Isabella of France married Edward II in January 1308, and afterwards became one of the most notorious women in English history. In 1325, she was sent to her homeland to negotiate a peace settlement be
Want to photograph lions and elephants in Africa, Formula One cars at the Monaco Grand Prix, front line military jets, or step back in time and watch George Stephenson’s locomotive Rocket make its fir
On 4 October 1957, the Soviet Union’s famous satellite Sputnik was launched into orbit, and the Space Age began. Or did it? Sputnik may have marked the beginning of humanity’s physical exploration of
The Brady Street and Alderney Road cemeteries are among the oldest Jewish burial grounds in the UK, dating back to not long after the arrival of the Jewish immigrants in the time of Oliver Cromwell.
Like its near neighbour (and long-time rival) Southampton, the twentieth century has not been kind to Portsmouth. Much of the historic High Street, once said to be one of most attractive in the countr
Taking in the variety of breath-taking landscapes and climates India has to offer, from the heat of Madras to the chill of the mountain ranges, George Woods offers a truly fascinating, full color look
In 1918, David Lloyd George’s post-war government passed the Representation of the People Act, and for the first time women were included in the political process. Women now accounted for nearly
Ever since the days when it was the starting point for voyages of discovery to the New World, the old port of Bristol has boasted a wealth of taverns, inns, alehouses, and public houses. Most of the o
One way or another the Romans spent quite a lot of time in bed, in between conquering and civilizing the known world. The men were intent on demonstrating their power and virility; the women were busy
At around 7 p.m. on May 26, 1940, Prime Minister Winston Churchill gave the order for Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of British troops from the harbor and beaches of Dunkirk. The German forces that
The Wars of the Roses call to mind bloody battles, treachery and deceit, and a cast of characters known to us through fact and fiction: Edward IV, Elizabeth Woodville, Richard III, Warwick the Kingmak
The city of Leicester can boast a long and distinguished history and has been at the very heart of the country's political and economic development for over two millenia. Evidence of Roman occupation
Cheltenham Caravans were made by one of the smallest caravan manufacturing companies and are still used across Europe by members of the longest established one-marque caravan owners' clubs, forty year
This book on Dinky Toys takes a brief look at the fascinating life of the founder of Meccano, Frank Hornby, and the very varied range of children’s products which came out of the Binns Road factory in
Controversial, outspoken and a soccer genius. Brian Clough is often described as the best manager England never had. After setting a superb goalscoring record at Middlesbrough and Sunderland, a d
Ireland's history has been shaped by the many conquerors, kings and invaders who have stepped foot on the country's shores. For centuries conflict raged between the native Irish, Vikings, Anglo-Norman
The great religions, civilizations, peoples and empires of the world and how they interacted are all folded here into a narrative of what happened when, how and why. The book eschews the Eurocentric a
The evacuation of Britain’s cities during the Second World War was the largest and most concentrated mass movement of people in the nation’s history. The various experiences of the many children who l
Newcastle History Tour is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this famous city. This new book guides us through the streets and alleyways, showing how its famous landmarks used to look an
P&O was established in 1837 and maintained a schedule of routes to India, the Far East and Australia, being the first choice for the majority of passengers traveling to that part of the world. P&O lat
The story of the Queensway and Kingsway road tunnels, together known as the Mersey Road Tunnels, is a story of progress and growth as the area around them developed and changed. No tunnel of comparabl
As familiar as the ubiquitous deckchair seller and ice cream stands, the humble beach hut is a recognisable stalwart of today’s seaside landscape. It is hard to imagine a time when their often colour
The Roy F. Burrows Midland Railway Collection was started by Roy F. Burrows in the 1940s and is now generally recognised as a railway collection of national significance devoted to one particular pre-
The Historia Regum Britanniae, or History of the Kings of Britain, was written in around 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth and purports to tell the story of the kings of Britain from the settlement of the
The overthrow and execution of Tsar Nicholas II and the Russian Imperial family is a cause celebre of 20th-century history. Andrew Cook's re-investigation of the story finally solves one of the greate
Why do we have so many dialects in England? Why do we not all speak in standard English? How has our history shaped and influenced the language we speak today? 'In a Manner of Speaking' is a fun a
Henry III became King of England within days of his ninth birthday. His father, King John, had overseen a disastrous period in English history and the boy king inherited a country embroiled in a bitte
Great disasters always attract conspiracy theories and this is just as true of disasters at sea as it is of those on land or in the air. The sinkings of the Titanic and the Lusitania, two of the great
An advertising illustrator and artist by trade, Private Fergus Mackain enlisted in 1915 to ‘do his bit’, serving in France when the fighting was at its fiercest. After being wounded on the Somme and t
Pirates have fascinated people for several centuries. The master terrorists of their age, the sailors of the early 18th century, who went "on the account" hoping to gain fortune and fame, often led a
Founded in 1873, the Holland America Line provided services carrying passengers and freight between the Netherlands and North America. When the Second World War ended, only nine of Holland America Lin
How accurate were Jane Austen’s depictions of life in England? Was marriage really the only ambition for women at that time? Were all men as dominant and powerful as Sir Thomas Bertram in Mansfield Pa
The discovery of the Staffordshire Hoard in 2009 has captured the imagination and stimulated renewed interest in the history and culture of the Anglo-Saxons. The discovery poses some interesting quest
In Wales the post-Second World War period was one of gradual decline for the major, traditional, male-orientated, heavy industries of coal, steel and slate. While whole libraries have been devoted to
The appeal of The Beatles is everlasting. Millions of fans from all over the world continue to revel in the band’s eternal hits and their music stands out as part of Britain’s greatest cultural succes
The Viking Conquest of England in 1016 – a far tougher and brutal campaign than the Norman Conquest exactly half a century later – saw two great warriors, the Danish prince Cnut and his equally ruthle
When we think of ancient Egypt, we think of the gods, the pharaohs and the pyramids. However, life for the average Egyptian was very different from this glorious perception and was not so unrecognisab
From the days of being one of the country's most popular seaside resorts, and summer residence of King George III, through prominent roles in the First and Second World Wars, to their current status a
The battlefields of England and Scotland are a strongly neglected but important part of the UK's national heritage, and what remains today and the current usage of the sites is very varied. Some, like
Did you ever wonder what the Tudors ate and drank? What was Elizabeth I's first meal after the defeat of the Spanish Armada? Which pies did Henry VIII gorge on to go from a 32 to a 54-inch waist? The
