The Definitive Guide to the History of
Pubs and Beerhouses in Coventry

Drinking in an Old English Town

Ring of Bells, 51 Yardley Street

These premises have been known by different names during their history:	FROM	TO	NAME
			RING O' BELLS
Photo courtesy of The Coventry Telegraph. In May 1851 an auction was held at the Ring of Bells, however, on 27th August 1852 a new license was granted to Matthew Mann for the Ring of Bells. So we cannot be sure when the pub opened, but it must have been around these dates. In 1921/22 it advertised 'Prime home-brewed ales a speciality'. It was at about that date that brewing on the premises ceased. In 1926, 1927 and 1929 it advertised 'prime ales and stouts, choice wines and spirits'. On 25th. October 1945 the landlady, Mrs. Amy Davis, was found murdered. No-one was ever convicted of her murder. In 1961 Jimmy Taylor wrote, 'In Yardley Street before the war there were three public houses. Now the Ring O' Bells is the only one remaining, the others having been bombed and on the site the Corporation have built a 10 storey block of flats'. The pub was closed and demolished on 10th August 1970. This is often the name used for a pub where the local bell-ringers meet.
LICENSEES: 1852 Matthew Mann 1861 Joseph Cashmere 1868 T. Swigger 1868 - 1896 James Bamford 1903 - 1905 Mrs. Susannah Bamford 1909 - 1919 Herbert Duggins 1921 - 1927 Mrs. Florence Duggins 1929 Walter Hewitt 1931 - 1940 C. J. Davis to 1945 Amy Davis from 1961 Peter Connelly
OWNERS: 1961 Ansells BREWERS: to 1898 James Bamford 1898 - 1902 Mrs. Susannah Bamford 1902 - 1914 Herbert Duggins 1914 - 1921 Mrs. Florence Duggins
Street plan of 1851
Google map location (Due to the scaling on old maps, the pin location might not be 100% accurate.)