Search results for ""history press""

The First World War began in East Africa in August 1914 and did not end until 13 November 1918. In its scale and impact, it was the largest conflict yet to take place on African soil. Four empires and their subject peoples were engaged in a conflict that ranged from modern Kenya in the north to Mozambique in the south. The campaign combined heroic human endeavour and terrible suffering, set in some of the most difficult terrain in the world. The troops had to cope with extremes that ranged from arid deserts to tropical jungles and formidable mountains, and almost always on inadequate rations. Yet the East African campaign has languished in undeserved obscurity over the years, with many people only vaguely aware of its course of events. Indeed, Humphrey Bogart’s famous film, The African Queen, inspired by an episode of the campaign, often provides its only lasting image. The Forgotten Front is the first full-scale history of this neglected campaign. Ross Anderson details the fighting and the strategic and political background to the war and the differing viewpoints of the principal protagonists.

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The Watts Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice in Postman’s Park, London, is a Victorian monument containing fifty-four ceramic plaques commemorating sixty-two individuals, each of whom lost their own life while attempting to save another. Every plaque tells a tragic and moving story, but the short narratives do little more than whet the appetite and stimulate the imagination about the lives and deaths of these brave characters. Based upon extensive historical research, this book will, for the first time, provide a full and engaging account of the dramatic circumstances behind each of the incidents, and reveal the vibrant and colourful lives led by those who tragically died.

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The outbreak of war in 1914 was greeted with euphoria by many in Europe, and it was widely believed that the conflict would be ‘over by Christmas’. In the event, millions of men were destined to spend the first of four seasons away from their families and loved ones. Amid the shortages, tedium and dangers of life in the trenches, those at ‘the sharp end’ remained determined to celebrate Christmas as a time of comradeship and community, a time when war could be set aside, if only for a day. Unlike the famous Christmas truce of 1914, the Christmas experiences in other years of the war and on other fronts have received scant attention. Alan Wakefield has trawled the archives of the Imperial War Museum, National Archives and National Army Museum to provide a fascinating selection of first-hand accounts of the six wartime Christmases of the First World War.

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Sydney Litherland, at the age of 20, was called up in February 1940. After having been evacuated from Greece, he was among the 30,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers taken prisoner by the Germans at the fall of Crete in June 1941. This book documents in fascinating and historically important detail their daily life as POWs in Germany and encapsulates the experiences of tens of thousands of ordinary POWs. The German airborne invasion of Crete and the surrender by the British is still the subject of controversy. Sydney gives here his own first-hand account of the event. This is not an account of heroic escapes and derring-do by dashing officers, but of the day-to-day endurance of the other ranks, mostly very young men, separated from their officers and expected to do hard manual labour in working camps. What is revealed is a different kind of courage: a quiet resilience and dogged determination not just to endure, but to triumph. Supporting each other, they never lose hope of eventual victory or let an opportunity slip to make life more difficult for their captors. This is an enthralling record of their triumphs and tragedies over four long years.

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Flintshire has over seventy separate towns and villages, the largest being Mold, Buckley, Flint and Holywell. These mining communities were once home to numerous public houses and inns, many of which disappeared with the closure of the mines. Illustrated with over 100 old photographs, postcards and other memorabilia, this absorbing collection offers the reader an insight into the life of many Flintshire pubs past and present, and highlights some of the changes that have taken place during the last century. Glimpses of the area's working and social life are featured; each image recalling the fascinating history of this part of North Wales's history. Flintshire Pubs and Breweries will delight all those who want to know more about the history of Flintshire's pubs, their clientele, landlords and ladies and takes the reader on a fascinating journey into the past of their favourite local.

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Presents a selection of photographs, which illustrate the transformation that has taken place in Lowestoft during the 20th century. This book offers an insight into the daily lives and living conditions of local people and gives the reader glimpses and details of familiar places during a century of unprecedented change.

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This fascinating selection of photographs illustrates the extraordinary transformation that has taken place in the East End during the 20th century. The book offers an insight into the daily lives and living conditions of local people and gives the reader glimpses and details of familiar places dyring this century of unprecedented change. Many aspects of the East End's recent history are covered, famous occasions and individuals are remembered and the impact of national and international events is witnessed. The book provides a striking account of the changes that have so altered the East End's appearance and records the process of transformation. Drawing on detailed local knowledge of the community, and illustrated with a wealth of black-and-white photographs, this book recalls what the East End has lost in terms of buildings, traditions and ways of life. It also acknowledges the regeneration that has taken place and celebrates the character and energy of local people as they move through the first years of this new century.

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This concise but authoritative story of RMS Titanic, the most famous ship of all time, is packed with fascinating facts.

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Contained within the pages of this book are the stories behind some of the most notorious murders in Leicester's history. From the brutal murder of John Paas in 1832, whose killer became the last man in England to be gibbeted, and the poisoning of a seventy-year-old widow by two young men, to the failure to convict Archie Johnson of the murder of Annie Jennings in 1912 due to the inability to identify blood groups at that time, this is a collection of the most dramatic and interesting criminal cases that have taken place in Leicester between the mid-1800s and 1950s. Ben Beazley was a policeman for almost thirty years. His experience and understanding of the criminal justice system give authority to his unbiased assessment and analysis of the cases in this book. His carefully researched, well-illustrated and enthralling text will appeal to anyone interested in the shadier side of Leicester's history.

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In 1998, there was the latest in a long and complex history of takeovers that had bedevilled Rolls-Royce and Bentley since the companies were founded. This resulted in Volkswagen taking ownership of the factory in Crewe, together with the Bentley range and name, while BMW moved Rolls-Royce production to a new site in Sussex. On 30 August 2002, the last Crewe-built Rolls-Royce rolled off the production line, bringing the era of Crewe-built Rolls-Royces to an end.Peter Ollerhead, an ex-Rolls-Royce employee, has spent years researching the history of the company in Crewe, from 1938 to 1998, focusing on the endeavours and the experiences of its employees: this is a book about people. The detailed text, illustrated with over 80 photographs, explains how the initial establishment of a Merlin aero engine factory was thwarted by the problems of building on a greenfield site, where the early days of skill shortages, a chronic need for housing and a strike were followed by a bombing raid in 1940, in which seventeen employees were killed.The arrival of car production just after the Second World War is fully covered, as are the other enterprises that helped to keep the company afloat, from War Department power units to hip joints for the NHS. Despite a troubled history - with two major fires, bankruptcy and large-scale redundancies - Rolls-Royce was Crewe's largest employer for many years, produced the world's best luxury cars, and influenced and shaped the town as no other company has done. This book is a fitting tribute to the generations of workers who made it all possible.

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As the world's first - and only - supersonic passenger transport aircraft, the Anglo-French Concorde has never been out of the news. From its maiden flight in 1969 until its retirement from airline service in 2003, Concorde's achievements have been perpetually in the superlativ - the fastest, highest, most luxurious, most expensive (to build as well as to fly in) - to name just a few. The sleek white bird set standards in aeronautical design and passenger service that remain unsurpassed to this day. Here is the incredible story of an icon of 20th century design technology.

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King Harold Godwineson is one of history's shadowy figures, known mainly for his defeat and death at the Battle of Hastings. His true status and achievements have been overshadowed by the events of October 1066 and by the bias imposed by the Norman victory. In truth, he deserves to be recalled as one of the greatest rulers. Harold: The Last Anglo-Saxon King sets out to correct this distorted image by presenting Harold's life in its proper context, offering the first full-length critical study of his career in the years leading up to 1066. Ian Walker's carefully researched critique allows the reader to realistically assess the lives of both Harold and his rival William, significantly enhancing our knowledge of both.

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'The book is remarkable .... one of the most striking personal records of the period.' - Max HastingsAs a 24-year-old lieutenant in the King's Own Scottish Borderers, Peter kept an unauthorised journal of his regiment's advance through the Low Countries and into Germany in the closing months of the war in Europe. Forbidden by his commanding officer from doing so for security reasons, Peter's boyhood habit of diary keeping had become an obsession too strong to shake off. In this graphic evocation of a soldier at war, the images he records are not for the faint hearted.There are heroes aplenty within its pages, but there are also disturbing insights into the darker sides of humanity - the men who broke under the strain and who ran away; the binge drinking which occasionally rendered the whole platoon unable to fight; the looting, the rape, and the callous disregard for human life that happens when death is a daily companion. Hidden away for more than 50 years, this is a rare opportunity to read an authentic account of the horrors of war experienced by a British soldier in the greatest conflict of the 20th century.

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This addition to the "Britain in Old Photographs" series brings together a collection of black-and-white pictures spanning the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Drawn from family albums, local collections and professional photographers, they show the way things were and how they have changed. Every photograph is captioned, providing names and dates where possible, revealing historical and anecdotal detail and giving life to the scenes and personalities captured through the camera lens. Bringing together all aspects of daily life - celebrations and disasters, work and leisure, people and buildings - the collection should inspire memories, as well as serve as an introduction to visitors

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Saints and sorcerers, haunted caves and bloody battles, fairy mounds and forsaken harpers – Argyll is teeming with folk tales. The region has played a key part in the history of Scotland since prehistoric times. From the Irishsettlers who established the kingdom of Dál Riata, bringing with them the Gaelic language and the tales of Finn MacCool, to the Lords of the Isles, and the warring clans, their folk tales and legends are gathered together in this richly entertaining and beautifully illustrated book by Highland-based storyteller Bob Pegg.

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The Little Book of Wiltshire is a compendium of fascinating information about the county, past and present. Contained within is a plethora of entertaining facts about Wiltshire’s famous and occasionally infamous men and women, its towns and countryside, history, natural history, literary, artistic and sporting achievements, agriculture, transport, industry and royal visits. A reliable reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped in to time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging little book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike. A reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped into time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. It is essential reading for visitors and locals alike.

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Ever since the signing of the Armistice in 1918, theatre has played an important part in reflecting the experience of the ‘war to end all wars’. But on the Home Front, what role did those involved with British theatre play during those tumultuous four years and three months? Till the Boys Come Home salutes British theatre in wartime, when theatres became powerful generators for escapism, for stirring patriotism, for sharing experiences of loss and joy – and for raising vast amounts of charity money. It brings to life a Britain where theatre-going peaked in popularity, yet became full of the curious contradictions bred by war. Richly illustrated with original programmes, posters and ephemera, author and critic Roger Foss reveals a theatrical powerhouse, where all sections of the profession – from grand Shakespearian knights to lowly concert party artistes – were doing their bit, both at home and on the front line.

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Long barrows with their massive tapering mounds and hidden burial chambers, bear witness to the architectural proficiency of our ancestors. Built by early farming communities between 4000 and 3000 BC, they form part of Western Europe's earliest surviving architecture. Today they are familiar features of our landscape, with over 200 examples scattered across the Cotswold Hills, north Wessex Downs, and the hills and vales west of the River Severn. As well as exploring their design, construction and purpose, and the ceremonies that took place at these impressive structures, Professor Timothy Darvill examines their origins, considers their relationships with similar sites elsewhere in Britain, and shows how they acted as permanent focal points in a changing landscape.

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At the outset of the twentieth century, the management of the British countryside was the preserve of powerful aristocratic estates, the ground worked by labourers toiling in time-honoured tradition.Scattering Plenty tells of the birth of modern farming through wartime, post-war reconstruction and four decades embroiled in European countryside policies. It follows the stories of key figures driving change; as the face of the countryside evolves, it charts their fight for nature and natural beauty, and traces the gradual control that the state and democratic agents had on the land.Their stories evoke the landscape of Britain, and take the reader inside the corridors of power in Whitehall and Brussels, where farmers and environmentalists jostled for influence. Who were the people scattering plenty across our land, and who made the modern countryside?In Scattering Plenty, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for the profound legacy o

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A compendium of fascinating information about Cornwall past and present, this book contains a plethora of entertaining facts about the county’s famous and occasionally infamous men and women, its towns and countryside, history, natural history, literary, artistic and sporting achievements, agriculture, transport, industry and royal visits. A reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped in to time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging little book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike. Did You Know? In British law no officer or agent of the Crown, which includes both Westminster and the Anglican Church, can legally set foot upon Cornish soil without the express and joint permissions of the Duke of Cornwall and Cornwall’s Stannary Parliament. Dolly Pentreath (c. 1680–1777), is popularly regarded as the last true speaker of the Cornish language and her last words were reputedly ‘Me ne vidn cewsel Sawznek!’ (‘I don’t want to speak English!’). Penzance boasts the county’s only officially designated promenade, which extends for just over a mile from the town harbour to Newlyn. Founded in 1860 Warrens Bakery, a family-owned chain based in St Just in Penwith, supplies pasties to Fortnum & Mason. Cornwall’s flag is that of St Piran and shows a white cross which represents molten tin oozing out of a black rock which Piran used when building his fireplace.

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Domesday Book is a statistical survey of England in 1086 A.D. it is a census of the population and productive resources of the country, of their value and of who held them. It was unmatched in Europe for many centuries, the product of a sophisticated and experienced English administration, fully exploited by the Conqueror’s commanding energy. Its name is known to everyone – and everyone can now have access to its text, and, within the limitations of contemporary scholarship, its meaning. It is difficult to exaggerate the important to local historians and archaeologists of the availability of a cheap edition of this fundamental source, for the first time in 900 years. The Domesday Survey was arranged by counties, or shires, and so is the Domesday Book Series. These are the ancient counties that survived with little change until 1974.

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Did you know that Beethoven made every cup of coffee with exactly 60 beans?Or that Shirley Temple always had precisely 56 curls in her hair?Or that the young Frank Sinatra practised underwater swimming as a way of developing his ability to hold long breaths?In Secrets of Success, Charlie Croker brings his proven blend of gripping trivia and incisive humour to the question of how famous high achievers reached those heights. We’ll see Chopin sleeping with wedges between his fingers to increase their span, learn how P.G. Wodehouse reminded himself which pages of a manuscript still needed work, and find out why Thomas Edison chose his research assistants on the basis of their soup-eating habits.This revealing and entertaining book provides countless glimpses into the methods – and sometimes madness – of the world’s most famous figures. From ancient Egypt to the modern day, you’re about to learn the secrets of their success . . .

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The wild sweep of Bodmin moor is home to countless ghosts, spirits and ghouls as well as hundreds of inhabitants in the towns and villages dotted across this ancient, windswept moorland. Containing a chilling range of spooky tales, from the ghost of a murdered sailor at the ancient Jamaica Inn to the White Lady that wanders Altarnun village, and featuring eyewitness accounts and previously unpublished investigations carried out by the author and the Supernatural Investigations team, Haunted Bodmin Moor is guaranteed to make your blood run cold.

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This is the guide to everything strange, mysterious and uncanny that has occurred in the beautiful and rugged Lake District. Every historic site and ancient monument is explored - including stone circles, ancient cairns and crumbling stations - along with the many hidden treasures to be found in the area. Full access and site details are given, along with something more: the strange and mysterious histories of each. This volume is filled with sources both ancient and modern. From the strange histories of the Romantic poets to modern sightings of ghosts, UFOs and monsters in the lakes, it is an indispensable companion for the traveller about to travel into the mysterious realms of the Lake District.

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The Little Book of Leicestershire is a compendium full of information which will make you say, ‘I never knew that!’ Contained within is a plethora of entertaining facts about Leicestershire’s famous and occasionally infamous men and women, its literary, artistic and sporting achievements, customs ancient and modern, transport, battles and ghostly appearances. A reliable reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped in to time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging little book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike.

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Cornwall’s rugged coast is etched with stories. Here you’ll find tales of powerful mermaids, spiteful witches, crafty smugglers and woeful ghosts. Up on the moors are mischievous creatures, huge giants and elusive beasts. Let the piskeys lead you astray across the windy tors and sandy shorelines to experience wonder, miracles, secrets and magic. Bodmin Moor folklore writer Anna Chorlton retells tales of North and East Cornwall, illustrated by local artists and members of the community.

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How does a goddess become a witch? Why do the 9 o’clock horses roam the streets of Leicester? Where can you find a bleeding gravestone? And should you be afraid of the shag-dog? Everywhere has a story to tell. Every building, road, forest and field. Some are true, some are not. These stories have been passed down through the ages so that we don’t forget them, and now they are being passed on to you. They will open your eyes to the wonders of what lies just around the corner. You will become the keeper of these local tales. Leicestershire Folk Tales for Children is a book to read on your own, together or out loud. Bring our folk tales to life and let them leap off the page.

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Join Jamie, the son of a travelling droll teller, as he journeys across Cornwall, a land steeped in myth and legend. Along the way you will hear mysterious and exciting tales like what happened when Bodrugan took his soldiers to capture Richard Edgcumbe, why the ghost of Lady Emma was never seen again, what proper job King Arthur gave the Giant and how St Piran came to settle in Cornwall. These stories – specially chosen to be enjoyed by 7- to 11-year-old readers – sparkle with magic and explode with adventure. As old as the moors and as wild as the sea, they have been freshly re-told for today’s readers by storyteller Mike O’Connor.

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True tales of Second World War spies from across the West Country have been collected together for the very first time in this fascinating book. From the rescue operations as the exodus from France began to the secret guerrilla army in Devon and Cornwall, this book will amaze and intrigue with the incredible stories of Jasper Lawn of N51, the Helford Flotilla and the first escape routes for POWs, agents and crashed airmen.

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The history of Devon is full of dark deeds and horrible happenings. Among the county's more macabre claims to fame are England's first documented serial killer, Robert de Middlecote, the murderous monk, believed to have been executed in 1329; the hanging of three women in Bideford in 1682, thought to be the last women put to death for witchcraft in the land; and conversely the saga of John 'Babbacombe Lee', the convicted killer who in 1885 became the 'man they could not hang'.There are also the disasters of Exeter's Theatre Royal, burnt to the ground in 1887 with the loss of around 186 lives; the Lynmouth floods of 1952 which claimed 34 victims; the mysterious death of journalist Bertram Fletcher Robinson, whose death may not have been the result of typhoid contracted after drinking contaminated tap water, but ruthless elimination by a famous rival; and the sad case of the boy of 9 who died after choking on a balloon attached to a string of liquorice. All these, plus tales of murder, suicide, accidents by land, sea and air, are here.

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Eighth-century martyr St Boniface, tennis player and TV presenter Sue Barker, painter Sir Joshua Reynolds, scholar Sir Thomas Bodley, actor Sir Donald Sinden, Boer War commander Sir Redvers Buller, radio and TV presenter Ed Stewart and round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester are among personalities through the ages who have been born in Devon. The county can claim many more who were either born or lived here for a major part of their lives, including Scott of the Antarctica, Agatha Christie, Parson Jack Russell (of terrier fame) and Wayne Sleep. The Elizabethan explorers Sir Francis Drake, Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Sir Walter Raleigh were all Devonians, as were party leaders Michael Foot and David Owen. This book, by renowned local author John Van der Kiste, features mini-biographies of all these and many more.

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Ray Hollands has walked the north and south Devon coastlines to capture their unique atmosphere through his eye-catching photography. Set alongside these stunning images are informative captions giving historical background to the places he features, from the bracing and dramatic surfers' beaches of the north coast to the elegant holiday resorts of the English Riviera in the south. The contrasting beauty of these two very different coastlines is shown to great effect here and Along Devon's Coast is sure to capture the imagination of anyone who knows and loves the county.

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‘A sense of delight permeates Gyles Brandreth’s John Gielgud: An Actor’s Life … Brandreth combines neat reportage, deft evocation and lovely tales about a man he knew and relished.’ – The Times‘A delightful memoir which tells you all you need to know and collects all the anecdotes.’ – Daily MailJohn Gielgud was born in April 1904. When he died in May 2000, he was honoured as ‘the giant of twentieth-century theatre’. In this updated, acclaimed biography, Gyles Brandreth draws from over thirty years of conversations with Gielgud to tell the extraordinary story of a unique actor, film star, director and raconteur.In 1921 Gielgud made his first appearance at the Old Vic in London and through the next eight decades he dominated his profession – initially as a classical actor, later in plays by Harold Pinter and Alan Bennett. In his twenties he had appeared in silent movies; more than half a century later, he emerged as a Hollywood star, winning his first Oscar at the age of seventy-eight.With wonderful anecdotes, and contributions from Kenneth Branagh, Alec Guinness, Paul Scofield, Donald Sinden, Judi Dench and Peter Hall, John Gielgud: An Actor’s Life is a compelling, humorous and moving account of a remarkable man.

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'As long as I’m alive, I’ll be with her, and she’ll be with me.' Hunter Davies on Margaret Forster.Happy Old Me is a moving yet uplifting account of one year in Hunter Davies’ life, navigating bereavement and finding hope in the future. On 8th February 2016, Margaret Forster lost her life to cancer of the spine. The days that followed for her husband, Hunter Davies, were carried out on autopilot: arrangements to be made, family and friends to be contacted. But how do you cope after you have lost your loved one? How do you carry on? As Hunter navigates what it means to be alone again after 55 years of marriage, coping with bereavement and being elderly (he still doesn’t believe he is), he shares his wisdom and lessons he has learnt living alone again. Revealing his emotional journey over the course of one year, as well as the often ignored practical implications of becoming widowed, he learns that, ultimately, bricks and mortar may change but the memories will remain. Part memoir, part self-help, Happy Old Me is a fitting, heart-felt tribute to the love of his life and a surprisingly amusing and informative book about an age, and stage in life, which we might all reach someday. The third book in Hunter Davies' much-loved memoir series, which includes The Co-Op's Got Bananas and A Life in the Day. Praise for Hunter Davies:- ‘He recalls his childhood growing up in Scotland and Cumbria in the Forties and Fifties, capturing gritty working-class life with humour and charm and painting a vivid picture of that period of social history’ Press Association ‘What sets this book apart, though, is its avoidance of cliché and its determination to reveal everything that might be revealed.’ Daily Mail ‘Eighty-year-old Davies takes a delightfully irreverent approach to his account of his youth and his days as a rookie journalist. Food was rationed, clothes were utilitarian and life could be rough, but there was fun to be had from friendships, films, skiffle and girls’ Sunday Express ‘Davies is a wonderful companion, leading readers down memory lane with great chumminess that will really resonate with those of a certain age. This book deserves a place on the shelf beside Alan Johnson’s This Boy.’ Express 'Ken Loach might have turned all this into a powerful social film, but the avuncular Davies sprinkles in so many cheery anecdotes that the book bounces along enjoyably' Sunday Times

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