Search results for ""Author Thames"

'He thought his happiness was complete when, as he meandered aimlessly along, suddenly he stood by the edge of a full-fed river.' One of the most popular children's books of all time, the dreamy world of the riverbank and Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger is woven into the childhood of many who have been entranced by Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. The Pitkin Guide brings these enchanting characters to life and explores their relationship with their author. The tragedy of his mother’s early death at their Scottish home and his father’s inability to come to terms with the loss of his wife propelled Kenneth Grahame and his siblings into another world – one that was to influence and inform one of the greatest children’s stories of all time. We look at Grahame’s life in London, the English countryside that inspired his writing, and the legacy he has left behind for future generations to enjoy. Includes illustrations by E.H Shephard, and map of the River Thames.

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London, or Londinium, was founded by the Romans in about AD 50 and soon became the most important city in Britannia. Straddling the River Thames, it was a hive of activity, as it is today. In this accessible and readable book, Roman expert and archaeologist Dr Andrew Tibbs uncovers the hidden history of Roman Londinium and provides a lively and authoritative guide to archaeological remains and excavations, the key museums as well as the hidden sites now concealed by modern London. The book includes a fascinating overview of the development and importance of Roman London, including its foundations, history and trading importance and also the story of what happened to Londinium after the Romans departed. The author reveals the engaging details of daily life in and around Roman London and also provides a timeline for Londinium in the context of Roman Britain and beyond. Including maps and full-colour illustrations, this is a concise and indispensable guide to Roman London.

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Bus operations across Hampshire, England’s eighth largest county, are covered in this book, with the bus scene in each district, town and city in the county being fully described and illustrated. Major companies Aldershot & District, Hants & Dorset, Southdown, Southern National, Thames Valley, Western National and Wilts & Dorset are all featured. Municipal operations at Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton, including trolleybuses at Portsmouth until 1963 and Bournemouth until 1969, are well represented. Large independents King Alfred at Winchester and Provincial at Gosport, which added such variety to the county’s bus operations, are included as is commentary and pictures covering smaller independents which mainly provided rural bus routes. Royal Blue Express Services, which threaded coach links across Hampshire and beyond, are well illustrated. Hampshire born and bred author Philip Wallis recalls a bygone but not so distant era and some bus companies that would disappear under National Bus Company rationalisation.

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Sebastian St. Cyr must confront a savage killer and save his closest friend from the hangman’s noose in this heart-pounding new historical mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of When Blood Lies.June 1815. The people of London wait, breathlessly, for news as Napoleon and the forces united against him hurtle toward their final reckoning at Waterloo. Among them is Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, frustrated to find himself sidelined while recovering from a dangerous wound he recently received in Paris. When the mutilated corpse of Major Miles Sedgewick surfaces from the murky waters of the Thames, Sebastian is drawn into the investigation of a murder that threatens one of his oldest and dearest friends, Irish surgeon Paul Gibson.Gibson’s lover, Alexi Sauvage, was tricked into a bigamous marriage with the victim. But there are other women who may have wanted the cruel, faithless Major dead. His mistress, his neglected wife, and their y

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The newly revised Pevsner guide to the buildings of Oxford and South-East Oxfordshire This updated guide addresses half a century of change and development since the previous edition, including a wealth of ambitious new buildings for the University and its colleges. Familiar buildings such as the Bodleian Library and the Radcliffe Camera are reinterpreted, and the many renovations and extensions are described and assessed. Oxford’s commercial buildings, suburbs, and houses are also explored in depth, including much that is published here for the first time. The county area extends from the outskirts of Oxford to Henley-on-Thames, following the historic Thameside boundary of Oxfordshire and taking in the hills of the southern Chilterns. Here the new volume includes fresh accounts of major country houses such as Nuneham Courtenay and Thame Park, new assessments of church restorations, furnishings, and stained glass, more inclusive coverage of commercial buildings in the towns and a fuller selection of vernacular and rural buildings across the whole of this attractive and rewarding part of England.

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This brilliant new guide for Londoners reveals hidden rivers, wooded lakes and Art Deco lidos, all within an about an hour of the capital on public transport, perfect for those who love to swim under the open sky. 150 locations cover the best of the Thames, Lea and Medway valleys and the area's numerous swimming lakes. The guide also showcases the best lidos and hotel pools, plus locations with organised swims. > discover secret islands on the Thames with river beaches, bucolic meanders and a bridge to jump from at Desborough Island > find the most beautiful of London's bohemian Art Deco lidos, including its best-kept secret in the heart of Soho > swim in a turquoise blue lagoon, like something from the Caribbean, at St Andrew's lake > spend the day sipping cocktails and eating sushi by the pool at a four-star Tudor hotel - Great Fosters

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A BODY IS FOUND ON THE BANKS OF THE THAMES.MAUREEN O'DONNELL NOW HAS TWELVE HOURS TO CATCH A KILLER... The last time Maureen O'Donnell saw Ann Harris, she was staying in the Glasgow Women's Shelter, drunk and with two broken ribs. A month later, Ann's mutilated body is washed up on the banks of the Thames. No one seems to care what happened to her, and Maureen is the only person who thinks Ann's husband is innocent. With her personal life in turmoil, she runs away to London and starts to piece together Ann's final days. But time is not on her side. Maureen needs twelve hours to put things right, and she doesn't care what it costs...'Confirms Mina's place in the premier division...Atmospheric [and] intense' Guardian*Don't miss Denise Mina's most recent thriller, the Costa 2020 shortlisted, THE LESS DEAD*

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Discover the best of wild Britain, whether it''s hiking, climbing, cycling or just soaking up nature, lovers of the outdoors will find this ideal for planning the adventure of a lifetime.Philip''s RGS Outdoor Britain highlights the remarkable activities on offer: from cheese-rolling in Gloucestershire to wild swimming in the Thames, surfing off the Cornish coast to bog snorkelling in Wales. This ultimate outdoor companion clearly illustrates all the parks, trails, long distance footpaths, pilgrim routes and much more. So grab your boots (or swimmers), pack your rucksack, and reconnect with nature.* National trails in England and Wales, Long distance footpaths in Scotland and scenic driving routes including: North Coast 500, West Highland Way, Pennine Way, Thames Path, South West Coastal Paths and Offa''s Dyke* Camping and caravanning sites for those who want to roam* National Parks and A

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Carlyle, Swinburne, John Stuart Mill...Rossetti, Whistler, Lewis Carol...these and other characters come vividly to life in this extraordinary novel. Set within a few square blocks along the Thames, in Chelsea, Neighboring Lives is a glorious re-creation, based on historical fact, of the private and working lives of many of the nineteenth century's greatest writers and artists.

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A fabulous picture book packed with fascinating details about London’s most famous sights, from Buckingham Palace and The Tower of London to Trafalgar Square and the museums in Kensington. There are pages on London’s parks, transport and sporting events, and two stunning fold-out pages show all the bridges and landmarks along the River Thames.

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Goal! covers the history of the beautiful game from its origins in English public schools in the early 19th century to its current role as a crucial element of a globalized entertainment industry. The authors explain how football transformed from a sport at elite boarding schools in England to become a pastime popular with the working classes, enabling factories such as the Thames Iron Works and the Woolwich Arsenal to give birth to the teams that would become the Premier League mainstays known as West Ham United and Arsenal. They also explore how the age of amateur soccer ended and, with the advent of professionalism, how football became a sport dominated by big clubs with big money and with an international audience.There are intense rivalries in soccer, such as that in Glasgow, Scotland, between (Catholic) Celtic and (Protestant) Rangers, and the authors examine closely the social causes that make for such passionate fans. The book also discusses the use of soccer for political purposes, such as in Hitler's Germany and Franco's Spain. And - given the long-standing association of soccer as a man's sport and the rise of women's soccer, especially in the United States - the authors look at the gendered history of the world's most popular sport. This book, which will appeal to all connoisseurs of soccer, provides a lens through which to view the social and cultural history of modern Europe.The book is published by The Catholic University of America Press.

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This book tells a true detective story set mainly in Elizabethan London during the years of cold war just before the Armada of 1588. The mystery is the identity of a spy working in a foreign embassy to frustrate Catholic conspiracy and propaganda aimed at the overthrow of Queen Elizabeth and her government. The suspects in the case are the inmates of the house, an old building in the warren of streets and gardens between Fleet Street and the Thames. These include the ambassador, a civilized Frenchman, his wife, his daughter, his secretary, his clerk and his priest, the tutor, the chef, the butler, and the concierge. They also include a runaway friar, the Neapolitan philosopher, poet, and comedian Giordano Bruno, who wrote masterpieces of Italian literature, who was later burned in Rome for his anti-papal opinions, and who has been revered in Italy for his honorable and heroic resistance to papal authority. Others in the cast are Queen Elizabeth, her formidable secretary of state Sir Francis Walsingham, and King Henry III of France; poets, courtiers, and scholars; statesmen, conspirators, go-betweens, and stool-pigeons. When not in London, the action takes place in Paris and Oxford; a good deal of it happens on the river Thames. The hero or villain, who calls himself Fagot, does his work most effectively, is not found out, and disappears. In the first part of the book these events are narrated. In the second the spy is identified and his story put together. John Bossy’s brilliant research, backed by his forensic and literary skills, solves a centuries-old mystery. His book makes a major contribution to the political and intellectual history of the wars of religion in Europe and to the domestic history of Elizabethan England. Not least, it is compelling reading.

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Summer, 1915. As Zeppelins rain death upon the rooftops of London, a Member of Parliament throws himself naked into the Thames after giving a pro-German speech to the House; a senior military advisor suggests surrender before feeding himself to a tiger at London Zoo. In desperation, an aged Mycroft Holmes sends to Sussex for the help of his brother, Sherlock.

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A fictional account of the day a whale swam up the Thames, in which the whale makes an environmental plea to the boy who first sees him.At sunrise, young Michael spots a whale on the shores of the Thames and thinks he must be dreaming. But the creature is real and it has a message for him – one that only an open-minded child can deliver to the rest of the world. The whale warns that the earth’s days are numbered and that humans must put right the damage they are doing, but how can Michael fulfil his promise to tell others when neither his teacher nor his classmates will believe his story? Within hours, the city and the wider world have learned of London’s remarkable visitor, and all eyes are on the whale’s struggle against the receding tide. Michael must now join his new friend in a race against time to reach the ocean, and hold fast to his promise in the race to save the world itself.

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THE TOP FIVE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERThe breathtaking new novel from the Booker-shortlisted, bestselling author of The Island of Missing Trees and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World. *****This is the story of one lost poem, two great rivers, and three remarkable lives all connected by a single drop of water.In the ruins of Nineveh, that ancient city of Mesopotamia, there lies hidden in the sand fragments of a long-forgotten poem, the Epic of Gilgamesh.In Victorian London, an extraordinary child is born at the edge of the dirt-black Thames. Arthur's only chance of escaping poverty is his brilliant memory. When his gift earns him a spot as an apprentice at a printing press, Arthur's world opens up far beyond the slums, with one book soon sending him across the seas: Nineveh and Its Remains.In 2014 Turkey, Narin, a Yazidi girl living by the River Tigris, waits to be baptised with water brought f

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AN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH PICK FOR LITERATURE AND FICTION 'The Day Tripper is absolutely astonishing, from first page to last. Warm, clever, hopeful, and superbly written. James Goodhand is a brilliant storyteller at the top of his game. I adored it.' - Stuart Turton, bestselling author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn HardcastleIt's 1995, and Alex Dean has it all: a place at Cambridge University next year, the love of an amazing woman named Holly and all the time in the world ahead of him. That is until a brutal encounter with a ghost from his past sees him beaten, battered and almost drowning in the Thames.He wakes the next day to find he's in a messy, derelict room he's never seen before, in grimy clothes he doesn't recognise. A glimpse in the mirror tells him he's older-much older-his features ravaged by time and poor decisions. It's 2010-fifteen years since the fight.After fin

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‘Superb … radically new and beautiful’ Observer ‘Magical and evocative’ Imogen Hermes Gowar, author of The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock ‘Heartachingly poignant’ Lucy Holland, author of Sistersong ‘An ancient tapestry of legend brilliantly rewoven’ Francis Spufford, author of Light Perpetual The new novel from the Costa-Award winning author of In The Days of Rain. AD 500. An island in the Thames. Isla has a secret: she has learned her father’s sophisticated sword-making skills at a time when even entering a forge is forbidden to women. Her sister, Blue, has a secret, too: at low tide on the night of each new moon, she visits the bones of the mud woman, drowned by the elders of her tribe who wanted to make a lesson of someone who wouldn’t hold her tongue. When the local Seax overlord discovers Isla's secret there is nowhere for the sisters to hide, except across the water to the walled ghost city, Londinium. Here Blue and Isla find sanctuary in an underworld community of squatters, emigrants, travellers and looters, led by the mysterious Crowther, living in an abandoned brothel and bathhouse. But trouble pursues them even into the haunted city. Dark Earth takes us back to the very founding of Britain to explore the experience of women trying to find kin in a world ruled by blood ties, feuds and men in quest of a nation. ‘Unique and extraordinary … It is difficult to imagine any reader not becoming bewitched by Dark Earth’ Irish Times ‘Thrilling’ Alice Albinia, author of Cwen ‘Pulses with the energy of a brave new world, a world as beautiful as it is dangerous, where a belief in myth and magic can save your life’ Katherine J. Chen, author of Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc

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Two young people and their dæmons, with everything at stake, find themselves at the centre of a terrifying manhunt. In their care is a tiny child called Lyra Belacqua, and in that child lies the fate of the future. As the waters rise around them, powerful adversaries conspire for mastery of Dust: salvation to some, the source of infinite corruption to others. Philip Pullman's The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage is set twelve years before the epic His Dark Materials trilogy. Bryony Lavery's stage adaptation was first performed at the Bridge Theatre, London, in December 2021, directed by Nicholas Hytner, whose groundbreaking production of His Dark Materials was a critical and commercial success at the National Theatre. 'Once in a lifetime a children's author emerges who is so extraordinary that the imagination of generations is altered' New Statesman on Philip Pullman 'High-octane adventure accompanies ingenious plotting during Lyra's extended journey in a canoe down a dangerously flooded Thames' The Times on Philip Pullman's novel 'An imaginative adaptation which keeps alive the wit and excitement of the book' Guardian on Bryony Lavery's version of Treasure Island

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LONGLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZEThe collected writings from one of the nation's most celebrated nature writers.'Barkham is an outstanding author.'CHRIS PACKHAM'Wonder-filled . . . A treat. Patrick knows how to tell a good story, and that combination of kindness, wonder and good fortune that seems to be present in his own life shines through.'CAUGHT BY THE RIVERWhat is happening to nature?What are we as a species doing about it?What have we learned?Wild Green Wonders paints a portrait of contemporary wildlife, bearing witness to the many changes imposed upon the planet and the challenges lying ahead for the future of nature.From peregrine falcons nesting by the Thames to a conversation with Sir David Attenborough; from protests against the HS2 railway to an encounter with Britain's last lion tamer, this collection - drawn from twenty years' worth of Patrick Barkham's writing for the Guardian - forms a joyful, fascinating and enlightening chronicle of one of the nation's most celebrated nature writers.'Outstanding nature journalism.' HORATIO CLARE'A heralded nature writer.' THE TIMES'A lovely, fluid writer.' DAILY MAIL

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In his perceptive and easily readable autobiography, John Dunning walks the reader through the four seasons of his professional and private life. With just the right touch of humour, he recounts his boyhood experience during the eventful days of the Second World War, his three-year spell in the Royal Navy, as well as his years as a student and research assistant at University College London. He then goes on to describe his times as teacher and researcher at Southampton, Reading and Rutgers Universities, and the origin and evolution of the Reading School of International Business scholarship. Along the way, the author shares some of his many and varied consultancy assignments and travelling experiences, offering some insights into his personal values and home life in Henley-on-Thames and Cornwall.This remarkable book gives a unique personal insight into the life and work of one of the most influential figures in the study of international business. It will no doubt prove a fascinating read to all those with an interest in the field and its development - and especially to those who have benefited from the work of one of its great thinkers and scholars.

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Hadleigh has watched over the River Thames since the early 13th century. Together with the Royal Park the castle brought much activity to the village. The little Norman church is more than a century older and there is evidence of Saxon, Roman and Iron-Age occupation. “... the narrative cruises along almost effortlessly ... very well presented with many interesting old pictures and maps.” Essex Courier

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Watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, sail along the River Thames and visit Trafalgar Square as you sticker your way through London’s famous landmarks. With over 250 stickers to bring the bustling scenes to life, including tourists, London buses and Beefeaters, plus carefully selected links to websites with photos and video clips.

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The interest in sheds has grown over recent years, with 'man caves' and 'she sheds' becoming part of the garden landscape - either for hobby or office use, a summer house or a place to escape. Television shows, such as George Clarke's Amazing Spaces, along with the Shed of the Year competition have contributed to this rise in popularity. However, many of the shed books on the market have just been picture books, showing the wide variety and themes of sheds around the country/world., The Haynes Shed Manual is a practical, step-by-step guide with wide-covering advice on all aspects of planning and building sheds. Written by two shed experts, it will appeal to the enthusiastic DIYer., Authors, John Coupe is a structural engineer who has designed buildings ranging in size from domestic extensions to multi-storey residential and commercial developments using steel, concrete, masonry and timber., Alex Johnson is a freelance journalist (largely with The Independent since 2007) and author of various books including Shedworking (Frances Lincoln, 2010), Bookshelf (Thames & Hudson, 2010), and Improbable Libraries (T&H 2015). John's website secrets-of-shed-building.com and Alex's at shedworking.co.uk together reach around 800,000 readers a year.

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'I was completely spellbound' - Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things'Setterfield is a master storyteller' - Madeline Miller, author of Circe Some say the river drowned her... Some say it brought her back to life On a dark midwinter's night in an ancient inn on the Thames, the regulars are entertaining themselves by telling stories when the door bursts open and in steps an injured stranger. In his arms is the drowned corpse of a child. Hours later, the dead girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life. Is it a miracle? Is it magic? And who does the little girl belong to? An exquisitely crafted historical mystery brimming with folklore, suspense and romance, as well as with the urgent scientific curiosity of the Victorian age.____________________ Praise for Diane Setterfield:'An absolute feast of a book, which will keep you engrossed' RED magazine'Brimming with folklore, intrigue and romance, this is a story to savour' Woman & Home'Once Upon a River continues to demonstrate [Setterfield's] mastery of the Gothic genre in a way that will appeal to modern readers' The IndependentReaders are captivated by Once Upon a River: ***** 'Pure escapism, a beautifully written story.' ***** 'It felt as comforting as the fantastical stories you read as a child yet with a darker edge.' ***** 'I was entranced from the beginning to the end.'

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The third gripping instalment in an exciting new generation of Pitt novels, from the New York Times bestselling author and queen of Victorian crime, Anne Perry. It is 1910 and a warehouse fire on the banks of the Thames has left one criminal dead and another charged with his murder. Convinced of his innocence, Jessie Beale begs barrister Daniel Pitt to defend the accused. It's a hopeless case - unless Daniel can find an expert witness, whose testimony on fire damage is so utterly convincing that any jury would believe him. Daniel's friend Miriam fford Croft was taught by formidable forensic scientist Sir Barnabas Saltram, who has built his reputation on giving evidence of this kind. But when Saltram agrees to testify, thus saving an innocent man from the gallows, Daniel unwittingly starts a chain of events that has devastating consequences for all of them...

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The master of the Victorian crime, New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry returns with the 23rd novel in the William Monk series, AN ECHO OF MURDER.London, 1870: The body of a Hungarian immigrant is found dead in what appears to be a ritualistic killing, with a bayonet through his heart, his fingers broken and his body surrounded by seventeen blood-dipped candles. At first, Commander William Monk of the Thames River Police suspects the killer is from within the community, but when another murder takes place, Monk fears the immigrants are being targeted by an outsider...Meanwhile, Hester is reunited with a doctor who had been left for dead on a Crimean battlefield. Traumatised by his experiences, Fitz has made his way home via Hungary and is now living in the community. Hester is determined to help him and, when he is accused of the killings, she sets out to prove his innocence...

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In USA Today bestselling author Julie Anne Long’s latest installment in the Palace of Rogues series, a notorious rake meets his match in a lovely girl from the country, changing the course of both of their futures…A London season is the chance of a lifetime for Catherine Keating. But the ton’s glitter and decadence and casual cruelty threaten to crush her hopes of finding a husband before her season even begins...until she accidentally acquires one of the most scandalous men in England as a secret chaperone.Famously fiery Lord Dominic Kirke can hold the House of Commons—and any woman he chooses— in thrall. But when his house goes up in flames in the dead of night, he finds himself at the Grand Palace on the Thames. And there he discovers his cynical armor is no match for another guest: an innocent country girl with a crackling wit and eyes like a summer sky.He''s maddening, elusive, hopelessly char

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What if a teenage boy washed up on the banks of the River Thames, soaked to the skin and unable to explain who he is?What if the only clue to the boy's identity is a sketch he made of a strange symbol?Who would help him? Who would hunt him? Who is River Boy?When a mystery teenage boy emerges from the River Thames drenched, distressed and unable to remember anything about himself, he becomes the focus of worldwide media speculation. Unable to communicate, the River Boy is given paper and a pencil and begins to scribble. Soon a symbol emerges, but the boy has no idea why he has drawn it even thought it's the only clue to the mystery of his identity... As the boy begins to build a new life under a new name, the hunt for his real identity begins.A hunt which will lead him on a dangerous QUEST that he has only one year to complete ...Introducing the first in a thrilling new series packed with adventure: this book has an illustrated narrative running through it, helping readers to solve the mystery alongside the characters in the story.

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Foreword by Admiral Lord West of Spithead Few people, even in the Navy, are even aware of this dreadful incident [the loss of submarine HMS Truculent in the Thames] and certainly not the details of human error that led to this huge loss of life. The account is gripping, and explains the strange title of the book. ... John Johnson-Allen has put Fred Henley's personal accounts in the context of world-changing events, and in particular provides a wonderful snapshot of the Royal Navy of that era. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- This compelling story is the result of many hours spent recording the memories of Fred Henley. His life at sea is at the centre of his being and his own words are at the heart of the book. At the age of 14 Fred worked on a Thames sailing barge, then after his training at HMS Ganges, he joined his first ship which took him from the icy Arctic Ocean to the heat of West Africa where the Bismarck and her support ships were hunted. His experiences included visiting Archangel, sailing on Arctic convoys, capturing German supply ships, the failed attack on Oran, landings in Piraeus, Salonika and the French Riviera and operating with special forces in the Greek Islands. There is inevitably some humour when Fred recounts his encounters with girls. The book then explores the tragic loss of his last submarine, HMS Truculent. In the cold January waters of the Thames Estuary, within sight of Southend, over 60 men were lost in a major disaster, just five years after the end of the war. The voices of the survivors are heard telling how they stood in complete blackness in a sunken submarine, waiting for the water to come in so that they could escape to the surface, only for all but a few to drift away and die in the darkness. The story concludes with happier times with Fred visiting ports in the Mediterranean during peacetime as a married man.

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Summer 1881: the streets of Limehouse are thick with opium... and menace. At eighteen Kitty Peck has inherited Paradise, a sprawling criminal empire on the banks of the Thames. Determined to do things differently to her fearsome grandmother, she now realises that the past casts a long and treacherous shadow. Haunted by a terrible secret and stalked by a criminal cabal intent on humiliation and destruction, Kitty must fight for the future of everyone she cares for...

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Secret Shepperton explores the history of the town from its early origins as an Iron Age settlement nestling on the banks of the River Thames. It’s the place where Caesar crossed the river in AD 54. Subsequent river finds reveal that this area regularly encountered invaders, such as the Saxons, who grazed sheep here and consequently called it Shepperton. It’s always been a place that attracts artists, such as Turner and Constable, and writers such as Charles Dickens and J. G. Ballard, who wrote the Unlimited Dream Factory in which his protagonist gains energy by phagocytizing the people of Shepperton. In H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, the Martians destroy Shepperton and turn the Thames into a boiling inferno with their heat rays. In the twentieth century Shepperton was dubbed the playground of London and Richard D’Oyly Carte bought an island here to build a mini version of his Savoy Hotel. In 1931, Sir Richard Burbridge, Chairman of Harrods, sold his Shepperton mansion to Norman Loudon at a time when ‘the pictures’ were in their infancy but a new fad was catching on – films with sound. This was the forerunner of Shepperton Studio, still operating today and known throughout the world as the ‘Hollywood of England’.

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'Held me completely in its thrall until the very last line’ SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN, bestselling author of Pandora ‘A well-researched and thoroughly convincing page-turner’ LAURA SHEPPERSON, bestselling author of The Heroines A SUNDAY TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH June, 1878. The body of a boy is pulled from the depths of the River Thames, suspected to be the beloved missing child of the widely admired Liberal MP Ralph Gethin. Four months earlier. Harriet is a young maid newly employed at Finton Hall. Fleeing the drudgery of an unwanted engagement in the small village where she grew up, Harriet is entranced by the grand country hall; she is entranced too by her glamorous mistress Clara Gethin, whose unearthly singing voice floats through the house. But Clara, though captivating, is erratic. The master of the house is a much-lauded politician, but he is strangely absent. And some of their beautiful belongings seem to tell terrible stories. Unable to ignore her growing unease, Harriet sets out to discover their secrets. When she uncovers a shocking truth, a chain of events is set in motion that could cost Harriet everything, even her freedom…

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In the heart of London, beside the Thames not far from the site of the world famous flower show, there is another magical garden. It has been there for over three hundred years and is now the calmest corner, and the most valuable four acres of freehold, in fashionable SW3. It has been the scene of some of the most important developments in the history of horticulture, medicine and twentieth-century agriculture. This book tells its fascinating story.

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Transport systems are the lifeblood of all great cities and this is certainly true of London. As far back as Roman times, their city Londinium was the hub of a network of roads leading out to all the major centres of the time. It was the Romans who gave the city its first bridge across the Thames and its first paved roadways. This book tells the story of London's roads and bridges and the vehicles that used them. For centuries, transport meant horse drawn vehicles, from lumbering waggons to elegant carriages and the city had a flourishing industry, building carriages. The Industrial Revolution brought major changes, not least in the construction of more and more bridges over the Thames. In the 19th century a new system appeared with the arrival of the railways, and the many stations that are such prominent features of the cityscape. The story continues into the 20th century, when, for a time, the city was also home to some pioneering motor car manufacturers, such as Vauxhall. It comes nearer our time with the construction of the underground railway and the driverless trains of the Dockland Light Railway. Londoners will have a chance to find out just how travel around the city has changed in the last two thousand years.

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With a new introduction by John Gray and striking new cover from the artist Stanley Donwood, the author of ‘Cocaine Nights’ brings you the story of suburban London transformed into an exotic dreamworld. When a light aircraft crashes into the Thames at Shepperton, the young pilot who struggles to the surface minutes later seems to have come back from the dead. Within hours everything in the dormitory suburb is surreally transformed. Vultures invade the rooftops, luxuriant tropical vegetation overruns the quiet avenues, and the local inhabitants are propelled by the young man’s urgent visions through ecstatic sexual celebrations towards an apocalyptic climax. In this characteristically inventive novel Ballard displays to devastating effect the extraordinary imagination that established him as one of Britain’s most highly acclaimed writers. This edition is part of a new commemorative series of Ballard’s works, featuring introductions from a number of his admirers (including Ali Smith, Iain Sinclair, Martin Amis and Ned Beauman) and brand-new cover designs from the artist Stanley Donwood.

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Greenwich is the one London district whose name resonates around the world. As ‘the place where time began‘, everyone has heard of it, so naturally everyone wants to come here when they visit the capital. With a memorable and picturesque Thames-side location, its maritime history means that there‘s more to see here per square foot than any other outer London neighbourhood, and this new guide tells you how to do it. 111 Places not only tracks down the most interesting nuggets among Greenwich’s mainstream sights, from the Cutty Sark to the Meridian Line, it also lifts the lid on the area’s lesser-known attractions – from haunted Jacobean houses and mudlarking in Deptford Creek to classic pie and mash shops and famous riverside pubs. It explores beyond the confines of Greenwich town centre, turning up treasures like Henry VIII’s favourite residence, Eltham Palace – now an Art Deco gem – and nearby engineering feats like the Thames Barrier. You could come to London and spend half your time in Greenwich, and we wouldn’t blame you if you did. This book tells you how to make the most of London‘s maritime borough.

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"South East Mountain Biking Ridgeway and Chilterns" - a compact guide to some of the best mountain biking in Southern England, west of London.The Chilterns and the area either side of the Ridgeway west of London are criss-crossed with byways and bridleways, allowing you to escape onto fine woodland tracks and out into big open chalk country, with panoramic views over the Vale of the White Horse and the Thames Valley.This guide contains 24 routes from 18 to 38km long, many of which can be linked to make much longer ridges. Each is described with easy-to-follow directions and details of distance, grade of difficulty, refreshment stops and is accompanied by specifically designed mapping.The Bonus Section includes top tens for climbs and descents, and suggestions for 'Mega Rides' with further information about finding places to eat, drink and stay. The routes are drawn up by Nick Cotton, author of over 30 cycle guides, plotted on bespoke maps and illustrated with stunning photography by Andy Heading.

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In this book, author Alan Brooke highlights the historic gates of the City of London: Cripplegate, Aldgate, Aldersgate, Bishopsgate, Ludgate, Newgate and Moorgate. Originating in Roman times, they remained until they were all demolished between 1760 and 1767. Blue plaques mark six of their sites, and a bishop's mitre on a building shows where Bishopsgate once stood. This book examines the history of the gates, with chapters devoted to each one. A shorter section offers a summary of some of the water gates on the River Thames, including Billingsgate and Bridge Gate, where goods were unloaded from ships. Additionally, there were pedestrian-only gates such as Tower Gate and the postern gate at the Tower of London. There were also the Bars, the most famous of which is Temple Bar, which can still be seen at Paternoster Square. Illustrated throughout with archive material, photographs of present-day locations and a map, Gates of the City of London provides an important addition to the many books on London's rich and diverse history.

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A spectacular, large-format collection of Adam Dant’s fine art maps giving a unique view of our history and life today. Artist and cartographer Adam Dant surveys London’s past, present and future from his studio in the East End. Beautiful, witty and subversive, his astonishing maps offer a compelling view of history, lore, language and life in the capital and beyond. Traversed by a plethora of colourful characters including William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Mary Wollstonecraft and Barbara Windsor, Adam Dant’s maps extend from the shipwrecks on the bed of the Thames to the stars in the sky over Soho. Along the way, he captures all the rich traditions in the capital, from brawls and buried treasure to gin and gentlemen’s clubs. Accompanying text by the artist gives the background to each of the handsome cartographic artworks, revealing his inspirations and artistic process and outlining his cultural allusions. Reproduced in large format, the maps invite the reader to study all the astonishing and often hilarious details within, offering hours of fascination for the curious. Published in conjunction with the Spitalfields Life blog, Maps of London & Beyond includes an extensive interview with Adam Dant by the blog’s founder The Gentle Author.

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‘Absolutely stunning… Real emotional depth alongside a fast-paced plot. Fantastic’ A F Steadman An amazing and captivating, curl-up-on-the-sofa debut about a magical frost fair and the lasting power of friendship, perfect for fans of Tamzin Merchant, Abi Elphinstone and Anna James. The Great Frost of 1683 has London in its icy grip. Thomasina and her best friend Anne sell sweets on the frozen Thames, amid rumours of the magical Frost Fair that awakens there at night. They say if you can find the fair, Father Winter himself will grant you any wish. And Thomasina has an impossible wish: the return of her twin brother, Arthur. But once they discover Father Winter’s kingdom, Thomasina and Anne quickly realize the Frost Fair is not what it seems – and that some wishes never come for free. ‘A heartwarming, wintry treat of a read perfect to snuggle up with on cold, snowy days’ Hannah Gold, bestselling author of The Last Bear ‘A lovely, frosty debut that combines cosy details and a pacy adventure with thoughtful explorations of grief and responsibility’ Anna James, bestselling author of the Pages & Co. series ‘This book is unputdownable’ Laura Noakes, author of Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star ‘Deep and dark and full of atmosphere and food and so gorgeously written – everyone should pick up a copy and be whisked away to the Frost Fair’ Zohra Nabi, author of The Kingdom Over The Sea ‘Spooky and haunting’ Philippa Gregory ‘Exciting and mysterious’ The Bookseller ‘A gripping, atmospheric, fantastical tale’ Kirkus ‘Just PERFECT! A beautiful frosty tale . . . I loved it’ Emma Carroll ‘Absolutely stunning . . . Real emotional depth alongside a fast-paced plot. Fantastic’ A F Steadman

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Rich in intrigue, intensity and atmosphere, Friday on my Mind is classic Nicci French - a dark, gripping and sophisticated masterclass in psychological suspense in which nothing is quite what it seems . . .When a bloated corpse is found floating in the River Thames the police can at least sure that identifying the victim will be straightforward. Around the dead man's wrist is a hospital band. On it are the words Dr F. Klein . . .But psychotherapist Frieda Klein is very much alive. And, after evidence linking her to the murder is discovered, she becomes the prime suspect.Unable to convince the police of her innocence, Frieda is forced to make a bold decision in order to piece together the terrible truth before it's too late either for her or for those she loves.Friday on my Mind is the fifth addictive and intriguing novel in the Frieda Klein series by the bestselling author Nicci French.Praise for Nicci French:'Nicci French's sophisticated, compassionate and gripping crime novels stand head and shoulders above the competition' Sophie Hannah 'French leads the field' Sunday Express'Brilliantly crafted . . . masterly control of suspense' Daily Mirror 'Tense, frightening, gripping' Easy Living 'Dark, nerve-tingling and addictive' Daily Express

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Ben Aaronovitch's 'Rivers of London' Set For Adaptation By See-Saw, Pure Fiction Television CSI meets Harry Potter in this graphic novel from Ben Aaronovitch - writer of the bestselling Rivers of London supernatural police procedural crime novel series, Andrew Cartmel author of The Vinyl Detective and Celeste Bronfman. Illustrations from a mysterious book of fairy tales drawn in the late 1800s are coming to life in the 21st Century and causing havoc. The illustrations were originally painted by a Victorian artist called Jeter Day who disappeared one night in an enchanted forest when he was spirited away by tree nymphs never to be seen again... Now, with the enchantment accidentally broken by Olympia and Chelsea, daughters of the river goddess Mama Thames, Jeter, twisted by his time spent with the nymphs, has returned to our world bitter and resentful. It is a world he neither recognises nor likes. All he wants is his life returned to him and woe betide any man who stands in his way. With Peter and Nightingale busy on another case, it falls to sisters Olympia and Chelsea with the help of the Foxes to stop Jeter and save the day.

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When the first passengers climbed aboard the earliest ever underground train in 1863, it would have been impossible to imagine how the London Underground would change and grow over the next 150 years. From smelly steam trains running along a single track to the innovative electric tube system speeding through a vast network of tunnels beneath our feet today, the London Underground keeps this busy city on the move. The Story of the London Underground tells the extraordinary history of the world’s most famous underground railway. Explore Victorian London as the Brunels dig deep under the Thames. Take refuge in the tunnels during World War II and discover which world leader’s bath was found in an abandoned station. Marvel at the famous fossil wall, deserted ghost stations and unusual spiral escalators that are all part of the London Underground’s fascinating history. Published in association with TfL, this beautiful book from Blue Peter Award-winning author David Long and exceptionally talented artist Sarah McMenemy tells a captivating story of the London Underground that will delight children and grown-ups alike.

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SHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS ‘Beautiful, haunting, thought-provoking … A book I will return to again and again’ Bernardine Evaristo A gorgeously produced, hugely original examination of Black Britishness in the 21st century What is Black Britain? In 2021, award-winning poet Roger Robinson and acclaimed photographer Johny Pitts rented a red Mini Cooper and decided to follow the coast clockwise in search of an answer to this question. Leaving London, they followed the River Thames east towards Tilbury, where the Empire Windrush docked in 1948. Too often, that is where the history told about Black Britain begins and ends – but Robinson and Pitts continued out of London, following the coast clockwise through Margate to Land’s End, Bristol to Blackpool, Glasgow to John O’Groats and Scarborough to Southend on Sea. Here, the authors found not only Black British culture long overlooked in official narratives of Britain, but also the history of Empire and transatlantic slavery to which every Briton is tethered. Home Is Not a Place is the spectacular result of the journey they documented: a free-form composition of photography, poetry and essays that offers a book-length reflection upon Black Britishness – its complexity, strength and resilience – at the start of a new decade. ‘Masterful … A thing of brilliance’ Caleb Azumah Nelson, author of Open Water

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Description and discussion of over two thousand brooches, rings, buckles, pendants, buttons, purses and other accessories found in archaeological digs in London, and dating from the period 1150-1450. Brooches, rings, buckles, pendants, buttons, purses and other accessories were part of everyday dress in the middle ages. Over two thousand such items dating from the period 1150-1450 are described and discussed here, all found inrecent archaeological excavations in London - then as now one of western Europe's most cosmopolitan cities, its social and economic activity compounded by the waterside bustle of the Thames. These finds constitute the mostextensive and varied group of such accessories yet recovered in Britain, and their close dating and the scientific analysis carried out on them have been highly revealing. Important results published here for the first time show,for example, the popularity of shoddy, mass-produced items in base metals during the high middle ages and enable researchers to identify the varied products of rival traditions of manufacture mentioned in historical sources.Anyone needing accurate information on period costume will welcome this book, which will appeal to the general reader interested in costume and design, as well as to archaeologists and historians. THE AUTHORS are members of staff of the Museum of London.

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A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR. 'Matthew Dennison skilfully covers the facts, producing a vivid impression of this strange, shy, awkward figure. The result is a highly readable book' Literary Review. 'A haunting new biography... A compelling account of Grahame's life' Daily Mail. 'A sensitively probing and nuanced portrait that makes sense of the darker character furled in the dreamer' New Statesman. During the week Kenneth Grahame sat behind a mahogany desk as Secretary of the Bank of England; at the weekend he retired to the house in the country he shared with his fanciful wife Elspeth and fragile son Alistair and took lengthy walks along the Thames in Berkshire, 'tempted [by] the treasures of hedge and ditch; the rapt surprise of the first lords-and-ladies, the rustle of a field-mouse, the splash of a frog.' The result of these pastoral wanderings was The Wind in the Willows: an enduring classic of children's literature; a cautionary tale for adult readers; a warning of the fragility of the English countryside; and an expression of fear at threatened social changes that, in the aftermath of the World War I, became reality. Like its remarkable author, it balances maverick tendencies with conservatism. Grahame was an Edwardian pantheist whose work has a timeless appeal, an escapist whose withdrawal from reality took the form of time travel into his own past.

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Shortlisted for the True Crime Awards 2023 Best New True Crime Author The murder of Sarah Payne, Adam the Thames Torso, the London bombings, the Night Stalker and the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko... The solving of all these cases can be linked to one man: Ray Fysh, a Charlton Athletic fan from Woolwich, a natural raconteur and also one of the finest forensic detectives the country has ever seen.Ray began work for the Met Police in the 1970s when forensic investigation was seen as little more than a geeky side show, only in existence to confirm or eliminate evidence. But by the mid 90s Ray and his team had made huge progress in their field, contributing to the UK becoming a world-leading innovator in forensic techniques, with Ray himself being named as Special Adviser to the Forensic Science Service. As the SA, Ray worked alongside Senior Investigating Officers from day one of a case, directing his team to identify forensic opportunities and harvest case-cracking clues.As Ray looks back over his career at the cases he worked on, the reader is given unparalleled insight into the highs and lows of an astonishing career, the historic classist snobbery of the Met and the stunning realities of crime and forensics

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This is the fully-illustrated edition of LONDON IN FRAGMENTS. A new paperback edition is also available, published under the title A MUDLARK'S TREASURES: London in Fragments'A beautiful book.' Daily Mail'Exhilaratingly curious.' Evening Standard'Gripping.' Spectator'Brilliant.' Penelope Lively'Indefatigably researched.' Country Life'Beautifully illustrated.' Monocle Mudlarking, the act of searching the Thames foreshore for items of value, has a long tradition in England's capital. In the late 18th and 19th centuries, mudlarks were small boys grubbing a living from scrap. Today’s mudlarks unearth relics of the past from the banks of the Thames which tell stories of Londoners throughout history. From Roman tiles to elegant Georgian pottery, presented here are modern-day mudlark Ted Sandling's most evocative finds, gorgeously photographed. Together they create a mosaic of everyday London life through the centuries, touching on the journeys, pleasures, vices, industries, adornments and comforts of a world city. This unique and stunning book celebrates the beauty of small things, and makes sense of the intangible connection that found objects give us to the individuals who lost them.

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