Search results for ""amberley publishing""
Amberley Publishing Tring Through Time
Tring Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of the country. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of Tring, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people of this area throughout the 19th and into the 20th Century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set and through the author's factual captions for every picture, and carefully-selected choice of images, the reader can achieve a reliable view of this market town's history. Readers are invited to follow a timeline of events and watch the changing face of this beautiful area, as Jill Fowler guides us through Tring's streets. There is something for everyone here, whether they have lived in this town all their lives, or whether they are just visiting Tring for the first time. This book also shows how photography has continually evolved to keep up with an ever changing society.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Dry Stone Walls: History and Heritage
Dry stone walls create much of the character of upland landscapes across Britain. How do we go about dating dry stone walls? Why were they built and by whom? This book seeks answers to these questions and also suggests how walls themselves may be ‘read’ as historical evidence, shedding light on past farming practice and the history of local communities. The first part of the book traces the history of dry stone walls from medieval times to the present. The standard form of most dry stone walls probably dates from Tudor times but the great era of wall-building in the uplands took place comparatively recently, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. There are numerous regional variations: ‘Galloway dykes’ in south-west Scotland; stone slab fences, found from Orkney to mid-Wales; ‘consumption’ walls, built to absorb vast quantities of stone from the fields. The second part of the book looks at dry stone walls as part of Britain’s cultural heritage. The walls themselves contain evidence of why they were built and how they functioned as part of the hill farming system. They sometimes preserve information about their builders and owners or evidence of lost features in the landscape.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing British Motor Fishing Vessels
British traditional working boats are famous – Morecambe Bay prawners, Manx luggers, Scots fifies and zulus, Lowestoft and Yarmouth drifters, Yorkshire cobles, Colchester smacks, Hastings beach boats, Brixham trawlers, and many others. Over a century ago, progressive fishermen began to install engines in their boats. Motor fishing boats have been part of our coastal scene since then. Local boatbuilders built local kinds of boat to suit each home port and its fisheries; examples include Cornish pilchard boats and long liners, Devon crabbers and beach boats, motor bawleys and cocklers, motor drifters and seiners, and the famous ring netters of the Clyde ports. These boats have gone or are fast disappearing. This book tells their story.
£14.99
Amberley Publishing Seas of Plenty
Explore the fascinating story of England's emergence as a major maritime trading power, from 1400 to 1540.
£22.50
Amberley Publishing Everyday Life in Tudor London
New paperback edition - Life in the Tudor metropolis for both commoner and king alike. Everyday Life in Tudor London vividly recreates this colourful city.
£10.99
Amberley Publishing Voices of the Scandinavian WaffenSS
New paperback edition - The interviews and images gathered by Jonathan Trigg are vital historical documents.
£10.99
Amberley Publishing Ribble Motor Services
Ribble Motor Services emerged from humble beginnings but expanded rapidly through the 1920s and 1930s before becoming part of the British Electric Traction group (BET) in 1942 and being nationalised in 1969. Over the years, the fleet expanded to over 1,200 buses and coaches based at 30 garages across a vast operating area stretching from Carlisle to Merseyside. The company weathered nationalisation but was snapped up by Stagecoach in 1989 following deregulation.This nostalgic collection of rare and previously unpublished images celebrates the fleet of this iconic and much-loved company.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing The Battle of Stalingrad Through German Eyes
Five months, one week and three days of hell. The German offensive to capture Stalingrad began in August 1942, using Friedrich Paulus's 6th Army and elements of the 4th Panzer Army. The attack was supported by intense bombing that reduced much of the city to rubble. The battle degenerated into house-to-house fighting, as both sides fought for the city on the Volga. By mid-November, the Germans were on the brink of victory as the Soviet defenders clung on to a final few slivers of land along the west bank of the river.Then, on 19 November, the Red Army launched Operation Uranus, targeting the weaker Romanian armies protecting the 6th Army's flanks. The ill-equipped Romanians were overrun and the 6th Army was cut off and surrounded. Hitler was determined to hold the city the symbolic namesake of the Soviet leader and forbade the 6th Army from attempting a breakout, insisting they be supplied by air instead; in February 1943, without food or ammunition, some 91,000 starving, lice-ridden
£11.99
Amberley Publishing Exeter The Postcard Collection
Explore a fascinating portrait of Exeter presented through a remarkable collection of historical postcards.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Buses of Devon and Cornwall
A fascinating illustrated overview of the evolution of the bus scene within the areas of Devon and Cornwall.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Secret Swanage and Around
Swanage's position on the Dorset coast has shaped its history since its earliest years. In 877 a Danish fleet threatening King Alfred's army was destroyed in Swanage Bay and in the nineteenth century the town became a popular seaside resort for the wealthy. Before that, for centuries the town's port had enabled the locally quarried Purbeck stone to be used throughout the country, including the Purbeck marble to be found in Britain's medieval churches and cathedrals. Swanage's history has also been shaped by its famous sons John Mowlem and George Burt, who vastly improved the fortunes of the town during the Victorian era by creating the famous Mowlem quarrying and construction company and also importing many old London buildings and giving them a new lease of life in the town. Swanage's story also includes the Great Globe, Durlston Castle and the Anvil Point Lighthouse, as well as the historic Corfe Castle presiding over the landscape just outside the town, which has been the scene of v
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Edward the Elder: King of the Anglo-Saxons, Forgotten Son of Alfred
Edward the Elder succeeded his father Alfred the Great to the kingdom of Wessex, but was largely overlooked by his contemporaries (at least in terms of the historical record) and to a greater or lesser extent by later historians. He is the forgotten son of Alfred. Edward deserves to be recognised for his contribution to Anglo-Saxon history and a new assessment of his reign is overdue. He proved equal to the task of cementing and extending the advances made by his father, and paved the way for the eventual unification of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and the nation-state of England. The course of English medieval history after his death was a direct outcome of military successes during his reign. Edward was a ruthlessly efficient military strategist and commander, a strong and stable ruler and administrator, and the most powerful figure during the early decades of the tenth century. He and his famous sister Æthelflæd constructed fortresses to guard against Viking attacks and Edward conquered the southern Danelaw. He should be acknowledged as a great Anglo-Saxon king in his own right, and is entitled to stand comparison with every English monarch in the millennium that has passed since his reign.
£10.99
Amberley Publishing Secret Warrington
Warrington is a twentieth-century New Town with a history stretching back to prehistoric times. Behind the present-day streetscape of a thriving Cheshire economic centre lie the ghosts of its Lancashire past. Secret Warrington reveals the often-forgotten fascinating stories of the famous, infamous and ordinary characters who have shaped its past and trodden the national or even international stage. Rediscover lost landmarks and the hidden history beneath the modern townscape. Explore Warrington’s urban myths and delve into forgotten scandals swept under the carpet of time. A companion to the A–Z of Warrington, this fascinating volume combines in-depth stories with quirky facts to capture your imagination and features many previously unpublished images and documents from the archives and collections of Warrington’s historic museum. Local historian Janice Hayes and Warrington’s Archives Officer Philip Jeffs provide the keys to help history detectives unlock the town’s secret past and become guardians of its future heritage. Well-illustrated throughout, this engaging and informative book will appeal to residents and all those with links to the town.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Lorries in Britain: The 1980s
In the 1980s Great Britain had steadily seen an influx of foreign manufacturers, a trend that was to eventually see the demise of all the major UK makes. However, it was still possible to see lots of interesting vehicles – some companies and individuals remained staunch users of British-built lorries. Quite a few older vehicles could still be seen soldiering on, but as time went on these gradually started to disappear. With a wealth of previously unpublished photos, this volume will bring back some memories of how things used to be.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Stamford Through Time
Stamford has a reputation for being one of England's finest stone towns. It is a happy mix of medieval and Georgian architecture that was untouched by the Industrial Revolution or later large scale developments, so its central core has survived remarkably intact. Its architecture is outstanding and for this reason, in 1967, it became the country's first conservation area. In recent years the town has become a popular tourist destination for both home and overseas visitors. It has also attracted the attention of film makers who have been quick to see its potential as a back-drop for such TV productions as Middlemarch and Pride and Prejudice. Using contrasting photographs, this book sets out to show something of both the continuity and change in the town during the last 100 years.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing The Novotny Papers: 'A bit Vulture, A bit Eagle'
It is almost impossible to summarise the extraordinary life of Mariella Novotny in a few paragraphs. In 1961 she was an underage hooker engaging in sexual relations with President John F. Kennedy, the most powerful man in the world. She was believed to be part of a vice ring set up by an alleged Communist agent who was also a well-known British film producer. FBI officers called their investigation ‘The Bow-Tie Case’. Two years later the young ‘Monroe lookalike’ played a major part in another sex scandal with implications for national security: the Profumo Affair. Mariella was the hostess of the Man in the Mask party. She was a close friend of Stephen Ward, the osteopath and pander to high society, another putative whistle-blower who died in suspicious circumstances. In the late 1960s, she gave birth to the illegitimate child of Eddie Chapman (Agent Zigzag), England’s most successful wartime double agent. Between 1975 and 1978 she was working undercover for Operation Countryman, an investigation into police corruption in the Flying Squad. Her chief target was the author’s grandfather, Charlie Taylor, a London conman who had high-ranking officers in his deep pockets. Mariella brought them all down. Mariella was found dead with her face in a bowl of milk pudding in February 1983. She was in the process of writing her memoirs – in her own words, ‘It’s dynamite!’ Christine Keeler said, ‘I think it was murder … most probably by the CIA.’ In the author’s own words, ‘This is a life that is bigger than the woman who led it. She embodies the emergence of a radical sexual politics.’
£18.99
Amberley Publishing 50 Finds from Buckinghamshire: Objects from the Portable Antiquities Scheme
The Portable Antiquities Scheme celebrated its fifteenth anniversary in 2018, and has been operating in Buckinghamshire since 2003 when the scheme went national. Today the scheme runs in England and Wales, with thirty-nine Finds Liaison Officers recording objects discovered by members of the public. Working with local archaeology finders, including metal detectorists, this has allowed for both the discovery of new significant objects and sites across the country. This is a unique scheme, allowing anyone to add to the archaeological record, which in turn has helped research projects using the database to discover more about our heritage. The scheme in Buckinghamshire has recorded a wealth of discoveries, from the everyday objects that showcase the history and life in the area, its industry and creativity, to the more unusual such as the recent discovery of the Lenborough Hoard. These objects hold the stories of the past, and can tell us about the way of life of the ordinary people. The book will examine life from prehistory to the more recent, as well as the movement of the people and their belongings.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Royal Blue Days
One of the great names of the British bus and coach industry was Royal Blue, whose vehicles were a familiar sight on the express routes between London and the West Country. For many years, Royal Blue was the name adopted by the Southern National and Western National companies for their express services, but the origins of the name date back to the late nineteenth century when a horse-drawn coach service operated from Bournemouth. The Royal Blue operation grew under the ownership of the Elliott family until it was acquired by the two subsidiaries of the Tilling Group. As part of this group, the company ultimately ended up integrated into the National Bus Company and its individual identity was lost with the creation of NBC's long-distance coaching arm, National Express. This book examines the day-to-day operations of the company and how it interlinked with the other operators in the areas that it served, and in particular covers the operator's express operations in the period up until the mid-1960s.
£14.99
Amberley Publishing Secret Darlington
The County Durham town of Darlington has a long and interesting history. In medieval times it was a market town for the surrounding area, with records of the market dating back to the twelfth century. The Victorian covered market is an iconic feature at the heart of Darlington today but was hugely controversial when built in the 1860s and its floor collapsed when it opened, killing a local farmer. By this time Darlington had been transformed by the opening of the world’s first passenger railway in the town, built with the wealth acquired by the Pease family’s wool mills. Secret Darlington explores the lesser-known episodes and characters in the history of the town through the centuries, including scandals such as the Cheese Affair involving the Bishop of Durham, war heroes, sporting stars such as the dentist who won the town’s first Olympic gold medal as a football goalkeeper but who died while making a save, a Quaker-born adventurer who fled to Easter Island, a global screen star engaged to Fred Perry who died in an air raid during the Second World War, campaigners for women’s suffrage, industries that have disappeared today including the forge that built the rudder for the Titanic, and forgotten places of entertainment, not least the largest number of cinemas per head of population in the country in the 1930s. With tales of remarkable people, unusual events and tucked-away historical places, Secret Darlington will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in County Durham.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing The Roman Empire in 100 Haikus
The Roman Empire has been a source of fascination to political thinkers, the obsession of some of the greatest historians, and has influenced art down the ages. Now, in a fresh new take on the era, historian Stuart Laycock sums up the subject in 100 haikus. These original poems are sometimes witty, sometimes sad, sometimes playful, sometime serious, but with only a few syllables to play with they are always concise and to the point. Read them in order for a sense of the vast sweep of Roman history, or dot around and find hidden gems. Power, glory, death, slaughter, murder, ambition, lust, love and triumph. It’s all here. Each haiku comes with a brief historical text to accompany it and an evocative original illustration by John Travis.
£12.99
Amberley Publishing Wigan and Around The Postcard Collection
Wigan grew rapidly during the nineteenth century as a major cotton mill town and centre for coal mining, aided by the construction of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal which passed through the town. These industries continued well into twentieth century, although in recent decades the mills and coal mines in the area have closed and many of the old buildings have been repurposed and are now part of new commercial and leisure industries.In Wigan and Around: The Postcard Collection author Roy Pennington has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in Wigan and the surrounding areas in the past, from the Victorian and Edwardian era onwards. Although some of the historical Wigan seen in these views has been lost, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. The postcards show the changes in Wigan'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 l
£15.99
Amberley Publishing North Korea in 100 Facts
‘Great ideology creates great times.’ Kim Jong-il (1942–2011) Where to start with this mysterious, sometimes terrifying country? Perhaps with some hard facts - which are notoriously difficult to come by. Ruth Ann Monti teases out the truth about this dictatorship to provide an illuminating insight into a society that might just as well be in outer space for most in the West. Did you know, for instance, that high school students are required to complete an 81-hour course on current leader Kim Jong-un? Or that everyone must wear a Kim badge at all times? Even Mao didn't demand that. How about the fact that Kim Jong-un's father and predecessor, Kim Jong-il, kidnapped two of South Korea's film industry giants and made seven films with them – including a Socialist version of Godzilla? The 100 facts don't all make grim reading: for instance, North Koreans like to relax with a favourite tipple - but make theirs from acorns. More importantly, in 2012 North Korean archaeologists discovered a unicorn lair… This book highlights the hidden reality and strange truths about this much-misunderstood country.
£8.99
Amberley Publishing Victorian Epic
Explores one of the most dramatic episodes in British military history - and 24 VCs won in a single day.
£27.00
Amberley Publishing Forgotten: The Untold Story of D-Day's Black Heroes
Forgotten is an extraordinary blend of military and social history – a story that pays tribute to the valour of an all-black battalion whose crucial contributions at D-Day have gone unrecognised to this day. In the early hours of June 6, 1944, the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, a unit of African-American soldiers, landed on the beaches of France. Their orders were to man a curtain of armed balloons meant to deter enemy aircraft. One member of the 320th would be nominated for the Medal of Honor, an award he would never receive. The nation’s highest decoration was not given to black soldiers in the Second World War. Drawing on newly uncovered military records and dozens of original interviews with surviving members of the 320th and their families, Linda Hervieux tells the story of these heroic men. In England and Europe, they discovered freedom they had not known in a homeland that treated them as second-class citizens – experiences they carried back to America, fuelling the budding civil rights movement. In telling the story of the Battalion, Hervieux offers a vivid account of the tension between racial politics and national service in wartime America, and a moving narrative of human bravery and perseverance in the face of injustice.
£10.99
Amberley Publishing Terrorism and America: From the Anarchists to 9/11 and Beyond
Few Americans are aware of the reasons why visitors are prevented from having access to the torch of the Statue of Liberty. Access to the torch ended in 1916 as a result of a massive terrorist bomb in New York. The attack was traced to Germany, anxious to keep the USA out of the First World War - and West Germany paid reparations for this attack until 1979. In reality, terrorism has been part of American life since its founding, but early terrorist activity increased dramatically from 1865, especially during the anarchist era from the 1880s, an era that culminated in the deadly Wall Street attack of 1920. Terrorist threats rose again from the 1950s, reaching a peak in the 1970s, when Americans experienced almost daily terrorist attacks. During the 1960s, the US faced increasing external threats to security as hijackings, kidnappings and bomb attacks became almost commonplace. Hijackings from America to Cuba became so frequent that some pilots took to carrying a map of Havana’s José Martí Airport. From the 1970s, America linked terrorism to ‘rogue states’ such as North Korea, Iran, Libya and later Iraq, with Ronald Reagan both connecting terrorism to the Soviet Union and moving it to the top of his political agenda in 1985. By the 1990s, terrorist attacks against America had dramatically reduced. However, those that did take place were increasingly deadly, as seen with the World Trade Center bombing (1993), the Oklahoma bombing (1995) and the attack on the USS Cole(2000). With the historical linkages to terrorism addressed, the author places the tragic events of 9/11 into context and looks at the events of that day and their impact on America, both at home and overseas.
£20.00
Amberley Publishing In Search of Alfred the Great: The King, The Grave, The Legend
Alfred, son of Æthelwulf, king of the West Saxons, ran. Behind him, the takers of his land and kingdom fanned out, searching for the fleeing king ... Buried in AD 899 as the king of the English at his capital city of Winchester, Alfred the Great’s bones were thought to have ultimately been moved to an unmarked grave. His remains had been completely lost to us for centuries until researchers at the University of Winchester discovered what is in all probability a piece of his pelvis in a cardboard box. This exciting discovery has reawakened interest in one of our most notable monarchs. The only English monarch ever to have had the epithet ‘the Great’, Alfred’s reputation reaches down to us through the years. Christian hero, successful defender of England against the Vikings, social and educational reformer. There is a man and a life buried amid the myths. Within these pages, discover Alfred’s dramatic story.
£9.89
Amberley Publishing Vikings!
Viking is such a vivid word, steeped in imagery and blood. The Viking Age began and ended in England. Its first act in AD 789 was a murder on a beach in Dorset; its last, some two and a half centuries later, was the crowning of a Dane in London as king of a united England. In between, the Vikings waged war on four continents, they besieged London, Paris and Constantinople, founded Russia and the Duchy of Normandy and very nearly snuffed out Anglo-Saxon England. Yet these days they are seen more as traders and explorers than as warriors. This new history returns the Vikings to their former position as the scourge of Christendom.
£8.99
Amberley Publishing The Myth of Ancient Egypt
Egypt is extremely popular in the West, with almost everyone having some preconceptions about the country and its history, but questions about the building of the pyramids, the curse of Tutankhamun and Cleopatra's baths of ass's milk are only the tip of the iceberg. The myth of Egypt is often one of mysticism and the occult, and the ancient texts are reputed to hold all manner of secrets, magical, technological and mystical, while in the Old Testament it is seen as a land of great magicians. In this book, Charlotte Booth sets out to investigate eight of the most common myths about Egypt, their origins and how they have developed, in an attempt to separate fact from fiction. These range from the River Nile itself, through the pyramids and mummification, to three of the most famous names to have come out of ancient Egypt: Hatshepsut, Akhenaten and Cleopatra and the reputation of Alexandria as a city of ancient learning. The book concludes with a look at the important role which the myth of ancient Egypt has played in Western culture through the centuries, from art and architecture to the hundreds of films, cartoons and books which have been inspired by Egypt.
£17.09
Amberley Publishing RM70 Seventy Years of a London Icon
The Routemaster bus has become synonymous with London and is recognised the world over. Although fewer were built than of the preceding RT type, their uniqueness and longevity made them instantly identifiable as the typical London bus. First conceived as a replacement for the trolleybuses, the prototype was unveiled in 1954. Main production did not start until 1959 but they would then continue to serve London's passengers until 2005. From the 1980s, they began to be withdrawn from London, but many found further use with bus companies throughout Britain and beyond.Now, seventy years since the prototype first emerged, some Routemasters can still be found on sightseeing work in London. Others are in use for such purposes as corporate hospitality, film work and wedding hires, while hundreds survive in preservation. This book celebrates this iconic symbol of London through a collection of outstanding images and informative captions.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Bloody Sunday
New paperback edition - Fifty years on, a compelling new perspective on one of the most violent and controversial events of The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
£10.99
Amberley Publishing Women of Science
Women have played a vital role in scientific discovery, although at times their participation has gone unrecognised. Their scholarly research and discoveries have provided a rich tapestry to add to the scientific endeavours of the world. It is important that these women be viewed through the lens of their time, placing their achievements in context throughout the past few centuries.Their scientific fields of excellence include medicine, biology, astronomy, mathematics, physics, meteorology, geology, zoology and engineering, along with their various sub-categories. The significant contributions by women to science date from the earliest times and this book brings together the stories of those who have left their mark, despite the significant hurdles they have faced.There are many women who deserve recognition in this way, including the much vaunted Madame Curie and Ada Lovelace, and there are others whose talent is undoubted although they have not received the plaudits they deserve. Thi
£12.99
Amberley Publishing The Boleyns
New paperback edition - Starting with Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry VIII, Amanda Harvey Purse looks at significant Boleyns through history, shining a spotlight on how their story has been entwined with that of the British monarchy for almost 500 years.
£10.99
Amberley Publishing Taunton in 50 Buildings
Taunton is the county town of Somerset. It has its origins in the Saxon period and was a prime location in the Civil War and during the Monmouth Rebellion. Much development took place in the Georgian era when many of the ancient buildings were refaced in the new style, reflecting a time of prosperity. With the development of the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, and the arrival of the railways, industry came into the town. As housing increased, so did the need for the infrastructure associated with a county town, and the Shire Hall, courts, hospitals, churches, schools and leisure buildings such as the Brewhouse Theatre and County Cricket Ground were developed. In 2017 Taunton was granted the status of a Garden Town by the government, with plans to develop new housing areas and spaces fit for a twenty-first-century town.Taunton in 50 Buildings explores the history of the county town of Somerset through a selection of its most interesting buildings and structures, showing the changes that h
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Farina MG and Riley Saloons
Based on the BMC Morris Oxford body, the Farina and Riley MG saloons were successors to the successful MG Magnette ZA and ZB. Introduced in November 1958, the MKIII was a combination of different parts, including engine, gearbox and rear axle borrowed from the ZB model and based on an A55 floor pan. The standard cars were produced as four separate models: the Austin A55 MkII, Morris Oxford Series 5, Wolseley 15/60 and Riley 4. The cars were updated in January 1961. The MG Magnette Mk3 and Mk4, and the Riley 4/68 and 4/72 were the up-market versions.In this fascinating book, MG expert Neil Cairns tells the full story of these rare cars that caused controversy when they were launched due to accusations of badge engineering. However, they proved in many ways to be ahead of their time, as badge-engineered cars became the norm. Although the Riley and Farina MG saloons were criticised for not having the performance and taut handling of the previous MG Magnette model, they form an important p
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Churches of Buckinghamshire
The county of Buckinghamshire has a rich and varied past which is reflected in its historic churches. In Churches of Buckinghamshire, author Eddie Brazil explores the architecture, history and beauty of a selection of the most interesting churches from all over the county, both the well-known and those waiting to be discovered by a wider audience. The buildings range from Anglo-Saxon, at Wing, and Norman/Romanesque, at Stewkley, through the many Gothic stages to the bare, box pew interiors of Protestantism, the plain simplicity of Jordan's Meeting House, Victorian reimaginings of the past and the glass and concrete functionalism of the modern day.The book examines how the architecture and history of Buckinghamshire's churches was not only fashioned and changed by developments in building and architectural innovation, but also the religious, political and social demands of the time, and how they have become integral to the cultural identity of England.This fascinating picture of an impo
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Panavia Tornado
Explore the ground-breaking multi-role aircraft that became Europeâs first line of defence and attack.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Decadent Divorce
A fascinating, revealing examination of divorce in Victorian Britain - and what it meant for society as a whole. It is a story of high drama, humour, pathos and tragedy, brimming with moral comment that throws a light on the preoccupations of the age.
£20.69
Amberley Publishing Preston A Potted History
An accessible history of Preston from prehistory to the present day highlighting the cityâs significant events and people.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Rover R8
This comprehensive and readable book covers the Rover models built on the R8 platform, including the Rover 200 and 400. The book begins with the transitional period after the demise of BL and the advent of first Austin Rover and then Rover as well as the early collaboration with Honda to develop a new series of cars. The author also examines the development of the successful K Series engine as well as the collaboration with Peugeot to develop diesel engines from 1992. The book goes on to explore the various models in detail, including the five-door and three-door Rover 200s, the Rover 200 Cabriolet, the Rover 400 saloons, the Rover 400 Tourer and the Rover 200 Tomcat coupé. Written by an acknowledged authority on Rover cars, this book provides the reader with everything they need to know about the development of this important series of cars at a critical moment in British motor manufacturing history.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Liverpool Through Time
The city of Liverpool is famous throughout the world. This once small fishing village was transformed into a mighty commercial powerhouse, seen by many as the second city of the British Empire. Over the centuries her influence grew and her population soared. Town planners were forced to draw up designs to accommodate the town’s increasingly diverse demographic. Humble terraced properties were laid out for the thousands of labourers in the region’s core shipping industry, while luxurious town houses were constructed for the region’s wealthier elite. Vast brick-built warehouses were raised for the storage of goods and imports, while merchants from far and wide took up shop on many of the city’s bustling high streets. Hotels, taverns and theatres appeared on nearly every corner to impress the weary traveller, and an array of parks, monuments and public buildings adorned the urban landscape for as far as the eye could see. Sadly the twentieth century cast a grave shadow over Liverpool’s good fortunes and the city lost its old allure and prestige. The Second World War cost the city dear, and many of the most awe-inspiring buildings were lost in the carnage or demolished in the name of progress. This book steps back in time and rediscovers Liverpool’s lost buildings and remembers the forgotten architectural heritage that once embellished this impressive maritime metropolis.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Edward IV: Glorious Son of York
Few English monarchs had to fight harder for the right to rule than King Edward IV – Shakespeare’s glorious son of York. Cast in the Plantagenet mould, over six feet tall, he was a naturally charismatic leader. Edward had the knack of seizing the initiative and winning battles and is free from the unflattering characterisations that plagued his brother, Richard III, having been portrayed as a good-looking and formidable military tactician. Described sometimes as reckless and profligate, all sources remark on his personal bravery. In the eleven years between 1460 and 1471 he fought five major battles in the Wars of the Roses. Three of them – Towton, Barnet and Tewkesbury – rank among the most decisive of the medieval period. This book covers Edward’s family background, the Yorkist takeover and the drift to war. It charts the tensions created by the controversial Woodville marriage and Edward’s deposition by the Earl of Warwick and subsequent exile. The return of the king brought with it more battles and Edward’s decisive campaigns against Warwick and Margaret of Anjou. Finally, Edward’s sudden death heralded the demise of the House of York and the eventual triumph of the Tudors. This is the history of Edward IV’s struggle to gain –and regain – the crown during a period of sustained dynastic turmoil.
£10.92
Amberley Publishing Walkden Yard: The Lancashire Central Coalfield Workshops
Located close to the Ellesmere Colliery, the Walkden Yard ultimately became the NCB Central Workshops for Lancashire. From here the workshops served the Bridgewater Trustees' collieries, providing engineering support as well as maintaining the numerous railway locomotives and the many hundreds of wagons that the company owned. Opened in 1878, Walkden Yard transferred to the National Coal Board upon nationalization after the Second World War and its importance grew as it served the other Lancashire collieries too. At Walkden there were a machine shop, joiners' shop, electricians' shop, paint shop, tinsmiths', locomotive repair shop, wagon sheds and wagon machine shop. The yard itself employed hundreds of men and boys but was closed in 1986 with the decline of the Lancashire coalfield. A housing estate now sits atop the site of the Walkden yard and it is hard to remember that the site once serviced the many locomotives that belonged to the NCB, or that the Coal Board and its predecessors operated many locomotives over their own lines as well as the railway company ones and that a huge industry was maintained at Walkden yard, repairing locomotives and rolling stock. In this book, Alan Davies tells the story of the Walkden yard and the locomotives of the Lancashire coalfield.
£16.99
Amberley Publishing Hadrian's Wall: History and Guide
Stretching 73 miles from coast to coast and reaching a height of about 13 feet, Hadrian's Wall should have been counted as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Today, a World Heritage site, it stands as the most imposing monument north of the Alps and attracts millions of visitors a year. Yet, despite all the excavation and research that has been carried out, this is the first detailed guide to be written for many years. Having first dealt with the practical questions of transport, clothing and maps, Guy de la Bedoyere explains why and how the Wall was constructed. With the help of almost 100 sketch maps, drawings and photographs, he then conducts the visitor, stage by stage, along the full length of the Wall, providing map locations, route and parking instructions, details of access and opening times, and a full account of everything that can be seen. He also covers the outpost forts, the forts and settlements to the rear (South Shields, Corbridge and Vindolanda) and the local museums which house so many of the artefacts discovered along the Wall. This indispensable guide-book concludes with a list of dates, a glossary and a summary of all the key sources.
£18.99
Amberley Publishing Hemel Hempstead Through Time
Hemel Hempstead's history goes back a long way and is mentioned in the Domesday Book survey. St Mary's Parish Church is one of the oldest buildings and dates from 1150. Henry VIII came to Hemel Hempstead and granted a Charter in 1539 which also put the town on the map. In more recent times Hemel Hempstead was designated to be a New Town in 1946 which caused it to grow from being a market town of 22,000 to one of the largest in the county. This book shows how the town has changed - many people consider it to be improved while others wish time could hark back to the days when small shops were the norm and areas such as Apsley, Boxmoor and Leverstock Green were individual villages where everyone knew each other. The photographs will help those who have forgotten what Hemel was like years ago and shows the places and buildings that have replaced them.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Portsmouth Through Time
The photographs in this fascinating collection enable the reader to explore the differences that passing time has wrought on the urban landscape of Portsmouth and Southsea, and place unrecognisable scenes in context in place and time. Archive images, including Victorian scenes, Edwardian postcards, and unique colour photographs from the 1960s and '70s, are compared and contrasted with a similar view today. These absorbing images, from professional and amateur photographers, include many street scenes alongside subjects ranging from a military band at Clarence Barracks in the 1910s, commercial shipping at the Camber in the 1930s, Billy Smart's circus in the 1950s and Dockyard pickets in the 1970s. Portsmouth Through Time is sure to evoke a wealth of personal memories and interest to anyone who knows and loves the city and would enjoy a trip into its recent past.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing The Forest in Old Photographs
Here are some fascinating insights into life in the Forest of Dean , its people and places, captured in rich selection of old photographs gathered by Humphrey Phelps. Covering most of the land between the Severn and Wye rivers, this is a photographic record of the Forest of Dean from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century, illustrating a very different way of life in a changing world.
£18.99
Amberley Publishing Chester's Military Heritage
The ancient walled city of Chester has an illustrious military history dating back to Roman times when a fort, four times the size of anything else in Britannia, was built here. In this book, local authors Adrian and Dawn L. Bridge chronicle the city’s military history across the centuries. Beginning with the impact of the XXth Legion - Legio Vigesima Valeria Victrix - the authors go on to explore the Dark Ages, Viking, Saxon and medieval eras right through to the twentieth century, with both world wars, and beyond. Chapters focus on themes including local, national and foreign conflicts; military personalities, honours and awards; military units; and buildings and memorials. Both lesser and well-known aspects of the city’s military heritage are featured to present a balanced perspective. In addition, the authors highlight women, as well as men, on the front line and the home front. Famous Chester military heroes such as Bomber Command’s Leonard Cheshire VC and the Korean War’s Kenneth Muir VC feature with lesser-known but equally distinguished local people such as John Dolphin (Head of SOE’s Section IX during the Second World War). The Cheshire Regiment looms large in any discussion of Chester’s military units. Its origins immediately after the 1688 Glorious Revolution are discussed together with the regiment’s history up to its modern merger with the Mercian Regiment. Chester’s Military Heritage presents a broad and insightful account of this important aspect of the city’s history.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Prestwich & Whitefield Through Time
Prestwich and Whitefield are closely linked townships that have been separated by the construction of the M60. With a combined population of around 55,000, they are considered to be prestigious suburbs of north Manchester. They are now part of Bury Metropolitan Borough Council. In this book, authors Paul Hindle and Harry Wilkinson offer a nostalgic visual chronicle of Prestwich and Whitefield through the decades. Prestwich is the older of the townships and its parish church, St Mary’s, dates back to Norman times, though the present church was begun in the fifteenth century. Much of Whitefield was part of the medieval Pilkington Park, and Clive of India attended Stand Grammar School there. Whitefield became a separate local government area in 1886, but it boasts one of the churches funded after the Napoleonic Wars. Between the two areas is the famous Besses o’ th’ Barn, named after a former local innkeeper. To the west is the Irwell Valley and Philips Park, while to the east is Heaton Park, once the seat of the Earls of Wilton. Prestwich & Whitefield Through Time will be of interest to local people and anyone with links to the area.
£15.99