Search results for ""the history press ltd""

The RAF's mighty delta-wing Vulcan jet bomber is an enduring image of the Cold War era. A cornerstone of Britain's nuclear deterrent, it was later adapted for conventional bombing and saw its only active service in the Falklands War. Newly restored with the help of Heritage Lottery Funding, the last airworthy Vulcan B2 XH558 in many ways fills the gap left by Concorde's retirement.

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Jack Swaab joined the veteran 51st (Highland) Infantry Division on 3 January 1943. He kept a series of diaries over the following two and a half years, recording the combination of boredom and fear that characterises active service. In mid-March 1943 he saw battle for the first time as Montgomery attacked the Mareth Line. In July that year Swaab took part in the Allied landings on Sicily, writing of the scorching humidity of the Sicilian summer. In May 1944 he records the restless time as his regiment prepared for the invasion of Normandy. In September 1944 Swaab's role changed dramatically, as he moved from commanding a troop to being a forward observation officer. His new position meant that he was working closely with the infantry in the front line. Swaab's first five months as a forward observation officer came to an abrupt end on 13 February, when he was wounded in the leg by shellfire. He was again selected for FOO duty during Operation 'Varsity', the Rhine crossing, in March 1945, and received the Military Cross.

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Before the First World War, Essex was a very different county from that which we know today. The economy was largely based on agriculture, and the people rarely travelled beyond its borders, or even out of their towns or villages. The war opened up a whole new world for the people of Essex. Men from the county enlisted in Kitchener's Army and travelled abroad, and many troops came into the camps and barracks which sprang up. Some of these were men from across the empire who came to fight for the mother country. Essex was a key area during the war: situated on the east coast, it was thought that the enemy could potentially use it as a site for invasion, so many defences were set up all round the county. Essex was subjected to great danger and harsh times by the enemy in the form of air raids from Zeppelins, and later, from aeroplanes. This book sets out the experiences of the county against what was happening in the broader theatre of war.

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Caroline of Brunswick, wife of George Prince of Wales and Prince Regent, and her daughter, Princess Charlotte, lived out their lives surrounded by a cast of characters who might have been lifted straight from the pages of some Gothic novel. Theirs was a saga of passion and pathos, tragedy and black comedy, feuding and fighting - all set in Regency England against a backdrop of Europe in turmoil. The marriage of the Prince of Wales - renowned for his intemperance, hedonism and plain ordinary selfishness - to his cousin Caroline of Brunswick in 1795 was a preordained disaster. The groom is said to have called for brandy when he first laid eyes on the bride, while the bride was later to swear that the groom spent most of their wedding night lying in the grate in a drunken stupor. Brought together for reasons of financial and dynastic expediencey, the couple split up within a year of the birth of their daughter, Charlotte Augusta in 1796. The colourful story of these two fiercely dependent and ultimately tragic women is brilliantly told by Alison Plowden, tapping into a wealth of contemporary correspondence, journals, memoirs and contemporary press reportage. 'Caroline & Charlotte' constitutes a real-life Regency romance which makes gripping and poignant reading.

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The Lincolnshire coast has been part of the British seaside experience since the railways opened up the area to holidaymakers in the late nineteenth century. Coastal resorts that in the eighteenth century were only for the gentry were transformed into towns that catered for mass tourism, enjoying their heyday in the 1920s and 1930s. Even today, though, beyond the popular beaches there is a rural and unspoiled coastline - one of the county's greatest landscapes.Winston Kime has spent most of his long life on the Lincolnshire coast, and here records its history. Focusing not only on resorts such as Skegness, Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes, as well as all the smaller holiday spots, he also describes the never-ending struggle with the sea, the role of smugglers and wreckers, transport in the area, shanty towns of the 1920s, Billy Butlin's legacy, social and economic development, and much more. Profusely illustrated, this new book will appeal to Lincolnshire residents and visitors alike.

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Contained within the pages of this book are the stories behind some of the most notorious murders in Sussex's history. Based upon contemporary documents and illustrations, Johnnie Johnson re-examines some of the crimes that shocked not only the county but Britain as a whole. Among the gruesome cases featured here are the mystery man who shot his wife and three children in a house in Eastbourne, the Chief Constable who was bludgeoned to death in his own police station; the fearsome gang of smugglers who tortured and buried one of their two victims alive and threw the second to his death down a well; and the waiter who danced away the days while his lady friend's body lay mouldering in a trunk in his lodgings. All manner of murder and mystery is featured here, and this book is sure to be a must-read for try crime enthusiasts everywhere.

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Tyburn Fields is the best known site of execution in London, but London may be aptly named the executioner's city, so many were the places where executions could and did occur. This book reveals the capital as a place where the bodies of criminals defined the boundaries of the city and heads on poles greeted patrons on London Bridge.

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High treason - the breach of allegiance which a subject owes to his or her sovereign - has always been regarded as the most serious of all criminal offences. Even today it still carries the death penalty. In addition, all the property of a person convicted of treason was, until the eighteenth century, forfeited to the Crown. Wartime aside, there have been no prosecutions for treason for well over a century and the topic has almost, but not quite, disappeared from legal text books.In this revealing study, Alan Wharam relates the intriguing stories behind a dozen treason trials encompassing the Earl of Essex in 1601 to 'Lord Haw Haw' in 1946. The accounts are all based on the reports, believed in most cases to be the verbatim records of the evidence given, and of the speeches of Counsel and the directions of the judges, which appear in the State Trials and other similar works. Some of the cases are famous, some infamous: some, such as the trial in 1781 of de la Motte, the spy, have been forgotten; others, as with the case of Alice Lisle in 1685, have been misunderstood.Some of the men put on trial were among the most eminent of their times; others, less well known, were acting honourably according to their religious or political principles. As for the conduct of the legal profession, this ranges across the whole spectrum of professional standards: from Sir Edward Coke and Chief Justice Popham engineering the judicial murder of Sir Walter Raleigh in 1603, to Adolphus and Pollock defending men, whose objectives they abhorred, with the highest degree of skill and integrity.Supported by over forty black and white illustrations, Treason represents a much needed and well-researched account of treason trials in England. It also redresses the balance of a subject little-covered in legal text-books.

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Ludlow is a fine old town with over 900 years of history. We can still see much of its historic character today in the magnificent castle and church and in the wide variety of architecture of its beautiful buildings. This book looks at the town as it was at the beginning of the 1960s.

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Britons may very well never be slaves, but British rule certainly meant slavery for others. Michael Jordan's book explores the personalities and the issues behind the movement to abolish first the slave trade and later the condition of slavery.

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When the first inhabitants of Great Bridge established a settlement on the West Bromwich side of the River Tame, near to an ancient crossing into Tipton in about 1550, they could not have foreseen its future prominence as an important centre of commerce in the West Midlands. Who can forget the enormous variety of locally owned shops, each having their own individual character? Memories abound of the Open Market, Peter Bonaccorsi’s icecream, ‘The Queens’ fish and chip shop, dancing at ‘The Stampede’ and of course the Palace Cinema where you were invited to ‘Bring your Alice to our Palace’. Local author and historian Terry Price presents his third pictorial record of Great Bridge and the surrounding areas of Golds Hill, Greets Green, Horseley Heath, Swan Village and Toll End, depicting people, places and social events during the last century. More than 300 photographs, mostly from unpublished private collections, together with the author’s informative captions paint a fascinating picture of local life in those far-off halcyon days.

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Ian McLachlan has spent many years researching a brand new collection of exciting United States Army Air Force fighter stories of the Second World War. He has trawled official archives, interviewed survivors and gained privileged access to personal letters, diaries and photo albums to relate a series of compelling stories of the USAAF's fighter squadrons at war.Each story is self-contained and looks at a particular incident or theme. Among the selection of diverse stories are the following examples: In broad daylight - Dutch resistance operatives spirit a young 4th Fighter Group P-51 pilot away from his captors. Osce Jones - crash-landing just after D-Day, Osce journeys on foot through enemy territory, but will he escape? Frank Klibbe - an eventual 56th Fighter Group ace is fined USD50 for damage to Government property - one P-47 Thunderbolt. Back from the dead - Harry Howard, a 339FG pilot turns up to tell the tale after his memorial service.

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At a time when there were almost no career openings for women a group of intrepid and gifted females scaled the heights of what was literally a man's world - they became bawds. Mother Clap - women bawds were often known as Mother - ran male brothels, or Molly Houses. Elizabeth Holland had an immense moated mansion built on Bankside and for thirty years entertained the aristocracy, including royalty. When troops attempted to stop her trade and eject her from the house, she and her girls drove them off. The Georgian bawd Charlotte Hayes held a 'Cyprian Fete' at which gentlemen 'of the highest breeding' first watched athletic young men copulating with nubile whores and then joined in themselves. Fergus Linnane reveals the other side of London's years of pomp and splendour, painting a vivid picture of the bawds, their girls and their clients. Madams is fresh and original, offering humour, insight and a very candid view of the sexual behaviour of Londoners through the ages.

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The Supermarine Spitfire is probably the most famous fighter aircraft of all time, with a distinctive shape and sound that mark it out from most other aircraft of the World War II period. Alfred Price employs first-hand accounts to evoke a series of snapshots of this legendary aircraft in combat.

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The third book in the series of historic photographs of the area around Hayes and West Drayton.

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The Black Country has more miles of canal than Venice. During the industrial revolution this transport system developed to serve the steel, coal, lime and glass industries that grew up so extensively. Now much of the area’s heavy industry has disappeared, but many of the canals remain – to be utilised as an integral part of the Black Country’s thriving tourist industry. Black Country Canals includes a wide range of photographs, many previously unpublished, and is accompanied by fascinating and informative captions which combine to illustrate the canals in their heyday and more recently. The book is sure to appeal to all who live in or visit the Black Country, and to transport historians everywhere.

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This fascinating collection of photographs documents the dramatic transformation that has taken place over the last one hundred years in the area around Whetstone and the Great North Road. The book gives a vivid impression of buildings, streets and districts that have vanished or been changed almost beyond recognition. The collection includes graphic images of Whetstone, Totteridge, Friern Barnet, New Southgate, Brunswick Park, Woodside Park and North Finchley. The photographs give an evocative insight into the daily lives and living conditions of the residents. They also provide a valuable visual record of the way in which the quiet, isolated villages of the late nineteenth century developed rapidly into the suburban communities of today. Most of the photographs in the book, which has been compiled by John Heathfield, the well-known local historian, date from the turn of the century, and many have never been published before. They create a memorable picture of local people at work and at leisure, of notable episodes in the history of the district and the nation, and of changing modes of transport and fashion which older readers may well remember.

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Discover the darker side of Norfolk with this remarkable collection of true-life crimes from across the county. Featuring tales of some of the most notorious, nefarious and murderous characters from the county’s past, including pirates, smugglers, highwaymen, poachers, thieves, murderers and bodysnatchers, all factions of the criminal underworld are included in this macabre selection of tales. Drawing on a wide variety of historical sources and containing many cases which have never before been published, Norfolk Villains will fascinate everyone interested in true crime and the history of Norfolk.

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Within hours of the sinking of RMS Lusitania by a German submarine off the Cork coast in May 1915, a narrative was created which over time became the accepted truth of the incident. Many people today still believe the sinking of the Lusitania was a savage attack on an innocent vessel that brought America into the war. In this book, author and historian Michael Martin raises a series of disturbing questions that challenge this longheld perspective. Examining a raft of old and new evidence suggesting a more sinister function of RMS Lusitania, this book explores the widespread use of civilian vessels within the war effort; it shines a light on the operational response of the Royal Navy in the immediate aftermath of the incident; and it looks at the nature of the response of the United States at this crucial juncture. And, above all, this book questions the narrative that has grown up around one of the most pivotal junctures in the war to end all wars.

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Gloucestershire’s stories go back to the days of Sabrina, spirit of the Severn, and the Nine Hags of Gloucester. Tales tell of sky-ships over Bristol, the silk-caped wraith of Dover’s Hill, snow foresters on the Cotswolds, and Cirencester’s dark-age drama of snake and nipple. They uncover the tragic secrets of Berkeley Castle and the Gaunts’ Chapel, a lonely ghost haunting an ancient inn, and twenty-first-century beasts in the Forest of Dean. From the intrigue and romance of town and abbey to the faery magic of the wild, here are thirty of the county’s most enchanting tales, brought imaginatively to life by a dynamic local storyteller.

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The Archaeology of Disease shows how the latest scientific and archaeological techniques can be used to identify the common illnesses and injuries that humans suffered from in antiquity. In order to give a vivid picture of ancient disease and trauma the authors present the results of the latest scientific research and incorporate information gathered from documents, from other areas of archaeology and from art and ethnography. This comprehensive approach to the subject throws fresh light on the health of our ancestors and on the conditions in which they lived, and it gives us an intriguing insight into the ways in which they coped with the pain and discomfort of their existence.

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The end of the Roman period and the early development of Post-Roman Kingdoms are two of the most important and most debated subjects for archaeologists and historians. Questioning many current assumptions, this book presents a radical reinterpretation of Britain in the period 400-600. Drawing attention to far greater similarities between immediately post-Roman Britain and the rest of Europe than previously thought possible, it highlights the importance of fifth-sixth-century Britain in understanding wider themes regarding the end of the Western roman empire as a whole. A very wide range of archaeological and written evidence from the whole of Britain is discussed, rather than focusing on either Anglo-Saxon or Celtic archaeology alone. Burials, settlements and religious centres are brought into the discussion, alongside new material and more obscure data from scattered sources. The final occupation of Roman towns, forts and villas is examined, and post-Roman hill-forts such as Tintagel, Dinas Powys and Cadbury Congresbury is evaluated. Anglo-Saxon and early Christian cemeteries such as Spong Hill and Cannington are considered, and evidence for the earliest British monasteries explored. This book not only offers an exciting new interpretation of Britain in the fifth and sixth centuries AD but is probably the most comprehensive survey of the archaeological and written evidence for the period. It will be indispensable for professional and amateurs archaeologists alike and invaluable for students of British, Roman or Medieval archaeology and history at all levels.

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Step away from sunny Jersey’s present day and into the sinister shadows of the past … the island’s history is filled with dark deeds and restless spirits. Collected here for the first time are stories that have endured through centuries to chill the blood. This unique anthology gathers together the most famous tales, such as the Ghost Bride and the White Lady, along with lesser-known tales, such as The Lake. Erren Michaels’ and Noah Goats’ skilful storytelling, along with Ryan Thomas’ detailed illustrations, beautifully combine to relate these haunting tales of murder and vengeance that refuse to be forgotten.

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Newly updated, this accessible history explores the origins and development of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Why has it proved so intractable, and what are the implications of escalating tensions for both the Middle East and the world? The ongoing struggle between Israelis and Palestinians is one of the most bitter conflicts of modern times, with profound global consequences. In this comprehensive and stimulating overview, Middle East expert Michael Scott-Baumann charts its history from the late nineteenth century to the present day. Each chapter offers a lucid explanation of the politics and includes personal testimony of Israelis and Palestinians whose lives have been marked by conflict. By presenting competing interpretations from both sides, Scott-Baumann examines key flashpoints of the twentieth century, bringing this new edition up to date with a consideration of the war ignited by Hamas's surprise attacks on Israel in 2023. He delineates both the nature of Israeli control over the Palestinian territories and Palestinian resistance – going to the heart of recent clashes. The result is an indispensable account for anyone seeking to understand the context behind today’s headlines, including analysis of why international efforts to restore peace have continually failed.

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‘This is the house by Cromer town …’Built in 1884 as the grand summer home for the well-connected Locker-Lampson family, the red -brick, turreted mansion Newhaven Court once sat high on a windswept hill above Cromer. Before its dramatic destruction in flames nearly eighty years later, the house played host to such eminent figures as Sir Winston Churchill, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Sir Ernest Shackleton, illustrator Kate Greenaway and French tennis superstar Suzanne Lenglen.It was a home where poets rubbed shoulders with politicians and aristocracy with artists and authors. There was dance, dining and song – but also family tragedy and hidden love. Follow the true story of Newhaven Court and its colourful inhabitants from the decadent years of the late nineteenth century and the elegant Edwardian era, through the tragedy of the First World War and terrible conflict of the Second to the roaring twenties and the uncertain post-war age.

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Along with its rich history and spectacular scenery, Dumfries and Galloway is home to a great many curious and unusual buildings, objects and landscape features that have survived the centuries. This well-illustrated book is a guide to 100 of these remarkable sights, including Scotland’s highest village, the world’s narrowest hotel, and even the statue of a rhinoceros on top of a bus shelter. Dumfries & Galloway Curiosities will encourage readers to explore this area of south-west Scotland and perhaps make their own curious discoveries.

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Scapa Flow in the Orkneys would be the forbidding destination for many thousands of service personnel and civilians in both World Wars and the location of dramatic incidents such as the loss of the Hampshire with Kitchener on board in 1916, the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet in 1919 and the sinking of the Royal Oak at anchor by U-boat U-47 at the beginning of the Second World War. It was a vital start-point for both naval wars and these memories capture all the suffering, loss and glory experienced by those who were there.

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Sussex may be a comparatively narrow county from north to south but it includes a huge wealth of history. The Little History of Sussex is much the same – it packs a whole lot of history into a relatively small book.From prehistory to the present, this historic county provides reminders of our earliest ancestors and its past as a battleground for the Vikings. Whether being the gateway for the Normans, a playground for princely playboys or a home to holidaymakers, the people of Sussex have seen it all. This means it’s not surprising the county still today contains residents who, at times, very much ‘wunt be druv!’.The Little History of Sussex covers the county’s history in a swift, engaging and lively sweep for those who like their history fresh, funny and full of intrigue.

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Did you know? Torbay, ‘The English Riviera’ boasts 22 miles of coastline, with 20 beaches and coves. The famous Torbay palm is in fact a cabbage tree (cordyline australis) from New Zealand. The Torbay Picture House was Europe’s oldest cinema. Seat 2, Row 2 was Agatha Christie’s favourite. She was born in Torquay. Brixham’s fishing fleet regularly lands more value than any other UK port outside Scotland. From the momentous to the outlandish, this book is packed full of fun facts and trivia about everything to do with this gem of Britain’s coastline. Much more than a tourist guide, residents too will discover things they never knew about the town. Facts, history, humour; it’s all here in this engaging little book.

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Jane Austen's reputation rests on the six novels she wrote in her short life - enduringly popular novels which have become part of the fabric of English life, and which have reached new audiences through recent dramatisations on screen and stage. This book, which draws on her letters, describes Jane's life in the vicarage at Steventon and later at Bath and Chawton, and her relationships with family and friends - especially her beloved sister, Cassandra, and the engaging Tom Lefroy (who it was rumoured was the love of her life). It also describes the parties and balls in country houses and assembly rooms which she attended and the detail of nineteenth-century life which she so sharply observed and which provided the background to her novels. This book is a pleasure for anyone wanting to understand the life of one of our great novelists.

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The London Borough of Enfield, which includes the former boroughs of Southgate and Edmonton, came into being in 1965. This selection of superb photographs gives an unforgettable impression of the recent history of these areas, and shows how they developed during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The book recalls the farms, estates and country houses that existed in the Enfield area before public transport and communications were widely available, and it records the rapid spread of suburban building. The changes were dramatic and the book provides a fascinating visual account of houses and public buildings, shops, factories and pubs that have vanished or been altered almost beyond recognition.

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In three global conflicts and countless colonial campaigns, tens of thousands of black West Indian soldiers fought and died for Britain, first as slaves and then as volunteers. These all but forgotten regiments were unique because they were part of the British Army rather than colonial formations. All were stepchild units, despised by an army that was loath to number black soldiers in its ranks and yet unable to do without them; their courage, endurance and loyalty were repaid with bigotry and abuse.In Britain’s Black Regiments, Barry Renfrew shines a light on the experiences of these overlooked soldiers who had travelled thousands of miles to serve the empire but were denied recognition in their lifetimes. From British campaigns in the Caribbean to the Second World War, this is a saga of war, bondage, hardship, mutiny, forlorn outposts and remarkable fortitude.

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P&O has operated some of the most famous passenger ships of all time, including the Oriana and Canberra, across its long history. Its early liners travelled around the globe and played a huge role in cementing immigration to Australia and New Zealand, while acting as a gateway to the Far East and India. The modern era has seen the company continue to evolve into a cruising giant, P&O Cruises being part of Carnival Corporation today. This beautifully crafted colouring book celebrates the long heritage of P&O, the stunning interiors and exteriors of the vessels, and much more besides. Supplemented with fascinating insights from maritime experts Chris Frame, Rachelle Cross, Rob Henderson and Doug Cremer, it is sure to captivate and educate children and adults alike.

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Storytellers Lindsey Gibb & C.A. Hope bring together stories from Perthshire, the heart of Scotland, with its bleak moors and majestic mountains, rushing rivers and great woodlands. In this treasure trove of tales you will meet witches and faeries, black dogs and dragons, the Cailleach and those mysterious painted people, the Picts – all as fantastical and powerful as the landscape they inhabit. Retold in an engaging style, and richly illustrated with unique line drawings, these humorous, clever and enchanting folk tales are sure to be enjoyed and shared time and again.

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In the 1960s, as steam locomotives were being hurriedly removed from Britain’s railways, a band of enthusiasts formed to save what they could. In the process, they laid the tracks for the thriving network that is the British heritage railway scene today. To showcase this living industrial museum, photographer Geoff Swaine has selected over 200 photographs of Britain’s heritage railways, including the Bluebell Railway to Llangollen, the Severn Valley, North York Moors, Great Western and Great Central railways, and many more. Steam Today is an evocative tribute to the engines and the people that keep our rail history in motion. Geoff Swaine embarked upon a career as a leading heritage photographer and photographic archivist after retiring from his work in architecture. He has written a number of books and articles on railways.

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The formative years of Britain’s railway network produced a host of ideas, activities and characters, quite a few of which now seem not only highly unusual, but sometimes little short of ridiculous. Weird schemes and designs, extravagant behaviour, reckless competition and larger-than-life characters all featured in the genuine struggle of the railway system to evolve. While the dawning of regulation and common sense brought about more uniform and responsible practices, factors like the weather and the innate complexity of railway operation continued to produce a stream of nonstandard incidents and outcomes, from wild storms to unusual equipment. This book, by ex-railwaymen Geoff and Ian Body, captures over 150 entertaining snippets, stories, and strange and unusual facts from an ample supply of railway curiosities.

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The Little Book of Essex is packed full of entertaining bite-sized pieces of historic and contemporary trivia that come together to make essential reading for visitors and locals alike. It can be described as a compendium of frivolity, a reference book of little-known facts, or a wacky guide to one of England's most colourful counties. Dip in randomly, or read consecutively, there are no rules. Be amused and amazed at the stories and history of Essex's landscape, towns, villages, heritage, buildings and, above all, its people.

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Birmingham was a village worth only one pound in the Domesday Survey, yet it rose to become the second city of the British Empire with a population that passed a million. Its growth began when Peter de Birmingham obtained a market charter in 1154 for his little settlement by an insignificant river, with all roads leading to its all-important market-place, the great triangular Bull Ring, with the parish church of St Martin's in the middle. In the succeeding centuries, Birmingham has been a product of market forces, as a market of agriculture, trade and metal work. By the 18th century, Birmingham overtook Coventry as the biggest town in Warwickshire and by 1800 it was 'the toy shop of Europe', having cornered the markets for gun-making, jewellery, buttons and buckles with a bewildering variety of specialist craftsmen and traders. The factory system had already begun and men like James Watt, Matthew Boulton, Joseph Priestley and William Murdock made Birmingham the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution, selling their wares in vast quantities to the entire world. The middle of the 19th century saw Birmingham pioneering political reform, education and municipal government. In this first single-volume history of the city for half a century, Dr Upton looks at why Birmingham grew and what it has become. It has always been a place in which to experiment, from the steam engine to the factory in a garden; from the Bull Ring to Spaghetti Junction. To some, the story of Birmingham is one of great industries: Boulton and Watt, Dunlop, Cadbury's, G.K.N., Lloyd's Bank and Austin Rover. But there are many lesser known tales: of the Bull Ring Riots, the Onion Fair, the first floodlit football matches and the tripe sellers. It is a story of communities, too. The Quakers settles in the 17th century, the Irish and Italians in the 19th and, more recently, people from the Caribbean, the Indian subcontinent, China and Vietnam have all made Birmingham their home. As Birmingham makes it marks on the map of Europe again, one thing is certain... the story of the city that brought us Joseph and Neville Chamberlain, Thomas the Tank Engine, Fu Manchu and Mendelssohn's Elijah can hardly be dull. Chris Upton's lively account ensures that Birmingham's fascinating story loses nothing in telling.

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Hastings was often bombed during the Second World War. John Bristow, describing a raid on 23 May 1943 says 'There was a god-almighty explosion and we went into the passage by The Havelock pub and we dived onto the ground and lay there looking out before a bomb hit what was the old Royal Oak Hotel. Along by Woolworth's there was a car going by and it was set up into the air by the bomb and over and over. While we lay there, there was another terrific explosion down the side of Plummer's and I'll never forget seeing a huge lump of yellow coloured masonry coming over an land on the tram wires...' This experience is one of more than forty people's memories, cleverly incorporated by the author into his vivid account of what Hastings endured when it was a 'front-line' town - and of its great defiance and fortitude in the face of the enemy. He tells how Hastings folk coped with the daily wartime hardships of blackout, rationing, the billeting of evacuees, the evacuation of the town, constant fear of invasion, and the relentless bombing raids, day and night, leaving in their wake a trail of death, destruction and the apprehension of where and when the next attack would come.

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County Carlow, where stood Dinn Righ, the seat of the ancient kings of Leinster, is steeped in history, myth and legend which is celebrated in this selection of traditional tales from across the county, collected and retold by local storytellers Aideen McBride and Jack Sheehan. This selection will take you on an oral tour across the county and introduce you to such Carlow characters as Peter Nail, the ‘Weight Thrower from Ratheaden’; Beauchamp Bagenal, the ‘handsomest man in Ireland’; and St Finnian, the ‘Teacher of the Saints’. You will discover how the Barrow River got its name, who threw the standing stone of Clonee, the dangers of digging for gold in the ‘raths’ and how Teresa Malone became the Heroine of Kilcumney. And on the way you will encounter fairies, witches and giants – as well as bouncing puddings and giant potatoes.

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The life of Bavarian Hans Frank, one of the ten war criminals hanged at Nuremburg in 1946, has not received the full attention the world has given to other Nazi leaders. In many ways, he warrants it more. His life symbolised Germany’s hubristic and visionary ambition to an alarming degree, much better than anyone else’s, perhaps because he was an intellectual of the highest calibre.An early supporter of the Nazi Party, Frank ultimately became Hitler’s personal lawyer and later served as Governor General of Poland during the Second World War. He was a fervent advocate of Nazi racist ideology and became the primary – if not the archetypal – symbol of evil, establishing a reign of terror against Polish civilians and becoming directly involved in the mass murder of Jews. The Butcher of Poland is a harrowing account of Hans Frank, the man who formalised the Nazi race laws.

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‘Refreshingly clear-eyed … Faking It is an insightful and intelligent book that’s a must for those looking for facts about AI hype.’ – Books+Publishing‘AI will be as big a game-changer as the smart phone and the personal computer – or bigger! This book will help you navigate the revolution.’ – Dr Karl KruszelnickiArtificial intelligence is, as the name suggests, artificial and fundamentally different to human intelligence. Yet often the goal of AI is to fake human intelligence. This deceit has been there from the very beginning. We’ve been trying to fake it since Alan Turing answered the question ‘Can machines think?’ by proposing that machines pretend to be humans.Now we are starting to build AI that truly deceives us. Powerful AIs such as ChatGPT can convince us they are intelligent and blur the distinction between what is real and what is simulated. In reality, they lack true understanding, sentience and common sense. But this doesn’t mean they can’t change the world.Can AI systems ever be creative? Can they be moral? What can we do to ensure they are not harmful? In this fun and fascinating book, Professor Toby Walsh explores all the ways AI fakes it, and what this means for humanity – now and in the future.

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London's old buildings hold a wealth of clues to the city’s rich and vibrant past. The histories of some, such as the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey, are well documented. However, these magnificent, world-renowned attractions are not the only places with fascinating tales to tell. Down a narrow, medieval lane on the outskirts of Smithfield stands 41–42 Cloth Fair – the oldest house in the City of London.Fiona Rule uncovers the fascinating survival story of this extraordinary property and the people who owned it and lived in it, set against the backdrop of an ever-changing city that has prevailed over war, disease, fire and economic crises.

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The 1970s were the era of the three-day week, the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the winter of discontent, trade union Bolshevism and wildcat strikes. Through sitcoms, Raising Laughter provides a fresh look at one of our most divisive and controversial decades. Aside from providing entertainment to millions of people, the sitcom is a window into the culture of the day.Many of these sitcoms tapped into the decade’s sense of cynicism, failure and alienation, providing much-needed laughter for the masses. Shows like Rising Damp and Fawlty Towers were classic encapsulations of worn-out, run-down Britain, while the likes of Dad’s Army looked back sentimentally at a romanticised English past.For the first time, the stories behind the making of every sitcom from the 1970s are told by the actors, writers, directors and producers who made them all happen. This is nostalgia with a capital N, an oral history, the last word, and an affectionate salute to the kind of comedy programme that just isn’t made anymore.

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The 1990s was the last golden era' of motorcycling in Britain particularly for today's nostalgia-driven, 50-something bikers. Ground-breaking sports bikes included the likes of Honda's original FireBlade, Yamaha's R1 and Ducati's iconic 916, with Britain's Carl Foggy' Fogarty taking the latter to glory in the new World Superbike championship. A new breed of hyperbike', first led by Kawasaki's 178mph ZZR1100 then Honda's CBR1100XX Super Blackbird and Suzuki's Hayabusa, took performance higher than ever before.It was also the decade that saw the return of historic British brand Triumph, Ducati's novel Monster 900, Honda's oval-pistoned NR750 and Yamaha's wacky hub-centre GTS1000. All of these and many more are remembered and celebrated in Motorcycles We Loved in the 1990s.

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Bright, attractive and well-connected, in any other family the Churchill sisters – Diana, Sarah, Marigold and Mary – would have shone. But they were not in any other family, they were Churchills and neither they nor anyone else could ever forget it. From their father – ‘the greatest Englishman’ – to their brother, golden boy Randolph, to their eccentric and exciting cousins, the Mitford Girls, they were surrounded by a clan of larger-than-life characters which often saw them overlooked. Marigold died when she was very young but her three sisters lived lives full of passion, drama and tragedy …Diana, intense and diffident; Sarah, glamorous and stubborn; Mary, dependable yet determined – each so different but each imbued with a sense of responsibility toward each other and their country. Far from being cosseted debutantes, these women were eyewitnesses at some of the most important events in world history, including at the Second World War Conferences of Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam. Yet The Churchill Girls is not a story set on the battlefields or in Parliament; it is an intimate saga that sheds light on the complex dynamics of family set against the backdrop of the tumultuous twentieth century.Accomplished biographer Rachel Trethewey draws on unpublished family letters from the Churchill archives to bring Winston and Clementine’s daughters out of the shadows and tell their remarkable stories for the first time.

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In December 1943, a top secret contract (E.24/43) was awarded to Miles Aircraft. The contract was to build the world's first supersonic jet capable of 1000mph. The only reliable source of data on supersonic objects came from the Armament Research Dept and their wind tunnel tests on ammunition. From this, Miles developed an exceptionally thin-winged, bullet-shaped aircraft. the research was inexplicably passed to the Americans in 1944. By December 1945, one prototype was virtually complete. The second, destined for an attempt at the sound barrier was 80 per cent complete. In February 1946, Capt Eric Brown was confirmed as the test pilot and October 1946 was set for the supersonic trials. However, on 12 February 1946, Miles were ordered to stop production. No plausible explanation was given for the cancellation when Britain was within six months of breaking the sound barrier. Eric Brown and others directly involved including Dennis Bancroft, the Chief Aerodynamicist on the M.52, have now come together to try and finally solve the mystery behind the cancellation.

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Spend thirty years or so roaming around Scotland checking out the fishing harbours and you’ll encounter quite the variety of fishing craft. Take pictures of them and you’ll end up with quite the collection of images of how things used to be.Fishing Boats Around Scotland is a compilation of the best of these photos, featuring vessels from over eighty different builders, boats that were built as far back as 1949 and a brief history of what became of them. From Kirkcudbright to Mallaig and Eyemouth to Burghead, ring netters and seiners to pelagic trawlers and beamers, this is the perfect journey for the fishing boat or maritime aficionado.

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