Industrialisation and industrial history Books
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Narrow Gauge Railways Shire Library
Book SynopsisNarrow gauge railways, so well suited to difficult, mountainous terrain, were built in many of the UK's most scenic locations. Their genesis was in mines and quarries where they replaced man- or horse-pulled wagons, but their adaptability meant that by the 1860s they were also carrying passengers, in some cases over quite considerable distances. Today a good proportion of all the important lines survive in the service of tourists, whose appreciation of the landscape, and the railways themselves, keep these relics of industrial Britain alive in all their variety. Peter Johnson has been researching and writing about narrow gauge lines for many years, and this is the perfect introduction to a rich and appealing corner of British railway history.Table of Contents?Introduction / The Festiniog Railway / Developing Festiniog Concepts / Wider Does Not Necessarily Mean Bigger / 3-foot Gauge / The Light Railways / Between the Wars: A Narrow Gauge Swansong / Places to Visit / Further Reading / Index
£8.54
The History Press Ltd Made in Belfast
Book SynopsisIn 1900 Belfast had the world''s biggest linen factories and its largest ropeworks. Its shipbuilding industry produced more tonnage than any other city''s (Titanic and Olympic were both built here). But Belfast was also home to cycle-makers, printers, artists, tea magnates, clog-makers, clothiers, photographers, engineers, tobacco manufacturers. They all feature in Made in Belfast. Drawing on the unique collections of the Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland, this is a fine photographic record of the city at work, compiled by two of Northern Ireland''s most knowledgeable historians.
£11.69
The History Press Ltd Brunel A Pocket Biography
Book SynopsisAt 19, Isambard Kingdom Brunel was in charge, under his father, of an engineering work that is the wonder of Europe: the Thames tunnel, completed in 1843. This book traces Brunel''s life and career, the man of immense energy who came to dominate civil engineering in the 19th century and whose legacy can still be seen nearly two centuries later. L.T.C. Rolt was one of the first narrative historians, an industrial pioneer and preservationist. During his life he was fundamental in establishing and promoting canals, waterways and railways. He was one of the first people in modern Britain to draw attention to the value of our canals as a means of transport and a source of pleasure. As well as his interest in canals he also turned his attention to neglcted railways and set up the first organisation to save and run a railway with a mainly volunteer workforce.
£8.54
The History Press Ltd Boltons Industrial Heritage
Book SynopsisBolton was built on the cotton industry. This illustrated book includes information about the transport infrastructure that made all this industrial activity practicable, as well as essential public utilities.
£11.69
The History Press Ltd Thomas Telford
Book SynopsisThomas Telford, the son of a shepherd, was born in Westerkirk, Scotland in 1757. At the age of 14, he was apprenticed to a stonemason. He worked for a time in Edinburgh and in 1792, he moved to London where he was involved in building additions to Somerset House. Two years later, he found work at Portsmouth dockyard. In 1787, he became surveyor of public works for Shropshire. By this time, Telford had established a good reputation as an engineer and in 1790 was given the task of building a bridge over the River Severn at Montford. This was followed by a canal that linked the ironworks and collieries of Wrexham with Chester and Shrewsbury. This involved building an aqueduct over the River Dee. On the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Telford used a new method of construction consisting of troughs made from cast-iron plates and fixed in masonry.After the completion of the Ellesmere Canal Telford moved back to Scotland where he took control of the building of Cale
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Victorian Engineering
Book SynopsisL T C Rolt was an engineer and pioneer of industrial history; in this book he combined these two passions to give us a fascinating account of the men who ''made'' Britain. From Brunel to Telford, he takes us on a journey from the first railway tracks being laid down to bridges spanning hitherto unimagined lengths, through to the ''invention'' and mastery of the gas and electricity, which we take for granted today. The Victorians were at the forefront of modern technology in their time, but often came to see it as a blight on their landscape and struggled to adapt to the fast pace of this new industrial era.In this book, Rolt not only examines the creations that made Britain''s empire great, but also how the age of optimism turned to one of disillusionment with many of our inventors finding fame and fortune abroad. This unrivalled insight into our industrial heritage is compulsory reading for anyone wanting to appreciate the foundations on which our modern lives were built.
£16.14
The History Press Ltd Coventrys Motorcycle Heritage
Book SynopsisConsidering that Coventry was the birthplace of the British cycle industry, it is perhaps no surprise that the city became heavily involved in the development of the British motor industry during the mid-1890s. From the first velocipedes built here in 1868, most of the later well-established cycle manufacturers quickly turned their attention to motorised vehicles, and many of the early motoring pioneers moved to Coventry to become part of this revolutionary work. Local companies such as Bayliss, Thomas & Co., Coventry Eagle, Humber, Riley, and Swift were just a few of the cycle firms quick to catch on, and steadily new companies were formed solely to manufacture motorcycles.Coventry''s Motorcycle Heritage covers the history of all these companies and their products, focussing on the individuals who both founded and worked for such firms. From world-famous companies like Triumph, to the more obscure marques like Wartnaby and Draper, it provides a brief summary of each manufacturer, as well as an insight into the social history of Coventry at the peak of its involvement in motorcycle history. It is sure to appeal to anyone interested in motorcycle history and Coventry''s industrial past.
£16.19
The History Press Ltd Brunels Kingdom
Book SynopsisIsambard Kingdom Brunel changed the world as we know it. He was responsible for building the Great Western Railway main line, introducing regular steamship travel across the Atlantic, building the first tunnel under a major river, and constructing docks, harbours and bridges that enabled Britain to expand and grow as the powerhouse of the world. Without his foresight and imagination, it is possible that nineteenth-century Britain might have been very different. There have been many books written about the man himself, but this book concentrates upon the structures, buildings and legacy of Brunel, introducing the reader to this great engineer and embarking upon a tour around Britain that reveals the many locations with a Brunel connection.
£17.09
The History Press Ltd Making Cars at Longbridge
Book SynopsisLavishly illustrated with unique images from the official company archive, this book charts more than 100 years of car-making at the Longbridge factory, near Birmingham.
£19.12
The History Press Ltd RMS Titanic Made in the Midlands
Book SynopsisRMS Titanic: Made in the Midlands
£16.19
The History Press Ltd The Industrial Revolution in Shropshire
Book SynopsisThis is the book that made Ironbridge a place of international pilgrimage, and, in its new edition, provides a 21st-century explanation why!
£21.25
The History Press Ltd Fife at Work
Book SynopsisThis fascinating pictorial history takes a look back at the days when Fife was home to a wide variety of traditional industries, including mining, farming, fishing, pottery and textile factories, shipping and shipbuilding.
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Sunderland Industrial Giant
Book SynopsisHow do you cope with the loss of centuries of working tradition? These are the stories of the people who worked through this evolution, watched their town change around them and become a city – the people who saw the end of one era and the beginning of a bright new one.
£13.49
The History Press Ltd The Most Extraordinary District in the World
Book SynopsisThe Ironbridge Gorge, a cradle of the Industrial Revolution, in the late 18th century was a magnet for writers, artists and industrial spies.
£19.80
The History Press Ltd The Portsmouth Dockyard Story
Book SynopsisThe most comprehensive history of Portsmouth Dockyard ever published
£17.00
The History Press Ltd When Giants Ruled the Sky
Book SynopsisHow the American airship came within a hair’s breadth of replacing planes, trains, and ocean liners as dominant long-distance transportTrade ReviewTotally captivating. A fascinating account of glory and tragedy that soars with suspense. I enjoyed the hell out of it! -- Dirk CusslerWhen Giants Ruled the Sky examines the successes, problems and controversies of the American rigid airship program bringing the industrialists and engineers who designed and built them, and the officers and men who flew them, to life. No airship fancier’s library should be without a copy. -- Tom CrouchIt’s too often forgotten that for a few short years the U.S. Navy actually possessed flying aircraft carriers and the world’s greatest airship fleet. In his latest book, John Geoghegan has performed sterling service in excavating the astounding story of the Akron and the Macon from the tomb of lost history. -- Alexander RoseA well-researched history of the rigid airship “carrier” during the interwar years of U.S. naval aeronautics. A genuine contribution. -- William AlthoffThe best book focused upon the USS Akron & Macon published in the last 55 years! -- C.P. Hall
£21.25
The History Press Ltd The Granite Men
Book SynopsisA comprehensive history of the industries of the Granite City of Aberdeen
£17.00
The History Press Ltd Capel Cochineal and Stanley Sheeps School Project
Book SynopsisLocal history for children: Stroud’s unique mill history presented by characters who made its famous scarlet cloth
£9.49
The History Press Ltd IMAGES OF ENGLAND SOUTH TELFOR
Book SynopsisIn the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Ironbridge Gorge was the scene of dramatic industrial activity which today''s resident or visitor finds difficult to envisage. Coal had been extracted from the hillsides of Benthall, Brosely and Madeley for some time before Abraham Darby I settled in Coalbrookdale in 1708. However, it was the rapid growth of the iron industry which transformed this part of East Shropshire. The old-established town of Madeley expanded to meet the needs of a growing workforce, whilst Dawley developed as an important centre for mining and iron making. The town of Ironbridge sprang up as a direct result of the building of the Iron Bridge, and another settlement was created at Coalport. On the south side of the river, Jackfield thrived as a busy inland port. From the mid-nineteenth century, problems with transport and the availability of better raw materials elsewhere led to the migration of the iron making industry to other parts of the country. Thus by the t
£11.69
The History Press Ltd The Anatomy of Canals Vol 1 The Early Years
Book SynopsisBeginning in the late 18th century, the author conveys the original character of the waterways of England and traces their development. The new engineering techniques of the time are also considered. Coupled with the photography of Derek Pratt, this is a fascinating record of canals as they were and as they are today.
£24.00
The History Press Ltd Brunel in South Wales Volume I
Book SynopsisIsambard Kingdom Brunel is famous for many things - the Great Western Railway, the Clifton Suspension Bridge, timber viaducts and the steamships Great Western, Great Britain and Great Eastern - but his work in South Wales has been largely overlooked. Yet South Wales provided the landscape in which many of his innovative works were pioneered and Brunel the engineer is represented there at virtually every stage of his career. Many of these engineering landmarks survive and are still in use to this day. This is the first in a series of three volumes examining the achievements and legacy of Brunel in South Wales (reaching into Mid and North Wales, Bristol and the Borders), beginning with the historic background of the Merthyr ironworks and Richard Trevithick. It will look at railways, docks, piers and other connections, including his great ships which had strong links with South Wales, despite not having been built there. Born in Cardiff, Stephen K. Jones writes and lectures on local and i
£21.25
The History Press Ltd The Birmingham Gun Trade
Book SynopsisBirmingham has been a key innovator in the gun trade since the seventeenth century and the Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof house operates to this day. Between 1855 and 1861 six million arms were testing and proofed here - many of them destined for the USA. Those who worked in the Birmingham Gun Quarter were at the forefront of this incredible industry. This book tells the story of the technology and history of gun making. Covering the period 1720 to 1950, it sees the mechanical engineering technology of the ''lock, stock and barrel'' firearm change significantly. David Williams, an engineer and academic, has studied the battle between the manual processes of manufacturing using the dexterity of many pople and the clumsy but tireless machine, and here examines this complex relationship in gunmaking, paying particular attention to interchangeable military firearms manufacture and the growth and decline of the Birmingham military and sporting gun trade. Accompanied by over 130 illustrations,
£16.19
The History Press Ltd Ironmaking
Book SynopsisIron was the catalyst of the Industrial Revolution - the material of Ironbridge, the Crystal Palace, railways, steam engines ships. But what made it so important and why did Britain become the major producer of iron in the world? The iron industry sucked in a mass of skilled and unskilled labour, and transformed rural landscapes with mines, railways, and new villages and towns.Without iron there would have been no Industrial Revolution and few parts of Britain from the Highlands of Scotland to Cornwall have not been touched by the iron industry. Richard Hayman concentrates on the period when coal replaced charcoal as the industry''s fuel source, discussing the changing technology, geography and economy of the industry as well as its social history. From those heady days at Coalbrookdale on the banks of the Severn to the decline of a once-mighty industry, he tells the story of iron and its place in British history.
£17.09
The History Press Ltd Black Country Breweries
Book SynopsisThe Black Country was the industrial heartland of England, a harsh environment of coal and iron mines, of nail and chain making. Its people worked hard, and drank hard. This is the story of brewing in the region. It was often on a small scale, like the industry itself. The Black Country is known for its home-brew houses, and the characters associated with them - Ma Pardoe, Old Sal, Batham''s, Holden''s and Sarah Hughes - are part of our brewing heritage. The rise of the big brewers came late to the region, but made a major impression. Mitchells & Butlers at Cape Hill and Banks at Wolverhampton have strode through the pages of the brewing history of this country for over 125 years. This book, complete with over 100 illustrations, provides a fascinating insight into the history of brewing in the Black Country.Table of Contents1. Early Brewing & Early Brewers 2. Retail Breweries & Homebrew Houses 3. The Rise of the Big Brewers 4. A List of Black Country Breweries
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Disaster on the Dee Robert Stephensons Nemesis of
Book SynopsisPresents a look at one of the first major railway disasters in Britain, the fall of the Dee bridge in May 1847, which occurred just outside Chester with the loss of five lives. This book provides detailed technical insight and is illustrated with contemporary material. It is useful for engineering students, historians and railway enthusiasts.
£16.19
The History Press Ltd Burnley Cotton Mills
Book SynopsisIn 1929, 63 per cent of the working population of Burnley was involved in the industry. This fascinating work, illustrated with over 90 images, explores the history of this industry which was so central to the economy of Burnley. The author includes detailed histories of the 140 mills of Burnley, as well as stories of the weavers themselves and their families.
£11.69
The History Press Ltd South Staffordshire Ironmasters
Book SynopsisSeveral generations have now passed since iron making and working was an important trade in the Black Country. It was started by itinerant bloomers, who moved their bloomeries around the district to make use of local supplies of ore, smelting it with charcoal made from forest wood. Water-powered bloomeries were eventually replaced by blast furnaces, which in turn were replaced by coke-fired smelting furnaces. Black Country ironmasters had their share of success and failure, profits and loss, wealth and bankruptcy. Such is the nature of the trade that supply and demand created periods of expansion and then through over production an inevitable slump. Political factors also had influence. Wars created increased demand for iron for ordnance. When the battles were over and the wars won or lost, the bigger losers were the ironmasters and their workforce. However matters changed through the mid-nineteenth century, during the reign of Queen Victoria, when innovation and invention reached new heights.
£17.09
The History Press Ltd Brunel in South Wales Volume III
Book SynopsisIsambard Kingdom Brunel had strong associations with South Wales; chief engineer of the GWR at just 27, he was the same for the South Wales Railway Co., taking the railways across South Wales. This illustrated history focuses on Brunel''s contribution to the maritime world, from his work on dry docks and shipping facilities to his steamships, including his ''great leviathan''. For PSS Great Eastern, Brunel chose Milford Haven as a home port where she would spend many years, still the largest ship in the world but sadly without work after her pioneering role laying telegraph cables under the world''s oceans. The Great Britain steamship sailed from Penarth, a dock associated with the later work of Brunel''s son, Henry Marc Brunel who would be responsible for the largest dock system built in Wales, at Barry. Other dock works include Briton Ferry which Brunel designed to handle the output of the VNR and the SWMR. One of his last engineering projects was a steam railway
£22.50
The History Press Ltd The Coalminers of Durham
Book SynopsisFor as long as anyone can remember, coal has been the lifeblood of the communities of County Durham. In its heyday, in 1913, the region boasted 304 pits employing 165,246 people. Coalmining in Durham was recorded as early as the twelfth century and medieval collieries flourished along the Wear Valley. A dramatic increase in coal production following the Industrial Revolution saw the county become one of the country''s major sources of fuel, as it remained well into the twentieth century. The anonymous individuals, and their families, behind the story of coalmining in the area are the subject of this book, which is both an authoritative history and a fascinating portrayal of Durham life. A wide range of material is covered, from clear, illustrated explanations of the technicalities and terminology of coal extraction and coke-making, to the story of the Durham Miners'' Association and its struggle for improvements in living and working conditions. The hardships and dangers of the miner''s life are recalled in the pictures of the great pit disasters and the words of the survivors and rescuers, but the comradeship and community are never lost sight of and come into their own in the accounts of pit village life and of the famous Durham Miners'' Gala.
£17.00
The History Press Ltd Doing Time Inside
Book SynopsisThe Great Western Railway's Swindon Works was the largest employer in the area, even during the early British Railway years. For well over a hundred years thousands of apprentices and trainees' passed through its doors to learn the trades of the railways. Throughout its lifetime the apprenticeship process was hard work with many constraints, particularly in the early periods when even marriage was forbidden. However, alongside the hard work of doing time' (a colloquial term for apprenticeship), there were undoubtedly good times as the young boys were absorbed into the family' of workers Inside' (as Swindon Works was known locally). Doing Time Inside chronicles the changes of the apprenticeship process from its earliest times during the Industrial Revolution; through the varied work of two world war periods; the changes of thinking and policy in the post-war era; the significant developments of the 1960s; and the decline of apprenticeship until the closure of the Works in 1986. Full of fascinating photographs and documents, many previously unpublished, as well as numerous engaging first-hand accounts of the different apprenticeships' on offer, the books presents an in-depth study of apprenticeship in the railway world.
£16.19
The History Press Ltd The Metropolitan Line
Book SynopsisThe Metropolitan Railway can claim to have had an influence on the evolution of our railway system out of all proportion to its tracks reaching just forty-seven miles from London. However it was the world's first underground passenger railway, built in 1863 to ease the traffic congestion of a growing London and thus creating the first metro system. Embraced by the notorious Victorian entrepreneur Sir Edward Watkin as part of his ultimately unsuccessful ambition to link Manchester and Paris by rail, the Metropolitan decided to use Watkin's land to create the iconic Metro-land', an Arcadian form of suburbia embracing affordable housing with easy commuting to London. The brand soon became accepted as the generic description of a lifestyle and by the end of the First World War Metro-land represented the appealing factors of aspiration and affordability. This fascinating history of London's first tube line and the people involved in its evolution brings us up to date wit
£18.00
The History Press Ltd Coventrys Bicycle Heritage
Book SynopsisCoventry has a remarkable bicycle manufacturing heritage. From the first velocipedes built in 1868, the city went on to become the home of the British cycle industry and at one time produced the greatest output of cycles in the world – with well in excess of 450 individual cycle manufacturers over a 100-year period.
£19.80
The History Press Ltd Londons Great Railway Century 18501950
Book SynopsisThe hundred years from 1850 to 1950 were London's railway century, an era during which the city was defined by its railways: grimy and utilitarian yet at the same time elegant and innovative. This fascinating book explores the many contemporary transport themes of London's termini, including goods depots, electrified lines, industrial railways and Southern suburban lines. Covering the pivotal century 18501950, each chapter describes a decade and an issue particularly relevant to that period, from the railway eccentricities and early termini of the 1850s and 60s, through the glamorous heyday of the railway hotels in the 1890s, to the devastation of the Blitz. With fresh research revealing something of interest to both the expert as well as the everyman, there are gems to delight commuter, resident and tourist alike. Well illustrated with contemporary illustrations and key maps for each chapter, this quirky and accessible insight into London's railway history and its lasting legacy is a must for all.
£11.69
The History Press Ltd The Pit Sinkers of Northumberland and Durham
Book SynopsisShaft sinking for the extraction of minerals has taken place for centuries, and for much of this time, coal mining was carried out in the North East of England.
£15.29
The History Press Ltd Historys Most Dangerous Jobs Miners
Book SynopsisMining is Britain's oldest industry, and this book follows the men and, in the past, women who spent their lives working underground. Since the New Stone Age various minerals have been wrested from British soil copper, tin, gold, lead but in later periods the key commodity was coal. Those who worked in the mines were constantly battling on two fronts: there was the continual danger of flood and explosion; and the often bitter struggles against the mine owners. This story is also one of invention and innovation, looking particularly at how the independent miners of Cornwall and Devon were at the forefront of the development of the steam engine that was to transform society. This, the second book in an exciting new series looking at Britain's most dangerous industries, is a tale of blood, sweat and death among a courageous and close-knit community that has now all but passed into history.
£11.69
The History Press Ltd The Rise and Fall of Harland and Wolff
Book SynopsisHarland and Wolff, once acknowledged as the greatest and best-known shipbuilding company in the world, for many years enjoyed a mighty eminence before a gradual descent into near obscurity.
£13.49
The History Press Ltd A Lady of Cotton
Book SynopsisIn 1789 Hannah Lightbody, a well-educated and intelligent young woman of means, married Samuel Greg and found herself at the centre of his cotton empire in the industrial heart of England. Over the next four decades she fought to improve the education, health and welfare of cotton girls and pauper apprentices at the mill.
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Loco Motion
Book SynopsisThe steam locomotive is a machine that has inspired imagination, innovation and invention from the time of its origination and continues to evoke passion in enthusiasts today.Here Michael R.
£21.25
Taylor & Francis Ltd The History of the Book in the West 14551700
Book SynopsisBeginning with one of the crucial technological breakthroughs of Western history - the development of moveable type by Johann Gutenberg - The History of the Book in the West 1455-1700 covers the period that saw the growth and consolidation of the printed book as a significant feature of Western European culture and society. The volume collects together seventeen key articles, written by leading scholars during the past five decades, that together survey a wide range of topics, such as typography, economics, regulation, bookselling, and reading practices. Books, whether printed or in manuscript, played a major role in the religious, political, and intellectual upheavals of the period, and understanding how books were made, distributed, and encountered provides valuable new insights into the history of Western Europe in the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries.Trade Review’the volume serves as testament to Gadd’s ability to select judiciously...the volume is comprehensive in the way it traces the backbone of book history scholarship. It is unlikely to be superseded for quite some time.’ Renaissance Studies '...a representative sample of the many different approaches to book history scholars have undertaken over the past several decades...The editor is to be praised for executing well a very difficult job.' College & Research Libraries 'This volume is in every respect...a solid and useful collection and addition to the growing literature on book history'. Notes and Queries 'Gadd has done fine scholarly service in this compilation, and his introduction is itself a wonderful entry point to the type of study of book history that is becoming more and more in vogue.' Journal of the Early Book SocietyTable of ContentsContents: Introduction; Part I Typography: Temporary matrices and elemental punches in Gutenberg's DK type, Blaise Agüera y Arcas; The Aldine italic, Nicolas Barker. Part II The Impact of Print: Some conjectures about the impact of printing on Western society and thought: a preliminary report, Elizabeth L. Eisenstein; The importance of being printed, Anthony T. Grafton; The Roman Inquisition and the Venetian press 1540-1605, Paul F. Grendler; Printing at the dawn of the sixteenth century, Jean-François Gilmont; The Reformation and the book: a reconsideration, Andrew Pettegree and Matthew Hall; Orality lost: text and voice in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Roger Chartier. Part III Practice: A trade union in sixteenth-century France, Natalie Zemon Davis; Inquisitional trials and printing-workers in sixteenth-century Spain, Clive Griffin; Printers of the mind: some notes on bibliographical theories and printing-house practices, D.F. McKenzie. Part IV Selling: 'Omnium totius orbis emporiorum compendium': the Frankfurt book fair in the early modern period, John L. Flood; The market for scholarly books and conceptions of genre in Northern Europe, 1570-1630, Ian Maclean; Bibliographical note: the survival and loss rates of Psalms, ABCs, Psalters and Primers from the Stationers' stock 1660-1700, John Barnard. Part V Reading: The impact of the early printed page on the history of reading, Paul Saenger; 'Studied for action': how Gabriel Harvey read his Livy, Lisa Jardine and Anthony Grafton; Books as totems in seventeenth-century England and New England, David Cressy; Name Index.
£285.00
Taylor & Francis Ltd Insuring the Industrial Revolution Fire Insurance
Book SynopsisFire had always been one of the greatest threats to an early modern British society that relied on the naked flame as the prime source of heating, lighting and cooking. Yet whilst the danger of fire had always been taken seriously, it was not until the start of the eighteenth century that a sophisticated system of insurance became widely available. Whilst a number of high profile fires during the seventeenth century had drawn attention to the economic havoc a major conflagration could wreak, it was not until the effects of sustained industrialization began to alter the economic and social balance of the nation, that fire insurance really took off as a concept. The culmination of ten years of research, this book is the definitive work on early British fire insurance. It also provides a foundation for future comparative international studies of this important financial service, and for a greater level of theorising by historians about the relationship between insurance, perceptions of risk, economic development and social change. Through a detailed study of the archives of nearly 50 English and Scottish insurance companies founded between 1696 and 1850 - virtually all the records currently available - together with the construction of many new datasets on output, performance and markets, this book presents one of the most comprehensive histories ever written of a financial service. As well as measuring the size, market structure and growth rate of insurance, and the extent to which the first industrial revolution was insured, it also demonstrates ways in which insurance can be linked into wider issues of economic and social change in Britain. These range from an examination of the joint-stock company form of organization - to an analysis of changing attitudes towards fire hazard during the course of the eighteenth century. The book concludes by emphasising the ambivalent character of fire insurance in eighteenth and early nineteenth century Britain, contrasting the industry's dynamic long-run rate of growth with its more conservative attitude to product design and diversification.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2004 Wadsworth Prize for Business History, awarded by the UK Business Archives Council for the best book in business history. '... meticulously researched... this monograph, the result of over a decade's research, makes a major contribution not only to insurance history, but also to British economic history and, in parts, to the social history of industrialization. With extensive footnotes containing a mine of detailed comparative evidence, Pearson has produced a first-class study of an industry that underwent major structural and cultural changes between 1700 and 1850.' Economic History Review 'Despite its rather obvious importance to modern economic development, the history of fire and property insurance has been largely neglected. Until now that is. Robin Pearson's exhaustively researched and meticulously argued study [...] offers the definitive history of the British Fire Insurance industry through the middle of the nineteenth century. Even more critically, Pearson establishes just how integral property insurance was to the industrial revolution. Insuring the Industrial Revolution is a singular achievement. Robin Pearson demonstrates that fire insurance played a consequential, if sometimes ambivalent, role in the industrial revolution. He also provides a roadmap that future scholars in this area will follow when constructing their own studies of the history of fire insurance. I hope that this fine study garners the wide audience it deserves.' EH.NET 'Pearson has done a superb job [...] to assemble the only truly comprehensive history of the British fire insurance industry to date.' Enterprise & Society 'This is a carefully crafted book that fully achieves its objectives.' Urban HistoryTable of ContentsContents: Introduction; Fire insurance and British economic growth, 1700-1850; Part I: The fire insurance markets of Georgian London; Provincial fire insurance in the 18th century; Insurance in wartime, 1782-1815; Insurance in and out of crisis, 1815-50; Part II: Company foundation; Marketing; Underwriting; Investments; Conclusion; Appendices; Bibliography; Index.
£128.25
Taylor & Francis The Notebooks of Nehemiah Wallington 16181654 A
Book SynopsisWritings by early-modern English artisans are rare and thus precious. London wood-turner and puritan, Nehemiah Wallington (1598-1658) is exceptional for having compiled fifty notebooks between 1618 and 1654. Although only seven of these are extant, they not only provide a wealth of valuable information about life in seventeenth-century London, but more importantly give access to the author's personal world, both inner and outer. Providing substantial excerpts from the surviving notebooks, this edition covers the broad range of subjects that animated Wallington's everyday life. Accounts of incidents in his domestic, working and religious life sit side by side with sustained meditations on his spiritual state; reports on national events are given, along with their possible providential meanings. Particularly illuminating are Wallington's reflections on his own mental wellbeing, at times suicidal, at others ecstatic. From letters on religious matters to expressions of anxiety over the illnesses and mishaps of his wife and children, from vexed thoughts about money matters to chronicling the tumults of civil war London, this collection provides a window into everyday life in seventeenth-century England. By making the writings of Nehemiah Wallington available in a modern edited edition, fully footnoted and referenced, together with a substantial scholarly introduction, we hope that this little-known London wood-turner will soon take his deserved place besides Pepys and Evelyn as one of the authentic voices commenting on early modern England.Trade Review'David Booy has made an admirable selection from the notebooks, sympathetic to Wallington's own priorities and preoccupations, which he has scrupulously edited, retaining Wallington's erratic orthography, adding necessary punctuation, identifying the sources of Biblical quotations, the authors and titles of tracts and pamphlets from which Wallington copied excerpts, and the identities of the people he alludes to in the texts. Generations of readers will turn to this edition with gratitude'. Paul Seaver, Stanford University,USA 'Nehemiah Wallington's prolific writings show us, in graphic and immediate detail, the dangerously exciting world of 17th century London seen through the eyes of a puritan artisan. This ambitious and excellent edition enables us to share, for the first time, his hopes, joys, disappointments and fears as he pursues a turbulent spiritual quest through civil war and revolution. Wallington's letters, diaries and meditations throw a flood of light on a personal and family history that he always placed firmly within a national, international and indeed cosmic drama. ' Bernard Capp, University of Warwick, UK ’The book deserves to be read by anyone interested in public life during the civil wars and inter-regnum, rather than merely those fascinated by puritan piety and godly introspection.’ Parliamentary History ’Nehemiah Wallington leaps from the pages of this evocative and informative book ... David Booy is to be congratulated on a valuable scholarly edition.’ Journal of Theological Studies ’For students ... [this volume] ... will be invaluable, a reliable source for spiritual and everyday life in mid-seventeenth-century London, packed with starting points for research projects. ... Booy brings together all of the extant manuscripts for the first time, and it is invaluable to be able to read so extensively (and conveniently) from all of Wallington’s writings in one sitting. The selection thereby offers a significant commentary on daiTable of ContentsContents: Preface; Glossary; Introduction; A Record of Gods Marcys, or a Thankfull Remembrance, (Guildhall library manuscript 204); A Memoriall of Gods Judgments upon Sabbath breakers, Drunkerds and other vile livers, (British Library, Sloane manuscript 1457); A Bundel of Marcys, (British Library, additional manuscript 21 935); The groth of a Christian, (British Library, additional manuscript 40 883); A Record of marcys continued or yet God is good to Israel, (Tatton Park manuscript 68.20); Profitable and comfortabl letters, (British Library, Sloane manuscript 922); An Extract of the passages of my life or the Booke of all my writting books, (Folger Shakespeare library manuscript V.a.436); References; Indexes.
£137.75
Taylor & Francis Ltd Vrbes Extinctae Archaeologies of Abandoned
Book SynopsisCore tourist sites for the classical world are the ruins of those many and scattered examples of ''lost'' and abandoned towns - from Pompeii to Timgad to Ephesus and Petra. Usually studied for their peaks and growth, rarely are their ends explored in detail, to consider the processes of loss and also to trace their ''afterlives'', when they were often robbed for materials even if still hosting remnant populations.This volume breaks new ground by examining the phenomenon of urban loss and abandonment from Roman to medieval times across the former Roman Empire. Through a series of case studies two main aspects are examined: firstly, the sequences and chronologies of loss of sites, roles, structures, people, identity; and secondly the methodologies of study of these sites - from early discoveries and exploitation of such sites to current archaeological and scientific approaches (notably excavation, urban survey, georadar and geophysics) to studying these crucial centres and their fates. HTrade Review'In sum, a well-produced and thought-provoking volume; I particularly liked the neat solution used to integrate the colour plates, reproduced separately, into their respective articles using black and white thumbnail images in the text.' Antiquity 'This volume joins an extensive and still-growing body of literature on classical and Late Antique urbanism, as well as considerations of "decline and fall' within the later Roman empire. It breaks significant new ground by combining these two areas of research within a single volume and by developing and maintaining a strong theme of new ideas related to the challenges and potential of archaeological research focused on the development, abandonment, and later activities of former urban centers. ... a must-buy...' American Journal of Archaeology ’Il volume [...] rappresenta un contributo prezioso... I risultati delle ricerche e le nuove conoscenze portate alla luce in questo volume, con le figure di alta qualità , rappresentano un apprezzabile passo avanti... ’ [’This volume represents an important contribution... The results of this research and the new knowledge brought to light in this volume, with high quality images, represent a great stride forward...’] Hortus Artium Medievalium (HAM) 'This valuable book lets the archaeology ’talk’ far more in showing the changes, losses and transformations to a variety of late Roman cities and in revealing their medieval successors.' Medieval Archaeology ’... breaks significant new ground ... by developing and maintaining a strong theme of new ideas related to the challenges and potential of archaeological research focused on the development, abandonment, and later activities of former urban centers. The included case studies offer something for specialists and students of nearly every region of classical and Late Antique archaeology ... it is a must-buy for academic libraries ... The volume offers much for students and scholars within classics, ancient history,Table of ContentsContents: Preface; Vrbes extinctae: archaeologies of and approaches to abandoned classical cities Neil Christie; Classe: archaeologies of a lost city, Andrea Augenti; Potentia: a lost new town, Frank M.R. Vermeulen; After the rats: Cosa in the late Empire and early Middle Ages, Enrico Cirelli and Elizabeth Fentress; Urban change on the Balearics in late Antiquity, Miguel Ãngel Cau; Recopolis: Vrbs Relicta? An historico-archaeological debate, Isabel Velázquez and Gisella Ripoll; Deciphering 'lost' urban landscapes at Cyrene, Gareth Sears, Vince Gaffney, Chris Gaffney, Richard Cuttler, Helen Goodchild and Susan Kane; An 'Ice Age settling on the Roman Empire': post-Roman Butrint between strategy and serendipity, William Bowden and Richard Hodges; Memory and loss in the late antique cities of Knossos and Sparta, Rebecca J. Sweetman; Hierapolis of Phrygia: the drawn-out demise of an Anatolian city, Paul Arthur; Dura deserta: the death and afterlife of Dura-Europos, J.A. Baird; Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester, Hampshire, UK): an early medieval extinction, Michael Fulford; Concluding remarks: a tale of many (lost) cities: past, present and future, Andrea Augenti; Index.
£137.75
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Mine to Mill History of the Great Lakes Iron
Book Synopsis
£25.19
McFarland & Company The Metallurgic Age The Engine of Victorian
Book SynopsisThe author discusses the ways in which metallurgy permeated all areas of Victorian life and affected changes - literally from the kitchen to the battlefield.
£27.54
McFarland & Company The Millstone Quarries of Powell County Kentucky
Book Synopsis In the early nineteenth century, mills were ubiquitous, making possible dozens of indispensable items--from the bread served at every meal to the boards used to construct houses and other buildings. Because millstones went through so much daily wear and tear, only certain types of rock formations were suitable for millstone quarries, though they were often difficult to locate and access. This book provides an archaeological and historical study of six millstone quarries in Powell County, Kentucky. While the best-known conglomerate millstone quarries were in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, Powell County was an important millstone producer for Kentucky, and the quarries there are well-preserved and documented. It features dozens of photographs and tables, two maps, and seven appendices.
£29.96
McFarland & Company The Millstone Industry
Book Synopsis Since prehistoric times, the process of cutting rock to make millstones has been one of the most important industries in the world. The first part of this book compiles information on the millstone industry in the United States, which dates between the mid-1600s and the mid-1900s. Primarily based on archival research and brief accounts published in geological and historical volumes, it focuses on conglomerate, granite, flint, quartzite, gneiss, and sandstone quarries in different regions and states. The second part focuses on the millstone quarrying industry in Europe and other areas.
£48.59
McFarland & Company Rubber
Book Synopsis The rubber industry was born in bankruptcy and built through bankruptcies. As this history details, many of the great rubber barons--Charles Goodyear, Harvey Firestone, B.F. Goodrich, F.A. Seiberling--found themselves or their companies in bankruptcy courts. Fortunately, the industry has always proven as elastic as its product. From the early search for an American location to process the rubber of the tropics to the collapse of the industry, this is the story of rubber in America.
£20.89
McFarland & Company The Consequences of Cotton in Antebellum America
Book SynopsisTraces the impact of cotton from the southern US on most of the important facets of life in antebellum America, including employment, international relations, agriculture, shipping, the US economy, Native American relations and slavery. This one plant, this volume demonstrates, fashioned the way of life of the South and profoundly affected the destiny of the entire American people.
£20.89
