My Grandad Christopher Kemp Wells, one of the master carpenters who worked on restoring the carvings in the roof in St Mary’s Guildhall Coventry. I am Christopher's granddaughter, Candis Ibberson (nee Wells. I am extremely proud of the work he did. He received a letter sent to him by Coventry's Mayor, William Hodgson Malcolm, in gratitude for the wonderful work he had done prior to the Royal Visit on the 22nd May, 1948. Christopher was still only 28 years old at this time.
The Guildhall ceiling is far from the only project he worked on, as our city was gradually restored after the devastation a few years earlier, during which he served in the military as a Private, Royal Engineers, in 1941.
Christopher received a well deserved award for his work and dedication, and can be seen in the first picture (the gentleman on the left) working on a carving in the Guildhall kitchen.
My Grandad was:
Born 19 July Zion Hill, Farm Crayke, Easingwold, Yorkshire Father James Wells, Occupation Farmer Mother Mary Jane Wells formerly Kemp Birth Registered 29 July 1919 Married 8 January 1941 in the parish Church Crayke, Married Muriel Grayson Holland Christopher Kemp Wells, Full Age (22), Bachelor, Private Army, Crayke, Father James Wells, Farmer Witnesses: Clifford Richard Tomlin and Olive Edna Wells Died 10 January 1970, 164 Scots Lane, Coundon. Occupation and usual address, Builder (Master) 164 Scots Lane, Coventry 19 January 1984, Warren Pearly Nursing Home, 913 Warwick Road, Solihull. Name of Informant, John Christopher Wells, Son Present at the death Cause of Death 1a Carcinoma Bronchus (Lung Cancer) Buried at Canley Crematorium with his wife Muriel, Coventry (no headstone).