Search results for ""History Press""
The History Press Ltd Warlords: The Struggle for Power in Post-Roman Britain
The centuries after the end of Roman control of Britain in AD 410 are some of the most vital in Britain's history - yet some of the least understood. "Warlords" brings to life a world of ambition, brutality and violence in a politically fragmented land, and provides a compelling new history of an age that would transform Britain. By comparing the archaeology against the available historical sources for the period, "Warlords" presents a coherent picture of the political and military machinations of the fifth and sixth centuries that laid the foundations of English and Welsh history. Included are the warring personalities of the local leaders and a look at the enigma of King Arthur. Some warlords sought power within the old Roman framework; some used an alternative British approach; and, others exploited the emerging Anglo-Saxon system - but for all warlords, the struggle was for power.
£22.50
The History Press Ltd The Rise and Fall of the North American Indians: From Prehistory to Geronimo
This is the definitive account of 10,000 years of North American Indian history. It has been described by American History Illustrated, America's leading popular history magazine, as ‘An eloquent and exhaustive chronicle of the history of North America’s peoples’.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Loos 1915
The battle of Loos was one of the most hard-fought battles that the British Expeditionary Force waged during the First World War. This work presents an interpretation of Loos, placing it not only within its political and strategic context, but also discussing command and control and the tactical realities of war on the Western Front during 1915.
£15.99
The History Press Ltd We All Wore Blue: Experiences in the WAAF
Muriel Gane was just eighteen when war was declared. This book tells the story of Muriel's experiences with the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, her journey from the new recruit whose primary obsession was how well the blue of the uniform suited her, to a resolute and hard-working young woman with a wide social life and successful air-force career.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd Herefordshire Pubs: Britain in Old Photographs
Illustrated with over 200 old photographs, postcards and promotional advertisements, this absorbing collection offers the reader an insight into the life of many Herefordshire pubs past and present, and highlights some of the changes and events that have taken place during the last century. The selection relates the history of Herefordshire's many pubs, from the days when they were filled with agricultural workers and gentlemen drinkers (and the occasional dentist or doctor plying his trade) to the pool tables and cigarette machines of today's establishments. The book provides a fascinating and comprehensive history of brewing in the county, and is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of Herefordshire or pubs in general.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd A Willingness to Die: Memories from Fighter Command
In 1938 Brian Kingcome joined the RAF with a permanent commission and was posted to No 65 Fighter Squadron at Hornchurch, soon to be equipped with the Spitfire, and so it came about that Brian flew the Spitfire throughout the war. He became acting CO for No 92 Squadron at Biggin Hill and led over sixty operations, achieving the highest success rate of any squadron in the Battle of Britain. In May 1943 Brian joined Desert Air Force in Malta and took command of 244 Wing. At this time he was confirmed Flight Lieutenant, acting Squadron Leader, acting Wing Commander and at twenty-five was one of the youngest Group Captains in the Royal Air Force. Brian Kingcome may have been the last Battle of Britain pilot of repute to put his extraordinary story into print; looked upon by other members of his squadron as possibly their finest pilot, his nonetheless unassuming memoirs are related with a subtle and compassionate regard for a generation who were, as he felt, born to a specific task. Brian's memoirs have been edited and introduced by Peter Ford, ex-National Serviceman in Malaya.
£11.99
The History Press Ltd Ancient Trees, Living Landscapes
Over the last 25 years, archaeologists and historians have been increasingly aware of the importance of woodland in the developing British landscape – in particular, how trees have been a vital component of the living cultural landscape. Ancient Trees, Living Landscapes begins by questioning the myth that in prehistoric times Britain was swathed in a virtually impenetrable wildwood. In fact, from the earliest times woodland has been manipulated and transformed. The author then looks at Britain’s great ‘landmark trees’, before examining the function of ancient trees and hedgerows in the landscape. The Middle Ages saw the multiplication of deer parks, with the special management needed to feed and shelter deer and to give cover to stalkers. These, with their lawns, groves and pollard-studded pastures, greatly influenced the great landscape parks of the eighteenth century, developed by Repton and Lancelot Brown. There are, too, important chapters on the life and work of the Men of the Forest, and on Woodlands of the Mind – the all-important symbolism of trees as well as their utilitarian function in Britain’s landscape. Throughout the book Richard Muir, who describes himself as ‘a Dalesman by birth, a Scot by inclination’, gives equal weight to the evidence from the north of Britain, whereas earlier writers have concentrated on the south. In an age when institutional interests are increasingly pervasive, he stresses the importance of the work of the individual researcher and amateur enthusiast.
£22.50
The History Press Ltd Workhouses of the North: Images of England
Friday nights were bath nights. Immediately after tea we were given a good scrub with the brushes the girls used on the floor. No fancy smelling soaps, just carbolic and should this get into your eyes it really was painful. Then we were given a flannel nightshirt each. Some only just covered our knees because they had already been cut down to repair other nightshirts.Then we were lined up in front of the Matron who gave us a dose of brimstone and treacle then off to bed. Such was the fear and dread of 'ending one's days in the workhouse' that even in recent years older people could recall the feelings of horror that such a threat conjured up.That a system introduced to help the poor and a destitute could become such a reviled and feared institution is a mystery to most of us today but a study of it can repay with a better understanding of a broader social, political, economic and eve architectural history of Britain. Increasingly today little remains of these great and gloomy edifices, although some found new uses and survive. People are often surprised to discover that a former workhouse building still exists in the locality.This book takes a look at both surviving and lost examples of workhouse buildings in the North of England, covering the old counties of Cumberland, Northumberland, Durham, Westmorland, Lancashire and Yorkshire. Family, local and social historians will all find it a source of useful reference and for the general reader it will provide an interesting account of an institution that few were sorry to see the end of.
£13.07
The History Press Ltd Greek Passenger Liners
In the early 1950s it seemed as if Greek shipping companies were springing up everywhere. For a country almost unknown as a passenger ship-owning state, the likes of the Greek Line, Chandris and Epirotiki burst onto the scene, often using second hand tonnage and ships acquired from the Western European fleets that were being updated. The lines soon took advantage of the mass emigration from Europe to Australia and New Zealand as well as cruising, which was then in its infancy. Although many of the Greek lines such as Royal Olympic Cruises are now gone, the likes of Chandris still survives today as Celebrity Cruises. Bill Miller, the noted maritime historian, brings together a collection of images of his favourite Greek liners and tells of the history of the Greek fleets that made the world of cruising so exciting in the last half century.
£17.99
The History Press Ltd Viking Clothing
Describing the different garments worn by women and men, this book looks at the aspects of cloth production - raw materials, production tools and techniques for woven and non-woven textiles, decorative textiles and embroidery. It also shows how much can be reconstructed from the discoveries of archaeological excavation.
£19.80
The History Press Ltd Horse Transport in London
From the waterways to the motor car, London's transport has undergone a huge evolution. This collection of archive images examines the vehicles that helped change the face of transport in London in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. From the horse cabs in 1823 to the last tram ride to London's streets in 1952, this book includes such inventions as George Shillibeer's horse omnibus, the history of the hackney coach service, and the effects of petrol and electricity on the industry.Accompanied by informative commentary, the book contains over 200 photographs to chart this very important aspect of London life. Samantha Ratcliffe is a curator at London's Transport Museum. This selection of photographs and ephemera has been chosen from the archives of the museum, providing an important record of the days of horse-drawn transport in London.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Yeavering: People, Power & Place
A history of Yeavering.
£20.25
The History Press Ltd Mining in Cornwall Vol 7: South Crofty Mine, The East Pool & Agar Mine
Continuing the Mining in Cornwall series, L.J. Bullen depicts three mines from the Central Mining District. Most of the scenes date from around 1900 to the early twenty-first century. This was the period that saw the decline of the industry, but renews hope was generated in the 1960s with the much improved world price for tin. Some of the leading mining corporations of the world became involved.A great deal of exploratory work, including diamond drilling, took place and a number of mines were reopened. One entirely new mine was commenced. The sudden and dramatic collapse of the tin price on the London Metal exchange in October 1985 hit the world's tin industry severely and was a particular blow to the deep underground mines of Cornwall. Since that time the price has been depressed and never in its long history has the price for that metal remained at such a low level for so many years.South Crofty Mine finally succumbed in 1998 and was the last tin mine to operate in the Duchy. In this, his seventh volume, the author provides a remarkable portrayal of an ancient industry which is now consigned to history. However, the mineral resources of Cornwall are still considerable and perhaps at some time in the future a combination of different economic and political circumstances will bring about a renaissance.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Campbell College
A history of Campbell College.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords and Princes
When Edward I's troops forced the destruction of Dafydd ap Gruffudd in 1283 they brought to an end the line of truly independent native rulers in Wales that had endured throughout recorded history. In the early middle ages Wales was composed of a variety of independent kingdoms with varying degrees of power, influence and stability, each ruled by proud and obdurate lineages. In this period a 'Kingdom of Wales' never existed, but the more powerful leaders, like Rhodri Mawr (the Great), Gruffudd ap Llywelyn and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, sought to extend their rule over the entire country. The author produces revealing pictures of the leading Welsh kings and princes of the day and explores both their contribution to Welsh history and their impact on the wider world. They were, of necessity, warriors, living in a violent political world and requiring ruthless skills to even begin to rule in Wales. Yet they showed wider vision, political acumen and statesmanship, and were patrons of the arts and the church. The history of their contact with their neighbours, allies and rivals is examined - Anglo-Saxons, Irish, Vikings, and Anglo-Normans - thereby setting Welsh institutions within their wider historical context. This work revives the memory of the native leaders of the country from a time before the title 'Prince of Wales' became an honorary trinket in the gift of a foreign ruler. These men are restored to their rightful place amongst the past rulers of the island of Britain.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd The Black Death in London
The Black Death of 1348–49 may have killed more than 50% of the European population. This book examines the impact of this appalling disaster on England's most populous city, London. Using previously untapped documentary sources alongside archaeological evidence, a remarkably detailed picture emerges of the arrival, duration and public response to this epidemic and subsequent fourteenth-century outbreaks. Wills and civic and royal administration documents provide clear evidence of the speed and severity of the plague, of how victims, many named, made preparations for their heirs and families, and of the immediate social changes that the aftermath brought. The traditional story of the timing and arrival of the plague is challenged and the mortality rate is revised up to 50%–60% in the first outbreak, with a population decline of 40–45% across Edward III’s reign. Overall, The Black Death in London provides as detailed a story as it is possible to tell of the impact of the plague on a major mediaeval English city.
£15.17
The History Press Ltd Cwm Rhondda Fach: Trehafod to Maerdy
A history of Cwm Rhondda Fach
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Maritime Ireland: An Archaeology of Coastal Communities
Ireland is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by seas that link it to a wider world. From earliest times, its peoples have lived beside its shorelines, bays and estuaries, navigating seaways and gathering diverse resources. Since Ireland's first peoples arrived - Mesolithic hunter-gatherers who came by boat about 10,000 years ago - the sea has been of enormous cultural, economic and ideological significance in its long story. In this book, two of Ireland's leading maritime archaeologists explore rich and intriguing evidence for its past maritime resources and traditions and how these changed through prehistory, the Middle Ages and up until the present day. Using archaeological discoveries, linked with historical and environmental evidence, they reveal the often overlooked cultural heritage of Ireland's coastal landscapes in their European and Atlantic contexts. This book will appeal to anyone interested in Ireland's cultural, environmental and maritime inheritance - and to anyone who has walked along this island's shoreline and wondered about its peoples and its past.
£22.50
The History Press Ltd Maldon and Heybridge Revisited
A history of Maldon and Heybridge
£14.99
The History Press Ltd The Sodburys: Images of England
This book is a splendid pictorial record of Chipping Sodbury, Little Sodbury and Old Sodbury containing over 240 old photographs. It provides a valuable record of the local landscape, people and events from late Victorian times until the middle years of this century. Drawn mainly from photographs and postcards in private collections and using personal memories and anecdotes, the compilation depicts much from a way of life that is no more. Yet, just occasionally, certain pleasing aspects appear to have changed little over the years. It is incumbent upon us to strive to retain these for future generations. Carnival parades, village fetes, charabanc outings and transport are all recorded, long lost shopkeepers stand in their doorways and, in one photograph, a lonely lady plods up the street with her horse and coal cart. Troops parade in the streets at the start of the First World War while women are seen carrying on with the tasks at home. Men work at the quarry face, children pose with their peers in the village school, navvies toil at the construction of the Badminton railway tunnel, and we are shown the glorious cricketing summers of the 1890s.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Sopwith Aviation Company: Images of Aviation
In the autumn of 1910, when he was twenty-two years old, Tommy Sopwith bought himself an aeroplane, took it to Brooklands aerodrome and taught himself to fly. In those early days he soon achieved prominence, capturing Britain's endurance and distance records - and the attention of King George V - within weeks of his first flight. He could hardly have imagined then, however, that just two years later he would be head of the Sopwith Aviation Company, nor that during the coming conflict that were to emerge from its workshops - and those of its many sub-contractors - thousands of Britain's best warplanes: the Triplane, the Snipe, the Dolphin, the Cuckoo and - most famously of all - the Sopwith Camel, credited with destroying more enemy planes than any other fighter of the First World War. He would have been even more surprised to learn that, though this first company would not long survive the end of hostilities, in its place would arise a new one which, under his guidance, was in the course of time to grow into the giant Hawker-Siddeley Group. But that is beyong the scope of this book, which focuses on those early days when a young man took up flying as a sport, only to find that he had evolved into an aviation entrepreneur.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd Folklore of Wales
Wales is a Celtic country and the Celts have always treasured oral learning and recitation. Indeed they have a passion for committing facts to memory rather than relying on the written word. So it is no surprise, as we can see from Anne Ross's study, that Welsh folklore and story-telling is so rich and varied. In addition to examining the part played by the medieval church in this oral tradition, individual chapters cover legends associated with place-names; calendar customs; giants and monsters; omens and second sight; witches, ghosts and faries; supernatural birds and animals; folk healing and herbal remedies. The landscape is studded with the remains of ancient monuments, which are seen as the creation of gods and heroes. Every lake had its legend, whether it be inhabited by a grim, monstrous afanc, or by a beautiful, enchanted maiden, or maybe harbours a drowned settlement where the bell still tolls to warm of approaching storms. Giants stalk the land, while faries can be dangerous, hostile and demanding propitiation. Omens of potential marriage partners were avidly sought by girls, while ghostly death-lights - corpse candles - could be seen moving relentlessly towards the person who was doomed to death. A whole world of the past is to be found in this rich treasure house of inherited lore.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd Burnley: Images of England
The historic array of old photographs of Burnley has been selected by the author from the extensive collection held at Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum. These old images are sure to evoke strong memories for many and show newcomers and the younger generation how things used to be in Burnley.From rapid growth created by the textile industry to the development of various local government and social concerns such as the Victoria Hospital and the art gallery and museum at Towneley Hall, the photographs illustrate some of the many changes that have taken place between 1850 and 1960. Local characters are also documented, including the 'demon cyclist' from Rosegrove and 'Long de Dong' the match seller. Contemporary descriptions and people's memories highlight the scenes, revealing local attitudes and the local sense of humour.This selection, which includes many previously unpublished photographs, pays tribute to the way this fascinating town has been shaped over the years. It is certain to interest anyone who has fond memories of the town, while providing a tantalising glimpse into the recent past for those who are less well acquainted with the Burnley of yesteryear.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd Bowdon and Dunham Massey: Images of England
This fascinating book of more than 200 photographs from the last 150 years shows local people, buildings and the environment of Bowdon and the neighbouring estate of Dunham Massey. Straddling the main road between Chester and Manchester, Bowdon and Dunham Massey lie to the south of the Mersey Valley, which divides the historic County Palatine of Chester from Lancashire. In AD 1000 the two districts formed a manorial estate that has developed during the millennium under a variety of landowners. The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries saw salt working, advances in agriculture, forestry and improved transport, while the area provided the ideal rural retreat for Victorian industrial and commercial entrepreneurs from further north. Later, during the Second World War, part of the area was used as a US military base and prisoner-of-war camp for German and Italian soldiers, some of whom still revisit the area today. This splendid collection of images captures the absorbing history of the Bowdon and Dunham Massey area and will inspire a new generation to be interested in their past.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd Alchemy: Brian Clough & Peter Taylor at Hartlepools United
Boxing Day 1962: Sunderland’s star striker Brian Clough suffers a career-ending knee injury when he collides with an outrushing goalkeeper. After a forlorn battle to regain fitness, he retires early and sinks into deep despair.October 1965: Clough persuades ex-’Boro teammate Peter Taylor to join him in managing perennial North-East strugglers Hartlepools United, lying next to bottom of the Fourth Division.A magical football odyssey has begun.Alchemy reveals the bittersweet reality of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor’s first management job together. Lower-league Hartlepools United are penniless, with a meddling chairman, a ramshackle ground and want-away players. Yet the management pair tackle every challenge head-on, forging a winning blueprint that later transforms unfashionable Derby County and Nottingham Forest into League and European Cup champions.Exploiting a wealth of archive newspapers, plus interviews with those present at the creation, Alchemy exposes the humble origins of Clough & Taylor’s meteoric rise to the top of the football tree.
£18.00
The History Press Ltd The Ocean in a Drop: Navigating from Crisis to Consciousness
The bad news is that our civilisation is collapsing. The good news is that you are already helping create a new and better one.The Ocean in a Drop follows the quest of Roz Savage, a frustrated environmentalist and ocean adventurer, to find out why her own endeavours and the environmental movement more generally have failed to achieve change of the necessary scope, scale and speed. Her journey takes her from the environment through economics and politics into patriarchy and a global culture of domination – the domination of rich over poor, strong over weak, humanity over nature. She examines the tragic psychological flaws in the way we think, and the apparent inevitability of civilisational collapse, and deduces that our best hope is to transcend the current trap of runaway materialism. But how?Exploring cutting-edge theories on the nature of reality and the relationship between matter and consciousness, she peels back the veils of our shared delusions to arrive at a new narrative about what it means to be human in the twenty-first century. She paints a bold, exciting vision of a future in which people and planet thrive.
£18.00
The History Press Ltd British Canals: The Standard History
The first edition of British Canals was published in 1950 and was much admired as a pioneering work in transport history. Joseph Boughey, with the advice of Charles Hadfield, has previously revised and updated the perennially popular material to reflect more recent changes. For this ninth edition, Joseph Boughey discusses the many new discoveries and advances in the world of canals around Britain, inevitably focussing on the twentieth century to a far greater extent than in any previous edition of this book, while still within the context of Hadfield's original work.
£17.99
The History Press Ltd Hitler's Spy Princess: The Extraordinary Life of Stephanie von Hohenlohe
A portrait of Stephanie von Hohenlohe (1891-1972), notorious as a secret go-between and even a professional blackmailer. Despite her Jewish roots, Stephanie always claimed to be of pure Aryan descent. Soon enough, Hitler would begin to employ her on secret diplomatic missions.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Great War Fashion: Tales from the History Wardrobe
Imagine stepping into someone else’s shoes. Walking back in time a century ago, which shoes would they be? A pair of silk sensations costing thousands of pounds designed by Yanturni of Paris, or wooden clogs with metal cleats that spark on the cobbles of a factory yard? Would your shoes be heavy with mud from trudging along duckboards between the tents of a front-line hospital or stuck with tufts of turf from a football pitch? Would you be cloaked in green and purple, brandishing a ‘Votes for Women’ banner, or would you be respectably dressed, restricted by your thigh-length corset? Great War Fashion opens the wardrobe of women in the years before the outbreak of war to explore the real woman behind the stiff, mono-bosomed ideal of Edwardian society, and closes it on a new breed of women who have donned trousers and overalls to feed the nation and work in munitions factories and who, clad in mourning, have loved and lost a whole generation of men. The journey through Great War Fashion is not just about the changing clothes and fashions of the war years – it is a journey into the lives of the women who lived under the shadow of war and were irrevocably changed by it. Using material from her own extensive collection, renowned costume expert Lucy Adlington brings an inspiring generation of women to life with rare and stunning images alongside a narrative that is both deeply poignant and laugh-out-loud funny.
£22.50
The History Press Ltd Sir Henry Royce: Establishing Rolls-Royce, from Motor Cars to Aero Engines
It’s hard to imagine a history of British engineering without Rolls-Royce: there would be no Silver Ghost, no Merlin for the Spitfire, no Alcock and Brown. Rolls-Royce is one of the most recognisable brands in the world.But what of the man who designed them?The youngest of five children, Frederick Henry Royce was born into almost Dickensian circumstances: the family business failed by the time he was 4, his father died in a Greenwich poorhouse when he was 9, and he only managed two fragmented years of formal schooling. But he made all of it count.In Sir Henry Royce: Establishing Rolls-Royce, from Motor Cars to Aero Engines, acclaimed aeronautical historian Peter Reese explores the life of an almost forgotten genius, from his humble beginnings to his greatest achievements. Impeccably researched and featuring almost 100 illustrations, this is the remarkable story of British success on a global stage.
£17.99
The History Press Ltd Sacred Secrets: Freemasonry, the Bible and Christian Faith
Who were Tubalcain, Aholiab and Zabud and what is their significance for the Freemason? There is a general interest in the rituals of Freemasonry, generated in part by the apparently obscure references they contain. This is the only book that offers a guide to the stories used in Masonic ritual and their links to the Bible and Christianity. The new Mason is directed to a ‘serious contemplation of the Volume of the Sacred Law’ — but that is easier said than done without a grounding in the Scriptures, something that fewer and fewer people have. The historical and geographical setting of the Bible is explained here, making such contemplation easier for Mason and non-Mason alike.Mike Neville has systematically cross-referenced the most influential Chapters of the Bible to the ceremonies. It is his intention to get Freemasons to understand the ritual — not just to memorise and regurgitate — as well as to elucidate for the non-Mason. Sacred Secrets will aid the clergy, theologians and any other person interested in Freemasonry to see the links between ritual and scripture.
£23.77
The History Press Ltd Rigged: The Incredible True Story of the Whistleblowers Jailed after Exposing the Rotten Heart of the Financial System
Rigged exposes a cover-up at the highest level on both sides of the Atlantic, upending the official story of the biggest scandal since the global financial crisis. It picks up where The Big Short leaves off, as the dark clouds of the financial crisis gather. Banks’ health is judged by an interest rate called Libor (the London Interbank Offered Rate). The higher the Libor, the worse off the bank; too high and it’s goodnight Vienna. Libor is heading skywards. To save themselves from collapse, nationalisation and loss of bonuses, banks instruct traders to manipulate Libor down – a criminal practice known as lowballing. Outraged, traders turn whistleblowers, alerting the authorities.As Rigged reveals, their instructions come first from top bosses – then from central banks and governments. But when the scandal explodes into the news, prosecutors allow banks to cover up the evidence pointing to the top. Instead, they accuse 37 traders of another kind of interest rate ‘rigging’ that no-one had seen as a crime. In nine trials from 2015 to 2019, nineteen are convicted and sentenced. Rigged exclusively shows why all the defendants are innocent, and how any real culprits go unpunished.How could this happen? Turns out, it’s not just the market that’s rigged.It’s the entire system.
£22.50
The History Press Ltd Marshal Zhukov at the Oder: The Decisive Battle for Berlin
In the dying months of the Second World War on 31 January 1945, the first Red Army troops reached the River Oder, barely forty miles from Berlin. Everyone at Soviet Headquarters expected Marshal Zhukov's troops quickly to bring the war to an end. But despite bitter fighting by both sides, a bloody stalemate persisted for two months. At the end of this time the Soviet bridgeheads north and south of Kustrin were eventually united, and the Nazi fortress finally fell. Tony Le Tissier has written an impressively detailed account of the Nazi-Soviet battles in the Oderbruch and for the Seelow Heights, east of Berlin. They culminated in 1945 with the last major land battle in Europe that proved decisive for the fate of Berlin - and the Third Reich. Drawing on official sources and the personal accounts of soldiers from both sides who were involved, Le Tissier has meticulously reconstructed the Soviets' difficult breakthrough on the Oder: the establishment of bridgeheads, the battle for the fortress of Kustrin, and the bloody fight for the Seelow Heights. Numerous maps help the reader follow the ebb and flow of battle, and a selection of archive photographs paint a sobering picture of the final death throes of Hitler's Thousand-Year Reich.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd Samhain: The Roots of Halloween
‘An excellent and comprehensive exploration of this fascinating subject.’ - Philip Carr-Gomm, author Druid Mysteries‘Samhain was the entry point into winter, a time of hardship, cold and hunger … It was also a time of introspection, of communing with the dead and the otherworld – themes that have somehow survived, albeit distorted, into the modern era.’The modern celebration of Halloween is derived from the ancient festival of the dead known in Ireland as Samhain. It is from Ireland that we have inherited most of our Halloween traditions, mainly through the diaspora. Delving into the ancient past, this book uncovers the history of this festival in Britain, Ireland and Brittany, including the forgotten goddess Tlachtga and the sacred temple of the Druids in Co. Meath, where the first Halloween fires were lit.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd The Prince and the Plunder: How Britain took one small boy and hundreds of treasures from Ethiopia
'Extraordinary and thrilling ... This story should be known to every man, woman and child' - Lemn SissayIn 1868, British troops charged into the mountain empire of Ethiopia, stormed the citadel of its monarch Tewodros II and grabbed piles of his treasures and sacred manuscripts. They also took his son – six-year-old Prince Alamayu – and brought the boy back with them to the cold shores of England.For the first time, Andrew Heavens tells the whole story of Alamayu, from his early days in his father’s fortress on the roof of Africa to his new home across the seas, where he charmed Queen Victoria, chatted with Lord Tennyson and travelled with his towering red-headed guardian Captain Speedy. The orphan prince was celebrated but stereotyped and never allowed to go home.The book also follows the loot – Ethiopia’s ‘Elgin Marbles’ – and tracks it down to its current hiding places in bank vaults, museum store cupboards and a boarded-up cavity in Westminster Abbey.A story of adventure, trauma and tragedy, The Prince and the Plunder is also a tale for our times, as we re-examine Britain’s past, pull down statues of imperial grandees and look for other figures to commemorate and celebrate in their place.
£20.69
The History Press Ltd The Times England's World Cup: The Full Story of the 2019 Tournament
The Cricket World Cup in 2019 was the first to be held in England for 20 years and expectations were high. It did not disappoint. Over six weeks and 48 matches it showcased the best that the one-day game has to offer, with compelling individual performances and spellbinding matches – all culminating in England’s unforgettable victory over New Zealand in the final. The Times England’s World Cup gives you a chance to relive the drama as it happened with the best of cricket writers.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Zero Altitude: How I Learned to Fly Less and Travel More
In recent decades, private jets have become status symbols for the world’s wealthiest, while quick and easy flights have brought far-flung destinations within the reach of everyone. But at what cost to the environment? Around the world, flying emits around 860 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, and until the outbreak of Covid-19, the aviation industry was one of the planet’s fastest-growing polluters. Now is the perfect time to pause and take stock of our toxic relationship with flying. Part climate-change investigation, part travel memoir, Zero Altitude follows Helen Coffey as she journeys as far as she can in the course of her job as a top travel journalist – all without getting on a single flight. Between trips by train, car, boat and bike, she meets climate experts and activists at the forefront of the burgeoning flight-free movement. Over the course of her travels, she discovers that keeping both feet on the ground is not only possible but that it can be an exhilarating opportunity for adventure. Her book is brimming with tips and ideas for swapping the middle seat for the open road.
£16.99
The History Press Ltd Piccadilly: London’s West End and the Pursuit of Pleasure
Piccadilly, London’s milelong western artery, was originally known for its busy coaching inns and magnificent aristocratic palaces, and, more recently, for its internationally renowned department stores, theatres, restaurants and hotels. At the junction of five major roads, Piccadilly Circus became known as the ‘Hub of Empire’. Balancing enterprise, profit and pleasure, it marks the divide between polite society and a bustling nightlife.In this book, London historian Stephen Hoare explores how and why ‘Dilly’ has always been a haunt for pleasure seekers. It traces the development of London’s West End from its aristocratic origins right through to its hedonistic heyday, when the Bright Young Things rubbed shoulders with royalty, film stars, gangsters, pimps and prostitutes. Today, Piccadilly’s traditional institutions, such as Hatchards, Fortnum and Mason, the Royal Academy and the Ritz, sit alongside sushi bars, Viennese coffee shops and fashionable jewellers and boutiques as the neon lights of the Circus continue to attract visitors from across the globe.
£18.00
The History Press Ltd Water Gypsies: A History of Life on Britain's Rivers and Canals
For centuries, living afloat on Britain’s waterways has been a rich part of the fabric of our social history, from the fisherfolk of ancient Britain to the bohemian houseboat dwellers of the 1950s and beyond.Whether they have chosen to leave the land behind and take to the water or been driven there by necessity, the history of the houseboat is a unique and fascinating seam of British history.In Water Gypsies, Julian Dutton – who was born and grew up on a houseboat – traces the evolution of boat-dwelling, from an industrial phenomenon in the heyday of the canals to the rise of life afloat as an alternative lifestyle in postwar Britain.Drawing on personal accounts and with a beautiful collection of illustrations, Water Gypsies is both a vivid narrative of a unique way of life and a valuable addition to social history.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd The A-Z of Curious County Limerick: Strange Stories of Mysteries, Crimes and Eccentrics
Limerick’s history stretches back over thousands of years. It is famed for pigs and poetry, but so far only the surface of its past has been revealed.The A–Z of Curious County Limerick looks at the forgotten tales, such as the story of the deer that ran amok through the streets of Limerick City and the man who was sentenced to work in a bog. Many of these stories of the area were well known and talked about at the time but did not get passed down to recent generations.Each letter of the alphabet leads to another weird or wonderful tale, from animals and their amazing antics, to Zepp the travelling chip salesman.
£14.99
The History Press Ltd The Touring Caravan Story: Over a Century of Towing
Follow the story of the touring caravan for over 100 years.From its origins as a rich man’s pastime in the early twentieth century, the modern touring caravan has grown into the holiday leisure vehicle of choice for many everyday families in the modern age. Alongside nostalgic memories from caravanners looking back at joyful holidays, Andrew Jenkinson examines the evolution of the touring caravan and its accessories in this beautifully illustrated book.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd The Little Book of Pintfulness
Overcome the stresses and strains of a complicated, anxiety-ridden life by rediscovering the ancient art of Pintfulness. More recent, fashionable but unproven ideas, such as Mindfulness, have pushed Pintfulness into an under-appreciated niche. The Little Book of Pintfulness proves that rediscovering the ancient art of imbibing pints can help every generation to chill the hell out and regain a sense of equilibrium, while imparting a great deal of beer-related knowledge along the way. Full to the brim with useful tips on drinking etiquette and fascinating facts, this celebration of the world’s third-most favourite drink will turn you into a well-rounded beer expert – but not a beer bore. Many truths can be found at the bottom of a pint glass.
£10.99
The History Press Ltd A History of Ocean Liners in 50 Objects
Explore the history of ocean liners through the objects that bring them to life. Liners represented the ambitions of their nations in peace and war; their design, interiors and fittings incorporated the finest contemporary technological and artistic features. In peacetime they carried celebrities, vacationers and emigrants; while in war they carried thousands of troops – and then war brides seeking new lives. A History of Ocean Liners in 50 Objects takes in evolving technology, supreme luxury and fine cuisine, as well as hardship and the burning hope for a better life. There is peril, disaster and death, international pride and competition, glory and war. The objects tell a fascinating story, showing how the functional sea voyage has evolved from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century to the huge cruise industry we have today.
£18.00
The History Press Ltd 180 Years of Cunard
Cunard’s first ship, Britannia, set sail across the Atlantic on 4 July 1840, inaugurating a service that has endured for 175 years. Cunard’s success is in part due to its continuous technological advances; from the early years of wooden paddle steamers to steel-hulled leviathans, electric lighting to steam turbine engines. But it is the ships themselves, the shipbuilders, managers, crew and guests that have had the greatest impact on the success of the line, creating unique environments full of personality. The Cunard fleet answered the call of duty during the two world wars and transported thousands of troops to fight for the Allied forces. Cunard’s QE2 was a much-beloved liner and the most famous ship at sea, participating in the Falklands campaign and sailing more than 2.5 million miles during a 40-year career. Today the three current Queens are a celebration of Cunard’s heritage and are considered to be some of the greatest ships in the world, providing luxurious accommodation, excellent service and lively entertainment whilst their passengers travel the world. This book uses stunning photographs and personal stories to explore the history of these magnificent ships.
£19.99
The History Press Ltd Unsolved Aviation Mysteries: Five Strange Tales of Air and Sea
Conspiracy theories of sabotage, murder and even UFOs flourish around the greatest unsolved mysteries of aviation from the twentieth century. This account of the most intriguing loose ends from aeronautical history provides the known details of five great mysteries and the best (and most colourful) attempts to explain what might have happened. Planes disappearing out of the sky, shady dealings with Sri-Lankan businessmen, the plummeting death of the richest man in the world in 1928 and even the Kennedy family all feature in these gripping open cases. Having previously written about the Dyatlov Pass Incident and cast his detail-oriented eye over many other aviation mishaps, Keith McCloskey now turns his attention to reassessing these five mysteries –all of which occurred over water, none of them ever resolved.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Dracula's Wars: Vlad the Impaler and his Rivals
The real Dracula was far from Bram Stoker’s well-mannered aristocrat. Better known as Vlad the Impaler, he was named for his favoured execution method: running a spear through his victim’s lower body, then standing them upright so it skewered their vital organs. In a world ruled by petty tyrants and constantly at war, the young Dracula was held hostage by the Turks while his father was assassinated and his brother was buried alive. Finally released, Dracula conducted an almighty purge, surrounding his palace with noblemen impaled on stakes. Then he turned his attention to military campaigns against the Turks and Bulgars to consolidate his power. Yet to Romanians and the Pope he was a hero and liberator, fighting to protect his kingdom and countrymen from invasion in a complex and treacherous time. And, as an initiate in the Order of the Dragon, Dracula also played a vital (if not entirely noble) part in the fight against the Ottoman war machine. In this full account of Vlad Dracula, James Waterson details the good and the bad of this warlord prince, offering a fascinating insight into the violent end of the Middle Ages.
£12.99
The History Press Ltd Slaughter on the Eastern Front: Hitler and Stalin’s War 1941-1945
In the summer of 1941, a collective madness overtook Adolf Hitler and his senior generals. They convinced themselves that they could take on and defeat a superpower in the making – the Soviet Union. Foolishly, they thought in a swift campaign they could smash the Red Army and force Stalin to sue for peace, despite dire warnings that Stalin was amassing a reserve army of more than 1 million men on the Volga. The end result would be such carnage that it would tear the German forces apart. In his major reassessment of the war on the Eastern Front, Anthony Tucker-Jones casts new light on the brutal fighting, including such astounding German defeats as at Stalingrad, Kursk, Minsk and, finally, Berlin. He controversially contends that from the very start intelligence officers on both sides failed to influence their leadership resulting in untold slaughter. He also reveals the shocking blunders by Hitler, Stalin and even Churchill that led to the appalling, needless destruction of Hitler’s armed forces as early as the winter of 1941–42. Step by step, Tucker-Jones describes how the German war machine fought to its very last against a relentless enemy, fully aware that defeat was inevitable.
£16.99
The History Press Ltd The Sister Queens: Isabella and Catherine de Valois
Isabella de Valois was 3 years old when, on a hot August day in 1392, her father suddenly went mad. Less than four years later, she was married by proxy to the English King Richard II and arrived in England with a French retinue and her doll’s house. Richard’s humiliating deposition and brutal murder by his cousin, the future Henry IV, forced Isabella’s desperate return to France where she found her country fatally divided. Isabella’s sister, Catherine de Valois, became the beautiful young bride of Henry V and is unique in history for being the daughter of a king, the wife of a king, the mother of a king and the grandmother of a king. Like her sister, Catherine was viewed as a bargaining chip in times of political turmoil, yet her passionate love affair with the young Owain Tudor established the entire Tudor dynasty and set in motion one of the most fascinating periods of British history. The Sister Queens is a gripping tale of love, exile and conflict in a time when even royal women had to fight for survival.
£12.99