Search results for ""author alan spree""

Lincoln can trace its history back to an Iron Age settlement by the River Witham, subsequently a Roman and Viking town. The Norman castle and medieval cathedral, built on a ridge, still dominate the city today, with the suburbs spread out below the hill. Medieval Lincoln was one of the wealthiest towns in the country and many buildings from this period survive today. The city experienced another boom during the Industrial Revolution and manufacturing is still an important part of the city today. In Lincoln: The Postcard Collection author Alan Spree has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in Lincoln in the past. Although much of Lincoln has changed over the years, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. The postcards show the changes to Lincoln’s fabric and its community adapting and changing over the course of this period. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Lincoln or know it well.

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The spa town of Bath has drawn visitors since the Roman’s built baths and a temple at the site of hot springs in the Avon valley. Bath Abbey was founded in the seventh century but it was in the eighteenth century that the town became the fashion centre of England. Bath’s Georgian architecture is one of its chief glories today but the city has seen many changes in the intervening years, not least the destruction caused by aerial bombardment during the Second World War. Post-war years saw new housing and commercial redevelopment in the city, museums opened, fresh industries established and the expansion of its two universities. In Bath: The Postcard Collection author Alan Spree has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in Bath in the past. Although some of historical Bath seen in these views has been lost, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Bath or know it well.

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Leicester has long been an important city in the East Midlands. Remains of Roman Leicester can still be seen today, as well as many buildings from the Middle Ages, not least being the resting place of Richard III at the end of the Wars of the Roses. Leicester grew rapidly during industrialisation, led by industries such as textiles, clothing, footwear and engineering. It was granted city status in 1919 after its industries had played a key role in the First World War and St Martin’s Church was consecrated as the cathedral in 1927. The last 100 years have seen sweeping changes to Leicester as the city has extended and rebuilt itself. In Leicester: The Postcard Collection author Alan Spree has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in Leicester in the past, from c. 1900 to the 1950s. Although some of the historical Leicester seen in these views has been lost, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. The postcards show the changes in Leicester’s fabric and how its community has adapted to and changed over the course of this period. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Leicester or know it well.

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Explore a fascinating portrait of Exeter presented through a remarkable collection of historical postcards.

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French Military Dinky Toys are very collectable and make an excellent standalone collection or addition to a collection of their British counterparts. This book details the Army, Navy and Air Force Dinky Toys made or issued in France with examples given of each model and its box where applicable. It includes a list of the models and some relevant extracts from French catalogues. Alan Spree gives an overall view of each model produced, including information on details such as hub types, axle sizes, casting differences, with or without a driver, baseplate markings, with or without windows and different tyre types. The models are shown in the original numerical order.

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Liverpool was a small port on the River Mersey in the medieval period, but started to grow rapidly in the eighteenth century, benefitting from the expanding transatlantic trade. Wealthy merchants built large houses and invested in the city. During the Victorian age, Liverpool was the second largest city in England and there was a massive programme of civic building to demonstrate Liverpool’s standing. The city drew in people from around Britain and further afield and although it suffered heavily during the Second World War, when it was targeted for aerial bombardment by the Luftwaffe because of the importance of its docks and associated industries, and then in the post-war decades as docks declined, it is today a culturally vibrant city. Although much of old Liverpool was lost in the destruction of war and in the attempts to modernise the city post-war, it is once again a thriving commercial centre that is proud of its heritage. Liverpool: The Postcard Collection takes the reader on an evocative journey into Liverpool’s past through a selection of old postcards from the late nineteenth century to the 1940s, which offer a fascinating window into the history of this dynamic city.

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This book on British-produced Military Dinky Toys takes a detailed look at the popular Army, Naval and Aircraft models produced from 1933 until the closure of the Binns Road factory in 1977. The book includes sections on the history of the British-produced military models and on the different scales used. The book is intended to give an overall view of each model produced. The models are shown in numerical rather than chronological order. There is an image of each model with captions showing dates of production, scale of the model where applicable, particular features, information about whether it is a reissued model, and relevant dimensions. In many cases the issue price and the date of its first appearance in Meccano Magazineare shown. Most of the images show the boxes that the models were originally sold in and, where possible, the variants on the box. Packed with rare and interesting examples, this is an essential read both for enthusiasts and those who would simply like to be reminded of the Dinky toys of their youth.

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Newcastle upon Tyne has long been an important city in the north-east of England. A fortress against Scotland, medieval Newcastle grew rich exporting coal, wool and other goods from its port on the River Tyne, as well as being a shipbuilding centre. New industries developed in later centuries and Newcastle’s population grew, and by the eighteenth century the town walls and gates were demolished to allow further expansion and easy movement of trade into the city. At the same time the city gained its first newspaper, infirmary, bank, dispensary, assembly rooms and theatre and a new bridge was built across the Tyne. The centre of the city was rebuilt in 1825-40 and gradually amenities improved for the average inhabitant. In the 1920s and 1930s, the first council houses were built in Newcastle. The city suffered some damage during the Second World War but later decades have witnessed urban regeneration. In Newcastle upon Tyne: The Postcard Collection the author has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in the city’s rich past, from the mid-nineteenth century to the 1940s. Although some of historical Newcastle seen in these views has been lost, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. The postcards show the changes to Newcastle’s fabric and its community adapting over the course of this period. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Newcastle or know it well.

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