| 1863 | 1868 | GODIVA | |
| 1863 | ? | FIRE ENGINE | |
| Bond Street was built in 1845-50, yet in 1862 and 1863 the Castle is referred to as an 'old public house'. Was it older than the rest of the street? Our first record is in 1849. It does not appear to have thrived, as it was To Let in 1855, 1856, 1862, and as the FIRE ENGINE was for auction in 1863. The Coventry Standard of 6th February 1863 carried an advertisement for 'all that substantially built property in Bond Street, consisting of the licensed public house lately known as the Castle, and now the Fire Engine, very conveniently arranged. To be auctioned.' .
In 1861 the landlord, George Cooper, was an insolvent debtor and in the same year Mr Dykes was said to be at the Castle. They both appear in the 1861 census at 21 Bond Street, which is divided into four properties. No 2, 21 Bond Street, was occupied by Samuel Dyke, 26, an engine turner, whilst No3, 21 Bond Street, was occupied by George Cooper, 34, a silk weaver. There is no mention of a public house.
In 1863 there is a reference to the Castle, now called the FIRE ENGINE but in May the same year it is the GODIVA. By 1874 the pub had gone. This has been a common pub name for centuries. It is tempting to connect it with the phrase "an Englishman's home is his castle", a phrase which has been in use since the seventeenth century, but it is more likely to refer to: a. Coventry Castle. b. The castle in Coventry's Coat of Arms. c. A simple visual sign, easy to illustrate, and easy for patrons to recognise. | |||
LICENSEES:1850 - 1851 Benjamin Shepperd 1851 Charles Rawlins 1853 - 1854 Joseph Butler 1854 - 1855 C. Lockington 1858 Thomas Elton 1861 George Cooper 1861 Mr Dykes | |||
 Street plan of 1851 | |||
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Google map location (Due to the scaling on old maps, the pin location might not be 100% accurate.) | |||