Search results for ""history press""
The History Press Ltd Heathrow: 2000 Years of History
Philip Sherwood's fully revised and updated history of Heathrow tells the extraordinary story of the district from the distant past to the present day. He describes how, in the sixty or so years since the Second World War, the isolated hamlet of Heathrow, which was surrounded by fields and market gardens, was transformed into the largest international airport in the world. The book recalls the earliest recorded human activity in the area over 2000 years ago. It uses maps, plans and an evocative selection of historic photographs to illustrate the slow development of this rural district from medieval times.The author shows how the landscape of farmhouses, cottages, fields and gardens in this quiet corner of Middlesex was obliterated by the airport's expansion. Hangars, runways, roads, hotels, warehouses and terminal buildings now cover the countryside, and this continuous development has had a lasting effect on the lives of the local people. Again the history of Heathrow is being drawn sharply back into focus with the further proposed growth and new terminal. Philip Sherwood's in-depth knowledge of the long history of Heathrow will make his new book fascinating reading for everyone who knows the airport, the nearby villages and the surrounding area. His book will also be of interest to all those who are concerned with the history of civil aviation and with the future of the English countryside.
£18.00
The History Press Ltd A Century of Newport: Events, People & Place over the 20th Century
This fascinating selection of photographs illustrates the extraordinary transformation that has taken place in Newport during the 20th century. The book offers an insight into the daily lives and living conditions of local people and gives the reader glimpses and details of familiar places during a century of unprecedented change. Many aspects of Newport's recent history are covered, famous occasions and indivuduals are remembered and the impact of national and international events is witnessed. The book provides a striking account of the changes that have so altered Newport's appearance and records the process of transformation. Drawing on detailed local knowledge of the community, and illustrated with a wealth of black-and-white photographs, this book recalls what Newport has lost in terms of buildings, traditions and ways of life. It also acknowledges the regeneration that has taken place and celebrates the character and energy of local people as they move through the first years of this new century.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd A New History of Ireland
Christine Kinealy incorporates some of the most recent scholarship to explore the key developments and personalities that have helped to shape this country over 1500 years. From the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the twelfth century - which began Ireland's complex and tortuous relationship with England - to Cromwell's invasion, the Plantation of Ulster, the Great Famine and Nationalism, Christine Kinealy challenges the dominant interpretation of events.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Titanic: A Survivor's Story
Here is a survivor's vivid account of the greatest maritime disaster in history. The information contained in Gracie's account is available from no other source. He provides details of those final moments, including names of passengers pulled from the ocean and of those men who, in a panic, jumped into lifeboats as they were being lowered, causing injury and further danger to life. Walter Lord, author of 'A Night to Remember', comments that Gracie's book - written shortly before he died from the exposure he suffered on the night - is "invaluable for chasing down who went in what boat", and calls Gracie "an indefatigable detective".
£9.99
The History Press Ltd William and Mary: Heroes of the Glorious Revolution
Mary (1662-94), daughter of James, Duke of York, heir to the English throne, then 15, is said to have wept for a day and a half when she was told she was to marry her cousin, William (1650-1702), son of William II of Orange (1626-50), Stadtholder of the Dutch republic, and Mary, eldest daughter of Charles I of England, who was eleven years older than her. In November 1677, on William's 27th birthday, they married in a private ceremony at St James's Palace. William was solemn, James gloomy, Mary in tears, and only King Charles appeared cheerful. This dual biography deals with both the 'life and times' of the monarchs, and with England's place in Europe. Interests of the subjects, outside the constitutional, are dealt with, as well as their personal relationships: William's rumoured homosexuality and Mary's hinted-at lesbianism; Mary's troubled personal relations with her father, James II; and the relationship between Mary and her sister and husband's successor Anne. The book also examines the personal and political relations between William and his uncle Charles II, and between William and Mary and Charles' illegitimate son the Duke of Monmouth.
£15.99
The History Press Ltd The Men of the Mary Rose: Raising the Dead
The Mary Rose was one of King Henry VIII's favourite warships until she sank during an engagement with the French fleet on 19 July 1545. Her rediscovery and raising were seminal events in the history of nautical archaeology. Apart from the Captain and the Vice Admiral, nothing is known about the crew of the Mary Rose - the only evidence about her complement of 415 men rests with their skeletal remains. In The Men of the Mary Rose A.J. Stirland uses archaeological and skeletal evidence to give the reader a welcome insight into the soldiers of the Mary Rose, from their ages and height to their health, diet and physical condition.This book examines the building, sinking and raising of the Mary Rose and her historical context, before moving on to the examination of what the remain of the crew can reveal to us about the fighting men of that period. Many new findings have been made through analysis of their bones, including the effects of some activities and occupations on the skeletons of the men. This is the first book to deal with the men who made up the crew of the Mary Rose. It provides an exciting glimpse of Tudor life and the Tudor navy, relating archaeological findings to existing documentary evidence, opening a fascinating window into one of Henry VIII's great ships and a frozen moment of sixteenth-century time. This book will appeal both to professionals in the area, and to those for whom Tudor history holds a general fascination.
£17.09
The History Press Ltd The Little Book of Manchester
Did You Know? In 1824 a Pendleton tollkeeper set up Britain’s first true public bus service, thought to be one of the first in the world. Communism can claim to have been conceived, if not born, in Manchester as Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx used to meet in the city. Manchester has the grim distinction of being the place where the first death of the English Civil War occurred. The Little Book of Manchester is an intriguing, fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of places, people and events in the city, from its Roman origins to the present day. Here you can read about the important contributions the city made to the history of the nation, learn about the individual communities and how they came together to form the modern city and meet some of the great men and women, the eccentrics and the scoundrels with which its history is littered.A reliable reference book and quirky guide, its bite-sized chunks of history can be dipped into time and again to reveal some new facts about the story of this amazing city. This is a remarkably engaging little book.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Lincolnshire Folk Tales
Lincolnshire, a county with many variations in the dialect, once nurtured many folk tales and though these stories may no longer be told as often as they once were, they still resonate within the rural landscape. From the dark tales of the ‘Buried Moon’, ‘The Lincoln Imp’, and the ‘Werewolf of Langrick Fen’, to the humorous tales of ‘Ten-Pint Smith’, ‘The Lad that went to look for Fools’ and the ‘Farmer and the Boggart’, so many of these tales are rooted in the county and take us back to a time when the people would huddle around the fire in the mud and stud cottages to while away the long winter evenings. Such nights would also inspire the telling of tales of witches, fairies, ghosts, giants and dragons. All the stories in Lincolnshire Folk Tales have been thoroughly researched and will be of interest to modern readers (and storytellers), both within the county and elsewhere.
£11.25
The History Press Ltd Hampshire and Isle of Wight Folk Tales
These beautifully told folk tales, brought vividly to life by Marcel O’Leary’s graphic illustrations, have been collected by the author over his years of working as a greenkeeper, gardener, teacher and storyteller in Hampshire. Many are published here for the first time, and others have evolved through countless retellings in Hampshire schools, festivals, fêtes and events. Featuring dark tales of murderous kings and commoners, wild women, screaming skulls, galloping plague coaches, dragons dancing themselves to death, giants, and wandering corpses, combined with humorous stories and evocative tales of love, lust and passion, this book takes the reader beyond the written page and reveals the wonders that lie within the Hampshire landscape.
£11.25
The History Press Ltd The Fierce Light: The Battle of the Somme July-November 1916: Prose and Poetry
Contains a selection of prose and poetry from 38 contemporary British, Australian and New Zealand writers who fought during the Battle of the Somme. This work tells the stories of different men from different backgrounds.
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Richard III and the Princes in the Tower
Richard III has divided opinion for over 500 years. Traditionally, he has been perceived as a villain, a bloody tyrant and the monstrous murderer of his innocent nephews. To others he was and remains a wronged victim who did his best for kingdom and family; a noble prince and enlightened statesman tragically slain.Richard III and the Princes in the Tower explores the story of Richard III and the tales that have been woven around the historic events, and discusses his life and reign and the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower. It also assesses the original sources upon which much of the history is based. A number of picture essays explore particular aspects of Richard III's life and reign: his birth sign of Scorpio, historical paintings, the symbolism of pigs and boars, Richard's saints, his books, the Princes, and cartoons and caricatures. This classic work is one that no enthusiast should be without.
£17.09
The History Press Ltd The Story of Leicester
The Story of Leicester traces the evolution of this remarkable city. When the Romans arrived they developed an existing settlement into Ratae, an administrative capital. During the Tudor, Stuart and Georgian periods the town lost status, but remained an important market town. Industrialisation and population growth radically changed Leicester during Victorian times and it became prosperous, its economy underpinned by the hosiery, boot and shoe and engineering industries – the basis of modern Leicester. This popular history brings the story of the city up to date and provides new insights that will delight both residents and visitors.
£18.00
The History Press Ltd Voices of the Lake District
Voices of the Lake District is the unique and fascinating result of many conversations and interviews with local people in the Lakeland community, recalling life in the area over the past century. Compiled by Ambleside Oral History Group, vivid memories are recounted, including childhood and schooldays, work and play, sport and leisure, as well as the war years. Illustrated with over 50 archive pictures, many previously unpublished, this volume also demonstrates the humour, courage and indomitable spirit of the local population - from the farmers, shop-keepers, shepherds and quarrymen to those who lived above and below stairs in the grand houses - and paints a revealing picture of life in this uniquely beautiful setting. Anyone who knows the Lakes, as a resident or a visitor, will be amused and entertained, surprised and moved by these stories, which capture the changes that have taken place in the area through the eyes of its residents.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Bristol and the Civil War: For King and Parliament
In the seventeenth century Bristol was the second city of England. It was the main west coast port, an internationally important entrepot and rich trading centre. Industry flourished, too, with manufacturing and processing industries like soap making and gunpowder production responsible for Bristol's considerable wealth. In consequence, control of the town became one of the chief objectives of both armies during the civil war which raged in England in the 1640s. Beginning the war under Parliamentarian control, the city changed hands twice, with each transfer having a major effect of the war effort of both sides.This new study argues that when the Royalists captured Bristol in July 1643 they gained not only the city, but also the materials and facilities that literally allowed them to remain in the war. Under Royalist rule Bristol became a vital centre for military and government activities, as well as a centre for importing arms from Europe and becoming almost the alternative Royalist capital. The loss of Bristol in 1645 was therefore a huge blow to the Royalist cause. This book is surely one of the most important written on the civil wars in recent times. Its radical reinterpretation of the pivotal role of England's second city will ensure it a place on bookshelves of anyone interested in the most turbulent years of the seventeenth century.
£15.29
The History Press Ltd The Cotswold Male Voice Choir
The Cotswold Male Voice Choir, formed in 1949, has become a well-known part of the music scene in the Midlands and the South West. In addition to many local events including concerts at Tewkesbury Abbey and Gloucester Cathedral, in the past year the Choir has performed in the French Alps at Annecy, in Wales with three Welsh choirs, in York's Guildhall at the invitation of the Mayor of York, and twice at the Malvern Music Festivals. The choir sings a broad repertoire including male voice choir favourites, classic and operatic, big show numbers and popular music. The majority of Cotswold Male Voice Choir concerts support good causes. Over the years, this has accounted for many thousands of pounds raised for charities. This heart warming history follows the progress of hundreds of singers, their piano accompanists and guest artistes as well as the company's travels at home and abroad.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Fishing Boats of Cornwall
The first deep-sea fishing boats of Cornwall are regarded as being influenced by the three-masted French luggers that sailed over to cause havoc amongst the locals. However, fishing had been practised by Cornishmen for many generations before that, with mackerel and pilchard fishing being prominent. Inshore, lobster and crab fishing had also been popular for generations. This book looks at the development of Cornish fishing boats, from the lugger to Pilchard seine-net boats, once as prolific as the luggers and usually built locally, as were traditional lobster and crab vessels. These are discussed alongside more unusual boats, such as the St Ives 'jumbo' and the Mevagissey 'tosher'. The book brings the story up to date, including modern photos of existing boats gathering for the bi-annual Looe lugger regatta. After motorisation, the shape of the boat changed forever and the adaptation of old boats to accommodate engines is examined, as are the famous yards and boatbuilders of Cornwall still operational today.
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Truro History and Guide
This is a collection of old images and new with information into the town's history.
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Truro: The Second Selection
Beautiful Georgian Truro has always been a bustling market town although since 1877 it has been graced with the title of 'City'. This second selection of photographs in the Archive Photographs Series gives fascinating insights into the changes that have taken place, not only in the streets and shops but also in the daily lives and work pf the people who live here. We peep into Solomon and Metz, the printers, see the telephone exchange decorated for Christmas and wonder if Mr Lampier managed to sell all his Vim. We attend victory parades, coronations and street parties on our nostaligic journey through these wonderful old photographs and visit schools that have been long since been demolished. Most of the pictures have come from the albums of the people of Truro and have never been published before. Carnicals, choirs, the circus and all manner of sporting events are featured as we take a journey back in time. The photographs now gathered together in this book give a wondeful glimpse into Truro's past.
£11.69
The History Press Ltd Lumberjills: Britain's Forgotten Army
When war was declared in 1939, Britain was almost completely dependent on imported timber – but only had seven months of it stockpiled. Timber was critical to the war effort: it was needed for everything from aircraft and shipbuilding to communications and coal mining. The British timber trade was in trouble. Enter the Lumberjills. Lacking in both men and timber, the government made a choice. Reluctantly, they opened lumber work for women to apply – and apply they did. The Women’s Timber Corps had thousands of members who would prove themselves as strong and as smart as any man: they felled and crosscut trees by hand, operated sawmills, and ran whole forestry sites. They may not have been on the front line, but they fought their own battles on the home front for respect and equality. And in the midst of heavy labour and wartime, they lived a life, making firm friends and even finding soulmates. In Lumberjills, researcher Joanna Foat tells their story for the first time, and gives them the recognition they so truly deserve.
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Tales from the Towpath: Stories and Histories of the Cotswold Canals
Have you ever wondered about the people who lived and worked along the canals? Have you ever caught a glimpse of something they might have seen or an echo of something they might have heard? As the Stroudwater Navigation and the Thames and Severn canal wind their way from Framilode to Inglesham, they hold the stories of all who lived and worked on them. From Jack spinning yarns as he legs barges through the Sapperton Tunnel to Elizabeth swimming for all she is worth in the Wallbridge gala, the stories in 'Tales from the Towpath' span 250 years of life on the Cotswold canals. Mixing fact and fiction, they bring the past to life and, like all the best tales, appeal to children and adults alike. These original tales by storyteller Fiona Eadie are complemented by the evocative illustrations of local artist Tracy Spiers.
£9.99
The History Press Ltd Lady of Sudeley
The Lady of Sudeley was Emma Brocklehurst who in 1847 married John Coucher Dent and spent nearly 50 years of her life as the chatelaine of Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire. A remarkable woman with wide-ranging interests and prodigious energy Emma Dent devoted herself to the restoration of the Castle and to the people of the nearby Cotsold town of Winchcombe, as well as finding time to amass an amazing collection of artefacts which are now on permanent display at the Castle. With ane eye to posterity she also left a valuable legacy of diaries, letters and papers which Jean Bray has skilfully woven into this story of her life and times from her childhood in Macclesfield to her life at Sudeley. This new edition of the book includes an unique collection of illustrations from the Sudeley Castle archives.
£8.99
The History Press Ltd Turner
Turner's work is famous throughout the world. He transformed British landscape painting from a minor art to a highly respected one with huge power and range.. This beautifully illustrated guide looks at the man and his influences, and takes a route though Europe and Britain as his artistic life flowers and matures.
£6.59
The History Press Ltd Voices of Fairford and Lechlade
These personal memories give a unique and fascinating insight into the lives of the people who lived in and around the Gloucestershire market town neighbours of Fairford and Lechlade. This volume of reminiscences documents the individuality of the people and paints a vibrant picture of the lives lead, daily work and social experiences enjoyed, both public and private, in their own words. Accompanied by illustrations, many from private collections and many that will not previously have been seen, Voices ofFairford and Lechlade contains transcriptions of memories collected from a wide selection of local people. 'There was a trememdous secrecy about the entries, every shop and organisation decorated a float, originally horse-drawn farm carts and wagons and then later cars and motorcycles were allowed to enter as decorated vehicles.' Documenting the social and historical changes that have taken place here and providing a unique view from the people whose lives were involved in these changes, Voices of Fairford and Lechlade is a valuable source of information for the historian, but will also delight those who want to know more about the daily life of local people.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Difference Is Born on the Lips: Reflections on sexuality, stigma and society
In this shockingly raw but beautifully written book, Michael Handrick unpicks the toxic narratives and myths built up by society of what it means to be a man, gay and working class. Moving through time and memory, from a rural council estate surrounded by snowdrop-filled forests, to searching for his sense of self across London, Italy, America and beyond, he explores how his struggles with mental health and abuse were compounded by stigmas around class, masculinity and sexuality. At this point in history, despite having more equal rights and media representation than ever before, the gay community is suffering a mental health epidemic. In a 2018 survey, Stonewall found that half of respondents had experienced depression, while other research shows 49 per cent of gay men have suffered from domestic abuse and 26 per cent have experienced rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner. As he embarks on a journey to understand the root causes of the toxicity in our society, Handrick finds that the beginnings of the abuse, trauma and mental health crises faced by gay men, and the silence that surrounds them, remain unresolved. Difference is born on the lips, but it is society that shapes those words and actions. The mental health issues gay men live with, the abuse they go through, the stigma, prejudice and discrimination they face do not exist in a vacuum. They are created and catalysed in our societies. Difference is Born on the Lips is a call to come together and create a new conversation, and confront the systemic inequalities that the queer community should never have had to live with.
£16.99
The History Press Ltd Somerset Folk Tales for Children
When you are in Somerset you are never far from mysterious caverns, whispering woods, hidden valleys and places which can’t decide whether they are seascapes or landscapes. The ancient Kings Arthur and Alfred hid amongst Somerset’s secret waterways, waging the wars and making treaties that forged Britain’s history. Outlaws and highwaymen lived on the wildest of moors that plummet into the sea. Ordinary people farmed the land and fished the waters alongside the Little People, the Fair Folk, the fairies and goblins that were as tricksy and unchancy to meet as any smuggler… In this collection, professional storyteller Sharon Jacksties has selected and reworked tales for children aged 7–11 to discover.
£11.24
The History Press Ltd Victorian Engineering
L 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.
£16.99
The History Press Ltd Shackleton's Dream: Fuchs, Hillary and the Crossing of Antarctica
In November 1915, Sir Ernest Shackleton watched horrified as the grinding ice floes of the Weddell Sea squeezed the life from his ship, Endurance. Caught in the chaos of splintered wood, buckled metalwork and tangled rigging lay Shackleton’s dream of being the first man to complete the crossing of Antarctica. Shackleton would not live to make a second attempt – but his dream endured.Shackleton’s Dream tells for the first time the story of the British Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, led by Vivian Fuchs and Sir Edmund Hillary. Forty years after the loss of Endurance, they set out to succeed where Shackleton had so heroically failed. Using tracked vehicles and converted farm tractors in place of Shackleton’s man-hauled sledges, they faced a colossal challenge: a perilous 2,000-mile journey across the most demanding landscape on the planet.This epic adventure saw two giants of twentieth-century exploration pitted not only against Nature at her most hostile, but also against each other. Planned as a historic (and scientific) continental crossing, the expedition would eventually develop into a dramatic ‘Race to the South Pole’ – a contest as controversial as that of Scott and Amundsen more than four decades earlier.
£16.99
The History Press Ltd DDay 1944
D-Day was unprecedented. An invasion of this scale and magnitude had never been carried out before. The landings in North Africa, Sicily and Italy were of limited scope by comparison; if they had failed it would not have been a complete disaster, whereas Normandy heralded the long-awaited Second Front.D-Day 1944: The Making of Victory investigates the great feats of unique problem-solving that enabled the success of such an important invasion. Military historian Anthony Tucker-Jones brings his expert eye to bear on the D-Day landings and subsequent Normandy campaign. He reassesses the technical ingenuity required through the eyes of those who fought there, and vividly reveals how each side managed, whether dealing with the challenges of crossing the Channel safely or in defence of the French coast. Including first-hand accounts, this book places the reader in the thick of the action.
£20.00
The History Press Ltd The Hop Bin: An Anthology of Hop Picking in Kent and East Sussex
For 400 years Kent and East Sussex were vividly and visibly associated with the cultivation of hops. Fran and Geoff Doel have evoked this bygone world of hopping by gathering together a wide range of social and literary accounts, poems and songs from the Tudor period to the present day, each with a contextual introduction. The selection illustrates both the ‘rose-tinted’ image and the harsher reality of a distinctive aspect of rural life in the south east.
£15.17
The History Press Ltd Cox's Fragmenta II: Further Folios From History
A presumptuous bear imposing on a coachful of ladies, how to behave in the British Museum, the dangers of dallying with a black-eyed girl and the Royal Navy’s inaugural biscuit machine are just some of the masterpieces of understated journalism collected by Francis Cox and contained in his Fragmenta. At ninety-four volumes, Cox’s scrapbook has to be one of the largest collections of journalistic ephemera ever. For sixty years during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries he accumulated articles on everything from duels to playhouses, and foreign travel to warfare. Following on from the success of the first volume, Simon Murphy has selected more bizarre stories to create another delightful historical miscellany which will intrigue and amuse.
£11.24
The History Press Ltd Scotland's Stone of Destiny
Scotland's 'Stone of Destiny' is the most famous symbol of both Scottish nationhood and the British monarchy. Nick Aitchison has produced the first fully researched and illustrated study of its history, mythology and cultural significance. Having first traced the origin, evolution and function of myths surrounding the Stone and the ancient prophecy that gives the Stone its name, he examines the stone itself and for the first time reveals the Stone's original function and the origins of its symbolic sanctity. The Stone's historic contexts and its role in royal inauguration and coronation rituals are also discussed, including an analysis of the rich symbolism surrounding the Stone and its changing nature over time. The book concludes with a discussion of the Stone's symbolic significance with the creation of the Scottish parliament.
£25.00
The History Press Ltd A History of Seeing in Eleven Inventions
Eyes were one of the very first body parts to evolve more than 500 million years ago, and their structure has remained virtually unchanged through most of evolutionary history. But eyes alone were never enough for Homo sapiens. From the mastery of fire a million years ago to the smartphone today, humans have repeatedly invented new ways to see their surroundings, each other and themselves. Artificial light, art, mirrors, writing, lenses, printing, photography, film, television, smartphones – these tools didn’t just add to our visual repertoire, they shaped cultures around the world and made us who we are. Drawing on sources from anthropology to zoology, neuroscience to Netflix, As Far As the Eye Can See traces the history of seeing from the first evolutionary stirrings of sight and discovers that each time we changed how or what we see, we changed ourselves and the world around us. Along the way, it finds, sight slowly eclipsed our other senses. Are we now at ‘peak seeing’, the author asks. Can our eyes keep up with technology? Have we gone as far as the eye can see?
£13.60
The History Press Ltd Remembering Steam: The End of British Rail Steam in Photographs
Fifty years ago, main line steam in Britain ceased to exist, the last official date being 11 August 1968. At the time, British Railways’ plan was that after this there would be no more steam traction – although a special dispensation was given for Britannia Class 4-6-2 No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell to travel under its own steam into preservation on the 12th and 13th of that month. We now know that this was not quite the case, and that steam locomotives would eventually return to the main lines on highly popular ‘specials’. With over 200 never-before-seen photographs, paired with fond and often amusing captions, this evocative book takes a look back at those days and years that led up to the end of steam on Britain’s railways.
£20.00
The History Press Ltd Brick: A Social History
Bricks – such small and seemingly uninteresting things – have helped to build the way we live as society has evolved, from the feudal system of early Britain right up to today. Originally very expensive, bricks were only used by those who could afford them. This gradually changed with the Great Fire of London in 1666 when legislation decreed that the city must be rebuilt with non flammable materials, and bricks came into their own. A few centuries later bricks formed the infrastructure of industrial Britain as the need for canals and railways grew. But bricks are also associated with some of the worst slums this country has ever known, with poor bricks and sandy mortars indirectly causing misery for thousands of people. Our love affair with bricks continues today, with exposed brickwork being used to decorate both exteriors and interiors. But how are bricks made? What are they made of? Who made them and how have they changed through time? In Brick Carolyne Haynes answers these questions and reveals the surprising social history of bricks in Britain.
£21.23
The History Press Ltd The Sunken Gold: First World War Espionage and the Greatest Treasure Salvage in History
When HMS Laurentic sank in 1917, few knew what cargo she was carrying, and the Admiralty wanted to keep it that way. After all, broadcasting that there were 44 tons of gold off the coast of Ireland in the middle of a vicious and bloody war was not the best strategic move. But Britain desperately needed that gold. Lieutenant Commander Guybon Damant was an expert diver and helped discover how to prevent decompression sickness (‘the bends’). With a then world record dive of 210ft under his belt and a proven history of military determination, Damant was the perfect man for a job that required the utmost secrecy and skill. What followed next was a tale of incredible feats, set against a backdrop of war and treacherous storms. Based on thousands of Admiralty pages, interviews with Damant’s family and the unpublished memoirs of the man himself, The Sunken Gold is a story of war, treasure – and one man’s obsession to find it.
£20.00
The History Press Ltd The Times on Cinema
The Times on Cinema opens The Times’ and the Sunday Times’ vast archives of reviews and coverage of Hollywood’s most treasured films. Featuring many of cinema’s most revered critics, including Philip French, Dilys Powell, Tom Shone and Kate Muir, whose award-winning journalism has often determined the success or failure of a film, the book spans seven decades of film criticism. Editor and critic Brian Pendreigh also complies a selection of the most infamously scathing reviews ever to grace the pages of The Times, as well as a collection of legendary interviews with iconic actors, actresses, directors and producers, who lay bare the secrets to their successes. Featuring a range of rare film stills from The Times’ collection, The Times on Cinema is the first book of its kind to make use of such an extensive archive, and is the perfect gift for all cinephiles.
£18.00
The History Press Ltd Hawker Siddeley Harrier: The World's First Jump Jet
The revolutionary Harrier took to the skies in December 1967, going on to become the star of the Royal Navy and Air Force during the Falkland Islands War in 1982. Its US derivative, the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, proved equally successful with the Marine Corps in Operations Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Featuring a wealth of rare and previously unpublished photographs and diagrams, this photographic history explores the background that led to the development of this remarkable aircraft. Mark A. Chambers charts the history and output of Hawker Aircraft Ltd from Sopwith onwards, through the Harrier’s development, production, flight testing and operational and combat history, and also considers its future replacement, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. An effective strike fighter for several nations for almost half a century, Harrier’s longevity is testament to its practical design and viability – a truly unique combat aircraft.
£22.50
The History Press Ltd The Great Abolition Sham: The True Story of the End of the British Slave Trade
Slavery and the trade that fuelled it underpinned Britain’s economic position throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Unsurprisingly, when the abolition of the slave trade was first mooted opinion was widely divided. The majority of the British public were either apathetic about the plight of black Africans in the American colonies or firmly against any change. Much of the establishment, including the Anglican Church, robustly supported the Afro-Caribbean slavery. The Great Abolition Sham is the first book to explore the real personalities and issues behind the popular rhetoric which surrounds the abolitionist movement. Documentary evidence confirms the shocking duplicity of the British government, which protected the slave trade after its formal abolition in 1807, and exposes the levels of hypocrisy that made a mockery of the Emancipation Act of 1834.
£8.99
The History Press Ltd Panzer Battles
Born in 1904, von Mellenthin joined the Seventh Cavalry Regiment in 1924. In 1935, he began his general staff training and in 1939 was an intelligence officer. By the end of the war, he had risen in rank to Major General and was Chief of General Staff, Fifth Panzer Army, on the Western Front. Active in the Polish campaign of 1939, the conquest of France, the Balkans, the desert with Rommel, as well as in Russia, at Stalingrad and Kursk, he was in a unique position to write Panzer Battles, having been present at every major panzer campaign. In 1944, he was moved to the Western Front under Field Marshall von Rundstedt. Captured in 1945 by the Americans, he moved to South Africa after the war and became an executive for a major German airline.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd Lady De Lancey at Waterloo
This book tells the tragic story of William De Lancey, who became one of the first professional staff officers in the British Army, worked for Wellington throughout the Penisular War, and was his chief-of-staff at the Battle of Waterloo.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd Evader: The Epic Story of the First British Airman to be Rescued by the Comete Escape Line in World War II
In 1941 air gunner Sergeant Jack Newton’s Wellington is hit by flak on his first bombing raid over Germany. Miraculously, the skipper makes an emergency landing on a German-occupied Belgian airfield, narrowly avoiding Antwerp Cathedral. Having torched the plane, the crew give the unsuspecting Germans the slip and are hidden by the Resistance. Hoping to make it to the coast and back across the Channel, the airmen are surprised when the 23-year-old female leader of the Comete Escape Line, Andree de Jongh – codenamed Dedee – has other plans for them. Full of terrifying and humorous moments, this is the story of the epic journey of the first British airman to escape occupied Europe during the Second World War.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd The Discovery of Sussex
There is a greater difference between life in Sussex today and life one hundred years ago than there was between the times of our great-grandparents and of Queen Elizabeth, for in 1900 Sussex away from the seaside resorts had more in common with the Sussex of 1700 than today's county. Horse power still set the pace of life and thistledown floated up from the spacious sheepwalks in high summer. Hazel and chestnut coppice was still cut regularly, men had not left off singing, and the bell-teams of wagon horses on the road were familiar sounds in what was called 'sleepy, snoozy, Sussex'.This book examines the social, cultural and environmental changes which went into the making of modern Sussex from the end of the 18th century, particularly those that resulted from the invasion of wide-eyed Londoners as tourists and health-seekers, writers and artists, weekenders or permanent residents, in the half-century up to 1939. Those in favour of innovation and progress, who wanted to let things run their course, gave their active or tacit support to change, but there were others who abhorred the modern age and tried angrily to reverse the process. There were also those who fought on behalf of the countryside and resisted urbanisation by means of landscape protection, thus saving much of the county from bricks and mortar.Sussex became a foil to the metropolis on its doorstep, functioning as a re-discovered Eden in the guise of an undeclared national park, with values and lifestyles at variance with those of the capital city. The remarkable efflorescence of painting, writing, arts and crafts, domestic architecture, and landscape design and planning was deeply affected by the nostalgia for the countryside which accompanied the rapid and largely unplanned metropolitan growth. Writers and promoters of tourism created a rural ideology designed to meet the strains and stresses of the new urban mode of existence.
£22.50
The History Press Ltd From High Places: A Journey through Ireland's Great Mountains
The mountains of Ireland are wild and untrodden. There is a powerful and magnetic quality to Ireland’s high places, a mix of mountains and sea that creates an indelible impression and inexorably draws one back. From High Places is a celebration of Ireland’s great mountains. A collection of stunning images taken from the peaks of these mountains, it will transport you from the quartzite giants of Connemara, the wild summits of Donegal, the sweeping mountains of Mourne, to the towering peaks of Kerry. In addition to these images, the author describes his own unique experiences exploring these mountain areas and interweaves these with an account of the local history, folklore, and geology. From High Places will inspire the reader, be they beginner or experienced hill-walker, to set out and explore the magnificent mountains Ireland has to offer.
£22.50
The History Press Ltd Roscommon Folk Tales
Legend has it that the magical Tuatha Dé Danann came on the wind from Tír na nÓg (The Land of Youth) and landed in Roscommon, on the Curlew Mountains. It was from here that they spread throughout Ireland and some say that it is they who created the soul of the Irish and who imbued all who came after with the Irish Spirit. They were hot-tempered, strong, brave, daring and often rash and many of their deeds are captured in this collection of tales from across the country. Also featured here are intriguing stories of a vanishing lake, Oileán na Sioga (The Fairy Island), and the miracles of St Kieran, along with darker tales of the battles of Queen Méabh, the Monster of Lough Rea, and the story of Betty of Roscommon, Ireland’s first (and only) hang woman – not to mention the fantastical accounts of encounters with leprechauns, pookas, giants and banshees. Roscommon has as many stories as there are people travelling its roads, passed down from generation to generation, and a wealth of them are gathered together here in this unique volume.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Leitrim Folk Tales
Do you know where the ‘twice-richest mountain in Ireland’ is? Or what mysterious creature is said to lurk in the waters of Glenade Lake? Or why you should never cheer on a fairy footballer? Discover the answers to these and more in this collection of tales from across the county. Leitrim is the place where, legend has it, Cormac Riabhac, The Irish ‘Samson’, performed his amazing feats of strength; where Fionn Mac Cumhaill, great warrior of the Fianna, is said to lie buried; and where the wrongful execution of Jack Bircall led to a miraculous cure. It is also said to be the home of a plethora of strange and magical creatures and stories abound of encounters fairies, mermen, enchanted cows and even supernatural salmon. These stories, beautifully illustrated by Tracey Jean Yappa, bring to life the county’s varied landscape, from its lofty mountains to its bogs and loughs, and along the mighty Shannon River, whose twisting path was said to have been carved out by the antics of the giant serpent, the ‘Great Ollphéist’.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Cork Folk Tales
As the home of the famous Blarney Stone it is perhaps not surprising that the stories of County Cork could fill many libraries. Among its vast archive of myth and legend are tales of the Goddess Cliona, The Hag of Beara and the Giant Mac Mahon and the epic story of St Finbarr who bashed Louie, a fiery serpent, from the lake at Goughan Barra, its wriggling tail forming the course of the River Lee. These tales and more, drawn from historical sources and newly recorded local reminiscences, have been brought to life here by professional storyteller and Cork native Kate Corkery. This collection is a heady mix of bloodthirsty, funny, passionate and moving stories. It will take you into a remarkable world where you can let your imagination run wild.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Cashel
Once the home of the Kings of Munster, Cashel is a town dominated by one of Ireland's most impressive landmarks, the Rock of Cashel. This book explores the History of Cashel from earliest times to the modern day and accompanies the tale with black and white and colour images taken by the author and others.
£17.99
The History Press Ltd Limerick Folk Tales
County Limerick is a place of kings and commoners. It is where Donn Fírinne, king of the Munster fairies, is said to have once roamed and where Sean na Scuab, a poor broom seller from the wrong side of the river, was chosen to be mayor of the city. It is a land filled with stories, poetry, music and drama. In these pages you can read about Sionainn, who was carried away by the flowing waters of the River Shannon; the bright and beautiful goddess Áine, the fairy queen, who knits the earth’s green mantle below Lough Gur; Finn MacCool and his band of warri ors, the Fianna; the wise woman Joan Grogan and her ingenious cures; foolish Tadhg who outwitted a gang of thieves; and the poet-magician, Gearóid Iarla, on his horse with silver shoes. In this unique collection, storyteller Ruth Marshall recounts tales of mystery, music and magic from across the rich tapestry of the folklore of County Limerick.
£12.99