Search results for ""the history press""
The History Press Ltd 'I Didn't Get Where I Am Today': How the Rich and Famous Achieved Their Success
Did you know that Beethoven made every cup of coffee with exactly 60 beans?Or that Shirley Temple always had precisely 56 curls in her hair?Or that the young Frank Sinatra practised underwater swimming as a way of developing his ability to hold long breaths?In Secrets of Success, Charlie Croker brings his proven blend of gripping trivia and incisive humour to the question of how famous high achievers reached those heights. We’ll see Chopin sleeping with wedges between his fingers to increase their span, learn how P.G. Wodehouse reminded himself which pages of a manuscript still needed work, and find out why Thomas Edison chose his research assistants on the basis of their soup-eating habits.This revealing and entertaining book provides countless glimpses into the methods – and sometimes madness – of the world’s most famous figures. From ancient Egypt to the modern day, you’re about to learn the secrets of their success . . .
£8.99
The History Press Ltd The Little Book of Leicestershire
The Little Book of Leicestershire is a compendium full of information which will make you say, ‘I never knew that!’ Contained within is a plethora of entertaining facts about Leicestershire’s famous and occasionally infamous men and women, its literary, artistic and sporting achievements, customs ancient and modern, transport, battles and ghostly appearances. A reliable reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped in to time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging little book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike.
£9.99
The History Press Ltd Leicestershire Folk Tales for Children
How does a goddess become a witch? Why do the 9 o’clock horses roam the streets of Leicester? Where can you find a bleeding gravestone? And should you be afraid of the shag-dog? Everywhere has a story to tell. Every building, road, forest and field. Some are true, some are not. These stories have been passed down through the ages so that we don’t forget them, and now they are being passed on to you. They will open your eyes to the wonders of what lies just around the corner. You will become the keeper of these local tales. Leicestershire Folk Tales for Children is a book to read on your own, together or out loud. Bring our folk tales to life and let them leap off the page.
£9.99
The History Press Ltd South West Secret Agents: True Stories of the West Country at War
True tales of Second World War spies from across the West Country have been collected together for the very first time in this fascinating book. From the rescue operations as the exodus from France began to the secret guerrilla army in Devon and Cornwall, this book will amaze and intrigue with the incredible stories of Jasper Lawn of N51, the Helford Flotilla and the first escape routes for POWs, agents and crashed airmen.
£9.99
The History Press Ltd Devonshire's Own
Eighth-century martyr St Boniface, tennis player and TV presenter Sue Barker, painter Sir Joshua Reynolds, scholar Sir Thomas Bodley, actor Sir Donald Sinden, Boer War commander Sir Redvers Buller, radio and TV presenter Ed Stewart and round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester are among personalities through the ages who have been born in Devon. The county can claim many more who were either born or lived here for a major part of their lives, including Scott of the Antarctica, Agatha Christie, Parson Jack Russell (of terrier fame) and Wayne Sleep. The Elizabethan explorers Sir Francis Drake, Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Sir Walter Raleigh were all Devonians, as were party leaders Michael Foot and David Owen. This book, by renowned local author John Van der Kiste, features mini-biographies of all these and many more.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Along Devon's Coast
Ray Hollands has walked the north and south Devon coastlines to capture their unique atmosphere through his eye-catching photography. Set alongside these stunning images are informative captions giving historical background to the places he features, from the bracing and dramatic surfers' beaches of the north coast to the elegant holiday resorts of the English Riviera in the south. The contrasting beauty of these two very different coastlines is shown to great effect here and Along Devon's Coast is sure to capture the imagination of anyone who knows and loves the county.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd John Gielgud: An Actor's Life
‘A sense of delight permeates Gyles Brandreth’s John Gielgud: An Actor’s Life … Brandreth combines neat reportage, deft evocation and lovely tales about a man he knew and relished.’ – The Times‘A delightful memoir which tells you all you need to know and collects all the anecdotes.’ – Daily MailJohn Gielgud was born in April 1904. When he died in May 2000, he was honoured as ‘the giant of twentieth-century theatre’. In this updated, acclaimed biography, Gyles Brandreth draws from over thirty years of conversations with Gielgud to tell the extraordinary story of a unique actor, film star, director and raconteur.In 1921 Gielgud made his first appearance at the Old Vic in London and through the next eight decades he dominated his profession – initially as a classical actor, later in plays by Harold Pinter and Alan Bennett. In his twenties he had appeared in silent movies; more than half a century later, he emerged as a Hollywood star, winning his first Oscar at the age of seventy-eight.With wonderful anecdotes, and contributions from Kenneth Branagh, Alec Guinness, Paul Scofield, Donald Sinden, Judi Dench and Peter Hall, John Gielgud: An Actor’s Life is a compelling, humorous and moving account of a remarkable man.
£7.19
The History Press Ltd The Anthology of Scottish Folk Tales
This enchanting collection of stories gathers together legends from across Scotland in one special volume. Drawn from The History Press’ popular Folk Tales series, herein lies a treasure trove of tales from a wealth of talented storytellers. From the Spaeman’s peculiar advice and a laird who is transformed into a frog, to a fugitive hiding in a dark cave and the stoor worm battling with Assipattle, this book celebrates the distinct character of Scotland's different customs, beliefs and dialects, and is a treat for all who enjoy a well-told story.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd D-Day in Photographs
The Allied landings in France on 6 June 1944 were a turning point in world history. This book is a compilation of 200 images relating to all aspects of D-Day and the Normandy landings, beginning with the years of planning and preparations, all conducted in great secrecy. Next the focus is on the naval and air force operations, the airborne landings, and the British, American and Canadian forces who came ashore on 6 June. The book also covers the months of hard fighting during the Battle of Normandy, and through to the end of the war. Using the extensive archives of the Portsmouth D-Day Museum, this is a moving and unique record of a momentous time. Andrew Whitmarsh is military history officer for Portsmouth Museums & Records Service, a role which includes the curatorship of the D-Day Museum and Overlord Embroidery. The D-Day Museum opened in 1984 and is the United Kingdom’s only museum with the sole purpose of telling the story of D-Day. He has been its curator since 2001. He has written a variety of popular and academic articles on military history, as well as D-Day in Photographs and Portsmouth at War for The History Press.
£18.00
The History Press Ltd The Fierce: The Untold Story of the Teenager Who Took On the Worst War Criminal Living in America
For three decades after the Second World War, the ‘Butcher of the Balkans’ lived an idyllic life with his family in a Los Angeles suburb. Andrija Artuković was a senior member of the Ustasha, a Croatian fascist and nationalist movement, and was responsible for the wartime murders of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children. Wanted in Yugoslavia to stand trial for war crimes, he had illegally entered and claimed political asylum in the United States – and his powerful supporters sought to keep him there.Meanwhile, just 10 miles away, David Whitelaw lived with his mother, Judith, who fled Germany in 1938. Seventy-six of her relatives were killed in the Holocaust. When David learned Artuković was living comfortably nearby, he vowed to ensure his deportation to stand trial as a war criminal. But when a firebomb, thrown with the sole intention of causing fear, saw the young man sent to jail, a battle began for his own freedom, while the war criminal remained at large.A true David-versus-Goliath battle, The Fierce is the story of the teenager who helped take down the worst mass murderer and war criminal in America.
£22.99
The History Press Ltd Western Isles Folk Tales
Western Isles Folk Tales is a representative collection of stories from the geographical span of the long chain of islands known as the Outer Hebrides. Some are well-known tales and others have been sought out by the author, but all are retold in the natural voice of a local man. You will find premonitions, accounts of uncanny events and mythical beings, such as the blue men of the stream who test mariners venturing into the tidal currents around the Shiant Islands. Also included are tales from islands now uninhabited, like the archipelago of St Kilda, in contrast to the witty yarns from bustling harbours. The author was the inaugural winner of the Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship (1995) and his Acts of Trust collaboration with visual artist Christine Morrison won the multi-arts category in the first British Awards for Storytelling Excellence (2012). Both author and illustrator live in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd The Suffragettes In Pictures
This book draws extensively on the little-known but important Suffragette Fellowship Collection of archive photographs, newspapers, personal correspondence, artefacts and memoirs, to present a vivid picture of Suffragette life. The strength of the book is its rare images of the Suffragette campaign leading to the outbreak of the First World War. The book also documents leading personalities in the Suffragette movement, such as Emmeline Pankhurst, Annie Kenney and Emily Wilding Davison, the behind-the-scenes activities at the Women’s Social and Political Union, their public propaganda work, the brilliant set-piece demonstrations and the escalation of militancy from ‘pestering the politicians’ to burning down buildings and attacking works of art. The book also explores what happened to these incredible women after their war was won and the vote was granted to them.
£20.00
The History Press Ltd The Wealden Iron Industry
For two periods of British history - the first part of the Roman occupation and the Tudor and early Stuart periods - the Weald of south-east England was the most productive iron-producing region in the country. Looking across the tranquil Wealden countryside, it is hard to identify anything that hints at its industrial past. Yet 400 years ago, nearly 100 furnaces and forges roared and hammered there, the smoke from charcoal-making curling up from the surrounding woods and the roads bustling with wagons laden with ore and iron sows.Many British naval campaigns, including the Spanish Armada, the wars against the Dutch and The Seven Years' War, relied on Wealden iron cannon; the pressures of conflict driving forward the development of iron-producing technology. For a time the economy of the whole area was dominated by the production of iron and its raw materials, providing employment, generating prosperity and shaping the landscape irrevocably. Drawing on a wealth of local evidence, this book explores the archaeology and history of an area whose iron industry was of international importance.
£18.00
The History Press Ltd Offa's Dyke
In a fascinating study, the reader is presented with a detailed description and analysis of Offa's Dyke, set against the background of the political and social context of the kingdom of Mercia, over which King Offa ruled from 757 to 796. This new interpretation of the Dyke's line, length and purpose is offered in the light of extensive research by the authors who have over 50 years' experience between them. It will appeal to all, including academics, amateur historians and archaeologists, as well as those visiting the area, including walkers of the Dyke itself.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd The Little Book of Suffolk
The Little Book of Suffolk is a repository of intriguing, fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts and trivia about one of England's most colourful counties. It is an essential to the born and bred Suffolk folk or anyone who knows and loves the county. Armed with this fascinating tome the reader will have such knowledge of the county, its landscape, people, places, pleasures and pursuits they will be entertained and enthralled and never short of some frivolous fact to enhance conversation or quiz! A reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped in to time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging little book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike.
£11.24
The History Press Ltd Midlothian Folk Tales
Storyteller Lea Taylor brings together stories from the rugged coastlines, rushing rivers, uplands and sweeping valleys of Midlothian. In this treasure trove of tales you will meet kings and queens, saints and sinners, witches and wizards, ghosts and giants, fools and tricksters – all as mysterious 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.
£11.24
The History Press Ltd The Cumbria Colouring Book: Past and Present
One of England’s most outstanding areas of natural beauty, Cumbria has charmed visitors for centuries, and this collection of intricate illustrations is a celebration of the county’s unique appeal. Featuring a range of picturesque vistas, from majestic mountains and picturesque lakes to rugged coastlines and grand architecture, each stunning scene is full of intriguing detail sure to fire the imagination and make you reach for your colouring pencils. There are absolutely no rules – you can choose any combination of colours you like to bring these images to life. Suitable for children. If you love Cumbria, then you will love colouring it in!
£13.60
The History Press Ltd The Rhythm of the Tide: Tales through the Ages of Chichester Harbour
Written by a man who has lived and sailed a great part of his life in the waters around Chichester Harbour, this book aims to capture the beauties and excitement of the place. It tells the history of the region in a series of chapters, ranging from the arrival of the Romans to the evacuation from Dunkirk, that recreate a series of local incidents.
£11.69
The History Press Ltd Aldershot Past
Less than 150 years ago ‘Aldershott’ was a small, sleepy, rural village but the decision in 1853-4 to establish a permanent military camp on the heathland north of the village transformed it. The rustic place became a genteel location with theatres, churches, and leafy residential areas. " This is an excellent read ... The book is complemented by a range of pictures which highlight items words cannot express." Aldershot News
£15.17
The History Press Ltd John Gielgud
A sense of delight permeates Gyles Brandreth's John Gielgud: An Actor's Life Brandreth combines neat reportage, deft evocation and lovely tales about a man he knew and relished.' The TimesA delightful memoir which tells you all you need to know and collects all the anecdotes.' Daily MailJohn Gielgud was born in April 1904. When he died in May 2000, he was honoured as the giant of twentieth-century theatre'. In this updated, acclaimed biography, Gyles Brandreth draws from over thirty years of conversations with Gielgud to tell the extraordinary story of a unique actor, film star, director and raconteur.In 1921 Gielgud made his first appearance at the Old Vic in London and through the next eight decades he dominated his profession initially as a classical actor, later in plays by Harold Pinter and Alan Bennett. In his twenties he had appeared in silent movies; more than half a century later,
£14.99
The History Press Ltd The Southern Railway Story
At the forefront of innovation and development in the rail world, the Southern Railway was the only main-line railway to embrace electrification wholeheartedly, creating what was at the time the world’s largest electric suburban network. It was also the only railway to use passenger train ferries, allowing its sleeping car service between London and Paris to operate as a true through service, and its ‘Golden Arrow’ all-Pullman day express even had its own luxury Channel ferry. These achievements would have been noteworthy at any time, but were set against the challenging background of worldwide depression. With the aid of stunning colour photographs, The Southern Railway Story explores this remarkable passenger-traffic-driven railway from its commuter trains, via its international express railway, to its role as a holiday railway serving many of the most popular seaside resorts.
£8.99
The History Press Ltd The Wellington Bomber Story
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber, universally known as the ‘Wimpy’. The only bomber in construction throughout the Second World War, the Wellington played a pivotal role in training and combat from its conception in the 1930s, through active service in the Far Eastern, Mediterranean and German arenas of conflict, until its final use by the RAF in 1953. This book follows the fascinating story of the much-loved and innovatively designed Wellington throughout its life, including many tales from the aircraft’s years with Bomber Command. Illustrated with a wide selection of images, both colour and black and white, this book is a fitting tribute to a wonderful servant of the RAF.
£10.45
The History Press Ltd The Cunard Story
Since 1840, Cunard ships have been transiting the North Atlantic with speed, grace and elegance. These great ships helped to populate nations, served during both world wars and have transported millions of passengers, amongst them celebrities, politicians and royalty. Through tales of ships such as Britannia, Lusitania, Mauretania, Aquitania and the immortal Queens, The Cunard Story gives readers an insight into the heritage of this historic line. Today the Cunard Line operates a fleet of modern ships, offering passengers exciting and varied itineraries to exotic locations across the globe. The Cunard Story is a must-have for all maritime historians and ocean-travellers, especially those with affection for this historic line and its grand vessels.
£9.99
The History Press Ltd Nymans: The Story of a Sussex Garden
Nymans forms one of a group of gardens in the Sussex Weald which were created before the First World War and are still beautiful today, their owners sharing a passion for new material brought back from all over the world by intrepid plant hunters. Ludwig Messel bought Nymans in 1890 and, with his head gardener, James Comber, began extensive planting of exotics, determined to prove that many supposedly tender plants could grow outdoors in Sussex. After 1915, his son, Leonard, carried on planting and raising new hybrids. In 1954 the garden was bequeathed to the National Trust. This historic garden is undoubtedly one of our national treasures and this book pays tribute to its history and beauty.
£11.69
The History Press Ltd Hellfire: Evelyn Waugh and the Hypocrites Club
Late one evening in March 1924, a tipsy young nun was seen trying to slip into Balliol, an all-male Oxford college, just as the gates were about to close for the night. The nun – subsequently unmasked as the son of the college bursar – was returning after a fancy-dress party at a notorious Oxford social club, one known to the university proctors for its hedonistic ways, heavy drinking and wayward behaviour. This was the final straw; the club was shut down.Described by one habitué as ‘a kind of early twentieth-century Hell Fire Club’, the Hypocrites Club counted some of the brightest of the future ‘Bright Young People’ among its members. The one-time secretary was Evelyn Waugh, who used ten of his fellow Hypocrites as inspiration for his fictional characters – seven of them in Brideshead Revisited alone.The Hypocrites didn’t just lend themselves to Waugh’s fiction. Many went on to prominence themselves, including Anthony Powell, Robert Byron, Henry Green, Claud Cockburn and Tom Driberg. Hellfire is the first full-length portrait of this scandalous club and its famous members, who continued to be thorns in the Establishment’s side – throughout war and austerity – for the next five decades.
£20.00
The History Press Ltd The Wind in the Willows: Illustrate Your Own
Ever wanted to illustrate a book? Now you can. 'There goes the great Mr. Toad! And that's the gallant Water Rat, and yonder comes the famous Mr. Mole!' The Wind in the Willows follows the adventures of Mole, Ratty, Toad and Badger. Their stories of friendship and mischief have captivated readers of all ages for over a hundred years. Join them as they scull on the river, deal with Toad’s latest fad and explore the mysterious Wild Wood. In this edition, the original story is accompanied by empty frames waiting to be filled with your own art. Bring this peaceful countryside to life in your unique version of this classic tale and capture Otter watching by the ford, wise Badger in his underground home and the recovery of Toad Hall from the wicked weasels and ferrets.
£12.83
The History Press Ltd Cannibals and Carnage: Thrilling Tales of the Sea (vol.1)
In the nineteenth century true stories of cannibal tribes massacring white traders (and vice versa) and missionaries fed the morbid appetites of Europeans, North Americans and colonials. Accounts of cannibalism committed by seafarers on their dead shipmates quickened the pulses of landfolk even more, and pricked their moral disquiet. Acts of desperate men committing unspeakable atrocities. The warring frenzy of cannibal headhunters and their gruesome feasting. Such was the stuff of real-life ‘sixpenny romances’, rich in human butchery and garnished with treachery and terror. The more atrocious the at rocities, the more exotic the locations; the more sensational the narratives, the greater was the thrall of these thrilling tales of the sea.
£13.60
The History Press Ltd Isles of Scilly Folk Tales
Scilly has been its own unique land for centuries, separate from England and cut off from Cornwall by twenty-five miles of rough sea – yet until now its folk tales have been poorly documented. Let Anthony the droll-teller and his companions guide you on this voyage around the wonderful Isles of Scilly: a place of smugglers and shipwrecks, pirates and privateers, legends and long lost tales.
£12.00
The History Press Ltd The Times 50 Greatest Football Matches
From the earliest FA Cup finals in the 1870s between teams of former public schoolboys to the glittering world of 21st-century Champions League matches contested by squads of millionaires, The Times has been at pitchside to write the history of football as it has happened.It is story of great matches: Hungary’s historic victory over England at Wembley in 1953, Manchester United’s triumph over Benfica in the 1968 European Cup final, Brazil’s thrashing of Italy in the 1970 World Cup final, Liverpool’s remarkable recovery to win the Champions League in Istanbul in 2005. It is a story of dazzling individual performances: Stanley Matthews finally winning an FA Cup winners’ medal at Wembley in 1953, Bobby Moore giving a masterclass in the art of defending for England against Brazil in the 1970 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo’s virtuoso performance as Real Madrid won the 2017 Champions League. It is a story of national highs and lows, from Wembley in 1966 when England ruled the world after defeating West Germany to the humiliation of losing to Iceland in the 2016 European Championship.But above all it is a story of great players, great managers and great personalities in a sport that grips the attention of the world like no other.
£20.00
The History Press Ltd Junkers: Military Aircraft of World War Two
The Junkers Aircraft Company of Dessau, Germany forever changed the world of aviation when they produced several aircraft that revolutionised warfare during World War Two. Among them were the Ju 87 Stuka, which was key to the success of the Blitzkrieg, and highly versatile bomber and transport aircraft including Junkers Ju 86, Ju 52, Ju 90/290 and, later, Ju 88. Drawing on a multitude of photographs, diagrams and US government reports, Junkers Military Aircraft of World War Two reveals the history of this innovative aviation company and its many key aircraft that played a vital role in the war. From initiating unprecedented advancements in structural design to producing advanced turbojet engines and radical aircraft that provided a glimpse of the future of aviation, the Junkers Aircraft Company proved to be a true pioneer in the aviation world.
£22.50
The History Press Ltd The Sketchbook War: Saving the Nation's Artists in World War II
During the Second World War, British artists produced over 6,000 works of war art, the result of a government scheme partly designed to prevent the artists being killed. This book tells the story of nine courageous war artists who ventured closer to the front line than any others in their profession. Edward Ardizzone, Edward Bawden, Barnett Freedman, Anthony Gross, Thomas Hennell, Eric Ravilious, Albert Richards, Richard Seddon and John Worsley all travelled abroad into the dangers of war to chronicle events by painting them. They formed a close bond, yet two were torpedoed, two were taken prisoner and three died, two in 1945 when peacetime was at hand. Men who had previously made a comfortable living painting in studios were transformed by military uniforms and experiences that were to shape the rest of their lives, and their work significantly influenced the way in which we view war today. Portraying how war and art came together in a moving and dramatic way, and incorporating vivid examples of their paintings, this is the true story behind the war artists who fought, lived and died for their art on the front line of the Second World War.
£9.99
The History Press Ltd A Century of Kingston-upon-Thames: Events, People and Places Over the 20th Century
A Century of Kingston-upon-Thames 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 Kingston's recent history are covered, famous occasions and individuals are remembered and the impact of national and international events is witnessed. A Century of Kingston-upon-Thames 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 Kingston-upon-Thames 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.
£11.24
The History Press Ltd Around Fareham Past and Present: Britain In Old Photographs
The Borough of Fareham extends from the River Hamble in the west to Portsmouth Harbour in the east, and is a patchwork of ancient communities, each a rich blend of the old and the new. In Around Fareham Past & Present Tim Alletson Saunders explores everything that the borough has to offer its 100,000 residents and numerous visitors illustrating and explaining all aspects of the town's history. Reminders of the distant past are revealed, while the more recent developments, such as the Market Quays development, are not neglected. Past and present photographs, together with the author's well-researched captions, will inform and entertain anyone who knows Fareham and the surrounding area.
£13.49
The History Press Ltd Van Diemen's Women: A History of Transportation to Tasmania
On 2 September 1845, the convict ship Tasmania left Kingstown Harbour for Van Diemen’s Land with 138 female convicts and their 35 children. On 3 December, the ship arrived into Hobart Town. While this book looks at the lives of all the women aboard, it focuses on two women in particular: Eliza Davis, who was transported from Wicklow Gaol for life for infanticide, having had her sentence commuted from death, and Margaret Butler, sentenced to seven years’ transportation for stealing potatoes in Carlow. Using original records, this study reveals the reality of transportation, together with the legacy left by these women in Tasmania and beyond, and shows that perhaps, for some, this Draconian punishment was, in fact, a life-saving measure.
£18.00
The History Press Ltd Fermanagh Folk Tales
Fermanagh's culture, heritage, characters and stories set it apart from the rest of the world. Every mountain, tree, lake, stream, rock, stone and character tells a tale. There are the strange stories of mythical creatures, such as the Shining Folk that lurk under the surface of Lough Erne, and the fairies that taught the unruly wee Meg Barnileg a lesson. There are spooky tales of the Cooneen poltergeist that haunted the Murphy family and the ghost of Belleek Pottery. And there are the ‘pants’, or tall tales, that the locals love to retell, such as the stories about ‘educated’ Irish pigs who understood three languages, talking horses or the pike who went ‘fishing’ for squirrels. All these stories and more are featured in this unique collection which will take you deep into the heart of this historic county.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd The Famine Irish: Emigration and the Great Hunger
From a range of leading academics and historians, this collection of essays examines Irish emigration during the Great Famine of the 1840s. From the mechanics of how this was arranged to the fate of the men, women and children who landed on the shores of the nations of the world, this work provides a remarkable insight into one of the most traumatic and transformative periods of Ireland’s history. More importantly, this collection of essays demonstrates how the Famine Irish influenced and shaped the worlds in which they settled, while also examining some of the difficulties they faced in doing so.
£22.50
The History Press Ltd Sligo Folk Tales
For the devotee of Irish heritage, mythology or folklore, County Sligo has everything. From the Curlew mountains in the south, where Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill defeated an English army under Sir Conyers Clifford, to Benbulben’s slopes in the north, where St Colmcille battled the High King of Ireland, every hill and valley is linked by the gossamer threads of myth, folklore and legend. These stories, some age-old legends and fantastical myths, some amusing anecdotes and cautionary tales, are a heady mix of the bloodthirsty, funny and passionate and a selection of the best are retold here by writer and local historian Joe McGowan. In these pages you will find little-known anecdotes of the traditional ways of Sligo’s residents, their customs and superstitions; you will find stories of epic battles and heroic deeds; and you will also hear the fantastical accounts of mythical creatures, faeries, witches and the ghosts of Connacht itself.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Donegal Folk Tales
Donegal has a rich heritage of myths and legends which is uniquely captured in this collection of traditional tales from the county. Discover the trails where Balor of the Evil Eye once roamed, the footprint left by St Colmcille when he leapt to avoid a demon and the places where ordinary people once encountered devils, ghosts, and fairies. In a vivid journey through Donegal’s varied landscape, from its spectacular rugged coast line to the majestic mountains of Errigal and Muckish, and on to the rich farmland of the east, local storyteller Joe Brennan takes the reader to places where legend and landscape are inseparably linked.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Harry Clarke: The Life & Work
Harry Clarke was Ireland’s greatest stained glass artist and arguably the finest of his time in any country. He was also an illustrator of genius, whose works have been collector’s items for decades. Out of print for over 15 years, this new edition will be an enormous contribution to the literature of Irish art, and a collector’s item in itself. “The research that has gone into this handsome book is enormous. I cannot see anybody superseding it.” - Irish Independent “Nicola Gordon Bowe has undoubtedly produced the definitive study of Harry Clarke, in a lively and lucid style, with profound insight.” - Irish Arts Review
£36.00
The History Press Ltd The Naval History of Wales: Unleashing Britannia's Dragon
Based on extensive research, The Naval History of Wales tells a compelling story that spans nearly 2,000 years, from the Romans to the present.Many Welsh men and women have served in the Royal Navy and the navies of other countries. Welshmen played major parts in voyages of exploration, in the navy’s suppression of the slave trade, and in naval warfare from the Viking era to the Spanish Armada, in the American Civil War, both world wars and the Falklands War.Comprehensive, enlightening, and provocative, The Naval History of Wales also explodes many myths about Welsh history, naval historian J.D. Davies arguing that most Welshmen in the sailing navy were volunteers and that, relative to the size of national populations, proportionately more Welsh seamen than English fought at Trafalgar.Written in vivid detail, this volume is one that no maritime or Welsh historian can do without.
£15.99
The History Press Ltd Life of a Concorde Pilot: From The Orphanage to The Edge of Space
John Tye’s job at British Airways was supposed to be only temporary, a way for him to pass the summer before starting university. Instead, it would kickstart a forty-six-year career in aviation and take him all over the world.Told in an irrepressible and infectious style, Life of a Concorde Pilot is the story of how, despite a somewhat turbulent start to life in a Middlesex orphanage, John would go on to fly the world’s only supersonic airliner.A true insight to the life of an airline pilot, with many amusing anecdotes along the way, it follows his ups and downs from his career on the ground at BA to flying with Dan Air and then back to BA, through to Covid and his reluctant retirement at the end of 2022. Full of the fascinating details only a pilot can give, this is a memorable journey to the edge of space and beyond.
£18.00
The History Press Ltd Along Different Lines: 70 Real Life Railway Stories
Running a railway is a complex business. However organised it is, there will always be surprises: often hilarious, frequently unexpected, but sometimes serious.Along Different Lines includes such bizarre ‘everyday’ events as coping with hurricanes, rogue locomotives and runaway wagons; PR successes and otherwise; the Brighton Belle, Flying Scotsman and Mallard; training-course capers; a wino invasion; trackside antics; the Eurostar backdrop; the birth of a prison; and royal and other special occasions.Expert authors Geoff Body and Bill Parker lovingly compiled this entertaining collection in which railway professionals recall notable incidents from across their careers. This illustrated compilation provides an enjoyable look back at life on the railways.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd James Fitzjames: Commander of HMS Erebus
‘A riveting detective story … Revelation follows revelation.’ – Benedict Allen, author, explorer and TV presenterJames Fitzjames was a hero of the early nineteenth-century Royal Navy. A charismatic man with a wicked sense of humour, he pursued his naval career with wily determination. When he joined the Franklin Expedition he thought he would make his name; instead the expedition completely disappeared and he never returned. Its fate is one of history’s great unsolved mysteries, as were the origins and background of James Fitzjames – until now.Fitzjames packed a great deal into his thirty-two years, from trips down the Euphrates to fighting with spectacular bravery in Syria and China. But he was not what he seemed. He concealed several secrets, including the scandal of his birth, the source of his influence and his plans for after the Franklin Expedition.In this definitive biography of the captain of HMS Erebus, William Battersby draws extensively on Fitzjames’ personal letters and journals, as well as naval records, to strip away 200 years of misinformation, enabling us to understand for the first time this intriguing man and his significance.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd No Case to Answer: The Men Who Got Away with the Great Train Robbery
In the early hours of Thursday, 8 August 1963, sixteen masked men ambushed the Glasgow–Euston mail train at Sears Crossing in Buckinghamshire.Making off with a record haul of £2.6 million, the robbers received approximately £150,000 each (over £2 million in today’s money). While twelve of the robbers were jailed over the next five years, four were never brought to justice – they evaded arrest and thirty-year prison sentences, and lived out the rest of their lives in freedom. In stark contrast to the likes of Ronnie Biggs, Buster Edwards and Bruce Reynolds, they became neither household names nor tabloid celebrities.Who were these men? How did they escape detection for so long? And how, almost sixty years later, are their names still not common knowledge? In No Case to Answer, Andrew Cook gathers and examines decades of evidence and lays it out end to end. It’s time for you to draw your own conclusions.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd Scandal at Dolphin Square: A Notorious History
‘Compelling, authoritative and as readable as the best airport thriller. It fizzes with crime, fame, power and illicit sex.’ Jeremy Vine‘A timely and important book. It’s quite remarkable how one building has played host to such debauchery. If only the walls could talk…’ Iain DaleDesigned as a city dwelling for the modern age, Dolphin Square opened in London’s Pimlico in 1936. Boasting 1,250 hi-tech flats, a swimming pool, restaurant, gardens and shopping arcade, the complex quickly attracted a long list of the affluent and influential. But behind its veneer of respectability, the Square has become one of the country’s most notorious addresses; a place where the private lives of those from the highest of high society and the lowest depths of the underworld have collided and played out over the best part of a century.This is the story of the Square and its people, an ever-evolving cast of larger-than- life characters who have borne witness to, and played pivotal roles in, some of the most scandalous episodes of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From Oswald Mosley and the Carry On gang to allegations of systematic sexual abuse, it is a saga replete with mysterious deaths, exploitation, espionage, illicit love affairs and glamour, shining a light on the changing nature of British politics and society in the modern age.
£15.99
The History Press Ltd England from a Side-Saddle: The Great Journeys of Celia Fiennes
In 1697, a 34-year-old woman mounted her horse and set off on a 3,000-mile journey which over two summers would take her to every county in England. Her name was Celia Fiennes. It was a time when women didn’t do such things. It could be gruelling, unhealthy and dangerous. As she discovered, most roads were unsigned, marshy tracks, lodgings could be filthy and vermin-ridden, and highwaymen lay in wait for the unwary.Luckily for us, Celia Fiennes kept a detailed diary about the places she saw and the people she met. She reports on the brutal justice system and political shenanigans of the time, and is fascinated by industry and commerce – workshops, shipping and especially coal-pits and tin mines. What she tells us is significant as the Industrial Revolution would soon change England forever.Yet this remarkable woman and her story have, until now, been largely neglected.In England From a Side-Saddle, historian and journalist Derek J. Taylor seeks to put that right. As we follow the route Celia Fiennes took, we see through her eyes an England of 320 years ago, and learn of the courage, determination and curiosity of one woman who was centuries ahead of her time.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd RMS Majestic
RMS Majestic's history was shaped by war. Built in Germany for Albert Ballin's HAPAG, she was launched just before the start of the First World War as Bismarck. Following Germany's defeat, she was allocated to the United Kingdom and purchased by the White Star Line from the British government. Renamed Majestic, she earned the affectionate nickname The Magic Stick' during the Roaring Twenties, when she was the largest and one of the most popular liners in the world. The merger of the Cunard and White Star Lines and the Depression of the Thirties led to her withdrawal from service after only fourteen years, after which the British government acquired her as a naval training ship. She became Caledonia and served until fire consumed her in September 1939.RMS Majestic: The Magic Stick' was the first book devoted to her history. This revised and expanded edition is a lavish illustration of her life and times, showcasing many rare or previously unp
£22.50
The History Press Ltd The Fabulous Frances Farquharson: The Colourful Life of an American in the Highlands
Born in 1902 in Seattle, Washington, Frances Lovell Oldham left her hometown in her early twenties to pursue a journalism career in Europe. At a time when women rarely found independent success, Frances transcended boundaries as a working woman in London, becoming fashion editor first at British Vogue then later at Harper’s Bazaar, when the magazines were expressively modernist in their design and output.Her story is even more remarkable given she made a career comeback after fracturing her spine during a house fire that killed her first husband in 1933. At Harper’s Bazaar, she would raise the morale of British women during the Second World War, and embarked on a fearlesss trade mission to the United States to boost British exports. After marrying Captain Alwyne Farquharson, the 16th Laird of Invercauld, in 1949, Frances threw herself into life as the queen’s neighbour at Balmoral and brought glamour and eccentricity to the grouse moors of Deeside.Drawing on interviews with Frances’ daughter and friends, and staff who once worked with her, as well as archival material and extracts from her own unpublished memoirs, The Fabulous Frances Farquharson offers a glimpse into the life of a remarkable woman and will not fail to fascinate and enthral.
£24.54