Search results for ""history press""

Cardiff Remembered

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This collection on the Rhondda concentrates on Porth, the gateway to the two valleys, and the Rhondda Fach, from Ynyshir to Maerdy. Authors Also Baccheta and Glyn Rudd have assembled a splendid mix of images providing an insight into several aspects of the life of these communities and their inhabitants: at work, on strike, in poverty and at leisure. One thing is again clear from this selection: that the people of Rhondda have always known how to entertain themselves. The century and a half of mining activity in the area is illustrated in detail and the many pictures of the individual pits, the colliers and their families remind us that this was not so very long ago a dominant industry that shaped both landscape and culture. Comparisons of then and now which appear in each chapter bring home to the reader how much that has disappeared, but as Rhondda battles to reinvent itself, we can draw strength from knowledge of the past achievements outlined in these pages.

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Leatherhead (Archive Photographs)

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This book is part of the Archive Photographs series, which uses old photographs and archived images to show the history of various local areas in Great Britain, through their streets, shops, pubs, and people.

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Most books of Anglesey's history show the island's ancient monuments, its castles and churches. However, this book of over 180 old photographs, reveals a more recent past when the romantic pictures produced by the engravers had been replaced by the more realistic images of the photographers. Their cameras captured the instant moment and those everyday events that historians rarely record. We see children running to hear the organ grinder, a band playing at an eisteddfod, an open-air revivalist preacher, sea captains and crews, threshing machines and all the fun of Ffair y Borth. Some will still remember these days, but to a younger generation these pictures will bring the past alive. By understanding yesterday, they will be better able to understand the island and its culture today. Ymae'r rhan fwyaf o lyfrau hanes am Ynys Môn yn dangos henebion, cestyll ac eglwysi'r ynys. Mae'r llyfr hwn, fodd bynnag, yn datgelu cyfnod mwy diweddar o'r gorffennol, cyfnod lle nad delweddau tirluniau rhamantus o'r ynys gan artistiaid a gafwyd ond yn hytrach gwaith ffotograffwyr. Mae au camerâu yn dal yr eiliad a'r digwyddiadau bob dydd hynny nad yw haneswyr fel arfer yn eu cofnodi. Gwelwn blant yn rhedeg i glywed yr hyrgi-gyrdi, band yn chwarae mewn Eisteddfod, un o bregethwyr y diwygiad mewn cyfarfod awyr agored, capteiniaid llongau a'u criwiau, injan ddyrnu a hwyl Ffair y Borth. Bydd rhai yn dal i gofio'r dyddiau hynny, ond i genedlaethau iau bydd y lluniau yn dod â'r gorffennol yn fyw. Trwy ddeall ddoe, cânt well dealltwriaeth o'r ynys a'i diwylliant yn ein dyddiau ni.

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This unique sequence of old pictures of Redruth are selected from the author's own extensive collection of old picture postcards and photographs collected by him over many years. The scenes depict life in and around the town as it used to be in the early years of the century. Through over 200 photographs of the area we can follow some of the many changes that have taken place; the shops and businesses that no longer trade, the buildings and streets that are gone or have changed beyond recognition and also some of the town's personalities who are now only a memory.Marvel at the range of transport that was available; the horse-drawn wagons, the GWR railway buses, the old steam wagons and the trams. Join some of the old residents as they attend the many annual events that were so popular such as the Royal Cornwall Show, the far, the Redruth Exhibition and the chapel treats. For each person that reads the book the author guarantees that there will be at least one photograph that will act like a key to unlock a memory or will provoke a discussion of times gone by.

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For almost 150 years, the influence of the Great Western Railway's workshops in Swindon extended well beyond the great walls which surrounded most of the complex, which at its height, covered over 320 acres. Although the works has now closed, its influence on the town it helped to create is as strong as ever. In this collection of old photographs drawn from the archives of the GWR Museum in Swindon, the reader is taken on a photographic tour of the great workshops, and the huge variety of activities which went on in the factory are well illustrated with many evocative pictures, mainly covering the period between 1900 and 1960. Swindon was justly famous for the quality of the locomotives and rolling stock it produced, but this book also tells the story of the men behind the machines. Rare and unpublished photographs show something of life for the railway worker both inside and outside the works, and it is hoped that this selection will give the reader some idea of what it was like to live in what many see as the archetypal 'Railway Town'.

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This fascinating selection of photographs reflects some of the different and varied aspects of life in North Telford from the 1970s to the 1950s, providing a glimpse of the familiar and the unusual, the survivals and the changes.In this companion volume to "South Telford", the areas north of the M54 motorway is the centre of attention. The photographs show the communities close to Thomas Telford's Holyhead Road (the later A5), their working environments, families and leisure activities, the area had a different character to that of the small scattered settlements to the south, and at the heart of North Telford, Wellington was an established market town long before the Industrial Revolution.It managed to retain its urban identity despite the industrial changes nearby, and the arrival of Telford New Town in the 1960s. Other communities like Oakengates, St Georges, Trench and the satellite villages, were much more affected by the industrial activity of the last two centuries and the building of the New Town. The extensive industrial and domestic developments of the last few decades will ensure that the late twentieth century also leaves its mark on the landscape.

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A history in pictures of Ripley and Codnor, Derbyshire in old photographs with detailed captions, providing the reader with a window in to a bygone age.

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In the second half of the nineteenth century, after the removal of the Crystal Palace to the hill above, Sydenham and Forest Hill were among the most delightful of London's suburbs. By the first two decades of the twentieth century they were beginning to decline a little bit from their peak of fashionable favour but, nevertheless, most of these scenes from the classic age of the postcard still recall the life of the wealthy residents of the area - their fine houses, their elegant carriages (including some early examples of the horseless kind), and the luxurious shops they patronised. There are also a good many photographs of the private schools to which they sent their children. This fascinating selection of 200 photographs of Sydenham and Forest Hill, hardly any of which have been published in book form, does not forget the poor, however, and the book includes a number of scenes of working class streets, including a particularly fine collection of views of the Wells Park Road area, an historic and picturesque district of which almost nothing now survives. These photographs may be thoroughly enjoyed from the comfort of an armchair or can be used more actively. Each section covers a comparatively small area, and is arranged in a roughly geographical order, and so can easily be made the basis for a most enjoyable walk. To examine on the spot the changes made by our century certainly enhances the interest of photographs of this kind.

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Long-awaited, the Normandy landings were the largest amphibious operation in history. Success was achieved by the advent of specialised landing craft, heavy naval firepower and the creation of two artificial harbours and an underwater pipeline. Operation Neptune: The Prelude to D-Day tells the story of this incredible feat using eyewitness accounts of the landings and the breaching of Hitler’s famed ‘Atlantic Wall’.David Wragg explores the earlier Allied and Axis experiences with amphibious operations and the planning for Neptune and Overlord. He reveals the naval support needed once the armies were ashore and before continental ports could be captured and cleared of mines, with operations such as minesweeping off the Normandy coast, which led to one of the worst ‘friendly fire’ incidents of the war. This is the must-read book to understand what made D-Day possible.

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When Alexander Noble established his boatyard in 1898, he probably didn’t realise he was also establishing a new Noble tradition. Alexander’s yard would soon be handed over to his eldest son Wilson, who would set up Wilson Noble & Co. to build fishing boats – although he would branch out into minesweepers when needed in the Second World War. Meanwhile, second-youngest son James would break out on his own, thinking that the future of boatbuilding lay in yachts. Altogether, these companies built almost 400 boats, some of which are still working today, and would be a fixture on the Fraserburgh shoreline for nearly a century.Packed with images, interviews and recollections from the crew, The Noble Boatbuilders of Fraserburgh is a thoroughly researched tribute to these men and their boats, and is a fascinating look into an industry that once peppered our island’s shorelines.

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The Little Book of Pembrokeshire is a highly readable guide to the history, culture and landscape of a very special place. Dr Russell Grigg traces Pembrokeshire’s enduring appeal, including its rich maritime heritage and diverse culture, from the folk tales of The Mabinogion to the modern surf and music festivals. The reader is taken on a tour of Pembrokeshire National Park (the UK’s only coastal park) and its remarkable topography, from enchanting islands such as Caldey and Skomer to the ancient Preseli hills that put the ‘stone’ in Stonehenge.Also explored is the darker side to Pembrokeshire’s tapestry, including castle kidnappings, smuggling, piracy and food riots. Meticulously researched, The Little Book of Pembrokeshire is a sensory delight for both natives and visitors.

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Did you Know? St Mary’s Collegiate Church claims to be the single oldest church in Ireland to have been in constant use over the centuries. The original roof, dating to c.1200, is still in situ. It was Thomas Harriott of Youghal who first brought potatoes and tobacco back from America. He took them to London, where Walter Raleigh introduced them to Queen Elizabeth I. In 1954, part of the Hollywood film Moby Dick was filmed in Youghal. Through main thoroughfares and twisting back streets, The Little Book of Youghal takes the reader on a journey through this historic seaside resort and its vibrant past. Here you will find out about the town’s changes though the ages, its people and industries.A reliable reference and a quirky guide, this book can be dipped into time and again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage and the secrets of this historic town.

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Beyond the Gatehouse is a lighthearted, witty but factual biographical account of the eccentric lifestyles of the builders and residents of some of England’s best-known country houses. Extraordinary buildings require extraordinary people, and over the centuries our historic houses have produced more than their fair share of oddballs. Insulated from the outside world by vast wealth, rolling acres and the social status that a title implies, aristocrats have always been able to amuse themselves – and now us – by pursuing their idiosyncratic interests and manias to the point of eccentricity. David Long lifts the lid on all that’s bizarre, implausible, unthinkable and delightfully wacky about our glorious heritage homes and their unusual occupants.

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‘But we will do what we have always done – just get on with it.’The contributions of Northern Ireland to allied efforts in the Second World War are widely celebrated, acknowledged by both Sir Winston Churchill and Theodore Roosevelt as vital to their eventual victory. Lesser known are the personal and individual lives of the people who made those contributions – the human cost and the everyday lives that would be changed forever.In We Just Got On With It, Doreen McBride gathers stories and interviews conducted and written by local historians and historical societies. From essential agricultural work to the sunken German submarine fleet that surrendered on the banks of Lough Foyle, and from childhood smuggling adventures to the devasting destruction of bombing raids, these are tales of humour and tragedy from those who have stories to tell.

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Coward. Brute. Yellow-livered.For over 100 years, J. Bruce Ismay has been the scapegoat of the Titanic disaster. He is the villain of every film and TV drama: a fit and able-bodied man who sacrificed the lives of women and children in order to survive. Some even claim that it was his fault the Titanic sank, that he encouraged the captain to sail faster.But is this the true story? In Understanding J. Bruce Ismay, Clifford Ismay opens up the family archives to uncover the story of a quiet man savaged by over a century of tabloid press. This is a must-read for any enthusiast who wishes to form their own opinion of the Titanic’s most infamous survivor.

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‘An important, fascinating and frequently shocking read.’ - BERNARDINE EVARISTO, author of Girl, Woman, OtherCovering a fascinating period of population growth, high infant mortality and deep social inequality, rapid medical advances and pseudoscientific quackery, Confinement is the untold history of pregnancy and childbirth in Victorian Britain.During the nineteenth century, having children was frequently viewed as a woman’s central function and destiny – and yet the pregnant and postnatal body, as well as the birthing room, are almost entirely absent from the public conversation and written histories of the period. Confinement corrects this omission by exploring stories of pregnancy and motherhood across this period. Drawing on a range of contemporary sources, Jessica Cox charts the maternal experiences of women, examining fertility, pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, maternal mortality, unwanted pregnancies, infant loss, breastfeeding, and postnatal bodies and minds.From the royal family to inhabitants of the workhouse, this absorbing history reveals what motherhood was truly like for the women of nineteenth-century Britain.

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There is little doubt that the ’45 rebellion was the greatest challenge to the eighteenth-century British state. The battle of Culloden in which it culminated was certainly one of the most dramatic of the century. This study, based on extensive archival research, examines the political and military context of the uprising and highlights the seriousness of the challenge posed by the Jacobites. The result is an illuminating account of an episode often obscured by the perspectives of Stuart romance.

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On 25 November 1953, the footballing landscape was altered forever. In a mist-shrouded Wembley Stadium, the beautiful game’s historic dominant force, England, met the most exciting team of the 1950s, Hungary. What followed sent shockwaves through the very foundations that the sport was built upon.After years of crumbling decline, the British Empire seemed to be enjoying a resurgence with the coronation of the popular young Elizabeth II. As such, England played with the crushing weight of expectation upon their shoulders, defending their proud, unbeaten home record and protecting the reputation of the nation. Hungary, meanwhile, took on football’s most venerated team in the knowledge that they had the opportunity to make history by emerging victorious – anything less would not be tolerated.The newspapers called it the Match of the Century before it had even begun. By the time it was over, writers, players and fans were wondering if such a lofty billing had in fact undersold the contest. Now, over sixty years later, the match is imbued with meaning and symbolism far beyond the football pitch. This is the story of a match that would change the course of football history forever.

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‘A lively book that captures the essence of a modern monarchy and a new Elizabethan era’ - Lyndsy Spence, The Lady‘Down-to-earth and insightful’ - Daily MailIt is 1952 and Britain is changing. The Second World War is over, but the country is still scarred, recovering from six years of horror and still in the grip of food rationing. The British Empire is crumbling as countries fight for their independence both literally and physically. And George VI, the king who had refused to abandon London, is dead.Thorns in the Crown is the story of a country on the precipice, divided between those who held firm to old values and traditions and those who were fighting for modernity and progression. Featuring memories and reflections of those who were part of the coronation, Barry Turner presents a unique look at Britain as it came to terms with the second Elizabethan age.

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Having taken on the role of Roger Moore’s executive assistant in 2002, Gareth Owen became the right-hand man to an icon, as well as his co-author, onstage co-star and confidant. Gareth was faithfully at Roger’s side for fifteen years until his passing in 2017. In this affectionate and amusing book, the author recounts his times with Roger Moore and gives a unique and rare insight into life with one of the world’s most beloved actors. Roger always said, ‘Gareth knows me better than I know myself.’ For all his celebrity, Roger Moore was quite reserved. In interviews he rarely spoke about himself, much preferring to tell fun tales about others. But his trusted sidekick was with him throughout his worldwide travels, his UK stage shows, his writing process and his book tours, as he received his Knighthood, and as he rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous. There were genuinely hilarious, heartfelt and extraordinary moments to be captured and Gareth Owen was there to share them all.

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A knife adorned with a swastika and an eagle’s head … As a young boy, Joseph Pearson was terrified of the weapon hanging from a hook in his grandfather’s basement, a trophy seized from the enemy in battle. When he later inherited the knife, he unlocked a story far more unsettling than he could ever have imagined. By then a writer and cultural historian living in Berlin, Joseph found himself drawn to other objects from the Nazi era: a pocket diary, a recipe book, a double bass and a cotton pouch. Although the past remains a painful subject in Germany, he embarked on a journey to illuminate their stories before they disappeared from living memory. A historical detective story and an enthralling account of one historian’s search for answers, My Grandfather’s Knife is at once a poignant meditation on memory and a unique addition to our understanding of Nazi Germany.

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Rathmines is one of the oldest and most vibrant parts of Dublin. In this compendium of fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts you will find out about Rathmines’ past, its proud sporting heritage, its arts and culture, and its famous (and occasionally infamous) men and women. A reliable reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped into time and again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage and the secrets of this much-loved area.

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6 June 1944 is one of the most memorable dates of the Second World War. It marked the beginning of the end of the conflict as Allied forces invaded Normandy and fought their way into Nazi-occupied Europe. Operation Overlord, as the invasion was codenamed, was an incredible feat. It also proved to be a turning point that would eventually result in the defeat of Nazi Germany. Around 150,000 soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy on the first day in the largest amphibious operation in history. Within a month more than 1 million men had been put ashore.As memory becomes history, first-hand accounts of this incredible moment become more and more precious. In D-Day Diary, historian Carol Harris brings together remarkable tales of bravery, survival and sacrifice from what was one of the war’s most dramatic and pivotal episodes.

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Pauline Gower was the leader of the Spitfire women during the Second World War. After gaining her pilot’s licence at 20, she set up the first female joyriding business in 1931 with engineer Dorothy Spicer and took 33,000 passengers up for a whirl, clocking up more than 2,000 hours overall. Pauline went on to command the inaugural women’s section of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) and achieved equal pay for her women pilots. She enabled them to fly ‘Anything to Anywhere’, including Tiger Moths, Hurricanes, Wellingtons and – their firm favourite – the Spitfire.Pauline Gower: Pioneering Leader of the Spitfire Women is a story of bravery, fortitude and political persuasion. Pauline was a clear leader of her time and a true pioneer of flight. She died after giving birth, at only 36; a life cut tragically short, but one of significant achievements. Pauline left a huge legacy for women in aviation.

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The classic car market is in better shape than ever, remaining buoyant throughout the ups and downs of the motoring industry. Life in the slow lane promises to bring back the joy of driving and can appeal to the head as well as the heart in becoming a financially attractive hobby. Despite the popularity of classic cars, no definitive guide exists for the ‘classic car virgin’. Going Classic seeks to fill this gap by answering all the questions a first timer may have before taking the plunge. It covers buying, selling, driving, maintenance, equipment, insurance, safety and competing in classic motorsport, and comes complete with a ‘Hot 100’ list of the top classics to buy and why.

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Angus is a landscape of dramatic glens and rich farmland, ancient weaving towns and fishing villages, from the city of Dundee in the lee of the Sidlaw hills in the south, and the Grampian mountains in the north. The tales of Angus are as varied as the landscapes they are tied to, told through the years in castles, bothies, tenements and Travellers’ tents. Here, historical legends tell of Caterans roaming the glens, Jacobite intrigue in Glenisla and pirates roving the stormy waters off the Arbroath coast. Kelpies, broonies and fairies lurk just out of sight on riverbanks and hillsides, waiting to draw unsuspecting travellers into another world. The land bears memories of ancient battles, and ghosts continue to walk the old roads in the gloaming. In this collection, storyteller and local historian Erin Farley brings you a wealth of legends and folk tales, both familiar and surprising.

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Wilfrid Brambell was one of Britain’s most loved and complex character actors. As Albert Ladysmith Steptoe, the unscrupulous rag-and-bone man with questionable habits in Ray Galton and Alan Simpson’s long-running Steptoe & Son, he quickly became a household name with co-star Harry H. Corbett. But despite scores of other successes in roles on stage, TV and film, Brambell died a sad and lonely man.Alongside fame and fortune, ‘You Dirty Old Man!’ reveals how Brambell suffered unbelievable personal heartache, battling an inner turmoil that eventually drove him to drink as his marriage collapsed in the most deceitful circumstances imaginable. His torment led to a secretive life off camera where he did everything possible to stay out of the public eye.Featuring original interviews with film directors Richard Lester, Terence Davies and Tony Palmer, as well as recollections from his own family members, the family of Harry H. Corbett and those who worked alongside him, author David Clayton seeks to re-examine the legacy of a man whose loyal fanbase remains undiminished sixty years on from his heyday.

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The world of the Roman Republic and Empire is still very much with us, alive and a key companion as we negotiate the trials and tribulations of modern life. We don’t just walk in the footsteps of Romans great and small; we walk side by side with them.At its height in the second century AD the Roman Empire stretched across three continents, from Hadrian’s Wall in the far north-west to the bustling port cities on the Red Sea, but its influence spread even further afield, with its legacy lasting to this day.In The Legacy of Rome, acclaimed historian Dr Simon Elliott sets off on a grand tour of the whole empire, reviewing each region in turn to show how the experience of being part of the Roman world still has a dramatic impact on our lives today. From wild Britannia, where the legacy of conquest still influences relationships with the Continent; to western Europe, where the language, church and even law can be traced back to antiquity; to schisms and war across central Europe and the Middle East that are directly rooted in the world of Rome – the result is a fascinating exploration of the reach of Rome beyond its borders and through time.

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Andrew Grant Forsyth’s photographs show the changing locomotive scene throughout Scotland after the nationalisation of the railways in 1948. Forsyth visited Scotland almost every year, and between 1948 and 1966 he was fortunate to be able to photograph the graceful-looking ex-Great North of Scotland 4-4-0s, the ex-North British Railway ‘Glen’ and ‘Scott’ 4-4-0s, the Caledonian 4-4-0s and numerous 0-6-0 and tank locomotive classes remaining from both those companies.Also reproduced are many examples of the London and North Eastern Railway express locomotive fleet, together with locomotives of former London Midland and Scottish Railway and examples of the post-nationalisation Standard locomotives of British Railways. Scottish Steam 1948–1966 is a stunning collection of Andrew Grant Forsyth’s photographs, providing a unique insight into a shifting time.

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Outrageously handsome, witty and clever, Harry Cust was reputed to be one of the great womanisers of the late Victorian era. In 1893, while a Member of Parliament, he caused public scandal by his affair with artist and poet Nina Welby Gregory. When she revealed she was pregnant, horror swept through their circle known as ‘the Souls', a cultured, mostly aristocratic group of writers, artists and politicians who also rubbed shoulders with luminaries such as Oscar Wilde and H. G. Wells. For the rest of their lives, Harry and Nina would fight to rebuild their reputations and maintain the marriage they were pressurised to enter. In Tangled Souls, acclaimed biographer Jane Dismore tells the tumultuous story of the romance which threatened to tear apart this distinguished group of friends, revealing pre-war society at its most colourful and most conflicted.

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Birmingham has a tradition of individualism and experimentation, giving rise to a fragmented but innovative culture. This applies to the city’s contemporary music scene just as it does to the rest of its cultural heritage, which explains why the Birmingham sound is hard to define. Whereas other cities are known for a certain sound, this city celebrates its diversity.In this new decade, the plethora of exciting indie bands, sick rappers and emotive singer-songwriters are surrounded by a collective of DJs, producers, promoters, venues, bloggers and vloggers who promote them. There’s an agglomeration building, coalescing around the Birmingham Music Awards, whose mission is to amplify this uprising to the world.In this book, Stephen Pennell’s reviews and musings shine a light on Birmingham’s finest up-and-coming performers playing the city’s most iconic venues, taking us on a unique journey around Birmingham’s music scene.

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Briggens House, near Harlow in Essex, was one of the most important of the establishments requisitioned by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during the Second World War. Its mission was to accomplish Winston Churchill’s directive to ‘set Europe ablaze’, and, initially, the house was used as a finishing school for the Cichociemni, elite Polish saboteurs, to prepare to parachute into Nazi-occupied Poland. In need of false identity documents to avoid the arrest, interrogation and execution of its agents, SOE gradually built up a printing department on site and Station 14 became the organisation’s False Document Section.This is the true story of the house and its highly skilled wartime personnel, including British officers, Polish agents and the women of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry. For the resident staff it was a relatively safe posting, but tension built as the Poles, fighting their own battle for Polish independence, competed for scarce resources in wartime Britain.SOE historian Des Turner uses first-hand accounts, memoirs and official records to reveal long-forgotten stories of tragedy, humour and frustration, giving long-overdue credit to the men and women of Briggens House who were prevented by the Secrets Act from ever speaking about their wartime work.

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Norwich in the Second World War is the story of the city and its people, both civilian and military, from the construction of the first air raid shelters in 1938 through to VE Day in 1945 and the return of Far Eastern prisoners of war in 1946.Featuring first-hand accounts of what happened when enemy bombers raided the city, notably during the notorious Baedeker Blitz of 1942, rare photographs and documents make this book a must for anyone who knows and loves the city of Norwich.

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The biggest drug bust in British history occurred in the early hours of 25 March 1977: 800 officers made 120 arrests and seized a staggering 6,000,000 tabs of LSD.The raids focused on two acid manufacturing centres: one hidden in an isolated farmhouse in deepest Wales, the other in a suburban house on a leafy residential street in south-west London. Between them they supplied acid to most of the UK, Europe, America and beyond. Tabs bearing their logo were recovered as far away as Australia.James Wyllie tells the extraordinary story of how a middle-aged American academic, two idealistic British students, a public school cad and an American hustler formed the Microdot Gang and created an acid production line designed to turn on the world. It is the story of Operation Julie – a police operation unprecedented in scale, sophistication and complexity, the brainchild of an old-school detective who led an investigation that would eventually involve the security services, the FBI, the DEA, the Canadian authorities and the Swiss police.Ranging over a decade and across several continents, The Microdot Gang is also a tale of how a cultural movement became a criminal enterprise, inspiring the war on drugs and launching a revolution that left an enduring and complex legacy.

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What links Fidel Castro, pirates from the Caribbean and George Washington? Rum. A Rum Tale: Spirit of the New World is a look at the history of one of the Caribbean’s most famous and favourite drinks. From its start as a by-product of a mysterious plant called ‘sugar cane’ to twentieth-century bootlegging, smuggling and prohibition, rum’s heritage is as rich as its flavour – so pour yourself a drink and turn the page.

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After the Second World War, war crimes prosecutors charged two of King George VI’s closest German relatives with ‘crimes against humanity’. American soldiers discovered top-secret documents at Marburg Castle that exposed treacherous family double-dealing inside the Royal Family. Two of the King’s brothers had flirted dangerously with the Nazi regime in duplicitous games of secret diplomacy.To avert a potential public relations catastrophe, George VI hid incriminating papers and, with Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt’s help, whitewashed history to protect his family. Three of Philip Mountbatten’s sisters were banned from Westminster Abbey and the wedding of their brother to Princess Elizabeth because their husbands were senior Nazi officers.This dilemma was Queen Victoria’s fatal legacy: she had hoped to secure peace in Europe through a network of royal marriages, but her plan backfired with two world wars.Tea With Hitler is a family saga of duty, courage, wilful blindness and criminality, revealing the tragic fate of a Saxe-Coburg princess murdered as part of the Nazi euthanasia programme and the story of Queen Victoria’s Jewish great-grand-daughter, rescued by her British relatives.

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Did you know that there are more than twenty-one rivers in London? Many of them have been forced underground by the development of the city but they all have their own history and their own stories to tell, from Roman times to the present day.Anne and Sef have dredged these tales from the silt, bringing them to the surface for you to enjoy. Tales of mudlarks and refugees; a pirate queen and Vikings; a young boy running away from enslavement, and many more all flow through the pages of this collection. Seas and oceans have been crossed, dangers overcome, and these ancestors of ours come to life as they tell their stories once more.

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The Dublin suburbs situated between the Grand Canal and the River Dodder consist of distinct neighbourhoods, each with their own character and style. It is an area that was, and continues to be, home to poets, writers, artists, politicians and academics, all of whom, in their own way, contributed to Irish life. Those featured include: Jack B. Yeats, artist; Mother Mary Aikenhead, Founder of the Religious Order; Brendan Behan, writer and dramatist; Mary Lady Heath, aviator and international athlete; Sophie Bryant, mathematician, educationist and suffragette; James Franklin Fuller, architect and Seamus Heaney, poet. In this book, Dr Beatrice M. Doran tells of the lives of some of the most fascinating people who once lived on the leafy roads and avenues of this interesting area of the city.

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The chilling and little-known story of Adolf Hitler's eight-year march to the pinnacle of German politics. On the night of 30 January 1933, Adolf Hitler leaned out of a spotlit window of the Reich Chancellery in Berlin, bursting with joy. Even to Hitler himself, the moment seemed unbelievable. After an improbable, serpentine political journey that came close to faltering on many occasions, his march to power had finally succeeded. Until now, no single work has focused on the precise eight-year run of his climb to rule from 1925 to 1933. Peter Ross Range brings this period back to startling life, giving readers a necessary story of brushes with power and quests for revenge, non-stop electioneering and underhand campaign tactics. For Hitler, moments of gloating triumph were followed, shockingly, by abject humiliation. Masterfully woven into one unforgettable and urgent narrative, The Unfathomable Ascent, will make us remember what we should never forget.

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Amid the turmoil of the dying days of the Second World War, a series of ships were sunk in the Baltic. These terrible disasters add up to be the greatest loss of life ever recorded at sea, but the stories of these ships have been lost from view. While everyone recognises the name Titanic, the names Cap Arcona, Goya, General von Steuben and Thielbek draw little more than blank stares.Claes-Göran Wetterholm brings the horror of these tragic events to life in this gripping study, first published in Swedish, as he collates the unknown stories of four major shipping disasters, the most terrible in history. Combining archive research with interviews with survivors and the relatives of those who died, Wetterholm vividly conveys his experiences of meeting many witnesses to a forgotten and horrifying piece of history.

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Mansfield has seen many changes over the year. Influenced by its industrial past of coal mining and textiles, it still thrives as a market town. Drawing from The Old Mansfield Society's vast archive, this book presents historical images of Mansfield paired with the same scenes in more recent years, to highlight the changes that the area has seen. With an introduction and informative captions, will be of interest to anyone curious about the area's history.

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Traditionally, the Wars of the Roses – one of the bloodiest conflicts on English soil – began in 1455, when the Duke of York attacked King Henry VI’s army in the narrow streets of St Albans. But this conflict did not spring up overnight. Blood Roses traces it back to the beginning. Starting in 1245 with the founding of the House of Lancaster, Kathryn Warner follows a twisted path of political intrigue, bloody war and fascinating characters for 200 years. From the Barons Wars to the overthrowing of Edward II, Eleanor of Castile to Isabella of France, and true love to Loveday, this is a new look at an infamous era. The first book to look at the origins of both houses, Blood Roses reframes some of the biggest events of the medieval era; not as stand-alone conflicts, but as part of a long-running family feud that would have drastic consequences.

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Those who lived through the Second World War have many stories of bravery, sadness, horror, doubt and longing. Inspired by conversations with veterans following the publication of her grandfather’s wartime memoir, Victoria Panton Bacon has gathered a moving collection of their experiences. Their recollections tell of a different time and reveal the courage, actions and sentiments of those whose wartime experiences changed the course of history; stories of ordinary people who lived under the long shadows cast by the war and whose young lives were changed irrevocably. Though many tales are sad, describing being sent into war and the loss of friends and family, there are also stories of joy and love found in the darkest of times. For them, war, the ultimate leveller, threw them into remarkable times, whether they were a merchant seaman, army officer, pilot, young Jewish girl, code breaker or Home Guard recruit. From one extraordinary story to the next, Remarkable Journeys of the Second World War immerses the reader in the lives of real people who lived through conflict.

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The Avro Lancaster has endured as a legendary icon of British strategic airpower from the Second World War, the ultimate aerial asset. Tough, rugged and able to perform effectively at high altitudes, the Lancaster fitted the RAF’s need for a heavy, high-altitude bomber.From the initial risky daylight-bombing missions over Europe to the fire-bombing of German cities, the Dambuster Raids to the sinking of the Tirpitz, the Lancaster helped to profoundly secure victory for the Allies in the Second World War.In An Illustrated History of the Avro Lancaster, Mark A. Chambers tells the fascinating story of Avro’s aircraft design philosophy and development, as well as its glorious combat record and operational history in the post-war era, using a wealth of photographs.

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Everyone loves a romantic rogue whose exciting exploits feature a cheeky disregard for the law, narrow escapes and lots of love interest. Even at the height of highway robbery activity in the eighteenth century, it was thought that the death penalty was too harsh for these wayward scoundrels. There was the ever-courteous Claude Duval, the epitome of gentlemanliness; the infamous Katherine Ferrers, who was the inspiration for the film The Wicked Lady; Dick Turpin, the most famous highwayman of them all; and lesser-known characters such as Tom Rowland, who dressed as a woman to avoid capture. All these and more form an entertaining volume that follows the mounted thief in their endless match against the law and a death by public hanging.

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‘That evening in the bars in Buckingham and adjacent towns there was only one topic of conversation – the Grand Prix .… motor-racing had ‘arrived’ in England.’ - Motor Sport, 13 May 1950. The British Grand Prix is the oldest race on the Formula 1 calendar, having entertained race fans for over seventy years – and from Kent to Liverpool, the Mirrorpix photographers have been there every step of the way. The F1 World Championship at the British Grand Prix is a race through the highest and lowest moments of a sport that has given us Stirling Moss, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.

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