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...

The photographs in this fascinating selection document the changes which overtook the county town of Staffordshire in the century following the discovery of photography. They evoke a time before the advent of the motor car, when the pace of life was so much slower and cattle were still traded in Gaolgate Street, and cover a broad social spectrum, from the lord in his country seat to the labourer in his humble cottage. As well as very early images of Stafford, the selection includes views o...

This walk is one of twelve walks in John Wilks' Walks Through History - Birmingham series which contains twelve walks within the city. The whole book is available as an ebook or physical book or you could try this one out first. The book is a celebration of the beauty and poetry of the county. Each walk in this book has been chosen not only because it is a pleasant walk in its own right, but also because it goes past sites which reveal the rich and varied history of the county. Each walk i...

There is nothing quite like an old photograph or an interesting item of memorabilia for rousing a memory and stimulating an interest in the heritage and history of one's hometown. Sunderland Through Time author Keith Cockerill returns to the city of his birth for a second nostalgic pictorial tour of Wearside. Each of his images is accompanied by a look at one or more associated mementoes - an approach that will bring alive the absorbing history of Sunderland for the reader. Using a stunnin...

The railway network within Birmingham has long been important for the movement of passengers and freight to serve the centre and its suburbs, and as the road network around Birmingham has become more congested, the railways in the city have, once more, taken on an important role. As the network declined in the twentieth century, trains were regarded as shabby and also suffered from poor punctuality and stations became unkempt and many had no staff, although the majority of the network rema...

The designated 'new town' of Telford in Shropshire received its name in 1968; in fact, it is not a new town but rather a conurbation of townships and villages whose story goes back 3,000 years. In recent years, the area governed by Telford & Wrekin Council has been extended to include a wider area - and history - than originally conceived. The Telford landscape is an ever-changing canvas in which so much has disappeared forever under the banner of progress. New roads, housing estates, shop...

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...

Once a sleepy rural community bordering the fields of North Somerset, the ancient Royal Manor of Bedminster spread along the banks of the River Avon, south of the City of Bristol. Today, this area comprises the vibrant suburbs of Totterdown, Windmill Hill, Bedminster itself, Southville and Ashton. The last 200 years have seen dramatic changes occur, as poor workers from the countryside flocked to this area in search of employment. With the help of before and after photographs a real sense ...

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...

The name Chislehurst literally means a stony place in the woods. These woods are very much apparent today. Chislehurst is surrounded by National Trust woodland, Scadbury Park and the unique central feature of the Chislehurst Commons, which is conserved as open space in perpetuity by Acts of Parliament. The Chislehurst Caves, where many thousands of Londoners sheltered during the Blitz of the Second World War, are also a key tourist attraction. The arrival of the railway in 1865 sparked the...

Langport is an ancient market town in the heart of the Somerset Levels. Set in a rural landscape of rivers, moors and hills, it owes its historical importance to its strategic position at a crossing point on the River Parrett. The town is encircled by the river on one side and the more populous parish of Huish Episcopi on the other. The medieval Hanging Chapel and the former buildings of Kelways Nurseries illustrate the area's religious and commercial roots. The area's quiet atmosphere bel...

Woking is a rather strange place. The Saxon village of ‘Old Woking’ appears in the Domesday Book but ‘new’ Woking is a nineteenth-century town. Over the years, the town has continually reinvented itself. Demolished buildings have been rebuilt and new roads streak across the countryside. However, the names of roads are often a reminder of Woking’s past inhabitants. Woking has become a popular place to work, and nowadays many people travel from London to work while others reverse the journey...