Search results for ""The History Press Ltd""

Four days after war was declared, an Indian corps of two infantry divisions and a cavalry brigade was ordered to embark for the Western Front. Clad in in tropical uniforms, those men endured one of the bitterest winters on record and fought in every major battle of the next two years. In a country they had never seen, against an enemy of whom they knew little and in a cause that was not their own, they served for the honour of their country and their regiments. Sepoys in the Trenches draws upon a mass of unpublished sources and extensive interviews by the author in India and Nepal.

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In 1940, the Manchester and Salford Blitz saw the city and its surroundings targeted by the German Luftwaffe. The most destructive attack was launched in late December 1940; it is remembered today as ‘the Christmas Blitz’. Nearly 800 people lost their lives, and thousands more were injured, in two nights of raids ending with a devastating Christmas Eve that saw hundreds of tons of high explosive and thousands of incendiaries fall. Attacks continued into 1941 and beyond, and landmarks such as the cathedral, the Free Trade Hall, the Royal Infirmary and the Royal Exchange were all to suffer. At Old Trafford, too, a bomb wrecked the pitch and demolished the stands. This 75th anniversary narrative, based on first-hand accounts and extensive research, tells the story of how the people of Manchester, Salford, Trafford Park and Stretford endured this dark period in their history – a tale of courage, sacrifice, loss and the unconquerable power of the human spirit. Richly illustrated with contemporary photographs and documents, some of which have never been published before, this book is a valuable addition to the history of Manchester and Salford.

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A century ago, Britain was locked in a devastating worldwide conflict that would change every aspect of society. This book explores life in Devon between 1900 and 1914, offering a revealing glimpse of a world now long-vanished before war broke out. Devon was no backwater; its railways and shipping were busy bringing tourists in and sending vast quantities of produce out. It was, though, a county of contrasts and change. Farming had reinvented itself after the late Victorian depression, but villages were in decline; churches and chapels were full but religion bitterly divided communities; the wealthy enjoyed extravagant lifestyles on great estates but their authority was under attack. Devon’s upper-, middle- and lower-class schools perfectly reflected the Edwardian social hierarchy, but as the county’s elections revealed, society was being torn asunder by bitter controversies over exactly who should have the vote, rule the country, and control the Empire. It was a worrying time overseas too: Great Britain’s supremacy was increasingly challenged, and the warships in Devon’s harbours and army manoeuvres on the moors drew many comments as the storm clouds began to gather over Europe. Using mainly contemporary sources, this engaging book examines the attitudes and experiences of people across all social classes in this tumultuous era.

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As much as 70 per cent of Essex is agricultural, and given its proximity to the capital it is not surprising that so many members of the Women’s Land Army found themselves on Essex farms and in Essex fields during the two world wars, doing their bit to make sure that Britain did not starve. This book not only includes interviews with some of the last surviving land ‘girls’ but also contains a wealth of material unearthed in diaries, letters and in the stories handed down from one generation to the next about women in Essex who were, literally, wearing the trousers. They were not all local girls, and many arrived from the cities never having seen a cow or a tractor before. But the British spirit persevered, and the wit and camaraderie that served us so well during those tumultuous years shines through in every story.

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What did it mean when Vladimir Putin stepped down from president to prime minister of Russia in 2008 and bounced to the top again in 2013? The Putin-Medvedev clique of mega-rich ex-KGB men and lawyers call their state machine kontora – the firm – and run it as though they own all the shares. They command the largest armed forces in Europe, equipped with half the world’s nuclear warheads. Their air force regularly flies nuclear capable Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bombers into British airspace to analyse our radar defences and time in-the-air reaction. In a frightening foretaste of future warfare, the Kremlin launched a cyberattack on neighbouring Estonia in 2007 that crashed every computer and silenced every mobile phone, bringing the country to a complete halt. Was this just Tsar Vladimir bullying a small independent neighbour state that could not hit back – or a rehearsal for something far bigger? People call Putin’s power strategy ‘the new Cold War’. Author Douglas Boyd argues that it is the same one as before, fought with potent new weapons: the energy resources on which half of Europe now depends, and which can be turned off at Moscow’s whim. Recounted often in the words of participants, The Kremlin Conspiracy is the chilling story of 1,000 years of bloodshed that made the Russians the way they are. Today, Ukraine. Tomorrow? The past points the way, for the men running the Kremlin ‘firm’ are driven by the same motivation as Ivan the Terrible and Catherine the Great.

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Written by well-known writer, broadcaster and genealogist Bruce Durie, this book tells the amazing story of Stirling’s history from earliest times to the modern day. Some of the most pivotal moments in Scottish history occurred in the city’s surroundings, including the Battle of Bannockburn – the greatest military victory in Scottish memory. But there is more to central Scotland’s premier city than a battle, Robert Bruce and William Wallace. Illustrated with over 120 pictures – including 16 colour plates – and filled with curious, interesting and quirky facts throughout, The Story of Stirling will interest anyone who knows and loves this part of Scotland.

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The First World War claimed over 995,000 British lives, and its legacy continues to be remembered today. Great War Britain: West Sussex offers an intimate portrayal of the county and its people living in the shadow of the ’war to end all wars‘. A beautifully illustrated and highly accessible volume, it describes local reaction to the outbreak of war; charts the experience of individuals who enlisted; the changing face of industry; the work of the many hospitals in the area; the effect of the conflict on local families; the women who defied convention to play a vital role on the home front; and concludes with a chapter dedicated to how the county and its people coped with the transition to life in peacetime once more. The Great War story of West Sussex is told through the testimony of those who were there and is vividly illustrated with evocative images from the archives of West Sussex County Council and local museums.

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This fascinating and beautifully photographed guidebook follows Cambridgeshire’s waterways from leafy Huntingdon to the wide-sky Fens, along the lovely Nene Valley down to the busy port town of Wisbech and travels beside the gentle stream of the Cam into the architectural glories of the university city of Cambridge. The narrative explores the history of Cambridgeshire through its vanished castles and abbeys, and traces the draining of the wild marshes. Cambridgeshire is a county that is different to any other in England, and the watery landscapes of the Fens are unique. From the bizarre Straw Bears that lead the hosts of morris dancers through the heart of Whittlesey every January, to the sedate Rose Fair that graces Wisbech church and gardens every June, Cambridgeshire has something to offer everyone.

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The First World War claimed over 995,000 British lives, and its legacy continues to be remembered today. Great War Britain: Sheffield offers an intimate portrayal of the city and its people living in the shadow of the Great War for five years. A beautifully illustrated and highly accessible volume, it recounts the tale of a Boy Scout leader's journey to Gallipoli, the terror of the first air raids, and the university's best and brightest who formed their own Pals battalion only to lose poets, writers and students on the Somme. It contrasts the strikes and political unrest with patriotism and sacrifice in the city they called 'the armourer to the Empire'. The Great War story of Sheffield is told through the voices of those who were there and is vividly illustrated with evocative images.

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15th August 1903 - On this day Aberdeen Football Club played its first match, holding Stenhousemuir to a 1-1 draw. 21st April 1943 - Luftwaffe bombers dropped 130 bombs on Aberdeen, killing ninety-seven civilians and twenty-seven soldiers. 15th August 1963 - On this day Henry John Burnett was hanged at Craiginches Prison, Aberdeen – the last execution to take place in Scotland. Experience 100 key dates that shaped Aberdeen’s history, highlighted its people’s genius (or silliness) and embraced the unexpected. Featuring an amazing mix of pivotal, social, criminal and sporting events, this book reveals a past that will fascinate, delight and even shock both residents and visitors to this Scottish city.

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He was a respected cabinetmaker and councillor by day – but Deacon William Brodie changed into a sinister, thieving monster when darkness fell on the old city of Edinburgh. Cleverly employing his respectable reputation to access the richest members of society before stealing from them as a masked burglar, he used the resulting illicit money to fund yet another life – with five children and two mistresses. But Brodie – whose chilling story inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to create the classic tale of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde about a century later – came fatally unstuck when an accomplice informed on him. Then neither his ill-gotten gains nor his plans to cheat the hangman could save him. Rick Wilson traces the increasingly desperate double life of Brodie, from his first taste of crime through to his public disgrace and execution … hanging on the very gallows he allegedly conceived himself.

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Published to coincide with performances of the play 'Will Harvey's War' at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham from 30th July to 2nd August 2014. Part of the Gloucestershire Remembers World War I programme. Discovered only recently, this unpublished novel by F.W. Harvey tells the fictionalized tale of Will Harvey and his journey from a rural Gloucestershire childhood to the frontline trenches of the First World War. It is a sentimental story of young boy finding love for the first time and being separated from it, it is also a story of how war changes men forever. The novel offers a rare insight into the poet’s own experiences of the First World War and his struggle to come to terms with his lost youth.

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They came, they saw, they hated it … Bath is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. However, go back in time and it was a very different place. In this entertaining, illustrated compendium of caustic quotes, famous visitors of the past – including the likes of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens – queue up to complain of freezing behinds, insulting chairmen, villainous smells, naked bodies, wanton dalliances, hurled dogs and far, far worse ...

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‘Colin Bundy has given us an incredible insight into the person of Mandela. What a man and what a gift Madiba was to the world.’ - Desmond Tutu Nelson Mandela’s place in history is secure: he was one of the best known prisoners in the world even before his election as the first president of post-apartheid South Africa; secondly, he became a global icon, an elder statesman, with a degree of moral authority matched by very few. Coming to terms with a dizzying sequence of roles, this biography explores Mandela’s various identities – dashing young urbanite, charismatic nationalist politician, underground military commander and Black Pimpernel, tried, convicted, and a political prisoner for 27 years; on his release president of a democratic South Africa – and assesses these independently of his iconic, nigh-mythic status. This book revisits the well-known contours of Mandela’s career, but resists hagiography: it outlines what he achieved, but also identifies aspects of his personality and politics that are far less familiar.

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In early 1918, it seemed to many that the British people and the Allies were close to defeat. At home, the chief culprit was the German U-boat. Sailing almost unopposed from the North Sea ports of Zeebrugge and Ostend, the submarines were taking a heavy toll on Allied shipping, and no one seemed to be doing anything about it. The job eventually went to Vice Admiral Roger Keyes, ‘The Modern Nelson’, who had a long record of close action with enemies from China to the Heligoland Bight. Equally, he was unafraid of those senior to him whom he considered to be incompetent. Within days of his appointment Keyes had put together an audacious plan to sink blockships in the enemy-held ports. However, his success, along with the eleven VCs won in the battles, led his detractors to play down his achievement, even by using German propaganda against him. This entirely new account, containing groundbreaking research and rare illustrations throughout, at last sets the record straight about these important engagements.

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British military labour during the First World War developed from an ad hoc arrangement in 1914 into a corps some 400,000 strong, supported by as many as a million dominion and foreign workers by 1918. Records of this contribution to victory are extremely rare. George Weeks wrote down his experience on squares of wallpaper – always a practical man. And what a record it is. The Somme, Passchendaele and the Messines Ridge all feature in George’s calm description of his extraordinary experiences. He camped in ‘the vast graveyard of Cambrai’, he cut down an entire forest for duckboards, and he mended the aircraft of Captain Ball VC with dope and linen! With the corps working on the front lines and often under fire, this truly was dangerous work.

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London, 1890: A group of seven amateur criminologists based at the Septimus Club in Piccadilly set out to investigate a series of mysterious crimes committed in the capital. Including a professor, a Lord, an ex-jockey, an actress, a talented rogue, a Scotland Yard detective and a society lady, the sleuths become embroiled in the murder of an artist, an attempted assassination and even come up against some Russian anarchists. In these, their first six adventures, the society take on some challenging cases, relishing the thrill of the chase as enemies mount against them and old vendettas return. This collection is a treat for all fans of vintage crime fiction.

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This book tells the fascinating story of West Ham United Football Club during the First World War, charting the relationship between war and football by following the pursuits of West Ham from 1913/14 to 1918/19. In many ways, it was their success in wartime competitions that led to them being accepted into the Football League in 1919, paving the way for subsequent FA Cup and League success. As well as a football story, this book is about the impact of the war on Britain. It documents the social implications of war on Londoners and the social and political influence of football, the armed forces and civilians alike. Looking closely at the 13th Service Battalion, also known as the ‘West Ham Pals’, the book includes such players as George Kay, Ted Hufton, and their manager and coach, Syd King and Charlie Paynter respectively.

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Harold Jarman is a Bristol-born sporting legend. A highly talented winger for Bristol Rovers, he made almost 500 League appearances for the club, scoring over a century of goals. Although he has taken on many different roles for clubs in the UK and the United States, his heart has always belonged to Bristol – he returned initially as youth team manager, then caretaker manager (saving the Rovers from relegation) before coaching and managing the youth and reserve teams During the summer months between 1961 and 1972, Harold also enjoyed playing professionally for Gloucestershire County Cricket club, delighting crowds with his skill and particularly his astute fielding. In this book, Mike Jay and Ian Haddrell explore a remarkable life, accompanied by fascinating pictures, many unpublished from Harold’s own collection.

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For the first half of the twentieth century, the artist Fortunino Matania captured some of the world’s most memorable and iconic moments. From the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 to the coronations of three British monarchs, this Italian-born illustrator recorded almost every major event as ‘special artist’ for popular illustrated magazine The Sphere. The apogee of his prolific output was during the First World War when he produced paintings on a weekly basis, recording in breathtakingly realistic detail the multifaceted nature of the conflict and often visiting the front in order to gather material for his pictures. The breadth and quality of Matania’s work takes in scenes of trench life, the war at sea, the heat of battle and the war effort at home. Meanwhile, his most famous picture, 'Goodbye, Old Man', quickly became one of the most emotive images of the war. Admired by some of the finest artists of the period, and familiar to millions around the world, over 100 of Matania’s pictures are brought together for the first time in this compilation, introducing the power of his work to a new generation to mark the centenary of the First World War

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In this enchanting new book, one of the country’s most celebrated storytellers has gathered together traditional tales that have their roots in the cold and long, dark nights of midwinter. Herein you will find magical accounts of the Legend of Tinsel, the Christmas Cat and the New Year’s Bell, with a number of wintery riddles to unpick while enjoying the festive season and welcoming in the New Year. With so many folk tales intrinsically linked to ancient seasonal customs, there are a few included here relating to traditions such as the Ottery St Mary Tar Barrels (Devon), the Viking ‘Up Helly Aa’ (Shetland) and Tom Bawcock’s Eve (Cornwall). This is a book to curl up with in front of an open fire on long winter nights and to share and retell over a steaming mug of mulled wine.

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An international symbol of the city of Bristol since its opening in 1864, Clifton Suspension Bridge was Brunel’s first major project. The legendary engineer, once voted the second greatest Briton, famously described it as ‘my first child, my darling’. And certainly the strength of feeling for the bridge has not diminished, as it remains one of Britain’s best-loved – and most useful – landmarks. However, its journey into being was not a smooth one. The funding, design and construction of the bridge were all fraught with difficulty, as Brunel and his contemporaries worked at the forefront of engineering in their time, trying and testing unknown materials, techniques and theories. In fact, it was not until 1864, five years after Brunel’s death and an astonishing thirty-three years since construction began, that the completed bridge was finally unveiled and pronounced ‘a fitting monument to [a] late friend and colleague’. Here Michael Pascoe, an authority on its history, uncovers many previously unknown facts about the bridge, Bristol and Brunel himself. With outstanding archive and modern photography, this volume records the history of the Clifton Suspension Bridge from construction through to present day, celebrating 150 years of this magnificent structure.

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This is the book that speedway fans the world over have been waiting for: the inside story of the Californian hell-raiser, Kelly Moran. The charismatic American was one of the most spectacular and naturally talented riders to race speedway and very few share that incredible ability which ensured that he performed at the highest level for most of his career. A three-times World Finalist, double World Team Champion and US National Champion, Kelly’s talent as a racer took him around the world, while his exploits off the track have become legendary – making him one of the most popular riders ever. From leading the USA to world glory, via a near-death hotel accident, to joy-riding in a president’s bus, Brian Burford’s new book mixes the legendary tales of excess off the track with the success and popularity on the race circuit. With contributions from his family, friends and rivals, and written by one his closest friends, this book finally brings you the real story of Kelly Moran.

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Towards the end of September 1918 the Allied armies were poised to seize the Hindenburg Line – the end of the war on the Western Front was at last in sight. These final days became a series of battles to capture a number of river lines: as each one was captured by the Allies, the German Army fell back to the next. Despite stiff resistance from the enemy, the Allies slowly advanced. The Germans became increasingly demoralised, and about a quarter of their army surrendered. By the beginning of November the Allies had closed in until they were flanking the Forest of Mormal, surrounding the enemy. On 11 November the Canadian Corps retook Mons and, following the signing of the armistice, the guns finally fell silent at 11 a.m. Covering the six-week period from the Battle of Canal du Nord to Armistice Day, this volume tells the story of the fifty-six VC winners from France, Canada and Britain who fought in the victorious Allied advance.

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Thematically divided, this fascinating study explores the experiences of many of Devon’s people during the First World War: soldiers; aliens and spies (real and imagined); refugees; conscientious objectors; nurses and doctors; churchmen; the changing roles of women and children; and finally the controversies surrounding farming and agriculture. It provides a moving tribute to the price paid by Devon and its people during the War to End all Wars.

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Britain has an incredible history, steeped in all manner of blood, death, disease and horror. From cannibals to concentration camps, Geoff Holder covers events both great and gory from Britain’s terrible past, with kings, queens and pretenders to the throne; sea battles, massacres and attacks from the air. This collection explores it all, with hundreds of amazing true stories, including seven ill-judged attempts to assassinate Queen Victoria and the Gestapo’s secret plans to bring a conquered Britain to its knees. There will be blood ...

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Britain’s history is rich in mystery and scandal, and our ancient buildings hide the fascinating stories. Hidden Britain takes you backstage at some of our country’s most intriguing locations, into secret tunnels, down concealed passageways and behind the scenes at historic houses, castles and churches. This is the side of Britain’s heritage normally kept behind closed doors – with stories of Charles II’s escape from Worcester, the ghastly chamber of Glamis Castle and the labyrinth of tunnels under the streets of Nottingham. What do we know about these mysterious places? What is real and what is simply myth? In many cases no one alive knows, and that is what makes a visit to these sites so thrilling. With a comprehensive section of places to stay and visit, this beautifully illustrated book is an indispensable companion to the hidden gems of our history.

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When Adnams celebrated 650 years of brewing at Southwold in 1995 there had been an unbroken traditional way of life. Adnams country extends beyond the borders of Suffolk, but this book concentrates on this fine county and its history - from Southwold to Sudbury and Lowestoft to Lavenham. There are profound contrasts within Suffolk: Felixstowe's huge container port and ferry terminal and its near neighbour Ipswich, the busy county town just a stone's throw from the villages of the Gipping Valley. The wool towns of the Stour valley, such as Long Melford, are as handsome as they were hundreds of years ago and the coastline, some sixty miles of it, has some of the loneliest places in England, such as Shingle Street, and some of the most picturesque, like the Deben Estuary leading to Woodbridge and to Sutton Hoo - site of the famous burial now in the care of the National Trust.

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Life in the largely rural county of Dorset has not always been idyllic, for over the years it has experienced numerous murders, some of which are little known outside the county borders, others that have shocked the nation. These include arguments between lovers with fatal consequences, family murders, child murders and mortal altercations at Dorset's notorious Portland Prison. The entire country thrilled to the scandalous cases of Alma Rattenbury and Charlotte Bryant who, in the 1930s, found living with their husbands so difficult that both found a terminal solution to the problem. In 1856, Elizabeth Browne rid herself of a husband and, in doing so, became the inspiration for Thomas Hardy's 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles'. The mystery of the Coverdale Kennels at Tarrant Keynston, where not one, but two kennel managers died in suspicious circumstances, remains unsolved to this day. And it was in Bournemouth that Neville Heath committed the second of his two murders, which led to his arrest and eventual execution in 1946. Illustrated with fifty intriguing illustrations, Dorset Murders will appeal to anyone interested in the shady side of county's history.

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Illustrated with 200 photographs, this book depicts the rich scenery and history of the old Western Dunbartonshire railway, which stretched from Clydebank with its shipyards and other heavy industries to the north end of Loch Lomond, now part of Scotland’s first National Park. The railways which served this area reflected its landscape; some, such as the West Highland Railway, are still in use, although parts have been lost and the nature of traffic today has changed substantially. Other routes have disappeared completely – thus today’s commuters on the busy electric train service from Helensburgh to Glasgow are frequently unaware that an alternative route existed for much of its length. An extensive network of industrial railways, often running along cobbled roads, has vanished. A railway which meandered eastwards from Balloch to Stirling across the flat farmlands to the Forth Valley was closed to passengers in the 1930s, and a short but busy branch from the West Highland Railway, built during the Second World War to service the military port at Faslane on the Gareloch, has also been taken over by the overgrowth. Other parts, now disappeared, had been built to bring the workers of the Glasgow area down to the fresh air of the coast or the lochs for a trip on the paddle steamers. This book will be a treat for anyone who remembers the golden age of trainspotting, and for anyone keen to capture the essence of those bygone days.

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Where can you see an effigy of a Templar? What prompted King John to hand England over to an Italian? Who worked for the Templars in Yorkshire? The Knights Templar in Yorkshire answers all these questions and many more. This new book explores what medieval life was like during the Templars' stay in Yorkshire. Not only was it the biggest county in Britain, but in Templar terms it was also the richest. They owned more land, property and people in Yorkshire than in any other county in England. This fascinating volume takes the reader on an intimate tour of the ten major Templar sites established in Yorkshire, and reveals what life was like for their inhabitants - how the land was farmed, what the population ate, how they were taxed and local legends. Illustrated with an intriguing collection of photographs and specially commissioned maps, this book is sure to appeal to anyone interested in medieval history.

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Here are Essex Girls in a different light to the stereotype of modern public expectation. Murderers, mayhem-makers, swindlers, witches, smugglers and lustful adulteresses have played a part in the darker side of the county's history. From the thirteenth century onwards, Essex has produced more than its fair share of infamous women. Some got their comeuppance, some profited from their infamy and others were misguided, or with the benefit of hindsight, misjudged. The reader will find a plethora of women to hate, ridicule or secretly admire in Dee Gordon's new book. Some of the characters featured here might horrify or mystify, others will provoke empathy or disbelief, but all tales are authenticated by hours of research. Read, learn, squirm - and smile!

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Neil R. Storey has drawn on a vast array of original sources - among them witness statements, coroners' reports and court records - to produce a revealing insight into the East End's darkest moments. As well as the murders of Jack the Ripper, perhaps the most infamous in history, he looks at nine other cases in detail: the still mysterious Ratcliffe Highway Murders of 1811; Henry Wainwright, who dismembered his mistress and rolled up her remains in a carpet in 1874; Israel Lipski, whose name became a term of derision and abuse against Jews in East London for years following his conviction for the murder of a young woman in 1887; the unsolved murder of Frances Coles in 1891; the Whitechapel High Street Newspaper Shop Murder in 1904; the Houndsditch Murders and the Siege of Sidney Street in 1910, in which a robbery potted by Russian anarchists went badly wrong; the throat-cutting William Cronin in 1925; the Bow Road Cinema Murder in 1934; and finally the shooting of George Cornell by Ronnie Kray at the Blind Begger pub in 1966. East End Murders is a unique re-examination of the darker side of the capital's past.

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A unique memoir of wartime life from a child's perspective.

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This is the riveting story of Noor Inayat Khan, a descendant of an Indian prince, Tipu Sultan (the Tiger of Mysore), who became a British secret agent for SOE during World War II. Shrabani Basu tells the moving story of Noor’s life, from her birth in Moscow – where her father was a Sufi preacher – to her capture by the Germans. Noor was one of only three women SOE agents awarded the George Cross and, under torture, revealed nothing, not even her real name. Kept in solitary confinement, her hands and feet chained together, Noor was starved and beaten, but the Germans could not break her spirit. Ten months after she was captured, she was taken to Dachau concentration camp and, on 13 September 1944, she was shot. Her last word was ‘Liberté.’

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A Century of Stockton-on-Tees offers an insight into the daily lives and living conditions of local people and gives the reader glimpses and details of familiar places during a century of unprecedented change. Many aspects of Stockton-on-Tees' recent history are covered, famous occasions and individuals are remembered and the impact of national and international events is witnessed. A Century of Stockton-on-Tees provides a striking account of the changes that have so altered the town's appearance and records the process of transformation. Drawing on detailed local knowledge of the community, and illustrated with a wealth of black-and-white photographs, this book recalls what Stockton-on-Tees has lost in terms of buildings, traditions and ways of life. It also acknowledges the regeneration that has taken place and celebrates the character and energy of local people as they move through the first years of this new century.

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A Century of Barnsley offers an insight into the daily lives and living conditions of local people and gives the reader glimpses and details of familiar places during a century of unprecedented change. Many aspects of Barnsley's recent history are covered, famous occasions and individuals are remembered and the impact of national and international events is witnessed. The book provides a striking account of the changes that have so altered Barnsley's appearance and records the process of transformation. Drawing on detailed local knowledge of the community, and illustrated with a wealth of black-and-white photographs, this book recalls what Barnsley has lost in terms of buildings, traditions and ways of life. It also acknowledges the regeneration that has taken place and celebrates the character and energy of local people as they move through the first years of this new century.

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This fascinating selection of photographs illustrates the extraordinary transformation that has taken place in Hull during the 20th century. The book offers an insight into the daily lives and living conditions of local people and gives the reader glimpses and details of familiar places during a century of unprecedented change. Many aspects of Hull's recent history are covered, famous occasions and individuals are remembered and the impact of national and international events is witnessed. The book provides a striking account of the changes that have so altered Hull's appearance and records the process of transformation. Drawing on detailed local knowledge of the community, and illustrated with a wealth of black-and-white photographs, this book recalls what Hull has lost in terms of buildings, traditions and ways of life. It also acknowledges the regeneration that has taken place and celebrates the character and energy of local people as they move through the first years of this new century.

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From alpacas to zebus, crocodiles to wombats, journey through the individual histories of bizarre garden pets and their often bizarre owners. Who would dream of keeping a bear in the summerhouse, or a peccary in the park? Find out why the artist Rossetti favoured a wombat over a zebu, and if hares make good pets for depressed poets.Dr Twigs Way uncovers a secret world where crocodiles lurk in the fernery and flamingos stalk the shrubberies. From the Roman period to the modern day, discover the story of armadillos kept by merchants in London and Queen Charlotte’s filthy-tempered zebra. These are quirky tales of animals in the garden.

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For millennia the normal, natural and pleasurable activity of eating has been surrounded by fear and anxiety. Religious traditions have long decreed what foods are right for their followers to eat, but secularisation and scientific progress have not made the situation easier. Our present obsession with health, obesity, ethics and science has seemingly developed from a society that is over-supplied with the necessities of life. For the first time, social historian Stephen Halliday looks at the history of our fascinating relationship with food, from Galen in the first century AD declaring that fruit was the worst kind of food to eat, to John Kellogg's belief that eating wholegrain cereals would prevent masturbation and bring people closer to God. Through modern fears and food scares such as mad cow disease to our current fascination with superfoods, 'friendly' bacteria and organic farming, Our Troubles with Food is a thorough analysis of our changing attitudes towards food and a reminder that we are not so very different from our forbears after all.

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Bow and Bromley-by-Bow, at the heart of London’s East End, grew up around crossings over the river Lea. The area saw rapid changes from a seventeenth-century rural retreat to densely populated terraced streets, as mills were built along the river and a variety of industries developed – such as gunpowder, silk, matches and bone china. In his new book, Gary Haines brings to life the hidden history of Bow and Bromley-by-Bow, the stories behind the pubs and streets, churches and schools, as well extraordinary survivals from the past – despite massive redevelopment over the last few decades. He also describes the achievements of the Suffragettes and the Bryant & May matchgirls, who forced their bosses, through strike action, to address the problems of appalling working conditions and endemic ill-health caused by their work.

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Telling stories about well-known local characters of Paignton, the history of local businesses, A Paignton Scrapbook explores the truth behind various myths and legends, and, reminds readers of long-gone buildings, and bygone pubs and clubs, among others.

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The extraordinary transformation that has taken place in Darlington since the eighteenth century is illustrated in this fascinating collection of photographs, mostly from the Northern Echo. The images give an insight into the daily lives and living conditions of local people and the town during a period of unprecedented change. For centuries Darlington was a market town; but the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825 changed all that. The railway focused the attention of the world on this small town and set the pattern for the development of railway systems throughout Britain and beyond. Darlington first became famous for its railway engineering, then for a succession of other diverse industries. All aspects of Darlington are featured; famous occasions and individuals, as well as the impact of national and international events on the town. This is a striking account of the many changes that have altered Darlington's appearance, and recalls what the town has lost and gained in terms of buildings, traditions and ways of life. Recent regeneration is also included here and the book is a celebration of the character and energy of Darlington throughout history.

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After another four anxious years of waiting and watching the World Cup is finally here. Four years after Bobby Moore famously lifted the Jules Rimey trophy at Wembley, England are once again due to pit their skills in arguably the planet's greatest sporting spectacle. "History of the World Cup" brings together not only a record of the global game since the formation of FIFA and the first official competition in 1930, it will also cover chronologically every tournament, match and goal scored making this a must for all sports trivia addicts! With full colour action photography throughout and additional information on the players and managers "History of the World Cup" will become an invaluable record of the greatest football tournament of them all.

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Written by a poet who has lived in Yorkshire for over 35 years, this work portrays the county and its people in a series of gentle anecdotes, including "Life in a Small Village", "Asian Dancing in Huddersfield", "Walking the Pennine Way", and "The Choral Singing Tradition". It also explores diverse elements of life in Yorkshire.

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Stretching from Langholm in the east to Portpatrick in the west, with its dramatic landscape embracing hills, lochs and forests, Dumfries and Galloway occupies a large corner of south-west Scotland. Scratch just below the surface of this predominantly agricultural region, which nowadays also supports a steadily growing tourist industry, and you will unearth characters, places and events which have made an indelible impression over the past hundred years, as the tales in this book will demonstrate. Galloway can boast the oldest working theatre, the Theatre Royal in Dumfries, and also Scotland's highest village, Wanlockhead; while Kirkcudbright and its surrounding area witnessed the growth of a thriving artists community in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Tragedy on a large scale has struck the region more than once, as the Quintinshill rail disaster during the First World War testified, while the discovery of a sulphurous well in a small village transformed Moffat into the Cheltenham of Scotland. Illustrated with over fifty pictures, these and other fascinating stories can all be found in Ten Tales from Dumfries & Galloway.

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Before the Industrial Revolution Cardiff was a sleepy little town on the South Wales coast. That was until mules started arriving laden with coal from the Welsh valleys. The Industrial Revolution took hold, the coal and iron trade took off and a vast complex of docks spread rapidly around the town's natural harbour. The Glamorganshire Canal was built to transport the iron and coal, the railway arrived, and by the late nineteenth century Cardiff had become the largest coal-exporting port in the world.Ships sailed in and out of the harbour from all over the globe. Large numbers of migrant workers were attracted to the area creating the vibrant multi-national community of Butetown. but the decline in the coal and iron industries after the Second World War sounded the death knell for Cardiff's Docklands. By the 1960s Tiger Bay had become a scene of dereliction and with a final sweep of the bulldozers a whole way of life disappeared.Brian Lee tells the fascinating story of this exciting period in Cardiff's history, illustrated with his selection of more than 200 remarkable photographs which capture the spirit of the era: huge new docks opening, cargoes swinging from ship to shore, warehouses filled to overflowing, streets and pubs a flurry of activity, royal visits and carnivals, and a multitude of different vessels.

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Only once in history has a British Prime Minister been assassinated. At 5.00 p.m. on Monday, 11 May 1812, John Bellingham made his way to the Houses of Parliament carrying concealed weapons. At 5.15 p.m., as the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon. Spencer Perceval, was making his way across the lobby leading to the House of Commons, Bellingham shot him dead at point-blank range. Bellingham was immediately arrested and put on trial two days later: refusing to plead insanity, he was convicted and hanged before the week was out. Bellingham was neither a revolutionary nor a religious fanatic, but a successful young entrepreneur. What had driven him to commit such a heinous crime? In a story of suspense, revenge and personal tragedy, David C. Hanrahan tells the interwoven stories of Perceval and Bellingham, detailing not just the events of May 1812, but also the two men's histories, and what led one to take the other's life.

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