Aimed at visitors and residents alike, this companion to the history of Wakefield is an indispensable reference guide to the long, varied and sometimes surprising story of the town. Essential information on the people, places and events that played key roles in the story is presented in a convenient A to Z format. Famous and notorious individuals are portrayed here, dramatic, sometimes tragic events are remembered, and familiar local myths and legends are explored. The volume is a source o...

During World War One, the city of Coventry was a powerhouse that kept the barrels loaded and the engines of war purring. An industrial giant, Coventry produced munitions by the million and built tanks, aircraft and fighting vehicles of every description. It never slept.Coventry in the Great War commemorates the centenary of the outbreak of the conflict in 1914, telling the dour and ungilded story of the people who laboured and endured for over four grueling years. This eclectic narrative o...

A fascinating tour of London's strangest and most intriguing locations. Ranging from architectural evidence of past incidents and stories of life beneath the city, to anecdotes of magic, mystery and murder, this is a perfect companion for the curious Londoner.It includes:A Museum of Magical Curiosities; The City's Lost Tunnels and Citadels; The Ghost of a "She-Wolf; The Bawdy House Riots; The Story of 'Jack the Stripper'; The Atmospheric Railway; The Thames Ringway Bicycle ...

Criminal incidents, accidents, whippings, beatings, jail escapes and hangings were all part of Dublin's 'brilliant parade' in the eighteenth and nineteenth century, including actors, clergymen, scientists, politicians and rogues and rascals of every hue. Hopkins describes the poverty, soup kitchens, food riots, street beggars and workhouses that were all a feature of Dublin life. He also introduces us to the weird, wonderful, and often downright strange customs and pastimes of Dubliners st...

A Traveller’s History of London aims to bring London’s past alive to the resident, traveller and student, to reveal the city’s hidden treasures and forgotten places and guide the reader to the sights and sites that can still be seen and enjoyed. This Traveller’s History gives the discerning visitor a full and comprehensive historical background to the capital’s past and covers the period from London’s first beginnings, righ...

Strange laws, heroic deeds, surprising revelations, and quirky stories that have shaped the unique history of Britain’s capital.London’s long history is extraordinarily rich—and whether your interest is political, social, architectural, or historical, you’ll find a variety of topics in this alternative guide to London.Learn about:· Roman ruins· Notorious crimes· Hidden tube stations· The famous London smog· Cockney rhyming...

The perfect companion to Bradshaw’s guide book. Showcasing in colour all that is great about Bradshaw’s guide.Great British Railway Journeys has been a hugely successful TV programme, which is now into its third series on BBC2. Much as Michael Palin built up a dedicated fan base for travel around the globe, so Michael Portillo has done likewise for lovers of trains in his explorations the length and breadth of the United Kingdom from the window of a train seat.Both charming...

These articles have been previously published in national and local British newspapers and magazines and now collected in one book. They start with four London walks around Camden, Hampstead, Highgate and on to Petticoat Lane and Camden Market taking in the Monument. There are several pieces on Hertford where I live with notes on its history, culture and people. Also included are articles on Englishmen who have contributed something unique to our culture. Here you will find George Bradshaw...

Spooky, gruesome, weird but true things about one of the world's greatest cities come alive in The A-Z of Curious London. Discover London's tiniest house, a 4,000-year-old mouse made from Nile clay, and have a giggle at things people leave on London's transport (including false teeth, a human skull and a park bench - yes, really.) Why did a dentist keep his dead wife on view in a shop window? Where did a shopkeeper murder 150 customers? Which Queen showed her boso...

A glorious insight into the history, landscape and people of Britain, from The Sunday Times bestseller.George Stephenson, the father of the railways, first began laying rails to connect the Darlington collieries with the river at Stockton-on-Tees in the 1820s, and it has since become a place of pilgrimage for railway historians. Michael Portillo’s journey from Newcastle to Melton Mowbray also takes in many contrasts between urban and rural life, with industries ranging from coal mi...

London’s Strangest Tales takes a walk on London’s weirder side with an absorbing collection of curious tales from one of the world’s greatest cities. This fascinating book is packed with amazing things you didn’t know about Britain’s capital, like the fact that it’s still forbidden to run, carry an umbrella or whistle in the Burlington Arcade, and the fat lamppost at the corner of Trafalgar Square that is secretly a tiny prison cell. And did you know that the entrance to Buckingham Palace ...

I first visited Ireland in 1947 – inspired by that King of travel writers, H.V.Morton and his ‘In Search of Ireland’. In numerous visits since, I have been struck by the changing face of the country, splintered by the formation of the six counties to become part of the UK. The book tells of a country in desperate poverty, resurgence into prosperity, via the European Community, the fight for independence, the violence of the IRA and the Black and Tans. It tells of the eternal haemorrha...