Association Football - 1961

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL 1961

In the school brochure from 1962, under games, it states -

" The school now plays Rugby Football during the winter and spring terms. Association football, although no longer an official school game, is encouraged as an out of school activity"

As you may have seen from the post on Rugby Football - Rugby, introduced by Mr John Cox in 1961, replaced Association Football as the main school sport in that year. The article that follows is from the 1961 school magazine - The Boarder.

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL - by R. Yates Form V

Last season was a very successful one for the first eleven. In most games the team's scores reached double figures, which shows that the team played with greater zest and skill than their opponents.

Undoubtedly, the most enjoyable game of the season was that in which the school played against a team fielded by the Old Boys Association. The school, admirably supported by Mr. Elkins-Green, Mr Chopping and Mr Place, played hard, but the skill of the Old Boys could not be matched and they eventually won by 7 goals to 2.

The school team was captained throughout the season by D. Brown and RE Yates was vice captain. Martin Hawthorn, in goal played excellently and saved the team many goals and, indeed, defeats.

The following boys were awarded football colours :

J F Batts, DR Brown, M Hawthorn, R Smith, P Widdison.

Here, i should like to take the opportunity of thanking Mr Oxendale and Mr Elkins-Green for coaching and organising the team.

COLTS X1

This did not prove such a successful season as we had hoped it might. The chief reason for this would appear to be that the pitch was unfit for play for  long periods particularly in the early part of the term, which meant that the side missed some much-needed practice essential to enable the new players to fit into the team.

However, the colts by no means disgraced themselves, throughout the season. The team was captained by I Elmer, who was one of the few people to have played in the Colts during the previous season.

Rugby Football - A New Game at the School in 1960

The following article was taken from The Boarder No 4 1961.

RUGBY FOOTBALL
(New Game introduced)


For the first time in the school's history the present school year saw the winter sporting activities divided into two major sports - Rugby Football and Association Football. The school has started on a new venture in training for Rugby.

Organisation was in the hands of Mr Thorne and Mr Cox. The new game was received by the majority of the boys with keen interest and many settled down to learn how to play - although the weather seemed determined to prevent all practice matches. however, from those matches which were played star performers began to appear and the various teams started to take shape.

Rugby team c 1966 / 67

The first matches resulted in in our under fifteen side losing heavily, but the under thirteen team reversed the situation and won quite comfortably. The next two matches were arranged for the first X1 and under fourteen teams. They had the doubtful pleasure of playing against King Charles Grammar School on the opponents home ground at Kidderminster. Our first XV showed their total inexperience against players from a school where Rugby is a long standing tradition. They fought well and in the first half managed to keep their opponents score to one try. the second half brought disaster: the King Charles boys dominated the play and our team was unable to recover. the under fourteen team suffered in a similar way.

As the school pitches were unplayable at times which coincided with home matches the teams were unable to play on the home ground. Consequently the school did not have the pleasure of seeing their own teams pitted against other schools and doing battle in their own environment.

D. Hazelewood. Form V

From Coventry Standard 1964 - the Scrum

In this photo Rowsell and Malc Carrol

Photo c 1966

Photo c 1966

Mr Thorne - Lauri Lindsay - Biff center holding the pigskin.

by Mike O'Donoghue c 1977?

Uploaded by Warren Stevens

In this photo: David Wilson, Cardwell, David Harris, Warren Stevens, ? Wheldon, Mr Burcher, Dave Meacham, John Cyfko, Eddie Nelson, Riggs
Inter-house Rugby -Dudley vs Mortimer 1980 - Dudley trounce Mortimer. Warren Stevens in the middle of the shot as a third year playing for the seniors (4th and 5th years). Mr Burcher is the ref!

Dexter Lacey - its Dave Meacham Eddie Nelson Ronnie Ferguson

..............
This is a comment by Dave Irish
" Rugby became an important sport within the school starting in the sixties. Mr Thorne usually organised the matches there being regular games against local teams. These included secondary schools who played rugby and independent boarding schools such as Wrekin College and Tetenhall. Games would either take place on a Wednesday afternoon or Saturday morning. If you wanted to check whether you had been included in the school team it was always displayed on the wooden school notice board opposite the staffroom. The team would be written in pen in rugby formation by Mr Thorne. The particular year team I played for never lost a game apart from when we were pitted against a sixth form side. Having beaten everyone including the mighty Wrekin College (the real Harry Potter boarding school) it was decided to see if we could take on a team two years older than ourselves. Unfortunately we lost the match which still hurts today after all these years, I call for a rematch. Quite a number of us continued playing after we left school, firstly for Earlsdon and then Old Wheatleyans, Bablake old boys. These included such luminaries as Steve spud Taylor, Terry Hudson, Simon Weclawek, Tony Kemp, Alan Bolstridge and Dave Irish. Happy Days. "

Creative Writing from The Boarder issue 4 July 1961

The following pieces of creative writing are taken from The Boarder No 4 July 1961 - the magazine of the City of Coventry Boarding School - kindly submitted to us by Paul Williamson. The magazine was edited by K. Moyle, aided and abetted by M. McAvoy, N. Blackford, and teachers Mr Cox and Colin Partridge (English).

THE BEACH by N.S. Brennan - Upper 11

It was the late summer, 1940, when most of the British Army was stranded along the beaches of Dunkirk.

I said to my wife: "I'm going for a spot of fishing, my dear." 

(Really I had no intention of going fishing). we lived on the banks of a river which flowed into the sea, so naturally we owned a boat. Just as I was going out of the door I heard : 

"Alfred."

"Yes, dear. What do you want?" I replied.

"You've forgotten your wellingtons. They are over there in the corner."

"Oh yes, so I have."

I went back and put on my wellingtons. It wasn't long before i was heading for the open sea and shores of Dunkirk.

I was getting near Dunkirk. I could see the little fishing boats. They looked like taxis waiting to pick up passengers. the men looked like ants along the shores. The sea was quite rough and I was bobbing up and down with the waves. You could see the men rushing towards the boats.

I picked up ten soldiers out of about five thousand. The boats were coming in and they departed. i joined them and set course for England.

It was not long before I had started off from England again. This time, though, I saw some German planes flying overhead. It was not long after I saw an explosion but it must have been at least five miles off the Dunkirk shore. I did not return home till I had been to Dunkirk four times.

When I arrived home I heard the dreaded voice:

"Alfred"

"Yes"

"Where have you been all this time"

"Just for a spot of fishing"

"Well come on in and have some tea"

"All right, dear"

"How many did you catch?"

"About four".

.........................................

F A I R G R O U ND

Engines cough

Generators hum

Crowds collect

In a sweltering throng.

"Come on. Roll up. roll up!"

The thin man cries aloud;

Slowly collecting an interested crowd.

" 'Ave a go. Eight for sixpence - 

Knock the nuts off the fence."

The crowds are coming quickly now,

To see the lean six legged cow,

The fat lady in her tent,

the strong man with the iron bent,

The brave men on the wall of death,

The woman in her pearly dress,

To try their luck on the hoop-la stalls

to listen to the cries and calls....

All are there

For the fun of the fair.

............................

A  S U P E R F C I A L  L A Y E R - Paul Harman Form V

I was walking in a forest thinking how beautiful everything looked. The leaves were out and so was the blossom, yet there was an eeriness about this forest. I plodded on, making the leaves crackle again, when a blackbird flew out of a nearby bush, making a terrific burst of song. While the blackbird sang, warning me to keep away from his nest, the bluebells swayed in the wind like the rippling of the sea.

I was careful where I trod in case it was really wet under foot. I plodded on to see some new baby birds, just learning to fly. What was this creepiness in the forest? The sun shone through the trees as if somebody was shining a mirror towards me. I walked faster to keep out of their way, but where were they?

I started to walk on my toes, but I was not silent, as the mirror still followed me. I stopped; the birds burst into a song. "Cuckoo! Cuckoo!" soon filled the air.

"My first cuckoo this year" I thought.

I sat on a log listening, but the trees were also listening. sometimes they whispered about me. I looked behind, but i could not see the edge of the forest. I was lost, I supposed. I had only meant to come a little way into this mysterious forest.

The log I was sitting on rolled over to reveal a skull. I jumped from my gravestone and started to run. I did not go more than a few feet before I fell headlong into a thorn bush. Somebody had set that trap, I thought. I sat in the forest, terrified and helpless. I struggled and tore my face to shreds. Blood trickling down my face instantly made me think of spiders. A big green spider crawled down my back and made me shudder. i suddenly lurched forward as I felt a hand touch my face, or skull. That tree over there had a whole skelton inside it, which had been put there by some convicts. (You see, this forest is near Pentecost Prison). In the middle of the forest is the execution shed. The gallows are next to that. Perhaps you can imagine the bird in the forest "swinging" to that. The souls in the forest must be very numerous. later i saw a man walk past with no head; he just vanished into the forest.

The cuckoo was still singing, and I was wishing my first cuckoo of the year was dead. I looked down at my feet int he bush, and saw another skull. I stripped off my jacket and started to run again, but a warder caught hold of me from behind a bush.

......................

J U N G L E  N I G H T - C Brennan - form Upper 1V

The tiger's eyes are in the sky,

Venomous bats and insects fly,

The cricket's tongue is now vibrating,

Fearful noises of whining and grating,

The sleeping buffalo hears and grunts,

While the agile leopard for animal hunts.

This is a typical jungle night,

Full of danger, full of fright;

You have a pistol at your side,

But even so you have to hide.

There are snakes with poison fangs;

Up every tree a dark death hangs.

Many a heart breathes free again

When dawn's long fingers on darkness gain.

But others will see the dawn no more

For they lie dead on the jungle floor - 

A pile of bones and scattered flesh.

...............................................

The Boarder - Issue No 4 July 1961 (Magazine of City of Coventry School)

Paul Williamson sent me a copy of  The Boarder - issue 4 July 1961. This was school magazine as edited by K. Moyle with staff M. McAvoy, N. Blackford, and teachers Mr Cox and Colin Partridge.

You can DOWNLOAD this magazine free via Google Docs
HERE -


 https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3jdiuocvMcsZmVhN2M4YzEtZmM4YS00ZDk1LWFlNjctZmI1M2QyMDliM2Rh

If you have a problem downloading this - let us know.

Contents -

Cover
Editorial - Relates to the transitional period between headmasters Mr Morris and Mr Rowland.
Obituary - For headmaster Mr Morris.
Profile - Of new headmaster RV Rowland. / Salvete - New boys.
Article - Twenty One Years a School (1940 - 1961)
Diary - The School Year - 1960 - 1961
Overheard in Upper Two - Jokes
House Masters and House Officials 1960 - 61
House Reports - Blount, Dudley and Mortimer.
Shakespeare Knew the Fifth
Sports Notes - Rugby Football / Association Football / Cricket / Swimming Gala / Cross Country /  Athletics.
GCE And Pre-Tech Results
Creative Writing - The Beach (N. Brennan) / Fairground (Poem) / A Superficial Layer - Paul Harman / Jungle night - poem by C. Brennan.
Prize List
Clubs and Activities - Chess Report / Music Hall / France 1960 / Belgrade Theatre -MacBeth / Youth Hostelling in Peak District / International Youth Service.
Critics Corner - Exhibition on Subtopia / Art and Craft Exhibition / Peak District Survey Exhibition / The Great Bell of Burley / Libraries / The Aeromodelling Club / Literature Club.
Parents Association
Valete - Boys who are leaving / Staff who are leaving.

Sample page

Paul Williamson - School Cross-Country Champion

That Paul Williamson was school Cross-Country champion in the early 60's is legend among those who were there at the time. Paul kindly agreed to send his certificates and some photos which I received today in the post.

I asked Paul about his record breaking successes -
" When I left,  I was the school cross country champion and held all the records, under 13 under 15 and the under 16 and when I come across people of my age group they all remember me for my running,"


I recall Paul was in the fifth form when I started and I seem to remember he was in Blount  -
" Yes, I was in Blount which always won the Cross country cups. I have fond memories of not being beaten by anyone from the school at Cross country. Never carried on after I left school something I do regret but still have had a great time playing and watching sport"


Paul shared a couple of photos with us -

This photo is the start of the One Mile Race with Mr Chopping starting the race.

In the photo from the inside lane - Paul Williamson, Ken Ball, Pete Johnson, Peter Widdison, John Starling, Howard Braithwaite, Graham Spencer, Pete Wills, Trev Dodd, Allie Peebles.

Paul Williamson being presented with 'something' by Mr Chinn - Director of Education. Behind him is Headmaster RV Rowland and I think next to Mr Chinn is sports teacher Gus Roberts (anyone confirm that?)

Says Paul "They used to wheel Mr Chinn out every sports day and he would always come out and with the usual rubbish about the new school being built (the first and only stage would begin in 1965). Every year we heard it about it."

Paul has supplied two of his certificates - 

Paul also supplied a copy of the school magazine The Boarder - No 4 July 1961 which will be posted in another post, but there's further information about Cross Country in it on page 15, shown here - 

The first few days at the City of Coventry Boarding school (a description)

We received this from an ex pupil who wishes to remain anonymous... it provides a good insight into how it felt to be sent to the school at 11..


The first few days….
The night before the big day, we (being me and my parents), are sitting at home making last minute preparations, checking that all the labels are in the clothes before packing them into my “little man” suitcase, because tomorrow it is of to BOARDING SCHOOL. Time for bed now, really can not sleep that much because in the morning have got to get up and go to a school that is miles away from home, new set of boys, new teachers…. I am not sure I want to go. My 11 year old mind is working over time, not knowing what to expect, but as my parents keep telling me … you will get a good education … it will be fun… make a man out of you…. not many boys get the chance you are getting…. and more that I can not remember.

It is now morning and I am dressed in my new school uniform, short grey pants, grey socks, grey shirt with a school tie denoting the “house” I belong to, blue blazer and blue cap, both with newly sewn on school badges. Everyone is silent in the car as we drive to Pool Meadow where I will get the bus to school. We park the car and I see all the other boys dressed like me, but some are in long pants (wonder what that means), the ones in suites must be the teachers.  My dad gives my suitcase to a man that throws it up on to the back of a lorry. OK I am now getting scared, they are telling us to get on the bus, mine is Mortimer… really have changed my mind about this Boarding school thing but my dad and mother are saying their goodbye’s, saying they will see me on visiting day, me I am clinging on to my mother like there is no tomorrow – come to think about it there will not be if I get on that bus. My parents are saying all the right things again …you will get a good education … it will be fun etc. Some how I get from clinging to my mother to a seat on the bus, sitting next to another boy who looks like me, even to the tears running down his face.

An hour or so into the ride I sort of get my mind off the terrible ordeal I am about to face and look round the bus, there are a few boys like me and my traveling partner, young, in short pants with caps, tears down their faces but the majority are not wearing caps and some are in suits… these must be the teachers I saw in Pool Meadows (later to find out they were the senior boys – in their last year). My traveling companion and I try to talk, but I think we are both to scared of what is going on to make much sense of what we are saying. We are now far away from Coventry, in the middle of no mans land when I get to see where I will be spending the next 4 years of my life…. Help !!! It looks like a concentration camp.

We are now unloaded off the bus and sent to our “Houses”. We now have to make our beds…. (With hospital corners - never heard of those thing before) Make a bed !!! My mum always made mine. Plus you had a choice of up or down, never saw bunk beds before.  Not sure how many time I tried until I finally got the bed to the satisfaction of  House Master Thorne. Now remember on laundry day you take the top sheet and make it the bottom sheet put on a new top sheet and pillow case.

The only thing I remember about the rest of the day is the first dining hall experience, waiting outside the dining hall for supper. Being called in, standing at a square table with seven other boys, who seem to get progressively bigger (2 first year, 2 second year, 2 third year and at the head of the table 2 lasts year). Then the teachers filed in and from somewhere I heard “for what we are about to receive may the lord make us truly thankful, Amen. You may be seated. The serving order is Blount Dudley Mortimer”   Then a mad dash for the counter where you get a tray, load it up with rectangular aluminum serving dishes bring it back to the table where the head of the table gets first serving. No elbows on the table the head of the table says…. I soon forget and have a sharp pain on my shins, no elbows on the table I am told again.

No much to remember until shower time. If I am not scared by now I soon will be. Here we are all lined up in our dressing gowns with our towels and our kit at the end of the bunk beds. Marched outside across to the showers (what! This hell hole has no indoor plumbing?) Getting naked (most of us new boys had never done anything like this) and being scared to death. Running through the shower, being told by the house master to go back and have a proper shower. Brushing my teeth, then running back to the dorm. Jumping into bed, just to get warm. Some time later a booming voice announces “lights out”, now we are completely in the dark, scared, as this is the first time ever away from home, thinking ‘I want my mummy’. I then begin to cry, sobbing uncontrollably, SHUT UP I hear shouted out from the dark, really did not help as I continued to cry, a few more shut up’s but to no avail then IF YOU DON’T SHUT UP I AM GOING TO BASH YOUR FACE IN that got my attention. I am now silent but I hear other first years crying, it was as bad for them as it was for me. Now I know where the saying cry oneself to sleep comes from.

The next few days were spent asking anyone in authority (even the kitchen staff) to let me make a phone call home. The only phone I knew of was in the dining hall and seem to be locked all the time or was it guarded by one of the teachers. Had to tell my parents what a mistake they had made, did they not know this was a death camp full of all sorts of bad things, I was going to die honestly die if they did not get me out of here. Had to tell them about the gun turrets they had at night to keep you in, they were not visible during the day, only at night. No one would let me use the phone. So now to plan B…………. run away, but how, I really did not know where I was. I got it, walk down to the main entrance turn left get to the main road and hitch hike and tell anybody that you needed to get to Coventry – matter of life and death. That did not work as Tanky Thorne saw I was missing and drove down the main road and picked me up. All the way back I was telling him about the Big Mistake of me being here, if only my parents knew they would come and get me….. I think he had heard it all before as he did not take any notice of my please.

After that I sort of fell in to the routine that was school life, but now, more that ever convinced my parents did not care about me and only sent me here to get me out of the way. Cross country, what’s this stuff , you want me to run through farmers fields, stream’s, ford’s and main roads are you crazy ….. apparently not, you had to do it. More ammunition for my plea to my parents to get me out of here “cruel and unusual punishment”.
Finally Sunday night comes and you get to write a letter home, mine was great, outlining all the things that were wrong with this place, including the slavery part, even threw in the 'you do not love me any more bit'. Then the icing on the cake ……. Cry a few tears and smudge the ink, that’s really going to get them to come and take me out of here.

Now Monday morning is here ……………… where are my parents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sort of got it now, my parents are not coming to get me… more ammunition about how terrible the people at this school are, keeping my letters from my parents. Now I really do have to get away, the only way I am going to get all this information to my parents is escape. Once I tell them all about this hell hole they will keep me home. The planning begins, first find out where Coventry is from here,. O.K. now we can not travel in the school uniform, and need a good head start so they do not know I am missing. This coming Saturday after breakfast will fit all my requirements, I am gone.

That did not work ………………………… more planning is required. Visiting day is here, where are my parents, OK they are not coming, should be here by now, its gone 9.00 o’clock….. finally show up. Now they will find out what a big mistake they made the slave labor, cruel punishment (still have not got over that cross country thing) and all the other horrors that I have endure the last few months. To no avail, what I have suspected it true…. Brain Washing (BW), that is the only thing that makes sense, with all the horror stories I have told them they still want me to stay! Now I know I have to get to Coventry, the BW device they have at this school could not reach that far….could it? Spent the rest of the year trying to escape, I think I did make it once. But I was wrong the BW device did reach as far as Cov…. They drove me back!

Authors note, I still do “hospital corners” when I help my wife make the bed, I even inspect her’s!!

D Di Mascio - Coventry Ice Cream Vendor

Mike Godwin c 1958 Holbrooks nr the Horse drawn Co-op Bread Van 

With most of the pupils coming from Coventry, discussion on the I Survived Wyre Farm Camp School Facebook page turning early memories Coventry vendors or stores and especially the vehicles in the 50's and 60's. The discussion started with a photo Mike Godwin uploaded showing a horse drawn Co-op bakery van in Holbrooks c 1958, which i though must be much older as I remember a van but Mike assured us that the earliest it was was 1958 as he was in the picture (seen here).

I seem to remember the Co-op bakery van as being engine drawn earlier than 1958 but have a vague memory of there being a change which might have been changing from horse to internal combustion engine, at least in the Willenhall area of Coventry. In order to show the kind of van it was (as i couldn't find anything on the web about Co-op bakery vans in Coventry) i posted a picture of the D Di Mascio Ice Cream van - although smaller than the bakery van, had a similar front. This started a new and interesting thread about D Di ice creams. I am still looking to find out more about Co-op bakery vans but first to document this ice cream thread on here. Think it was like the Commer Q25 above only red.

D Di Mascio Ice Creams

In the 50s and 60s "D Di" was a byword for ice cream in the city

The thread began like this - 

Mike Godwin  Just remembered the only other van round our way was the D Di man selling wonderful icecream I think D.DiMascio are still trading in Cov?

Paul Rees I remember D Di!!! Great ice cream a weekly treat if we were lucky!!! 

Trev Teasdel  You never asked for an icecream - you asked for a D Di!  Those mudguards and lamp are from the Noddy car!!

Mick Gajic D Di's in my opinion was the best ice cream ever, the photo look's like it was taken in front of the City Arms in Earlsdon, right on the round-about.

Lauri Lindsay  Always wanted "blood" (raspberry syrup) on my cone!

Charles Joyce I can remember D. Di,s when we lived in Stoke,Cov. You could have a red syrup juice poured over the cornet, the man called it monkeys blood, before 99s were invented, does anybody remember the Corona pop wagon ? Oxford diecast models do the exact same van , but painted green, Facchinos morris J ice cream van ( 76MJ001 ) £3.99.

Mike Godwin  Just bought the history of D Di off ebay looking forward to reading it. I used to have to run out with a bowl to get their lovely icecream , the red sauce was brill . They also invented the milk lolly which was made in the shape of a rabbit with big ears. Then they sold jubblies shortly followed by the red version.

Lauri Lindsay Anyone remember Di Di's store in Hillfields ?

Clair Worsfold I wasn't allowed Di Di, my mum used to call him Dirty D Di. I could only have ice cream from Mr Whippy. His van used to play Greensleeves when he cane around Canley.

Michael Billings Brilliant memories from you all. D Di did it for me. Always loved seeing him coming round Canley when i lived at 55 Walsall Street. Best ice cream ever. Mr Whippy with their pink vans playing Greensleeves, ah yes i remember it well to quote Maurice Chevalier. My mum used to get us pop from the Corona delivery van. Raspberry, Orange or Lime were my favourites with an occasional Dandelion & Burdock for good measure. D Di's milk lollies and jubblies were wonderful. Was so sad to hear that the depot in Stoney Stanton Road had closed many years ago. I remember my sister giving me an insert out of the Coventry Evening Telegraph with the history and photos of D Di's place in Coventry. Must try and find it and send to Trev for the blog.

Clair Worsfold We had Alpine pop not Corona but equally varied flavours lol

The book is on sale on various sites including Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mascios-Delicious-Ice-Cream-Interesting/dp/0954398211

More discussion may follow and be added here but here's a little history - 

D Di Mascio - A history

"In the 50s and 60s "D Di" was a byword for ice cream in the city. The fleet of vans would set out from the factory in Stoney Stanton Road to cover the whole city. The Di Mascio family, headed by Dioniso Di Mascio, came from near Cassino in Italy and settled in Scotland just before the outbreak of the Second World War. They came to Coventry in 1932 and started D Di Mascio Ice Cream from King William Street, Hillfields. D Di Mascio came to an end in 1980." http://forum.historiccoventry.co.uk/main/forum-posts.php?id=2074 (more discussion on this Coventry history blog).

And from http://www.nuneatonlocalhistorygroup.org.uk/index.php/local-history/town-centre/30-d-dimascio-ice-cream-parlour-30a-queens-road You can read an early and interesting history of ice gathering and ice houses and its use on the above Nuneaton History site along with early developments in China and later Italy and how "many Italian immigrants to the United Kingdom brought with them their expert traditions in making ice cream.". It's a fascinating history and well worth a read but more to our point is the information on D Di Mascio and family -

"Dionisio DiMascio made the most delicious ice cream, much appreciated by Nuneatonians in the 1950s when they visited the small shop in Queens Road or bought from the travelling red and cream coloured vans which toured the district.  Dionisio DiMascio’s father came to Britain with other Italians about 1890 to work on the building of the Forth Bridge in Scotland. The DiMascio family hailed from Valvori, near Cassino in Italy and Dionisio himself moved to Glasgow after the First World War, and then to Paisley where his son Ugo was born in 1924 (a second son died).  In this decade the famous Walls Company was well established with sales totalling nearly £14,000 in 1924, hugely increased to £444,000 by 1927!



It was when the DiMascio family was travelling through Coventry on their way to Bristol to visit another Italian family of ice cream makers called Verrechia that Dionisio got the idea of starting his own business.  Ugo’s wife Joan recalled of the family*: “They were on their way down south when coming through Coventry the factory hands were going home.  When my father-in-law saw all the cyclists he said ‘This is the place to live!’”  Seeing the huge number of potential customers in Coventry encouraged Dionisio to set himself up in the Hillfields district in the 1930s.   He opened a small café in King William Street behind which there was an enclosed yard with a ‘shed’ where the ice cream was made.  The family lived above the premises and a single van was acquired to deliver the products around the district.

By 1939 they had a parlour at Smithfield Street in central Coventry that seated 200 on three floors and a branch at Clay Lane.  During the devastating Coventry blitz both of these premises were destroyed.  This was an extremely difficult time for the business, made more difficult with the imposition of Purchase Tax in 1940 on non-essential luxury items like ice cream, causing the temporary disappearance of the product.  But the Company survived by selling coffee and confectionary and after the war the reintroduction of ice cream resurrected the family fortunes so that by the end of the 1940s a second premises traded at Stoney Stanton Road, in addition to the Hillfields business, with a wholesale outlet at Cannon Street and the branch parlour at 30a Queens Road in Nuneaton.  At this time more than three dozen distinctive DiMascio red and cream ice cream vans toured the districts.

Joan DiMascio recalled that the reason they had a milk bar in Nuneaton was because the family moved to Attleborough during the war.  In the 1930s the Italian Association of Ice Cream vendors had thousands of members but when Italy joined the Second World War in 1940 the consequences for many Italian residents often led to arrest or even anti-Italian rioting.  Joan DiMascio concluded: “Because Dionisio was Italian he was interned for the duration of the war.  When they returned to Coventry they began the ice cream factory on Stoney Stanton Road, and then moved to Broad Street where they finally finished up.”
Dionisio died in 1969, leaving his wife and family to run the business.  It finally finished in 1980 although Remo DiMascio carried on a business of his own for many years.

Nuneatonians were grateful for the presence of the DiMascio parlour in the town and the vans which toured the streets and long after the Nuneaton establishment closed many fondly remembered the delicious products they so enjoyed at “D Di’s”."

..........................

Some mentioned Mr Whippy Ice Cream. I think they came a little later and there's an interesting piece on the Mr Whippy site about the development of 'soft icecream' adopted by both Mr Whippy and D Di who designed the new van for Cox's ice cream (see here - http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Tina-s-Happy-Wanderer-summer/story-12091015-detail/story.html)

On the Mr Whippy we discover a strange linkage with Thatcher's Britain!

" One important development in the 20th century was the introduction of soft ice cream (like Mr Whippy uses!). A chemical research team in Britain (of which a young Margaret Thatcher was a member) discovered a method of doubling the amount of air in ice cream, which allowed manufacturers to use less of the actual ingredients, thereby reducing costs. This ice cream was also very popular amongst consumers who preferred the lighter texture, and most major ice cream brands now use this manufacturing process. It also made possible the soft ice cream machine in which a cone is filled beneath a spigot on order."
http://www.mrwhippyicecream.co.uk/the-history-of-ice-cream/