Search results for ""history press""

Report into the Loss of the SS Titanic is a complete re-evaluation of the loss of Titanic based on evidence that has come to light since the discovery of the wreck in 1985. This collective undertaking is compiled by eleven of the world’s foremost Titanic researchers – experts who have spent many years examining the wealth of information that has arisen since 1912. Following the basic layout of the 1912 Wreck Commission Report, this modern report provides fascinating insights into the ship itself, the American and British inquiries, the passengers and crew, the fateful journey and ice warnings received, the damage and sinking, rescue of survivors, the circumstances in connection with the SS Californian and SS Mount Temple, and the aftermath and ramifications that followed the disaster.The book seeks to answer controversial questions, such as whether steerage passengers were detained behind gates, and also reveals the names and aliases of all passengers and crew who sailed on Titanic’s maiden voyage. Containing the most extensively referenced chronology of the voyage ever assembled and featuring a wealth of explanatory charts and diagrams, as well as archive photographs, this comprehensive volume is the definitive ‘go-to’ reference book for this ill-fated ship.

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When the Wright brothers finally took to the air in the Wright Flyer in 1903, it was the realisation of one of humanity’s oldest dreams. From there on in, the sky really was the limit, and the early twentieth century was a time of pioneering technical skill and bravery, as men took to the air in primitive, experimental flying machines. Soon, various organisations sought to encourage innovation in the design and construction of aircraft by pitting them against one another in races offering trophies and cash prizes. Most prestigious among them was the Schneider Trophy, launched in 1913 by French industrialist Jacques Schneider to promote the development of seaplanes. The race was fiercely competitive, and many of the pilots were First World War veterans who were willingly putting their lives on the line once more. Crowds flocked to spectate and winners were feted. Aircraft designers were brought together from across the globe, resulting in the rapid sharing, or perhaps stealing, of new technology and ideas. Year by year, dramatic improvements in the winning speeds – often breaking records – charted the progress made, and this eventually had a great impact on the development of fighter aircraft in the Second World War and the future of the air industry alike. Eighty-five years since the British entry won the final 1931 Trophy, this highly illustrated volume brings to life the ‘quest for speed’ once more.

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Scotland has charmed visitors for centuries, and this collection of intricate illustrations is a celebration of its unique appeal. Featuring a range of picturesque vistas, from freshwater lochs and wooded glens to majestic mountains, granite cities and medieval castles, each stunning scene is full of intriguing detail sure to fire the imagination and make you reach for your colouring pencils. There are absolutely no rules – you can choose any combination of colours you like to bring these wonderful images to life. Suitable for children. If you love Scotland, then you will love colouring it in!

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This richly illustrated history explores every aspect of life in Manchester. Manchester is noted for the ‘Industrial Revolution’ – its factories, working-class people and urban development all based around its production of cotton textiles. But this is not the complete story. Manchester has always been a more vibrant place which dates back to Roman times. This book traces the development of this important city and its people from the earliest times to the present, where each period in its progress links to the next. The history of Manchester is very much based around its people, who were often pioneers, whether this be the first railway line, the first public library, fighting for greater political rights, or key wealth creators for the nation. As we advance through the twenty-first century, Manchester’s role in the United Kingdom remains undiminished as it becomes ever more cosmopolitan and a northern powerhouse of economic, social and political progress.

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Made on the Isle of Wight is a pictorial celebration of the immense contribution to the aviation, automotive and marine industries that this tiny island has given, from the first hovercraft to boats that held the world water speed record and even the only all-British rocket and satellite into space. With a focus on invention, innovation and record-breaking, local author David L. Williams explores the many products of the island’s industry, along with designers and engineers, and the workforce that created these fascinating inventions.

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Cats are individual, totally inscrutable and completely lovable. And they love us back – when they feel like it. Anyone who has known the friendship of a cat, this book is for you.

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On 22 January 1879 a powerful British column invading Zululand was decisively defeated beneath a hill called Isandlwana. Later on the same day, 4,000 Zulus attacked a garrison of no more than 100 British troops at the mission station at Rorke’s Drift, only a few miles from Isandlwana. The British held out against all reasonable expectations, eventually beating off their attackers and winning eleven Victoria Crosses between them. The location where these battles were fought have been places of pilgrimage ever since. Rorke’s Drift & Isandlwana 1879 is a guide to assist the visitor to the two sites with details on how to get there and where to stay. It also discusses the background to the Anglo-Zulu War, the two battles themselves and seeks to make sense of the events that happened there.

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Leeds, 1957: When enquiry agent Dan Markham and his new partner, retired Detective Sergeant Baker, take on a missing persons case, a simple matter turns into a murder investigation when a body is recovered from the River Aire. Nothing is what it seems. The dead man is an East German. A defector or spy? More mysterious deaths follow and the investigation takes a deadly turn as the pair try to track down a ruthless Russian assassin and Markham finds himself dragged into the heart of a Cold War – in Leeds.

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Steyning, Bramber and Beeding are now quiet backwaters. It is a large part of their present charm that they preserve much of the atmosphere of a past age. Yet, paradoxically, the three adjacent communities were relatively busier. Bustling river trade on the Adur combined with their position as centres for a thriving agricultural community, with markets, fairs, a castle, a priory, a great collegiate church and, by the 10th century, even a mint; all these made them places of importance in the Middle Ages.

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The Other Tudor Princess brings to life the story of Margaret Douglas, a shadowy and mysterious character in Tudor history – but who now takes centre stage in this tale of the bitter struggle for power during the reign of Henry VIII. Margaret is Henry’s beloved niece, but she defies the king by indulging in two scandalous affairs and is imprisoned in the Tower of London on three occasions ‘not for matters of treason, but for love’. Yet, when Henry turns against his second wife Anne Boleyn and declares his daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, bastards, it is Margaret he appoints as his heir to the throne. The arrangement of the marriage of Margaret’s son, Lord Darnley, to his cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots unites their claim to the throne and infuriates Queen Elizabeth. Yet this match brings tragedy, as Margaret’s son is brutally murdered. As Margaret reaches old age, her place in the dynasty is still not safe, and she dies in mysterious circumstances – was Margaret poisoned on the orders of Queen Elizabeth? Mary McGrigor tells this compelling and exciting part of Tudor history for the first time with all the passion and thrill of a novel, but this is no fiction – the untold story runs through the course of history, and Margaret secured the throne for her Stuart ancestors for years to come.

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At age 25, Elizabeth II became Britain’s 40th monarch and vowed to dedicate her life to service and duty on behalf of her country. She is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states, head of the 53 member Commonwealth of Nations, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and head of the armed forces. Most notably, however, on September 9th, 2015, she became the longest reigning monarch in British history. She has consistently adapted in order to remain relevant, while devotedly upholding the age-old traditions of the monarchy.Although there have only been six British female monarchs, it cannot be argued that some of the most enlightened times in history have occurred during periods of queenship. Elizabeth I led the country through the Golden Age and Victoria ushered in the Industrial Revolution, but it is Elizabeth II who will leave the most illustrious and progressive legacy of all.

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The First World War was won not just on the battlefields but on the Home Front, by the men, women and children left behind. This book explores the lives of the people of Pershore and the surrounding district in wartime, drawing on their memories, letters, postcards, photographs, leaflets and recipes to demonstrate how their hard work in cultivating and preserving fruit and vegetables helped to win the Great War. Pershore plums were used to make jam for the troops; but ensuring these and other fruits and vegetables were grown and harvested required the labour of land girls, Boy Scouts, schoolchildren, Irish labourers and Belgian refugees. When submarine warfare intensified, food shortages occurred and it became vital for Britain to grow more and eat less food. Housewives faced many challenges in feeding their families and so in 1916 the Pershore Women’s Institute was formed, providing many women with practical help and companionship during some of Britain’s darkest hours in history.

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As the First World War roared into its second year, 17-year-old Lawrence Ellis marched into his recruitment office and signed up, eager to fight for King and Country. Underage, as so many were, it wasn’t until he had cut his teeth in the Royal Field Artillery that Ellis joined the Corps of Royal Signallers. It was some years after the war, however, that the private began to commit his memories to art and words. A Signaller’s War includes a poignant selection of Ellis’ images, portraying the conditions, experiences and hopes of the common soldier in the trenches of the Western Front. Often humorous, sometimes horrific, always honest, this collection is a unique insight into the life of a young volunteer who grows from a boy to a man during his service, after witnessing the aftermath of the Somme and action at Cambrai. He was not a trained artist, writer or diarist, yet his work demonstrates a skill and sensitivity that will leave the reader breathless.

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Ever wondered how to make a bow and arrow or build a box castle? Or wanted to grow crystals in vinegar or bend water with a balloon? If so, this is the book for you. Divided into four fun-filled chapters, ‘Outdoor and Adventurous’, ‘Science and Nature’, ‘Arts and Crafts’ and ‘Rainy Day’, this interactive book contains 101 exciting activities and traditional pastimes for young, intelligent boys and girls keen to explore the world and learn new skills. It also contains space to tick off each activity as it is completed. This book is guaranteed to encourage you to switch off the TV, shut down the computer and get lost in hours of old-fashioned fun … and perhaps a little bit of mischief!

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150 years after the Norman Conquest, history came within a hair’s breadth of repeating itself. In 1216, taking advantage of the turmoil created in England by King John’s inept rule, Prince Louis of France invaded England and allied with English rebels. The prize was the crown of England. Within months Louis had seized control of one-third of the country, including London. This is the first book to cover the bloody events of the invasion, one of the most dramatic but most overlooked episodes of British history. The text vividly describes the campaigns, sieges, battles and atrocities of the invasion and its colourful leaders – Louis the Lion, King John, William Marshal, and the mercenaries Fawkes de Béauté and Eustace the Monk – to offer the first detailed military analysis of this epic struggle for England.

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During the second half of the nineteenth century, Barrow-in-Furness became a pioneer in iron and steel production. It went on to grow astronomically – owning collieries in three counties and ore mines in two – and became the largest integrated steelworks in north Lancashire and Cumberland and, at one time, the largest steelworks in the world. Its success was due, in part, to having the prestige of three dukes as directors, as well as to being only 2 miles away from one of the largest and richest iron ore mines in the country. Written by two former employees of the works, Barrow Steelworks chronicles the company’s past from the early empire through the inter-war and post-war years, the development of continuous casting in the 1950s, which revolutionised steelmaking, and, finally, the struggles and ultimate demise from the 1960s onwards of this once prominent industry.

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Isambard Kingdom Brunel changed the world as we know it. He was responsible for building the Great Western Railway main line, introducing regular steamship travel across the Atlantic, building the first tunnel under a major river, and constructing docks, harbours and bridges that enabled Britain to expand and grow as the powerhouse of the world. Without his foresight and imagination, it is possible that nineteenth-century Britain might have been very different. There have been many books written about the man himself, but this book concentrates upon the structures, buildings and legacy of Brunel, introducing the reader to this great engineer and embarking upon a tour around Britain that reveals the many locations with a Brunel connection.

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Who travelling through Totteridge and Whetstone is aware that the station got its name from the medieval soldiers who sharpened their swords at the whetstone before the bloody Battle of Barnet? Or that Canary Wharf was built for importing fruit from the Canary Islands? Or that Shepherd’s Bush was previously known as Gagglegoose Green? The names of the 300 or so underground stations are part of everyday life for Londoners, but we hardly ever question their meanings or history. This entertaining book delves into their origins, ensuring you never view your journey beneath the city in the same way again.

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Why is Constantine a giant? Because he gave Christians freedom of religion. Yet also because he radically and thoroughly changed our society, in particular church-state relations, thereby creating the opportunity for the Christian community to experience exponential growth. Because his changes in government, law, religion and art and architecture are so enormous we still see the consequences of his decisions to this very day. Because Constantinian history is relevant to everyone.

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This absorbing book explores all aspects of life in that feared institution, the workhouse. From the staff who lived and worked there to the poor souls kept in the medical wing, it reveals a side of Basingstoke that has long since been forgotten. It covers the problems of administration and oversight, the stresses and strains suffered by the new, untrained and inexperienced officers who had to make it work, and the sometimes excruciating difficulty of getting every detail sanctioned by London. It also details how caring for the destitute and unfortunate often depended on the personalities of the people in charge, and how the Poor Law Union became a whole new tier of local government, still operating today.

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Located a short distance from Edinburgh’s Princes Street, the castellated design of Calton Prison was often mistaken by nineteenth-century visitors to the city for Edinburgh Castle. Occupying a prominent site on the rocky slope of Calton Hill, the then largest jail in Scotland was constructed to replace the ageing tolbooth and soon became the region’s main correction facility, housing prisoners awaiting trial and those facing execution, including murderers, political agitators, fraudsters, terrorists and even the notorious bodysnatchers Burke and Hare. For the inmates– the first of whom arrived in 1817– life inside the prison was initially wretched: conditions were squalid and discipline harsh, food was basic and the cells cold, but by the latter part of the nineteenth century it was well run compared with some other prisons. In this, the first long-overdue history of the prison, Malcolm Fife tells the story of Calton Jail, the staff and prisoners, the escapes and executions, and the crimes and punishments. Richly illustrated, it offers an absorbing insight into the Scottish criminal justice system of yesteryear.

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Medieval Europe is a dark and dangerous place. In 1054 the Church tears itself in two, setting the scene for nearly 500 years of turmoil. Empires will collide and dynasties will rise and fall; marriages will be made and alliances broken. It is a place where love clashes with ambition and violence rules – enemies are blinded, rivals are murdered and heretics are burnt at the stake. As the Black Death sweeps the continent and the Mongol hordes threaten its borders, can the kings of the old world survive the dawn of a new era?

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Storyteller and author Jen Foley brings together stories from the dark forests, ruined castles and magical green pastureland of Bedfordshire. In this treasure trove of tales you will meet Anglo-Saxon heroines and lascivious monks, as well as restless ghosts, conniving highwaymen, demons and witches – all as fantastical and powerful as the landscape they inhabit. Retelling each story in her engaging style, and richly illustrated with unique line drawings, these humorous, clever and enchanting folk tales are sure to be enjoyed and shared time and again.

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Farmer, author and broadcaster Arthur (A.G.) Street was one of the leading voices of British agriculture during the Second World War. His daughter Pamela – herself an aspiring writer – was 18 when war broke out. David, her future husband, served with the 4th RHA in North Africa. Using their previously unpublished diaries and letters, Miranda McCormick – Pamela’s daughter – tells the candid story of a Wiltshire family living and working at a time when ‘a little German with a black paint-brush moustache turned [the] world upside down’. Their very different experiences of war are woven into one masterful narrative of love, duty and separation during a time of national adversity. Detailing the sudden rise of her tenant farmer father to the status of a national celebrity, Pamela’s service as a VAD nurse and in the ATS, as well as her unofficial fiancé’s detainment in German and Italian prison camps, this is a story told with an almost allegorical simplicity. Intimate and personal, this vivid account of ‘ordinary life’ during extraordinary times is also the chronicle of a generation for whom farming was the fourth line of defence.

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This volume explores the history of Watford from the earliest times to the 1970s. Set against a background of some of the major events in English history, it tells the story of how a small medieval settlement became the town we see today. Drawing on thirty years of research, Mary Forsyth provides a fascinating insight into the changing face of the town, the local characters who inspired and instigated its transformation, and the national events that shaped its development through the ages. Illustrated with selected images from Watford Museum and the author’s own collection, it will interest newcomers and local residents alike, celebrating the history of this major Hertfordshire town.

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Chichester is the archetypal Georgian town, with streets of elegant buildings gathered closely around the ancient cathedral. It usually appears to today’s first-time visitor that the city has been largely untouched by the hand of time – particularly the destructive hand that guided the 1960s. However, this is not the case: in the 1960s, Chichester faced the same challenges as all historic towns, and much was lost – but the brakes were applied in good time and it became one of the first conservation areas in the country. This book, the first of its kind, looks at how Chichester fared in that turbulent decade, how it gained its status as a city of culture with a new theatre and museum, and how it expanded to meet the demands of its growing populace. Historical research blends with personal anecdote to produce a heartfelt portrait of the decade.

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Why is Caesar a giant? Because he effectively created the Roman Empire, and thus made possible the European civilization that grew out of it. As the People's champion against a corrupt and murderous oligarchy, he began transformation of the Roman republic into a quasi-monarchy and a military and fiscal system that for four centuries provided western Europe, north Africa and the Middle East with security, prosperity and relative peace. His conquest of Gaul and his successors' conquests of Germany, the Balkans and Britain created both the conditions for 'western culture' and many of the historic cities in which it has flourished.

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Cricket is a game that has always attracted mavericks and characters. Cantankerous batsmen, lethal bowlers, criminal wicket keepers and philandering fielders feature as The Middle Stump looks at the good, the bad and the potentially dangerous of the cricket world. Dan has interviewed some of the biggest names in the game and those sitting on the knolls in the sun, and has spoken to everyone who is anyone in the cricket world. Now, based on years of cricket fandom and limited ability, he has collected the portraits of the most interesting players from recent years. Written in the same tongue-in-cheek and honest style that we have all come to love from The Middle Stump, this is a great read for all cricket fans.

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Speakers’ Corner is a unique look at the people who come to argue, discuss and preach at Speakers’ Corner in London’s Hyde Park, regarded worldwide as the home of free speech. Many of the photographs, taken on Sunday afternoons stretching back almost four decades and published here for the first time, are accompanied by excerpts of speeches, heckles, arguments and debates which are, by turns, intriguing, shocking, politically incorrect – and often very funny. In an age in which broadcasters and newspaper editors largely set the parameters of public discussion, such unmediated face-to-face public debate is rare and offers a very different perspective on ‘public opinion’. The speakers and hecklers recorded here, whether serious or light-hearted, religious or profane, are the vibrant heirs of the nineteenth-century campaigners who fought for, and won, the rights to freedom of expression and assembly – vital elements of our democratic tradition.

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In the post-war era, TS Bremen was one of the most popular liners operating across the Atlantic – but she had a remarkable wartime history. Built for the French as the SS Pasteur, in 1940 she made a dramatic escape in the face of invasion, carrying 200 tons of French gold bullion reserves to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Requisitioned by the British, she became a hospital troopship and played a major support role in the Battle of El Alamein. Indeed, Charles de Gaulle claimed that Pasteur’s contribution ‘significantly helped bring . . . Hitler to his ultimate end’. Her sale in 1956 to North German Lloyd Line as their final flagship – refitted and renamed Bremen – sparked protest in France, but Bremen sailed on unperturbed, now the pride of the German nation. Though she had been celebrated as one of the safest liners ever built, Filipinas Saudi 1, as she was then known, sank in 1980 in the Indian Ocean. It was a sad ending to a life filled with glamour, excitement and danger. Here Andrew Britton tells the story of this distinguished and much-loved vessel in intimate and colourful detail.

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Emerging from modern history as a remarkable and much-loved family, the Mitfords have remained largely unrepentant concerning theirs and particularly Unity’s enthusiastic support of Hitler, the Nazis, Oswald Mosley and British fascism. However, having initially encouraged and supported Unity’s affair with Hitler, they subsequently insisted that she had in fact been a rather unintelligent, clumsy lump of a girl, whose virginal relationship with one of the most terrifying dictators of all time was a mere unrequited romantic obsession. As this book will show, nothing could be further from the truth. Following further research and reexamination of the family’s, friends’ and journalists’ often contradictory evidence, plus new information supplied by the author’s own family and friends, Hitler’s Valkyrie will reveal that while Unity was, like Hitler, an extreme fantasist, there was very little of the juvenile romantic about her. On the contrary, she was highly intelligent, free-spirited and athletic. She was also the only Englishwoman who came close to being capable of changing the course of the Second World War. Here David R.L. Litchfield untangles the decades-old web of intrigue surrounding Unity Mitford and one of the most dangerous men of all time, creating a fascinating book of unparalleled importance to the Mitford legacy.

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Here is the ultimate quiz book on Scotland’s national team. Informative and fun, this is the perfect companion for those long car journeys to Inverness or Aberdeen, or for nights down the local. An ideal gift for Tartan fans of all ages, here’s the chance to test fellow supporters on World Cups, famous games against England, favourite managers and cult heroes, including R.S. McColl, Jimmy Quinn, Jimmy McGrory and Kenny Dalglish. Cryptic to convivial, get your Tartan thinking caps on – it’s quiz time!

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This day-by-day account of gruesome tales from York’s past reveals the seedy underbelly of what was historically the most important city in the North. Inside these pages you will find true stories of murder and intrigue, battles and conspiracies, witches and religious martyrs, gruesome executions and horrible accidents. Read about Margaret Clitherow, tortured to death for her beliefs, Richard Scrope, the archbishop executed for treason, and of course the notorious highwayman Richard ‘Dick’ Turpin and his moonlight ride. If you have ever wondered what nasty goings-on occurred in the York of yesteryear, then read on … if you dare!

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The First World War claimed over 995,000 British lives, and its legacy continues to be remembered today. Great War Britain: London offers an in-depth portrait of the capital and its people during the 'war to end all wars'. It describes the reaction to the war's outbreak; charts the experience of individuals who enlisted; shares many first-hand experiences, including tales of the Zeppelin raids and anti-German riots of the era; examines the work of local hospitals; and explores how the capital and its people coped with the transition to life in peacetime. Vividly illustrated with evocative images from the newspapers of the day, it commemorates the extraordinary bravery and sacrifice of London's residents between 1914 and 1918.

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For two decades Robert Stone made his living on the high seas. A modern-day pirate, he was a pioneer saturation oil-field diver, treasure hunter and smuggler, which brought him more money than he knew how to spend. Stone spent the last ten of his smuggling years in Africa, where he traded in illicit fuel. The murky waters of the Niger delta were his place of business as he operated in the most corrupt regime in the world, a place ruled by money and guns. Protected by the military he sold his black cargo to legitimate businesses all over the world, making millions of dollars in the process. Chasing Black Gold is a tale straight out of Hollywood, one which throws the reader into a world where suitcases full of millions in cash are flown around the globe on private jets, where the corrupt practices of Third World governments and military regimes must be mastered and a world of numbered bank accounts and countries of convenience, where living under false IDs and money laundering are all in a day’s work.

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The First World War claimed more than 995,000 British lives, and its legacy continues to be remembered today. Great War Britain: Guildford offers an intimate portrayal of the town and its people living in the shadow of the 'war to end all wars'. A beautifully illustrated and highly accessible volume, it describes local reaction to the outbreak of war; the experience of individuals who enlisted; the changing face of industry; the work of the many hospitals in the area; the effect of the conflict on local children; the women who defied convention to play a vital role on the home front, and concludes with a chapter dedicated to how the town and its people coped with the transition to life in peacetime once more. The Great War story of Guildford is told through the voices of those who were there and is vividly illustrated through evocative images from the author's collection and from the archives of The Guildford Institute.

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By December 1914, it had become clear to even the most optimistic observer that the war would not be over by Christmas. That month brought the first enemy inflicted deaths on the home front, when German warships bombarded three north-east coastal towns; meanwhile, the recently invented aeroplane was being put to fearsome use in raids over the south east. In Europe, Mons, the Marne and Ypres had given a taste of the devastating power of modern warfare – a reality to which troops in the trenches on both sides tried to turn a blind eye in the famous Christmas truce. This book uses contemporary newspapers and magazines, diaries and other records to present a comprehensive image of this extraordinary Christmas, both at home and abroad.

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The First World War claimed over 995,000 British lives, and its legacy continues to be remembered today. Great War Britain: Derby offers an intimate portrayal of the city and its people living in the shadow of the ’war to end all wars ‘. A beautifully illustrated and highly accessible volume, it describes local reaction to the outbreak of war; charts the experience of individuals who enlisted; the changing face of industry; the work of the many hospitals in the area; the effect of the conflict on local children; the women who defied convention to play a vital role on the home front; and concludes with a chapter dedicated to how the city and its people coped with the transition to life in peacetime once more. The Great War story of Derby is told through the voices of those who were there and is vividly illustrated through evocative images from the archives of Derby Museums.

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Nestled amidst the windswept moorlands of the South Pennines, Halifax has always had a wild reputation: ‘From Hell, Hull and Halifax, good Lord deliver us’ ran the ‘Beggars’ Litany’. But was it just a grisly fate at the hands of the Halifax Gibbet, England’s last guillotine, that they feared? From historical boggarts to modern poltergeists, the region teems with intruders from beyond the veil: they stalk the gritstone crags and the austere chapels, the tumbledown mills and the ancient taverns. Haunted Halifax & District explores the manifestations and territory of these unquiet spirits, all in the light of the area’s colourful history and wider folkloric context. Including such highlights as the spectre of Emily Brontë and a headless coachman with two two headless horses, it will intrigue visitors and residents alike.

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Well, how was it for you? This was Cardiff City’s first season in the top flight for more than fifty years, and we kept a diary every step of theway, recording all the highs and lows. We enjoyed victory over the champions, success in the first ever All Wales Premier League derby, and visits to the finest stadiums in the country. But there were oh so many off-the- field misadventures, weren’t there? We were led by a chairman who looked like a Bond villain, running a club torn apart by Redv.Blue. We spent more time on the front pages than the back pages as CCFC became Car Crash Football Club. And we wrote it all down. This is our version of a crazy season.

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Stalag VIII-B, Colditz, these names are synonymous with POWs in the Second World War. But what of those prisoners in captivity on British soil? Where did they go? Gloucestershire was home to a wealth of prisoner-of-war camps and hostels, and many Italian and German prisoners spent the war years here. Inside the Wire explores the role of the camps, their captives and workers, together with their impact on the local community. This book draws on Ministry of Defence, Red Cross and US Army records, and is richly illustrated with original images. It also features the compelling first-hand account of Joachim Schulze, a German POW who spent the war near Tewkesbury. This is a fascinating but forgotten aspect of the Second World War.

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This fascinating, fully illustrated volume is the definitive guide to every aspect of the workhouse and of the poor relief system in which it played a pivotal part. Compiled by Peter Higginbotham, one of Britain’s best-known experts on the subject, this A-Z cornucopia covers everything from the 1725 publication An Account of Several Work-houses to the South African Zulu admitted to Fulham Road Workhouse in 1880. With hundreds of fascinating anecdotes, plus priceless information for researchers including workhouse locations throughout the British Isles, useful websites and archive repository details, maps, plans, original workhouse publications and an extensive bibliography, it will delight family historians and general readers alike. Where was my local workhouse? What records did they keep? What is gruel and is it really what inmates lived on? How did you get out of a workhouse? What famous people were once workhouse inmates? Are there any workhouse buildings I can visit? If these are the kinds of questions you’ve ever wanted to know the answer to, then this is the book for you.

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It was a war that shaped the modern world, fought on five continents, claiming the lives of ten million people. Two great nations met each other on the field of battle for the first time. But were they so very different? For the first time, and drawing widely on archive material in the form of original letters and diaries, Peter Doyle and Robin Schäfer bring together the two sides, ‘Fritz’ and ‘Tommy’, to examine cultural and military nuances that have until now been left untouched: their approaches to war, their lives at the front, their greatest fears and their hopes for the future. The soldiers on both sides went to war with high ideals; they experienced horror and misery, but also comradeship/Kameradschaft. And with increasing alienation from the people at home, they drew closer together, ‘the Hun’ transformed into ‘good old Jerry’ by the war’s end. This unique collaboration is a refreshing yet touching examination of how little truly divided the men on either side of no-man’sland during the First World War.

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It is a beautiful warm August day in 1880: perfect weather for the annual Metropolitan Police Annual Fete held at Alexandra Palace. Inspector Best is summoned to uncover the identity of 'Quicksilver' who has sent an anonymous note threatening to cause an horrific explosion at the event. When a second note is received and its threats become increasingly confusing with their literary allusions, Best seeks out the help of Helen Franks, a close friend from the past. However, is Quicksilver really intent on causing mass injury on this fine day, or is his desire of a more personal nature?

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Running a railway is a complex business, constantly throwing up drama, misadventure and the unexpected. Geoff Body and Bill Parker have collated a rich selection of railwaymen’s memories and anecdotes to create an enjoyable book of escapades and mishaps, illustrating the daily obstacles faced on the railways, from handling the new Eurostar to train catering, nights on the Tay Bridge to rail ‘traffic cops’, and from mystery derailments to track subsidence. However interesting the infrastructure of the large and varied railway business may be, the real heart of this great industry lies in its people, the complex jobs they occupy and the dedicated way in which they carry them out.

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The Royal Hospital Haslar was the first of three hospitals built in the 18th century for sick and wounded sailors and marines and was the last to remain in service. Following submissions to King George II by the Earl of Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty, sites were identified at Portsmouth, Plymouth, and Chatham, and building commenced at Haslar farm in 1745. Designed by Theodore Jacobsen FRS in the manner of his Foundling Hospital in London, the hospital, reputed at one time to be the largest red brick building in Europe, was completed in 1762. Haslar was grand in concept, elegant in design and robust of build, and provided medical attention and nursing care to the sick and wounded of both Fleet and Army. This may not have been of the highest order in the early years, but the standards achieved during the Peninsular and Crimean Wars earned the hospital a reputation among military authorities that was unequalled. Sir John Richardson, eminent Arctic explorer and physician at Haslar, even corresponded with Florence Nightingale when the nursing reformer was campaigning for changes in the way casualties of war were treated. Described as the noblest of institutions by Queen Victoria, the Royal Hospital Haslar has provided medical care to the Royal Navy for over 250 years and Sick Berth staff for service in all areas of global conflict. In more recent times it treated patients from all three services and since the 1950s has made the professional and technological expertise contained within its walls accessible to civilian patients. The photographs in this fascinating illustrated history will stir the memory of all those who have entered Haslar, as either staff or patients, and provide a unique record of a singular and celebrated institution.

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Fair Mile was more than just a psychiatric hospital; it was an example of a nationwide network of ‘pauper lunatic asylums’, born of responsible Victorian legislation and compassion for the disadvantaged. It was a secure home to many of its patients and staff, and the community within its walls became an integral part of Cholsey, touching almost every household in the area. Drawing on county records, first-hand accounts and archive photographs, Fair Mile Hospital describes the ethos of the Victorian asylum builders and the development of the facility that treated thousands of patients over four generations. Relating changes in practice and personnel, and the difficulties of two world wars, this is a unique account of a hospital that did its utmost for those in its care.

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The earliest settlement beside the Brayford Pool was called Lindon, and this Celtic name was adopted by the Roman conquerors in the first century ad. e fortress established on the hill above the river Witham was later transformed into a provincial capital of the Roman Empire, complete with a forum, basilica and ne houses, and the mighty walls and gates built then would still be standing many hundreds of years later. After the Empire collapsed the city survived as the capital of a minor British realm which later developed into the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Lindsey. Prosperity and growth returned with the arrival of the Vikings in the ninth century, and the great cathedral begun by the Normans, the Conqueror’s castle and fine Norman town houses are the jewels in the crown of Lincoln’s modern tourist industry. Throughout the 12th and 13th centuries the city thrived as a major centre for the wool and cloth trades, but even before the Black Death struck in 1349 it was beginning to decline, and Lincoln would remain a sad and decayed echo of its former self until the last years of the 17th century, much damaged following its use as a garrison town in the Civil Wars. Rapid growth, however, came only in the 19th century when this rather sleepy, ancient cathedral city transformed itself – almost literally ‘overnight’ – into a centre for heavy engineering and, in the First World War, the home of the tank. Today this dual legacy of ancient and modern persists. e Siemens engineering works beside the Pelham Bridge is the last indicator of the city’s former engineering greatness, but Lincoln’s older heritage is better preserved than ever before, and a new university has been established beside the Brayford Pool, where it all began. First published in 2009, this fully illustrated book tells the story of the city’s many transformations over two thousand years and, through a wealth of detail, brings to life the events and challenges faced by many generations who have lived and worked in this rather beautiful ‘place by the pool’.

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