Search results for ""Amberley Publishing""
Amberley Publishing Central Manchester Pubs
Manchester is a modern and cosmopolitan city that is also home to a range of old and traditional public houses. Many of these establishments have retained their distinctive heritage, with some dating back to early modern times and many having witnessed key moments in the city’s fascinating past. The nineteenth century in particular was a pivotal time in Manchester’s history, and middle- and working-class daily life outside the factory was often centred around the inn, pub or alehouse. One’s ‘local’ was a focal point for sociability, a centre for transportation, discussing politics, business transactions, and hosting meetings. This was also a key time for legislation that impacted on drink culture. The 1830 Beer Act and the arrival of the beerhouse radically changed the nature of drinking in the city. Brewing giants began to monopolise the industry by mopping up hostelries in an ever-growing tied-house system, which affected the style and quality of pubs, and these effects can often be seen in pubs that have survived into modern times, mainly through their architecture and design. Despite a current climate of pubs closing on a regular basis, the pub as an institution constantly reinvents itself to survive and many of Manchester’s old-fashioned hostelries sit alongside modern offices and apartments. In this book, author Deborah Woodman takes an engaging and illuminating look at pubs in the city centre, which highlights a novel aspect of Manchester’s history. Featuring a superb selection of colour and black and white images, Central Manchester Pubs will be of interest to locals, visitors and all those with connections to this exciting city.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Arnhem: The Complete Story of Operation Market Garden 17-25 September 1944
On the afternoon of Sunday 17 September British tanks advanced into Holland in concert with 1,534 transport aircraft and 491 gliders. Their objective was a series of bridges across the Rhine, possession of which would allow the Allies to advance into Germany. In the event the operation was dogged by bad weather, flawed planning, tardiness and overconfidence, and ended with the Arnhem crossing still in German hands despite an epic nine-day battle that cost the British 1st Airborne Division over two-thirds of its men killed, wounded or captured. Here is what happened, hour by desperate hour.
£20.00
Amberley Publishing Celebrating Sunderland
In our fast-paced lives, it can be hard to stop and appreciate all the great things about the places where we live. Celebrations bring people together, make us feel a part of something bigger, and give us a real sense of community. In Celebrating Sunderland author Marie Gardiner reveals the people, places, achievements, and events of this great city. We look from dizzying heights at the Sunderland International Airshow after its humble beginnings at Sunderland Airport, to the town – and later, city – putting on its best for the parties and parades through its streets. Discover how one local architect changed lives and created a lasting legacy after a heart-warming encounter with a homeless boy. Relive past glories in the form of FA Cup wins, feats of derring-do, and awards for valour. Join us as we put up the bunting, string the lights, and dress to impress for Celebrating Sunderland. Illustrated throughout, this immensely engaging book will appeal to local people, visitors and all those with connections to the city. It will evoke many memories, be a source of civic pride and provide a valuable contribution to local history.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing The Prisoner and Danger Man Collectibles
Danger Man is possibly the show that started the whole sixties spy craze, first appearing a full two years before the first James Bond movie hit the big screen. The show’s hero was John Drake, an agent for NATO’s secret service played by Patrick McGoohan. While immensely popular around Europe the series may well have ended after its first series, if were not for the success of the Bond movies. The show was resurrected and extended to hour-long episodes, and subtlety altered to reflect a more Bondish style. The show was a worldwide hit and McGoohan became an international star, going on to create and star in The Prisoner, possibly one of the most talked about and discussed TV series ever created. Are the two series connected? Was Drake number 6? Many things would suggest both. These series truly define Cult TV. John Buss takes the reader through the collectible items related to these iconic TV shows.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Tankers on British Roads
Road tankers come in many forms, with certain goods very often dictating the type and shape. The transport industry has adapted many innovations over the years and a wide variety of examples have travelled on our roads over the years – powder tanks, tanks for liquids, and even specialised tanks for the carriage of a plethora of goods from live eels to animal feed, cement, plastic pellets and more. All of the images in this book were captured by the author over a number of years. They document an important part of our transport history and will delight enthusiasts and modellers alike.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing The Tyne & Wear Metro
August 2020 marked the fortieth anniversary of the opening of the first section of the Tyne & Wear Metro between Haymarket and Tynemouth. It is an exciting time for the system, with a new fleet of trains about to be ordered, and extensions to the network being proposed. This book explores the decline of the BR suburban lines that were replaced, the phased opening of the new system from 1980, and subsequent extensions. It also looks at those being considered in the future. The successful integration of the Metro with bus and ferry services is considered, alongside the inclusivity of the railway’s design, which allows disabled people unprecedented access to public transport. It also illustrates Metro’s unique combination of brand-new tunnels, spectacular viaducts and underground stations, taking in the magnificent Victorian infrastructure of the former North Eastern Railway and Blyth & Tyne Railway.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Barnsley in 50 Buildings
The market town of Barnsley in South Yorkshire has a long, proud history rooted in its industrial past. First mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 (‘Berneslai’), it is home to the late twelfth-century Monk Bretton Priory, which was founded on the edge of the town and can still be seen today, as can the thirteenth-century St Helena’s Well nearby. Barnsley Grammar School was founded in the eighteenth century, and its buildings still stand, but the major growth in the town occurred during the Industrial Revolution, particularly through coal mining and glass production. The National Union of Mining Headquarters are situated on the edge of the town centre and Elsecar Heritage Centre includes the Newcomen beam engine. Barnsley’s civic pride is demonstrated in its imposing Town Hall, which opened in 1933, although the expenditure on it was criticised by George Orwell. Recent years have seen significant developments in Barnsley with much of the town centre being rebuilt, including the Glass Works shopping centre, the Library @ the Lightbox, creative arts hub and theatre the Civic, two new town centre colleges and the Digital Media Centre. Barnsley in 50 Buildings explores the history of this fascinating town through a selection of its most interesting buildings and structures, showing the changes that have taken place over the years. The book will appeal to all those who live in Barnsley or have an interest in the town.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Literary Sussex
In the quiet countryside or by the sea - and always very close to London - Sussex has offered a creative space for writers for centuries, from Lord Tennyson to Lee Child. Other writers, like Kate Mosse, Maureen Duffy and David Hare, were born in the county or have found Sussex the perfect location for their work, such as Hilaire Belloc or Stella Gibbons in Cold Comfort Farm. Literary locations in Sussex include the cottage in Felpham where Blake began to write ‘Jerusalem’ and the hotel room in Eastbourne where T. S. Eliot had his disastrous honeymoon. H. G. Wells often visited Uppark, the stately home where his mother was a housemaid. It is said that Jane Austen’s Sanditon was based on her stay in Worthing. There are literary cottages scattered around the county, including the home of Malcolm Lowry and the winter residence of W. B. Yeats and his secretary, the young Ezra Pound. The South Downs near Lewes is associated with the Bloomsbury group, Winnie the Pooh’s world is set in Ashdown Forest and high in the Weald there is Rudyard Kipling’s home of Bateman’s, which inspired Puck of Pook’s Hill. Rye’s authors include Henry James and E. F. Benson, whose Mapp and Lucia novels were written about the town, Radclyffe Hall and Rumer Godden. Brighton is associated with Graham Greene’s Brighton Rock, but has attracted writers from Jane Austen and Fanny Burney through to Keith Waterhouse and Peter James. Hastings is the home of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists and Bexhill includes Angus Wilson, Spike Milligan and David Hare in its inhabitants. One school in Eastbourne had, in a single year, George Orwell, Cyril Connolly and Cecil Beaton. This book explores the fascinating history of Sussex’s remarkable literary legacy, as well as being a guide to the locations where that legacy can still be found.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Wales and Western Region Railways: The Late 1940s to late 1960s
The 1950s and 1960s was a time of profound cultural and technological transformation. With images and vivid recollections, we journey back to post-war Wales and the Western Region of British Railways. We explore favourite routes and railway places, many now changed beyond recognition. Trackside, at busy stations, in and around depots, an evolving mood is revealed in pictures. In the 1950s railway pride and optimism overcame staff shortages, returning locomotives to pre-war performance and introducing modern BR standard classes. By the 1960s fiscal efficiency and the dawning diesel era turned pride to neglect. Sparkling steel, brass and tallow gave way to dust, rust and flaking paint. Though many locomotives were lost, some survived to be reborn as the stars of preserved railways; loved by dedicated volunteers and tourists alike. People, machines and landscapes are crystalized on film for future generations – reawakening memories for those who lived through this time of change and offering a fascinating insight for those who are too young to have been trackside during this intriguing period of railway history.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Southern and Isle of Wight Railways: The Late 1940s to Late 1960s
The 1950s and 1960s was a time of profound cultural and technological transformation. With images and vivid recollections, we journey back to post-war southern England. We explore favourite routes and railway places, with many since changed beyond recognition. Trackside, at busy stations, and in and around depots, an evolving mood is revealed in pictures. In the 1950s, railway pride and optimism overcame staff shortages, returning locomotives to pre-war performance and introducing modern BR standard classes. By the 1960s, fiscal efficiency and the dawning diesel era turned pride to neglect. Sparkling steel, brass and tallow gave way to dust, rust and flaking paint. Soldiering bravely on, the creations of Maunsell and Bulleid ran on some of the last main-line steam routes in the United Kingdom. People, machines and landscapes are crystalised on film for future generations, reawakening memories for those who lived through this time of change and offering a fascinating insight for those who are too young to have been trackside during this intriguing period of railway history.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Murders & Misdemeanours in Gloucestershire 1820-29
In relating the cases heard in the Courts of the County Assize in Gloucestershire nearly two centuries ago this book offers a variety of examples of the sins and sinners of those days, together with a fascinating insight into the consequences of those wrongdoings. The punishments awarded varied considerably, from time spent in Gloucester Gaol or a House of Correction, where hard labour or floggings could be expected, to deportation or, the ultimate penalty, hanging. The reports reproduced in this book come from the Gloucester Journal, the local newspaper of the day. They introduce the reader to all of the characters in each case: the eloquent counsel, the equally eloquent judges, the many witnesses and the condemned themselves.
£12.99
Amberley Publishing South Staffordshire Street Names
Ever wondered where our towns and villages get their names from? Were they a deliberate creation by our ancestors or did they evolve naturally over time? South Staffordshire Street Names examines the origins of the names with which we are otherwise so familiar. Towns, villages, districts, hills, streams, woods, farms, fields, streets and even pubs are examined and explained. Some of the definitions give a glimpse of life in the earlier days of the settlement, and for the author there is nothing more satisfying than finding a name which gives such a snapshot. The definitions are supported by anecdotal evidence, bringing to life the individuals and events which have influenced the places and the way these names have developed. This is not just a dictionary but a history and will prove invaluable not only for those who live and work in the county but also visitors and tourists, historians and former inhabitants, indeed anyone with an interest in Staffordshire.
£11.69
Amberley Publishing Uncle George's Golden Days
Uncle George is a baker based in the Forest of Dean. He is now planning to retire and sell the bakery. The Forest Series began with Just Around the Corner, followed by Just Across the Fields and Just Over Yonder. In essence, his 'Golden Days' is George's swan song. Uncle George, as the local baker, was at the core of his community and held decided views on any and every subject which came to his notice, view he was always ready to express to friends and strangers alike. This warm and humorous instalment sees George sell his bakery and buy the adjoining piece of land upon which he has long had his eye.
£11.69
Amberley Publishing The Battle for Stow
England has been at peace for as long as most people can remember - but there are still battles being waged in its towns and villages. Nearly 400 years ago Sir Jacob Astley set out for Oxford from the town of Bridgnorth with a small army raised from Wales and the West. He was the king's last hope in a disastrous civil war. But Astley did not reach the Royalist capital. His force was attacked by Parliamentarian forces near to Stow on the Wold where the survivors were locked in the local church and where blood fl owed through the streets. In today's battles there is little or no bloodshed - though blood pressure sometimes runs dangerously high. In this book, the historic Battle of Stow provides the backcloth to the battles of today - battles that are taking place in many communities across the country. These are the battles waged between residents and their politicians, between ordinary people and big business, between the locals and the incomers, between those with roots and those who are just passing through. Here the foot soldiers are more likely to wield a pen or placard versus the pike or musket of the seventeenth century.
£15.29
Amberley Publishing Padstow Through Time
Padstow Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of the country. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of Padstow, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people of this Cornish town throughout the 19th and into the 20th Century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set, and through the author's factual captions for every picture, and carefully-selected choice of images, the reader can achieve a reliable view of this town's history. Readers are invited to follow a timeline of events and watch the changing face of this charming town, as Malcolm McCarthy guides us through Padstow's winding streets. There is something for everyone here, whether they have lived in the area all their lives, or whether they are just visiting this beautiful part of Cornwall. It also shows how photography has continually evolved to keep up with an ever changing society.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Glory Days: Steam in East Anglia
Steam in East Anglia recalls the era when steam ruled the tracks and the railways conveyed passengers and goods, from the commuter lines of Tilbury and Southend to the rural tranquillity of north Norfolk. There are sometimes conflicting ideas about which parts of Britain comprise East Anglia. This book describes and illustrates the steam trains which ran within Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and parts of Cambridgeshire. The book concentrates on the years between the mid-1930s and the end of steam. Apart from the Pacifics, preservation has not been kind to the London & North Eastern Railway and its forbears. There are precious few locomotives left and it is a tragedy that no B17 or Claud was saved – but it is a relief that two Thompson B1s have been preserved.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Bus Ancillary Vehicles: The Municipal Support Fleet
Although to many enthusiasts, municipal vehicles never extended beyond the trams, trolleybuses and buses that were required to provide the basic public service, behind them were a range of vehicles that were required to enable operations to proceed smoothly. These vehicles – tower wagons, tree-loppers, towing vehicles, training vehicles, mobile canteens and numerous others – are vehicles that, historically, have tended to be ignored when writing the history of municipal operators but without which operation would have been impossible. Some of these vehicles were often elderly buses converted for new duties, others were specially constructed for their somewhat specialised tasks; all, however, are fascinating examples of historic municipal vehicles. Gavin Booth, one of the country’s leading experts on the subject of public transport history, has delved deep into the archives of many of the country’s leading transport photographers to produce a fascinating survey of these often ignored vehicles. Dividing the subject into each of the specialised tasks, he shows how the various types of vehicle evolved during the twentieth century. Alongside the excellent photographs, the author’s well-researched text and detailed captions make the book an essential work of reference for all those interested in the history of Britain’s municipal bus operations.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing The Fury of Battle: A D-Day Landing As It Happened
Before the war, Normandy’s Plage d’Or coast was best known for its sleepy villages and holiday destinations. Early in 1944, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel took one look at the gentle, sloping sands and announced ‘They will come here!’ He was referring to Omaha Beach ‒ the primary American D-Day landing site. The beach was subsequently transformed into three miles of lethal, bunker-protected arcs of fire, with chalets converted into concrete strongpoints, fringed by layers of barbed wire and mines. The Germans called it ‘the Devil’s Garden’. When Company A of the US 116th Regiment landed on Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944, it lost 96% of its effective strength. This was the beginning of the historic day that The Fury of Battle narrates hour by hour ‒ from midnight to midnight ‒ tracking German and American soldiers fighting across the beachhead. Two and a half hours in, General Bradley, commanding the landings aboard USS Augusta, had to decide whether to proceed or evacuate. On 6 June there were well over 2,400 casualties on Omaha Beach – easily D-Day’s highest death toll. The Wehrmacht thought they had bludgeoned the Americans into bloody submission, yet by mid-afternoon the troops were ashore. Why were the casualties so grim, and how could the Germans have failed? Robert Kershaw draws on American troops’ eyewitness accounts together with letters and post-combat reports to expose the horrors of Omaha Beach. He also cites the experiences of the Germans and of French civilians. These are stories of humanity, resilience, and dark humour; of comradeship holding beleaguered men together during an amphibious landing that looked as though it might never succeed.
£10.99
Amberley Publishing Paranormal Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a county steeped in the supernatural, as befits the county of Shakespeare and the many ghosts and spirits that he conjured up in his works. The towns and villages of Warwickshire, its castles, houses, churches, theatres, inns and many other places both grand and everyday have rich and complex stories to tell of paranormal presences. In this book author S. C. Skillman investigates the rich supernatural heritage of this county at the heart of England in places such as Guy’s Cliffe House, the Saxon Mill, Kenilworth Castle, Warwick Castle, St Mary’s Church in Warwick, Nash’s House and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, and Stoneleigh Abbey, as well as in the towns of Rugby, Nuneaton and Leamington Spa. She explores the spiritual resonance of each location, recounting the tales of paranormal activity associated with it and examining the reasons for this within the history of the place. Paranormal Warwickshire takes the reader into the world of ghosts and spirits in the county, following their footsteps into the unknown. These tales of haunted places, supernatural happenings and shadowy presences will delight the ghost hunters, and fascinate and intrigue everybody who knows Warwickshire.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing A-Z of Birmingham: Places-People-History
Birmingham – Britain’s second largest city – lies in the heart of the country. Nicknamed the ‘city of a thousand trades’, it became the workshop of England in the Industrial Revolution and, as the centre of the Enlightenment in the Midlands, was a hotbed of scientific thinking and technological innovation. The Lunar Society, including luminaries such as Erasmus Darwin and James Watt, met regularly at industrialist Matthew Boulton’s Soho House. The Cadbury family’s Arts and Crafts model village of Bournville, built for their workers, is sought after today, and although many famous industries associated with Birmingham – from Bird’s custard to BSA armaments and motorcycles – have gone, the eclectic Jewellery Quarter remains and a resurgent Birmingham is typified by its 1960s Rotunda, rebuilt Bullring and renovated old canal area around Gas Street Basin. In A–Z of Birmingham Andrew Homer delves into the history of the city. He picks out well-known landmarks and famous residents such as Oscar Deutsch, founder of the Odeon cinema chain, Joseph Hansom, inventor of the safety cab, and a youthful J. R. R. Tolkien and digs beneath the surface to uncover some of the lesser-known facts about Birmingham and its hidden places of interest. This fascinating A–Z tour of Birmingham’s history is fully illustrated and will appeal to all those with an interest in this West Midlands city.
£13.49
Amberley Publishing 50 Gems of Leicestershire & Rutland: The History & Heritage of the Most Iconic Places
Leicestershire is a fascinating and diverse county. Its countryside, market towns and historic buildings attract large numbers of visitors. Place names show evidence of Roman, Saxon and Norman settlement. The Normans built castles and churches and although the castles are now in ruins, Leicestershire has some of the most beautiful parish churches in the country. The Tudor era was born in Leicestershire when Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in August 1485. Centuries later, in 2012, an ambitious excavation project uncovered the remains of Richard III under the site of a Leicester car park, and these have since been reinterred in the city’s cathedral. Some of the canals and railways created in Leicestershire during the Industrial Revolution have become popular heritage sites, and the county is also known for its Stilton cheese and Melton Mowbray pork pies, which are famous throughout the world. Rutland is England’s smallest county and for a time was incorporated into its much larger neighbour of Leicestershire. Its motto is ‘Much in Little’ and this small shire has been described as ‘a scenic slice of Middle England bursting with things to see and do’. In 50 Gems of Leicestershire & Rutland, local author Michael Smith highlights some of his favourite places from both counties. He has selected those locations and sites which give the visitor a real flavour of these shires at the heart of England. Included are historic buildings, parks, open spaces, events and festivals which reflect Leicestershire and Rutland’s rich heritage and diverse cultures. From the River Soar meandering through a thousand years of history to the vast expanse of Rutland Water and from Bronze Age to Jet Age monuments, this is a wonderful illustrated insight into these counties.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Secret Northallerton
Northallerton is the county town of North Yorkshire, and its location – situated in James Herriot Country and between the two national parks of the North Yorkshire Moors and the Yorkshire Dales – makes it a popular destination for visitors. As well as being a thriving market town, it has a long and impressive history stretching back to Roman times. Northallerton suffered over the years from raids by the Scots and it was near to the town that English forces assembled in 1138 for the Battle of the Standard, a significant battle in the long-running conflict with the Scots. Although William I chose to base his army here in 1068, it was the powerful Bishops of Durham who made the town an important ecclesiastical administration centre and built a residence to take full advantage of its location on the main route between Durham and York. Northallerton’s position on the Great North Road also meant that it became a stopping point for coaches between London and Scotland. It developed into a centre for trade and communications, something that continued with the arrival of the railways in the 1840s. In Secret Northallerton author Andrew Graham Stables delves deep into the rich heritage of the town to uncover the stories and some lesser-known facts about the place, its people and events across the centuries. This book will explore the sites of the early history of the town and how this affects its layout today, will reveal evidence of these early buildings and highlight some of the important and notable people who have contributed to the town’s history.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Secret Arundel
The town of Arundel in West Sussex is overlooked by Arundel Castle and the Roman Catholic cathedral, which was built through the support of the Duke of Norfolk, but the history of Arundel is built on much more than the castle and the dukes and earls. Secret Arundel unveils the lesser-known stories of its townspeople and events. These include the wartime German spy scandal that rocked the town’s Home Guard and saw its second-in-command jailed in 1940, how escaped German POWs concealed themselves in a top-secret bunker that was originally intended to house resistance fighters in the event of a Nazi invasion, and the history of the town’s jailhouse and some of those who found themselves locked behind its iron bars. With no fewer than three priories, a friary, a medieval church, a Gothic Revival cathedral and even a Commandery of the Knights Hospitallers nearby, Arundel has had a long and fascinating religious history. The town was also the site of a medieval Jewish community and a stronghold for nonconformism. In Secret Arundel the author explores the lost and disused churches and chapels dotted around the town and its immediate surroundings as well as other unusual stories. With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Arundel will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in West Sussex.
£15.99
Amberley Publishing Falmouth in 50 Buildings
Falmouth is a comparatively modern town, founded by the Killigrew family in the seventeenth century, close to Henry VIII’s Pendennis Castle built to defend the south coast of Cornwall by the River Fal. Arwenack House, home of the powerful Killigrew dynasty whose influence on the area as the founding family of Falmouth is felt throughout the book, still stands today. Many of the buildings of Falmouth reflect the town’s driving forces of religion and its strong nonconformism, the sea and sea-faring, and tourism and entertainment. Examples of religious buildings include the Church of King Charles the Martyr, dating from the town’s creation; the arts and crafts-inspired All Saints’ Church; and the town’s unusual Georgian synagogue. Representatives of Falmouth’s maritime history are the Custom House of 1785 as well as the National Maritime Museum of 2003. Reflecting tourism and entertainment are the beautiful former cinema, St George’s Hall; the Greenbank Hotel; and the town’s railway stations. There are also unusual buildings that give the town its particular identity, including the Arwenack Monument, which has moved around the town since 1737, and Jacob’s Ladder, a set of 112 steps commissioned by a busy merchant to help him reach his business interests more quickly. Today the town also boasts a university, setting up students for life in Falmouth and beyond for the twenty-first century. Falmouth in 50 Buildings explores the history of this fascinating Cornish town through a selection of its most interesting buildings and structures, showing the changes that have taken place in Falmouth over the years. This book will appeal to all those who live in Falmouth or who have an interest in the town.
£13.49
Amberley Publishing Pirates: Truth and Tales
The historian R. H. Tawney famously wrote, ‘The sixteenth century lives in terror of the tramp.’ The eighteenth century lived in terror of the tramps of the seas – pirates. Pirates have fascinated people ever since. It was a harsh life for those who went ‘on the account’, constantly overshadowed by the threat of death – through violence, illness, shipwreck, or the hangman’s noose. The lure of gold, the excitement of the chase and the freedom that life aboard a pirate ship offered were judged by some to be worth the risk. Helen Hollick explores both the fiction and fact of the Golden Age of piracy, and there are some surprises in store for those who think they know their Barbary Corsair from their boucanier.Everyone has heard of Captain Morgan, but who recognises the name of the aristocratic Frenchman Daniel Montbars? He killed so many Spaniards he was known as ‘The Exterminator’. The fictional world of pirates, represented in novels and movies, is different from reality. What draws readers and viewers to these notorious hyenas of the high seas? What are the facts behind the fantasy? Helen Hollick reveals all, weaving into the history her own fictional creations.
£11.99
Amberley Publishing Faces of Nottingham
Throughout its history, the city of Nottingham has been associated with Robin Hood, lace making and bicycles. However, there’s more to Nottingham than lace and legends. In 2015, the city was named ‘Home of English Sport’ and in the same year was named a UNESCO City of Literature, one of only a handful in the world. Today the city is a thriving hub of retail and commerce, with many independent shops and buzzing bars and cafés, and boasts two successful universities. Local photographer Peter McConnochie lives here and knows the city’s streets and squares, its lanes and alleyways. Charged with capturing the essence of Nottingham, he has turned his camera on its inhabitants, the people who make it what it is today. These are the people you’ll find in these pages: shopkeepers, school teachers, businessmen and women, nurses, buskers, restaurant owners, students, and street performers, all of whom take pleasure in being a part of this vibrant city and sharing their stories.
£13.49
Amberley Publishing Spitfire Deserter?: The American Pilot Who Went Missing
In the early morning of 20 April 1942, forty-seven Spitfire Vs of 601 and 603 Squadrons of the Auxiliary Air Force launched from the deck of the American aircraft carrier the USS Wasp, which had sailed to a position north of Algiers. The planes were bound for Malta. At the time, the island was under heavy siege by Axis forces. Salvatore Walcott’s Spitfire never made it; he crash-landed in North Africa, part of Vichy France, and was interned. After attempting to escape, Walcott was liberated at the end of 1942. He returned to the UK and joined the US Army Air Corps and continued to serve as a pilot until the end of the war and afterwards with the USAF during the Berlin airlift. These are the bare bones of the story. But was that landing in Africa ‘an inexplicable defection’, as it has been described? Here is the evidence, alongside an exploration of American and British attitudes to men like Walcott who served under foreign flags. Walcott’s story has been discussed for many years, but here is the truth. Did the Spitfire’s undercarriage fail to retract, as Walcott claimed, or did he lose his nerve? Does the fact that Walcott later gained a reputation as a risk-taker indicate a ‘Lord Jim’ narrative, whereby he tried to make up for a moment of cowardice? Walcott's ultimately tragic tale is set against the larger narrative of Irish/American and British/Vichy France relations, of the Mediterranean theatre, aircraft design, and the US entry into the war.
£18.00
Amberley Publishing South Shields in 50 Buildings
From its days as a booming coal-mining and shipbuilding port in the mid-nineteenth century through post-industrial decline and late twentieth-century regeneration, to its current status as a growing commercial centre and popular tourist destination, South Shields has a proud and distinctive identity. This extraordinary history is embodied in the buildings that have shaped the town. South Shields in 50 Buildings explores the history of this rich and vibrant community through a selection of its greatest architectural treasures. From the magnificent Edwardian town hall to the exciting new ventures such as The Word, this study celebrates the town's architectural heritage in a new and accessible way. Local author Caroline Barnsley guides the reader on a tour of South Shields' historic buildings and modern architectural marvels.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing The Royal Marines and the War at Sea 1939-45
In The Royal Marines and the War at Sea 1939–45 military and naval historian Martin Watts records how marines fought at sea, their relationship with the Royal Navy, and the overall contribution they made to victory in the Second World War. Combining personal narrative with strategical, tactical and technical analysis, this book is centred on the career of the author’s great-uncle, Colour Sergeant Albert ‘Nobby’ Elliott, who saw active service in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Arctic and Indian Oceans. He was Mentioned in Despatches at the Second Battle of Sirte, took part in Operation Torch, and was a gun layer in HMS Jamaicawhen she took part in the sinking of the German battleship Scharnhorston Boxing Day 1943. Nobby finished the war recovering Allied prisoners of war from the south-west Pacific, and was present at the surrender of Japanese forces while on board HMS Glory.
£15.29
Amberley Publishing In or Out?: Europe In Cartoons
Brilliantly witty and full of irreverent fun, this is a tongue-in-cheek look at Europe by leading cartoonist Kipper Williams, whose work regularly appears in the Guardian and The Spectator. From Brussels red tape to tax-dodging corporations, from batty nationalists to plotting Europhiles, from Mrs Merkel to Her Majesty: Kipper Williams finds all the ingredients for comedy in the great Euro debate. He covers international events (Greece’s financial troubles, the refugee crisis) and more local issues (the PM’s rivalry with Boris Johnson and, of course, the 2016 referendum on Brexit), not to mention the more bizarre and ludicrous sides of the EU and British attitudes to our neighbours across the Channel.
£8.09
Amberley Publishing Seventies Spotting Days Around the Western Region
Seventies Spotting Days in the Western Region is a full-colour photographic album depicting the 1970s with coverage of both diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulics from that great period of change on our railways. The captions include items of news, culture, music and personalities from the era to bring back the memories of our youth. Locations within this volume include: Old Oak Common, Paddington, Bristol, Laira, Exeter, Penzance, Cardiff, Fishguard, Dawlish, Swindon, Reading and many more.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing The Mythology of Richard III
Richard III. The name will conjure an image for any reader: Shakespeare’s hunchback tyrant who killed his own nephews or a long-denigrated, misunderstood king. This one man’s character and actions have divided historians and the controversy has always kept interest in Richard alive. However, curiosity surrounding his life and death has reached unprecedented heights in the aftermath of the discovery of his skeleton under a Leicester car park. The myths that have always swirled around Richard III have risen and multiplied and it is time to set the record straight. John Ashdown-Hill, whose research was instrumental in the discovery of Richard III’s remains, explores and unravels the web of myths in this fascinating book.
£10.99
Amberley Publishing Cornish Pirates: Legends
Cornwall has long been recognised as being one of the hotbeds of English rugby enjoying a level of interest and support even outstripping that of football. Ten years ago Penzance and Newlyn rebranded itself as the Cornish Pirates and now operates as the only truly professional sports team in the area. Despite its remote location and low population base it has nevertheless recently twice won national knock-out trophies and twice more reached play-off finals of the Rugby Championship – just one tier below the Premier League. Ex-player Steve Tomlin’s latest book details the lives and playing careers of forty-six leading players and four senior coaches covering both the amateur and professional eras of the club. It is almost entirely based on a series of detailed interviews with the players themselves – or with their colleagues and families if they are no longer with us. Many of those featured played at international level whilst others remained as heroes in their own backyard. It gives a fascinating and often hilarious insight into the lives, pressures, achievements and disappointments of rugby players of different generations and varying backgrounds.
£18.00
Amberley Publishing Leicester in the 1960s: Ten Years that Changed a City
For the people of Leicester, the 1960s was a decade of great social and economic change. It was to see a revolution in social attitudes reflected in the popular music of the time, in fashion, and in the print and broadcast media. Life changed for everyone. Railway stations closed as the motor vehicle grew in popularity. National Service ended, the pirate radio stations were scuppered, colour television became available, and the fashion garments manufactured by Leicester’s giant textile companies were very different and sometimes extreme as hemlines rose dramatically. Changing attitudes led to social conflict between parents and children, teachers and pupils. Meanwhile, the teenagers danced at Il Rondo to The Who and Fleetwood Mac, and swooned to The Beatles at the De Montfort Hall. In Leicester in the 1960s, Stephen Butt charts the excitement and vibrancy of the ‘Swinging Sixties’ and reflects also on the economic and social problems that were just beneath the surface.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing The A-Z Of Football Hates: The Definitive Guide to Everything that is Rotten in the Beautiful Game
Football inspires love and hate in equal measure. It creates sporting moments that live with us forever. It also offers a unique opportunity to pour scorn, inflict blame, and generally get angry. Just look at our treatment of the England team and the fate of almost every premiership manager; football is brilliant at building them up only to knock them down again. But the game inspires so much frustration precisely because fans are so devoted. The things we hate in the game show just how important it is to us. This funny and fascinating collection of ‘football hates’ will ring true with every supporter who both loves the game, and hates what some people do to it. Richard Foster tackles the issues that so incense the ordinary football supporter, from agents to England and from haircuts to diving. The book also features many contributions from well-known figures and, of course, long-suffering fans.
£11.69
Amberley Publishing The Solway Firth to Hartland Point The Fishing Industry Through Time
The fishing industry has always been important to Britain. From the deepsea trawlers to the traditional craft that sailed around the coast, the harbours of the West Coast, Irish Sea and Bristol Channel were once full of craft, large and small, which employed men and women in their thousands. The third volume of Mike Smylie's Fishing Industry Through Time covers from the Solway Firth all the way to Hartland Point in Devon. Fishing was not just about the boats involved but also the people and Mike Smylie gives an insight into the lives of those who worked the boats, who repaired the nets and who gutted and sold the fish. From the mighty trawling port of Fleetwood to salmon fishing on the River Dee, from herring to prawns and cockles, he gives us a rare insight into an almost-lost industry that once employed huge numbers.
£13.49
Amberley Publishing Thank You Hermann Goering: The Life of a Sports Writer
In his time working for the Daily Sketch and Daily Mail, Brian Scovell probably reported on more Test matches and more international football matches than any other English sports writer. This fascinating, amusing and finally very moving memoir is filled with hundreds of anecdotes and insights into top sports personalities and other public figures. And he has Goering to thank for the way his life has turned out. Following a German bombing raid on the Isle of Wight when he was a child, Brian spent two years in hospital listening to match commentaries on the radio and reading the leading sports writer of the day, Tom Phillips. While in that hospital bed, Brian decided on his future career. Thank You, Hermann Goering contains dozens of previously untold stories about, among others, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Princess Diana, Brian Lara, Enoch Powell and Alan Sugar.
£11.69
Amberley Publishing Artorius: The Real King Arthur
The search for the historical figure behind what is arguably the most famous cycle of legends ever has been unrelenting over the centuries. Here, two noted Arthurian experts argue that the man whose story started the Arthurian myth was a soldier named Lucius Artorius Castus who lived at the end of the second century AD. Castus’s extraordinary career took him from one end of the Roman Empire to the other, bringing him into contact with tribespeople among the Steppe nomads – in particular the Sarmatians. For several decades the Sarmatians have been thought to be the inspiration behind Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table, among other British tales. The authors provide a fascinating detective story following the life of Lucius Artorius Castus against the colourful backdrop of the history of the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and his son, the barely sane Commodus. In doing so they reveal the manifold links between Artorius and the legend.
£18.00
Amberley Publishing Boris Johnson in 100 Facts
‘This is a market on our doorstep, ready for further exploitation by British firms. The membership fee seems rather small for all that access. Why are we so determined to turn our back on it?’ Boris Johnson The existential tension of a book of 100 facts about Boris Johnson is the man’s relationship to facts. The product of Britain’s top schools, he clearly knows better. But he has thrived less through displays of a hard-won and formidable erudition than by shading, exaggerating, or outright misstating the truth. Although he idolizes Winston Churchill, he has much more in common with US President Donald Trump. By creating a brand, a shtick, a persona, BoJo has transformed himself from a disgraced journalist into the most popular politician in Britain. Known for introducing Boris Bikes and Boris Buses while Mayor of London, Johnson’s most lasting legacy is likely to stem from his creation of Boris Facts, assertions of verisimilitude instead of veracity. By propagating these quasi-truths, an Old Etonian who had spent years living abroad managed to become, improbably, a champion of Little England, a motive force behind Brexit, and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. His story, like the man himself, is fascinating, hilarious – and scarcely believable.
£8.99