The textile mills in the Derwent Valley had a massive impact on world history. This was the birthplace of the modern factory, where the innovations of industrial pioneers, coupled with access to tireless water power, enabled mass production to occur for the first time. The communities created to support the early mills are remarkable, and much has survived of the early workers’ housing in Cromford, Belper, Milford and Darley Abbey. Now inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Derwe...

Acclaimed as the world's first cotton mill town, Belper nestles by the River Derwent, 8 miles north of Derby. From a tiny village by an ancient deer park, it was transformed by the Strutt family and others into a vibrant industrial powerhouse by the end of the nineteenth century. The town faced huge challenges during the twentieth century as mills and factories closed, and Belper adapted to survive. The present-day town lies at the heart of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, whi...

From the late eighteenth century, the Industrial Age transformed Belper from a small village of nail-makers to a busy and successful town. Thanks to the Strutt family, the town was the first in the world to have water-powered cotton mills, and the hundreds of people that flocked to work in those mills were provided with homes, chapels, schools and much more. Since Belper was inscribed on to the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Derwent Valley Mills Site in 2001, the drive to save, ...

Nuneaton Street by Street Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of the country. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of Nuneaton, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people of this area throughout the nineteenth and into the twentieth century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set, and through the author's factual...

Stevenage Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of the country. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of Stevenage, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people of this area throughout the 19th and into the 20th Century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set and through the author's factual captions for every picture...

WATFORD has witnessed an unprecedented number of changes over the years. The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw a great industrial and residential expansion which was followed by the Blitz, the reconstruction and the changes of the 1960s and 1970s to accommodate the growing traffic. Watford has been fortunate in having a number of dedicated photographers to record the developments as they happened. This informative and interesting volume places an emphasis on the people of Watfor...

Wednesbury Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of the West Midlands. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of the well-known streets and famous faces, and what they meant to the people of this area throughout the 19th and into the 20th Century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set, and through the author's factual captions for every picture, a...

Epsom and Ewell have been attracting visitors since Henry VIII built his lost Palace of Nonsuch in the Surrey countryside. Known worldwide as the home of the Derby and Epsom Salts, the district has sheltered many strange characters, from a clergyman who campaigned for polygamy to a Prime Minister who valued horses before politics. Epsom was a spa town in the days of Charles II, and its assembly rooms and mansion houses still echo to the tread of elegant ghosts. On the windswept Downs, nine...

Stafford means 'ford' by a 'staithe' (landing place). Historically, the town's location was of great importance as it provided the only feasible place for a large army to cross the River Trent. Stafford From Old Photographs offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of Staffordshire's county town and provides the reader with a visual representation of Stafford's fascinating history. Drawing upon an eclectic collection of photographs, the author offers a charming glimpse into the history...

This book shows us how the passage of time has transformed the Sirhowy Valley. Covering more than a century, photographs of Tredegar, Blackwood, and everywhere else, give us fascinating glimpses of life in industrial South Wales. Once beautifully wooded, with crystal clear streams flowing into a river bearing plentiful fish, the valley was scarred by the arrival of ironworks, collieries, and levels. From small beginnings, the valley evolved into a thriving industrial community. Over the la...

Hitchin Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of Hertfordshire. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of this part of the country, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people of this area throughout the 19th and into the 20th Century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set and through the author's factual captions fo...

The town of Lewes in the South Downs has a long and fascinating history. From its Saxon origins it grew into a medieval walled town dominated by its spectacular Norman castle. Such was its importance that it was the site of a ferocious battle between Henry III and Simon de Monfort. Later still, it was a strongly Protestant community, and the famous Lewes bonfire celebrations continue to draw visitors to the town to this day. Lewes continued to prosper as a market town and, by the 1840s, a ...