Earlsdon Water Fountain This cast iron fountain was made by George Smith’s Sun Foundry in Glasgow in the 1860s, one a of a new generation of drinking fountains designed to provide clean water as part of the war against water-borne diseases such as cholera It is believed to have been purchased by Coventry Council and sited outside the church of St John the Baptist in the city centre around 1870 and was relocated to this site in 1921, shortly after the opening of the nearby War Memorial Park. It was in use until the 1970s The project to restore it has been co-ordinated by two community organisations, the Earlsdon Research Group and the South Earlsdon Neighbours Association, in partnership with Coventry City Council and Severn Trent Water, and with active support form the pupils at Hearsall Community School in Earlsdon. The restoration has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Drinking Fountain Association and by contributions from the local community. It was carried out by The Fountain Company of Glossop in Derbyshire. After 150 years the Earlsdon fountain is again supplying fresh, clean water and supporting an important campaign, this time to reduce the production of plastic bottles, which is becoming a major environmental threat to the world. Earlsdon Fountain Group November 2015
