The Victorian parson is an unsung hero. Legend and literature portray him, at best, as the bearer of a thin veneer of piety which covers his hypocrisy; at worst, as a buffoon or a charlatan. Yet amid
Don Kenyon was a ?leader of champions and a champion of leaders’ for good reason: he was his own man. Known as ?Braddy’ at school ? like Don Bradman ? he would bat for long periods without getting out
The Harley-Davidson WLA was produced to US Army specifications during and around the Second World War. It was an adaptation of an existing civilian model, the WL, the 45 solo type, having a 45-cubic-i
Why don't people take more notice of bollards? How often do they stop to look at a coal-hole cover? Why are pub signs largely ignored and Royal Warrants on shops scarcely noticed? Such a grievous sit
The first ever complete history of MI5. Covers the entire history of MI5 from its creation in 1909 to its present day battles with Al Qaeda. Includes the amazing stories of MI5 agents during WW1 and W
In this reprint from 1913, Colonel Archibald Gracie tells the story of the sinking of the Titanic from his perspective. He relates the days of travel before the disaster and how he went to bed early a
No other moving object has carried as many people in one voyage (over 16,000). After the war, she became the most profitable vessel in the Cunard fleet and the 1950s were a golden era for ocean liner
This book looks at the brief arc of art deco in Britain, with pointers to the best surviving structures and pieces of decoration that can still be found on the streets of Britain. Art deco refers to a
With an aging fleet of Diesel Multiple Units, British Rail sought a low-cost solution to the problem of replacing a large part of their fleet. A series of prototypes were built in the late 1970s and e
It is hard to imagine a more male-dominated field in the nineteenth century than sea navigation. This was the high-point of the British Empire and sea navigation drove it. Yet in the midst of this dom
Mary, Queen of Scots is one of the great tragic figures of British history. Born in Scotland in December 1542, she was to become Queen of Scots just six days later. Growing up mostly in France and mar
The Morris Minor was a much-loved car while it was in production and has remained popular as a classic car, with many clubs devoted to keeping it on the road. Though retrospectively it has gained a ra
With its powerful tides and one of the highest tidal ranges in the world, the Severn Estuary was a barrier between two nations – until the Severn Bridge was opened in 1966, the only way to cross the S
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
This is a fighter pilot’s memoir of four tumultuous years, 1938–1942, when he was first trained, then fought and survived in not one but two of the biggest aerial campaigns of the war, the Battle of B
It is hard to imagine a more male-dominated field in the nineteenth century than that of sea navigation; this was the high-point of the British Empire and sea navigation drove it. Yet in the midst of
Henry Tudor has been called the most unlikely king of England. Yet his rise from obscurity was foretold by the bards, and the familial bloodbath of the Wars of the Roses by 1485 left Henry as the sole
Alfred, son of Æthelwulf, king of the West Saxons, ran. Behind him, the takers of his land and kingdom fanned out, searching for the fleeing king ... Buried in AD 899 as the king of the English at hi
The Yorkshire spa town of Ilkley is a popular tourist destination famous for its moor and home to the largest literature festival in the north of England. It is less well known that Ilkley is a town w
On 1 April 1918, the Royal Air Force came into being and on 1 April 2018, the RAF celebrates its first 100 years. The aim of this book is to offer an alternative insight into what has really impacted
This book looks at how the original Willys jeep evolved through CJ-7 models into the mass-produced machine of today. It looks at the model changes, why it’s called a "Jeep" and how it
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
Saturday 23 October 1954 was a dank and dreary, wet afternoon in the city of Glasgow. Dismal it may have been but not for the thousands of Hearts fans standing on the vast slopes of Hampden Park who h
The son of a traitor, Richard, 3rd Duke of York, inherited a dukedom at age four, became the wealthiest man in England at 13, and later rebelled against his king. If he is remembered, it is as a man w
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
For a while now, Lady Ashcombe has written a monthly column for Cotswold Life. It records her observations about many things from her unique viewpoint as an American lady living in Sudeley Castle. Ref
"During The First World War, the railways of Great Britain were effectively nationalised and put under Government control. Run for the benefit of the armed services, with minimal investment and much o
Leicestershire is a county of gentle landscapes where sheep have grazed for centuries, its topography altered over time by quarrying, mining and fox-hunting. It is criss-crossed by Roman roads, and oc
This book tells the story of Oldbury's rise from overcrowded Victorian town to progressive municiple borough, and its absorption into larger local authorities from 1966. Its success was built on coalm
Many children spend hours enjoying their first train set but imagine that the hobby never runs out of steam and the train set develops into a lifelong hobby. That first set conceivably could ha
This is the tale of the bloody war that ended in the conquest and annexation of the Punjab by the East India Company. A disgruntled garrison’s chance killing of two young British officers sparks
'Kids supposed to evacuate this afternoon. Later told that it is tomorrow. Said goodbye to John and all my pals. May never see them again.' In October 1939, sixteen-year-old Eric Armstrong took the c
