Do you remember glam rock, flares, cheesecloth shirts and chopper bikes? Then it sounds like you were lucky enough to grow up during the 1970s. Who could forget all the glam rock bands of that era, like Slade, Wizard, Mud and Sweet, or singers like Alvin Stardust, Marc Bolan and David Bowie? What about those wonderful TV shows like Starsky and Hutch, Kojak, Kung Fu and Happy Days?Fashion included platform shoes (we all had a pair...

With few TVs, children in the 1950s made their own entertainment: they played conkers, built dens and go-karts, climbed trees and re-enacted fights from the latest cinema blockbuster. Food was, for many years, still rationed and bought from the local corner shop. There was no pre-packed food, frozen food or many of the other luxuries that we take for granted today. Families would gather around the radio to hear the latest dramatizations such as the incredibly popular show Dan Dare, which w...

Exeter played a vital role during the First World War supplying men for the Army and raising funds to help troops overseas. The Mayoress and her team played a key part collecting money to aid homeless Belgian refugees in the city while also supporting other worthy causes both home and overseas. Soldiers travelling through Exeter all received food, refreshments and cigarettes due to the money raised. The city had its own battalion, 'Exeter's Own' and thousands of servicemen passed through t...

When news of the war broke out in 1914, nothing could prepare the citizens of Glasgow for the changes that would envelop their city over the next four years. The story of Glasgow in the Great War is both an interesting and intriguing one. This book covers this historic citys involvement from the commencement of the Great War in July 1914, to the Armistice in November 1918, describing in great detail what happened to the city and its people, including their everyday lives, entertainment, sp...

Houdini and beyond: a historic magical mystery tour of the great showmen who inspired the likes of David Blaine, Penn & Teller, and Siegfried & Roy.Today, Harry Houdini stands as the most famous illusionist and escape artist in history. But from the late nineteenth century to early twentieth century, magicians and escapologists who inspired—and were inspired by—Houdini packed vaudeville houses and local theaters across the globe. The Great Illusionists rev...

South Devon is steeped in history from prehistoric settlements, standing stones and Roman occupation, to the sites of Civil War battles and the various departure points of troops leaving for D-Day during the Second World War.Woolly rhinoceroses and woolly mammoths, as well as prehistoric deer and lion once roamed the area now known as Plymouth, while at Sidmouth, on the Jurassic coast, jaw bones and teeth from carnivorous reptiles that pre-date the dinosaurs have been discovered.During its...

Devonport was built up around the dockyard in the late 1600s. Much was destroyed in the Second World War but iconic buildings such as the Guildhall and the Oddfellows Hall still survive. Many streets have disappeared and many of the grand buildings that once stood in Fore Street were completely destroyed during the Blitz. Some buildings such as the Old Chapel have adapted with the times, going from being a chapel to a public house to finally becoming a supermarket. Many old buildings still...

Plymouth has been a major port for centuries. Famous Elizabethan maritime traders sailed from the port and its position on the Devon coast enabled it to benefit from the Atlantic trade during the Industrial Revolution at the same time that Devonport grew as an important naval shipyard and dockyard. The town absorbed other nearby settlements and in 1928 was awarded city status. Heavily bombed during the Second World War, the city was rebuilt and further areas such as Plympton and Plymstock ...

The Rame Peninsula is a beautiful part of Cornwall. Known as 'The Forgotten Corner' it stretches from Torpoint to Cremyll and includes the villages of Kingsand, Cawsand, Millbrook, St John, Sheviock, Antony and Crafthole together with the sandy beaches of Whitsand Bay. Also included is the Mount Edgcumbe Estate with its many follies, wonderful gardens and stunning views. There have been many changes to the surrounding villages including new buildings, transport and fashions. From the days ...

Bordering Devon and Cornwall, the River Tamar stretches through some of the most beautiful and scenic parts of the south west. Over the years, much has changed in the region. Gone are the many barges that once took fruit, vegetables and other produce up and down the river. The river was once a hive of industry with many tin, copper, lead, silver and tungsten mines along its banks.Much has changed but the river is still very busy with boats, dinghies and jet skis. Regular yacht races are he...

Saltash has seen many changes over the years. The waterside area beside the River Tamar has been occupied for over a thousand years and was the home to fishermen plying their trade for much of that time. A ferry ran between Plymouth and Saltash for over 600 years before coming to an end when the Tamar Bridge was opened to traffic in 1961. Modern redevelopment also led to the clearance of many older buildings, changing the look of the area forever. A number of industries have also disappear...

When news of the war broke out in 1914, nothing could prepare the citizens of Aberdeen for the changes that would envelop their city over the next four years.The story of Aberdeen in the Great War is both an interesting and intriguing one. The city played a key role in the deployment of troops to Northern Europe and also supplied vital munitions. Local men responded keenly to recruitment drives, and thousands of soldiers were billeted in the city before being sent off to fight the ...