Search results for ""the history press""

Glaswegians are talkers, blaggers and storytellers. They love to wind each other up and to trigger a debate. They are friendly, no question, but it's more than just friendliness behind that desire for a good blether. Throw in some nosiness, eternal empathy and no shortage of opinions begging to be unleashed. Because Glasgow has a big heart, and with it a moral compass.Join travel writer and Glaswegian Neil Robertson as he delves into what makes his hometown tick. From the early origins of the city destined to become the Second City of the Empire, to the factory of the world in its industrial heyday and beyond, it''s been a tumultuous journey encompassing plagues, penury, bombings and plenty of religious and political tension.Approachable reading for locals and visitors alike, The Little History of Glasgow salutes the great Glaswegians who have left their mark on the city''s story alongside the modern-day industries and pastimes that c

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Delve into this trove of anecdotes and stories to prove the core decency of humankind at a time when kindness can seem in short supply.This engaging collection demonstrates that courteous behaviour transcends all barriers, from gender and wealth to age and class – here are noble acts by footballers and fashionistas, television personalities and teenagers, great commanders and humble private soldiers, society ladies and modest housewives, elderly philosophers and very young children.It includes Alexander the Great, Marie Antoinette, the Duke of Wellington, Evelyn Waugh, Winston Churchill, Sammy Davis Junior and Colonel Tim Collins.Often amusing, sometimes moving, occasionally astounding and always fascinating, How to Be Kind is a tribute to the finest, albeit often overlooked, qualities of humankind

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Well over a hundred great churches were built in the cathedral tradition in the Middle Ages. They are our most important group of historical monuments and embody the finest craftwork of medieval architecture. Despite a great mass of specialist literature and research on other aspects, it was not until Cecil A. Hewett’s work over the past three decades that any serious attention was paid to their functional carpentry or, indeed, to their decorative timberwork.Examining the entire range of ‘great’ churches, Hewett’s carefully reasoned and well-organised text covers all areas of monastic and cathedral carpentry, classifying roof structures, towers and spires in chronological order, while an important section deals with the surviving examples of hoisting machinery still in situ, some from a very early date. In English Cathedral and Monastic Carpentry, he relates the physical evidence to the documentary record supported with over 300 of his own magnificent drawings. In this, Hewett provides both a work of reference and a stimulating analysis of the evolution of the craft.

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From the early misfortunes of Eve, condemning her descendants to a dubious reputation for fruit management, to the acclaimed successes of plant breeders such as the eccentric Ellen Willmott who combined bankruptcy with iris breeding, the fortunes of the female gardener have been as varied as their roles.Telling the tales of the sixteenth-century housewife, who neatly sidestepped accusations of herbal witchcraft while working her plot, and the unconventional Ladies of Llangollen, who eloped together and created their gothic garden and many other women besides, A History of Women in the Garden showcases female horticulturists through the centuries. An enlightening and entertaining read that will allow the reader to gain fresh enthusiasm for even the most menial of garden tasks, and realise that hundreds of women have trod the garden path before.

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An engaging story' The SpectatorGeneva, April 1987. The staid Swiss town is awash with limousines, journalists and minor European aristocracy. All the best hotels and restaurants are bursting at the seams. Caviar, truffles and foie gras are in short supply, while champagne is flooding the market at ridiculously high prices.They are all focused on one place: Sotheby's auction house, which is preparing to host the auction of the century' that of the late Duchess of Windsor's jewellery collection.But where did this treasure trove come from? And was it ever really the Duchess' at all?Questions have circulated around the collection's murky provenance since the moment Wallis Simpson stepped onto the scene; now, for the first time, The King's Loot looks to find the answers. Drawing on eyewitness interviews, contemporary accounts and previously unpublished sources, Richard Wallace who was the

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On 8 October 1833 Coroner Thomas Higgs opened an inquest into the death of John Bickerton, an elderly eccentric who, despite rumours of his wealth and high connections, had died in abject squalor, from the want of the common necessaries of life'.Over the coming hours, Higgs and his jury would unpick the details of Bickerton's strange, sad story: a story that began with comparative wealth, including education at Oxford and the Inns of Court, and brought him to the attention of two sitting prime ministers, but which descended into madness, imprisonment, mockery and starvation.Using Bickerton as a narrative thread to weave the story around, historian Stephen Haddelsey explores the lives of the down-and-outs and out-of-favours of Georgian and early Victorian England, tracking the deprivations society's lost children faced. For any fan of the era of balls and intrigue, here is revealed the story of Society's rejects and those whose star was only ever doomed to fall.

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''As this book shows, the women of the Durham coalfield played an equal role in shaping daily life and trajectories of history in the region, just as women today are building their own futures in communities around the world.'' - Hillary Rodham ClintonThe Second World War took its toll on every part of society. The appeal for women to work outside the home in the ammunition factories supporting the war effort was taken up by many women throughout the colliery villages. They worked for eight hours a day at the factory, taking up their caregiving and home-making roles when they returned home. Their days continued to be long and strenuous.After the war, the government introduced a series of initiatives intended to improve the lives of the nation. A reformed education system was implemented in 1944, nationalisation in 1947 and a national health service in 1948. At last things were looking up for coal-mining families.At the

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For blockbuster photographer Keith Hamshere it was the humble ukulele, given to him for his ninth birthday, that piqued his interest in the entertainment industry, leading to a long and impressive career in front of and behind the camera.Starting out in the late 1950s as a child actor, Keith decided to add another string to his bow, developing his interest in photography and becoming a society photographer at the heart of Swinging London.Keith's big break came in the mid 1960s, when unit photographer Johnny Jay began working on a new film directed by Stanley Kubrick. Recalling Keith's fascination with photography and his growing popularity, Johnny asked him if he would be interested in helping out on 2001: A Space Odyssey. Keith did not need to think twice about his answer.Following on from his stellar work on 2001, Keith went on to become an established stills photographer and amassed an impressive filmography, working on film

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Did You Know? Belfast’s motto is Pro Tanto Quid Retribuamus: ‘What shall we give in return for so much?’ In 1170, the first Belfast Castle was established in what is now Castle Place. The present castle on Cavehill dates from 1870 and was gifted to the city in 1937. The Belfast News Letter was the first paper outside of America to publish the Declaration of Independence. The Little Book of Belfast is a compendium of obscure, strange and entertaining facts about the city’s fascinating past and present.Funny, fast-paced and fact-packed, here you will find out about Belfast’s trade and industry, crime and punishment, music, literature and sport, architectural heritage, and its famous (and occasionally infamous) men and women. It covers not only the major elements in Belfast’s history but also those unusual, little-known facts that could so easily have been forgotten.A reliable reference and a quirky guide, this book can be dipped into time and again to reveal something new about the people, heritage and secrets of this ancient city.

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A gripping tour de force reveals the inside story of the secret war in Northern Ireland, from one who was there, at the very heart of the darkness. A riveting, insightful, rollercoaster read. Truly revelatory.' Damien Lewis, Sunday Times No. 1 Bestselling AuthorSOUTH ARMAGH, NORTHERN IRELAND, 1983. Will Britten, 23, has just qualified as an agent handler for the British Army's ultra-secret Force Research Unit. He and a fellow agent handler complete the detailed paperwork following a covert meet with one of the Detachment's most important agents, who has successfully infiltrated Mad Dog' McGlinchey's INLA Active Service Unit.A few days later, there is a phone call. The draft Contact Form wasn't put in the burn bag. Both PIRA and INLA now know his real name.What would you do?The Deadly Game is the memoir of a military intelligence officer with the FRU a unit so secret that the rest of the army barely knew it exi

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‘Hershman has managed to gather a huge amount of information and distill it into a book that is not only respectful but full of insights into what makes this unstarriest of stars able to produce brilliant work without appearing to break a sweat.’ - Kathryn Hughes, Mail on SundayHe was a Salford-born, homework-hating bookie’s son who broke the social barriers of British film. He did his share of roistering, and yet outlived his contemporaries and dodged typecasting to become a five-time Oscar nominee and one of our most durable international stars. Bon vivant, perennial rebel, self-effacing character actor, charismatic charmer, mentor to a generation of working-class artists, a byword for professionalism, lover of horseflesh and female flesh – Albert Finney is all these things and more.Gabriel Hershman’s colourful and riveting account of Finney’s life and work, which draws on interviews with many of his directors and co-stars, examines how one of Britain’s greatest actors built a glittering career without sacrificing his integrity.

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‘I hold the greatest respect for Len for what he achieved in the RAF’. – Gordon Mitchell, son of Spitfire designer R.J. MitchellIn May 1940, 20-year-old Len Thorne joined the RAF, as did many young men during the Second World War. After two hectic tours of operational duty as a fighter pilot, including some desperately dangerous low-level flying at Dunkirk, he was posted to AFDU (Air Fighting Development Unit) and remained there as a test pilot for the rest of the war.Fortunately for us, Len kept a detailed diary, which, set alongside his log book, tells the unique story of a test pilot tasked with developing operational tactics and testing captured enemy aircraft, such as the feared Fw 190. During Len’s career, he worked alongside some of the most famous fighter aces and his records cast light on some of the most famous flyers of the RAF, including Wing Commander Al Deere and Spitfire aces Squadron Leader ‘Paddy’ Finucane, Ernie Ryder and many others.A unique record of military aviation history, From Spitfire to Focke Wulf offers a window to this era of rapid and high-stakes aircraft development.

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Terrifying raids, thousands of bombs and countless petrified inhabitants of Britain’s busiest cities. These are the prevailing images of the Blitz and the Home Front in the Second World War. However, for the people who experienced it, it was so much more and affected every aspect of their existence.Surviving the Home Front explores through contemporary newspaper reports and advertisements the effect the Blitz had on issues as varied as fashion, food, transport and more. It explores how facets of humanity showed themselves through individual tales of heroism, eccentricity and humour, but above all Stuart Hylton shows how the irrepressible spirit of the British people overcame a period of harsh austerity combined with the fresh terrors that appeared in their skies almost every night.

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Elizabeth Ambler started compiling her household book of cures in the early eighteenth century, including historic treatments passed down over the decades. These intriguing remedies include Sir Walter Raleigh’s Receipt against Plague, Viper Broth and Snail Milk Water, as well as Ginger Bread and Apricot Ratafia. In addition to traditional flowers and herbs, ingredients consist of precious stones, exotic and expensive spices, and large amounts of brandy and wine.Set against the backdrop of the family’s country houses, silverware and lavish portraits, this book is much more than just a collection of curiosities: it offers a fascinating insight into the sickness and health of our Georgian ancestors, and into what really went on in their kitchens.

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When 22-year-old Richard Blanshard arrived at the Cannes Film Festival in 1976, he had no idea that he would become an official photographer for the UK and US film industry for the next two decades. His first assignment was to photograph Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly as they promoted their movie That's Entertainment, Part II. It was to be the first of many.Today the only images we see are from the red carpet. Smartphones and social media have made it difficult for the talent to relax, but during his time there Blanshard had unfettered access to the stars and industry greats as they worked, partied and relaxed throughout their time at Cannes. His photographs were designed to document candid, personal moments alongside glitz and glamour to create international publicity. Not only that, but they showcase the unique atmosphere of Cannes and the festival.Through his remarkable collection, spanning stars and celebrities from the Golden Age of Hollywoo

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‘A wonderful gallery of period items related to the Titanic and Olympic, presented and shared by some of the top researchers and collectors in the field. Many of these items are quite rare or unique, and are not often seen by the general public.’ – Bill Wormstedt, co-author of Recreating the TitanicThe basic facts of the Titanic’s story are well known: in April 1912 the largest ship in the world, described as ‘practically unsinkable’, set off on her maiden trip to New York. She would never make it there. Instead she would strike an iceberg just days into her journey and sink to the depths of the North Atlantic Ocean, taking nearly 1,500 people with her. She would remain there undisturbed for seventy-three years.Titanic Collections: Fragments of History is a two-part series showcasing rare and important artefacts relating to the history of RMS Titanic. Many collectors prefer to hide their treasures away, but the items presented in these beautiful books have been gathered by six well-known and respected researchers, authors, historians and collectors who want to share their acquisitions with the world.The Ship focuses on artefacts relating to the Titanic herself, ranging from carpet squares and floor tiles to crockery and bath tickets. Each beautifully photographed item brings the story of the Titanic to life, and all come together as a museum for your bookshelf.

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There is something strangely compelling about the waterways. Isolated places on the edge of society, they have always had their own distinctive way of life and a certain shady reputation. Ever since the earliest days, canals have attracted crime, with sinister figures lurking in the shadows and bodies found floating in the water. When a brutal murder in 1839 created a national outcry, it seemed to confirm all the worst fears about boatmen – a tough breed of men surviving in harsh conditions, who were swiftly branded as outlaws by the press.Drawing on a rich collection of original sources, Dark Side of the Cut brings to life dramatic stories that are gruesome, shocking and tragic. These evocative snapshots of rough justice uncover the secret world of the waterways, revealing the real human cost of the Industrial Revolution.

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‘We must reveal the truth – it’s our duty. The world must know what is going on here … We have to carry on reporting. This is what keeps me going: reporting so that the world will never forget.’ – Asami Terajima, reporter for The Kyiv IndependentHow does a newsroom, made up of young journalists, find itself in a war zone overnight? How do you do your job as a correspondent when the conflict is literally on your doorstep?One member of The Kyiv Independent’s young editorial staff was covering the business world in Ukraine, another was reporting on entertainment, while a third was dealing with geopolitics, when the Russian army crossed the border. They made the choice to stay: to face head-on the uncertainty of living and working in an active war zone. The power cuts, threat to life, trips to shelters, lethal attacks – despite it all, they keep informing.In War Diary of the Ukrainian Resistance, they share their work on the war that is ravaging their country. Combining articles published during the conflict with personal accounts, they give us an unprecedented inside look at the reality of the Russian invasion and its consequences.Everyone has a part to play in the resistance; reporting the truth is theirs. Their names are Alexander, Anastasiia, Anna, Artur, Asami, Daria, Daryna, Dinara, Francis, Igor, Illia, Iryna, Kostyantyn, Liza, Natalia, Oleg, Oleksiy, Olena, Olga, Thaisa, Toma, Veronika and Zakhar. Their lives will never be the same again. Nor will ours.

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Living and travelling in converted vehicles has become increasingly popular in the UK in recent years and the coronavirus pandemic has only increased the trend further. Life on the road can offer an incomparable sense of freedom and community, with endless opportunity for new experiences, and a shift to simpler living. But what these travellers are after is very different from the traditional caravan holiday; instead these vans and trucks have been creatively turned into permanent homes, tailored to their owners’ tastes and interests. While some choose a ready-made van, for others the joy is in converting a vehicle themselves and making it personal and unique. With imaginative storage options, eco-friendly power sources, inventive layouts, and some very well-travelled pets, the options for these portable homes are limitless. This illustrated book reveals some of the most beautiful and innovative converted vehicles on the road and the most creative of van-dwellers, to inspire and delight every aspiring vanlifer.

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So, you're a Norwich City fan back for more?You''ve worked your way through Never Mind the Canaries and are more than ready to tackle our second quiz book on all things yellow and green. Well, it's time to be tested once again.How familiar are you with the club's FA Cup run in 1967? Or the former manager of St Mirren, who went on to be the first Canary boss to win a major trophy? How about the name of the player who was in the match day squads for Daniel Farke's first and last match as Norwich coach? Or which Canary was first to see red in the Premier League?And that's just a few of the easier questions. You've talked the Norwich City talk, now it's time to show that, as far as Canary facts and trivia are concerned, you sit at the very top of the perch.This book is the perfect companion for those long journeys to away games or nights down at the local. From famous players, managers and matches, to transfers, incidents and trivia,

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The Little Book of Shropshire is an intriguing, fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of places, people and events in the county, from its earliest origins to the present day.Here you can read about the important contributions Shropshire has made to the history of the nation, and meet some of the great men and women, the eccentrics and the scoundrels with which its history is littered.Packaged in an easily readable ‘dip-in’ format, visitors and locals alike will find something to remind, surprise, amuse and entertain them in this remarkably engaging little book.

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‘My favourite moment is when I finish a song, that is the moment I cherish.’ – Rod TempertonThe Invisible Man tells the remarkable story of how Rod Temperton worked his way up from a Grimsby fish factory to become one of the most successful songwriters of all time.Born in Cleethorpes in 1949, Temperton embarked on a career in music with the funk band Heatwave, for whom he wrote the international hits ‘Boogie Nights’ and ‘Always and Forever’, before his songwriting talent caught the attention of Michael Jackson’s legendary producer, Quincy Jones.For Jackson’s Off the Wall album, Temperton penned both the hit ‘Rock with You’ and the album’s title track. Three years later, he started work on what would become the best-selling album of all time – Michael Jackson’s Thriller – writing three songs, including the now legendary title track. And yet despite collaborating with some of music’s biggest stars, including Donna Summer and Michael McDonald, Temperton was famously reclusive and seldom gave interviews. Having enjoyed unprecedented access to the great man for his Sony Award-winning radio documentary on Temperton, Jed Pitman presents the fully updated, definitive story of one of music’s most talented individuals.

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However diverse our origins, our histories can always be explored through the tales we tell. Stories are our worldwide language, making sense of our experiences and conveying them to others. They are the messengers between our inner and outer worlds the bridge between individuals and societies.Within these pages you will see how these traditional story forms have developed over time, evolving with and, in turn, shaping cultural change. Journeying across five continents, you will also travel through time with our earliest creation myths, folk tales, legends and urban myths as your steadfast companions. Some have been polished by countless voices for thousands of years, and all have passed from ear to ear and page to page in a testament to the richness of many cultures, and a single, shared humanity.

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Everyone knows the story of Enigma and secret codebreaking in the Second World War: the triumph of Bletchley Park over world-class cipher technology. Except that excellence in codebreaking was nearly betrayed by incompetence in codemaking.German codebreakers were effective and Allied codes and ciphers were weak. With both sides reading each other’s codes, the biggest secret of all – that the codes had been broken – was now at risk. Sooner or later, on one side or the other, the cipher failures would become known, the systems would be changed and the most valuable source of intelligence would dry up.Were it not for obstinacy, overconfidence and ostrichism. On both sides. The Germans demanded that the traitors be rooted out; the British stifled cipher questions beneath a tangle of committees. The codebreakers’ contest became a struggle to lose the cipher war.From the very outset, the Enigma secret was one of treachery, betrayal and deception. This is the story of the people who fought behind the scenes for cipher security – and of the Enigma traitors.

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The Little Book of London is a funny, fast-paced, fact-packed compendium full of the sort of frivolous, fantastic or simply strange information which no-one will want to be without. London's looniest laws, its most eccentric inhabitants, the realities of being royal and literally hundreds of wacky facts about the world's greatest city combine to make it required reading for visitors and locals alike.

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'That’s what happens when you listen to the stories and they start to tell themselves all over again … the more you hear, the more questions there are, answers unpeeling like the layers of an onion.’Memoir, detective work and political history come together in this vivid and moving family biography told through the stories passed down by its undaunted women.Heard on a toboggan in the Austrian mountains, in the back seat of an overloaded Mini toiling through Europe, on a coal barge in Paris … here are tales that take us from Hungary, Germany and Italy to France, England and Argentina, from the young actress in fin de siècle Vienna to the 16-year-old schoolboy who disappeared for over 50 years. My Disappearing Uncle is a journey of discovery that explores the complicated dance between the present and the past.

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“Just pick up a copy and set off. You’ll be amazed at what you’ve missed.” - Sir Michael PalinMARCH, 2020: A columnist watches as London locks down, facing a conundrum as his weekly deadline for his newspaper diary approaches.With the city shutting up shop and column inches to fill, journalist Dan Carrier takes to the deserted streets of Central London to uncover the forgotten stories the heart of the UK capital holds.Untold London is a consideration and celebration of a city whose famous landmarks and thoroughfares are often taken for granted. Setting out to find lingering evidence of days gone by, Dan reveals unexpected delights, triumphs and tragedies alongside plenty of skulduggery and scandal in the greatest city in the world.

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Mary Queen of Scots is perhaps one of the most controversial and divisive monarchs in regal history. Her story reads like a particularly spicy novel, with murder, kidnap, adultery, assassination and execution. To some she is one of the most wronged women in history, a pawn used and abused by her family in the great monarchical marriage game; to others, a murderous adulteress who committed regicide to marry her lover and then spent years in captivity for the crime, endlessly plotting the demise of her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England.This book covers the breathtaking scope of her amazing life and examines the immense cultural legacy she left behind, from the Schiller play of the 1800s to The CW teen drama Reign. Temptress, terrorist, or tragic queen, this book will give you the lowdown on one of history’s most misunderstood monarchs.

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On the night of 4 April 1793, two lovers were preparing to compel a cleric to perform a secret ceremony. The wedding of the sixth son of King George III to the daughter of the Earl of Dunmore would not only be concealed – it would also be illegal.Lady Augusta Murray had known Prince Augustus Frederick for only three months but they had already fallen deeply in love and were desperate to be married. However, the Royal Marriages Act forbade such a union without the King’s permission and going ahead with the ceremony would change Augusta’s life forever. From a beautiful socialite she became a social pariah; her children were declared illegitimate and her family was scorned.In Forbidden Wife Julia Abel Smith uses material from the Royal Archives and the Dunmore family papers to create a dramatic biography set in the reigns of Kings George III and IV against the background of the American and French Revolutions.

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This 4 volume set contains the biographies of 3,175 individuals who sat in the House of Commons in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, providing not only a picture of political affiliations, aim and motives in seeking Membership, but also a study of other preocupations: the contrast between the code of chivalrous conduct and the reality of military service; the competitive pursuit of wealthy heiresses; the sometimes ambivalent relations between thelaity and the Church; and their fluctuating success and failures in the scramble for patronage and preferment from the Crown and baronetage alike. Among those included are poets (Geoffrey Chaucer made an appearance in 1386), pirates (such as the notorious William Long and John Hawley), lollards (including Sir John Oldcastle, who met a traitor's death), henchmen of the king (most notably the infamous Bussy, Bagot and Green) and the most outstanding parliamentarians of the Middle Ages, among them Sir John Tiptoft, perhaps the youngest Speaker ever to be elected, the charismatic Thomas Chaucer (the poet's son), and the intrepid Sir Arnold Savage, whose verbal exchanges withHenry IV throw fresh light on the relationship between King and Commons in the 15th century. Surveys of each of the 135 constituencies represented in Parliament in this period supply a detailed explanation of local politics, while information about the economic and constitutional background of each city and borough provides the context in which the MPs' biographies are set. The Introductory Survey in Volume I, the culmination of a lifetime's dedication to the subject by the distinguished historian J. S. Roskell, provides the most thorough examination yet undertaken of the work of the medieval House of Commons. Appendices supply tables on specific topics discussed in theIntroductory Survey and touched on in the biographies.

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Several Anderson families appear to share the same origins in the north-east of Scotland. In a wide-ranging study that explores the roots of Andersons in Banff and Aberdeenshire, their pedigrees are traced, through branches in Perth, Fife, Edinburgh, England and Ireland, from the early 16th century through to the present descendants. Anderson relationships through marriage with a number of other families are explained. The Lindsay family, for example, with a pedigree from the 11th century, is mentioned as well as some 200 other related families.

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The Great Train Robbery of 1963 is one of the most infamous crimes in British history. The bulk of the money stolen (equivalent to over £40 million today) has never been recovered, and there has not been a single year since 1963 when one aspect of the crime or its participants has not been featured in the media. Despite the wealth and extent of this coverage, a host of questions have remained unanswered: Who was behind the robbery? Was it an inside job? And who got away with the crime of the century? Fifty years of selective falsehood and fantasy has obscured the reality of the story behind the robbery. The fact that a considerable number of the original investigation and prosecution files on those involved and alleged to have been involved were closed, in many cases until 2045, has only served to muddy the waters still further. Now, through Freedom of Information requests and the exclusive opening of many of these files, Andrew Cook reveals a new picture of the crime and its investigation that, at last, provides answers to many of these questions.

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Full details of where to find – and how to kill – all of Britain’s most historic zombies. Fact files on the undead in history, including Roman revenants, people who were buried alive and some resurrected royal corpses! High-profile targets including Jane Austen, Henry VIII, Richard III and William Shakespeare. Are you worried about the zombie apocalypse? Kept awake imagining you’ll only manage to take out a few before that chap at No. 9 gets you? Well, fret no more! Clasp a copy of this book and get a better class of horrible death from one of Britain’s best-loved historical legends. With full zombie-hunting details – including the locations of tombs, any wounds and weaknesses and a carefully calculated difficulty rating – no apocalyptic history lover should leave home without it!

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Less well-known than his brothers, Edward IV and Richard III, little has been written about George, Duke of Clarence, leaving us with a series of unanswered questions: What was he really like? What set him and his brother Edward IV against one another? And who was really responsible for his death? George played a central role in the ‘Wars of the Roses’, played out by his family. But was George for York or Lancaster? Is the story of his drowning in a barrel of wine really true? And was ‘false, fleeting, perjur’d Clarence’ in some ways one of the role models behind the sixteenth-century defamation of Richard III? Finally, where was he buried and what became of his body? Could the DNA used recently to test the remains of his younger brother, Richard III, also reveal the truth about the supposed ‘Clarence bones’ in Tewkesbury? Here, John Ashdown-Hill brings us a new full biography of George, Duke of Clarence, which exposes the myths surrounding this important Plantagenet prince, and reveals the fascinating results of John’s recent reexamination of the Clarence vault and its contents.

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Whether living in an urban sprawl, a sunny suburb or rolling countryside, the taxi is a mode of transport that no doubt every resident of the UK will use in their lives. So prevalent is it in British society that the black cab has become one of the most iconic symbols of the country and its capital. Here Danny Roth presents the most comprehensive history of the taxi service of Britain complete with in-depth appendices and a wide-ranging, fascinating collection of 250 taxi images. Beginning from the birth of the taxi, four millennia before Christ, through Victorian times to the present day with views on the future, no stone is left unturned in this history of British taxi service. Accessibly written and filled with technical detail, this is a volume no car or taxi enthusiast can do without.

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A Grim Almanac of Staffordshire is a day-by-day catalogue of 366 ghastly tales from around the county. Full of dreadful deeds, strange disappearances and a multitude of murders, this almanac explores the darker side of Staffordshire’s past. Here are stories of tragedy, torment and the truly unfortunate with diverse tales of freak weather, bizarre deaths and terrible accidents, including the young girl cut to pieces by a machinery explosion, the tragic deaths of 155 men in the Minnie Pit disaster of 1918, and the theatre performance where the gun really did go off, mangling the actor’s hand and causing a severed finger to fly across the stage. Uncover tales of fires, catastrophes, suicides, thefts and executions – it’s all here. Generously illustrated, this chronicle is an entertaining and readable record of Staffordshire’s grim past. Read on ... if you dare!

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This miscellany explores the staggeringly busy and diverse life of Charles Dickens, giving readers the chance to get to know the man through his work and its major themes. With carefully chosen quotations from the novels, but also from his sketches and journalism, discover what Dickens had to say about the big issues like crime, the family, education and money. Meet here, too, those wonderful characters that have been handed down to us like the real figures of history – Mr Micawber, Fagin, Miss Havisham, David Copperfield and many more. So what is it that made Dickens special? This miscellany offers an insight into all the mad humour, passionate indignation, moral conviction, plain good sense and sheer unstoppable energy that made up one of the very greatest of English writers.

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East Yorkshire is ripe with tales of fairy gold and illusive characters. The county’s folklore is engrained in every port, cliff and bridge, passed on through whispered accounts of witches long dead, legends of strange creatures or the bawdy tales of adventuring heroes. Filey Brigg was once a dragon, the people of Skinningrove held a merman captive, and Eskdale’s Beggar’s Bridge holds a love story in its history. By night a mysterious traveller stalked Bowes Moor, with a shrivelled Hand of Glory in his grasp … These engaging stories, brought to life with charming illustrations, will be enjoyed by readers time and again.

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The First World War was one of the deadliest conflicts in history, and one of the most far-reaching. As a result, almost everyone’s family history has a Great War connection. In A Tommy in the Family, family historian Keith Gregson explores the human stories behind the history of the war, from the heartwarming to the tear-jerking. He encounters the mystery of the disappearance of the Norfolks; the story of a French girl’s note in a soldier’s pocket book; and the tragic tale of a group of morris dancers who paid the ultimate price while serving their country. The investigations that preceded each discovery are explored in detail, offering an insight into how the researcher found and followed up their leads. They reveal a range of chance findings, some meticulous analysis and the keen detective qualities required of a family historian. Full of handy research tips and useful background information, A Tommy in the Family will fascinate anyone with an interest in the First World War and help them to find out more about their ancestors who participated in one of the most troubled conflicts in the history of mankind

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This book draws on the long and unique heritage of the county of Somerset, bringing to life seventy of the little known but fascinating and unusual aspects of a much-loved area. It tells of body-snatchers and bewitchment; crime and conflict; lepers and lighthouses; songs and words; heroes and villains – this is book is of and for the curious. Its accounts of larger-than-life episodes from Somerset activity, locations and people take the reader on a near-unbelievable exploration of local human behaviour and idiosyncrasy. Richly illustrated, this book is great for dipping into, but can equally be enjoyed from cover to cover.

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Concorde can surely claim to be the world’s favourite aircraft. Its sleek lines and glamorous design made it an icon recognised all over the world. Travelling at twice the speed of sound at 60,000ft, to fly Concorde was the dream of many and the regular pastime of the lucky few. The rich and famous graced its all-first-class cabins, some time and again; Sir David Frost notably undertook around twenty flights a year on Concorde for an average of twenty years. Photographer Adrian Meredith spent many years photographing Concorde from every conceivable angle. Here he has collated his artwork to present a full-colour account of this remarkable and memorable aircraft. Including information and photos from behind the scenes as well as significant milestones and detail on the passengers and personalities on board, this is a unique and beautiful photographic tribute. In this new and updated edition, ten years after Concorde's momentous last flight, Meredith looks at the potential of supersonic and hypersonic travel with fascinating speculations and images of what the future holds.

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The queen who walked on fire! Weird legends of St Swithin explored! The Vikings are coming! Death and destruction in ancient Winchester! Sufferings she could not describe’: the amazing life and dolorous death of Miss Jane Austen! Fed to the dogs! Winchester’s most gruesome executions! The secret histories of Winchester’s most famous buildings revealed! Winchester has one of the darkest and most fascinating histories on record – more than 2,000 years of death, disease and destruction. With Georgian terrorists and legendary kings, trials, plagues and chilling true stories including the tale of William Walker, the diver who spent five years in pitch-black water under the cathedral, you’ll never see the city in the same way again!

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Anthony Cotterell wrote a unique form of war journalism – witty, sharp,engaging, and so vivid it was almost cinematic. As an official British Army journalist during the Second World War, he flew on bombing raids, sailed with merchant shipping convoys, crossed to France on D-Day, and took part in the Normandy Campaign. During this time he kept a diary, a hilarious and caustic record of his role in the war, a diary which abruptly ended after he vanished in mysterious circumstances after the battle of Arnhem bridge in 1944. Cotterell’s diary and selected war journalism, illustrated with previously unpublished photographs, are presented together here to shed new light not only on the everyday life of the British Army in the Second World War but also on the role of the press during times of conflict. The quality of his writing is truly captivating and his account of the Normandy campaign is surely the nearest that a modern reader will ever get to experiencing what it was like to be in the thick of a Normandy tank battle.

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Lost in modern myth, false history and general misinterpretation, the Ninja have been misrepresented for many years. More recently, a desire for a more historical view of the ninja has become a popular theme in the history/martial arts community and Antony Cummins is the primary driving force behind that movement. In Search of the Ninja is based upon the Historical Ninjutsu Research Team’s translations of the major ninja manuals and consists of genuinely new material. Little historical research has been done on the Ninja of Japan. Here for the first time the connection of the famous Hattori family warriors with the Ninja is explained. The Samurai versus Ninja myth is dispelled. The realities of Ninja skills are analysed. How did a Ninja work underwater when mining castle walls? How can a bird be used to set fire to the enemy’s camp? The book explores newly discovered connections to ancient Chinese manuals, lost skills and the ‘hidden’ Zen philosophy that the Ninja followed. In Search of the Ninja is the first and only historical look at the shinobi of ancient Japan.

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The Second World War (1939–45) was not greeted with the same lavish outpouring of patriotic fervour that had attended August 1914. Any rags of glory had long since been drowned in the mud of Flanders. The Great War had been heralded as ‘the war to end all wars’; veterans were promised ‘a land fit for heroes’. Both of these vain boasts soon began to sound hollow as depression, unemployment, poverty and a rash of new wars followed. The sons and daughters of those who had embarked upon their own patriotic Calvary did so again in an altogether more sombre spirit. One significant difference between the two conflicts is that, whilst both were industrial wars, the Second World War was far nearer the concept of total war. The growth of strategic air power, in its infancy in 1918, had by 1939 become a reality. In this war, even more widespread and terrible than the last, there were to be no civilians. Death sought new victims everywhere; British citizens were now in the front line, there was to be no respite, no hiding place. This is the poetry and prose of those who were there, ordinary people caught in the terrible maelstrom of mass conflict on a scale hitherto unimagined; this is their testimony.

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Skipping to School is the true story of a childhood spent in Liverpool before, during and after the Second World War. It recalls the fabric of everyday life on the home front and the impact of war on both family life and the local community. At home in Walton, Doris and her friends learned slogans such as ‘Make Do and Mend’, ‘Dig for Victory’ and ‘Careless Talk Costs Lives’. They collected shell caps from bombs and did swaps for better, shinier ones. They made skipping ropes out of the twisted silk cords of German parachutes. They were excited by the arrival of American soldiers stationed on Aintree Racecourse. And, despite the raids, they laughed and had fun.

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Orford Ness was, for most of the twentieth century, a military research station so secret that nobody knew what went on there, and so remote that even now most people have never heard of it. Yet the contribution of its scientists, service and civilian, to the winning of the First World War, the Second World War and the Cold War places them on a par with the codebreakers of Bletchley Park. At this highly atmospheric and often inhospitable location on the Suffolk coast, the Royal Flying Corps (later RAF) conducted crucial experiments and trials, some brilliant, others futile, on effective gunnery, accurate bombing and improved navigational aids. It was the venue for Watson Watt’s early work on radar and for Barnes Wallis’ improved Tallboy bomb. From 1953, the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment used it as the testing range for British nuclear bombs. In 1967 the world’s most powerful radar station, COBRA MIST, was constructed for the US Department of Defense. Why it was closed down is just one of many Orford Ness mysteries. Owned by the National Trust since 1993, Orford Ness is a National Nature Reserve of international significance. But its military history has proved no less important and its secrets highly intriguing. This book tells an incredible tale of ingenious, talented and brave men – and women – who operated with typically British patience and resourcefulness in often highly uncomfortable and, on occasions, fatal circumstances.

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Taking you through the year day by day, The Channel Islands Book of Days contains quirky, eccentric, amusing and important events and facts from different periods in the history of the islands. Ideal for dipping into, this addictive little book will keep you entertained and informed. Featuring hundreds of snippets of information gleaned from the vaults of the Channel Island's archives and covering the social, criminal, political, religious, industrial and sporting history of the region, it will delight residents and visitors alike.

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