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Books > History > History of specific subjects > Local history
Passed down from generation to generation, many of Derbyshire's
most popular folk tales are gathered together here for the first
time. Ranging from stories specific to the region, such as 'The
Derby Ram', to others which are local versions of well-known
classics, like 'Beauty and the Beast', all of the tales in this
collection are rooted in Derbyshire's past. Written to recreate the
oral traditions that made these anecdotes popular, this book
provides entertainment for all. Richly illustrated with original
drawings, accounts of love, loss, heroes and villains are all
brought to life through vivid descriptions that have survived for
several centuries. These tales have been adapted to make them
accessible, enjoyable and, at times, very relevant to contemporary
readers. Pete Castle has lived in Derbyshire for over twenty years,
and is a professional storyteller with over thirty years of
experience. For the last ten years he has been editor of Facts
& Fiction, the UK's only storytelling magazine.
A life of principles, service, and faith This first biography of
Glenn Poshard traces the life of a young man who rose from rural
poverty in Southern Illinois to become a United States congressman
and president of the Southern Illinois University system. This
profound portrait unveils a life and career dedicated to making
higher education affordable and improving the quality of life for
the community of Southern Illinois. Beginning with his childhood in
a two-room home near Herald, Illinois and the early, tragic loss of
his sister, this biography navigates Poshard’s service in the
military, his time as a state senator and United States
congressman, his run for governor, his years at Southern Illinois
University, and the establishment of the Poshard Foundation for
Abused Children. Intimacies of his personal life are disclosed,
such as his struggles with and treatment for depression, his
passion for education, and the lasting bonds he formed with his
teachers. His unpopular decision to refuse PAC donations is also
highlighted, along with the work that went into sponsoring the
Illinois Wilderness Act, and his relationship with civil rights
activist John Lewis. Glenn Poshard’s efforts for the Wilderness
Act designated southern Illinois’s famous Garden of the Gods as a
National Wilderness Preservation System, which continues to attract
visitors from around the world. Poshard’s path from poverty was
riddled with hardship, but his perseverance and family values
ultimately allowed for longstanding personal and civic growth. From
an admirable work ethic to a steadfast commitment to
problem-solving, this biography illuminates the life and
accomplishments of an impressive and generous leader.
When the Clyde Ran Red paints a vivid picture of the heady days
when revolution was in the air on Clydeside. Through the bitter
strike at the huge Singer Sewing machine plant in Clydebank in
1911, Bloody Friday in Glasgow's George Square in 1919, the General
Strike of 1926 and on through the Spanish Civil War to the
Clydebank Blitz of 1941, the people fought for the right to work,
the dignity of labour and a fairer society for everyone. They did
so in a Glasgow where overcrowded tenements stood no distance from
elegant tea rooms, art galleries, glittering picture palaces and
dance halls. Red Clydeside was also home to Charles Rennie
Mackintosh, the Glasgow Style and magnificent exhibitions
showcasing the wonders of the age. Political idealism and artistic
creativity were matched by industrial endeavor: the Clyde built
many of the greatest ships that ever sailed, and Glasgow
locomotives pulled trains on every continent on earth. In this book
Maggie Craig puts the politics into the social context of the times
and tells the story with verve, warmth and humour.
Unionizing the Ivory Tower chronicles how a thousand low-paid
custodians, cooks, and gardeners succeeded in organizing a union at
Cornell University. Al Davidoff, the Cornell student leader who
became a custodian and the union's first president, tells the
extraordinary story of these ordinary workers with passion,
sensitivity, and wit. His memoir reveals how they took on the
dominant power in the community, built a strong organization, and
waged multiple strikes and campaigns for livable wages and their
dignity. Their strategies and tactics were creative and feisty,
founded on worker participation and ownership. The union's
commitment to fairness, equity, and economic justice also engaged
these workers—mostly rural, white, and conservative—at the
intersections of racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia.
Davidoff's story demonstrates how a fighting union can activate
today's working class to oppose antidemocratic and white
supremacist forces.
Ledbury lies in a quiet corner of Herefordshire, just about
equidistant from the cities of Hereford, Gloucester and Worcester.
Remote, but not isolated, the town is surrounded by ancient wooded
hills, while the River Leadon, from which the town is thought to
take its name, meanders slowly through the meadows to the west.
Visitors and inhabitants alike can empathise with Ledbury-born Poet
Laureate John Masefield, who 'felt the beauty of the place and the
mystery of its past ... through century after century'. Ledbury: a
Market Town and its Tudor Heritage tells the story of this ancient
town from 1558, when Elizabeth I confiscated the bishop's manor and
estate, through a period of great prosperity in the 16th century to
the present day. During the Tudor period the town's cloth trade
flourished and the market which served the rural parishes
surrounding the town thrived. The resulting physical
transformation, including the wide market place and streets lined
with timber-framed buildings, still attracts visitors today. The
story extends from the reign of the first Elizabeth to the present
day. It traces the ups and downs of a market town which has
benefited from its location on the route between Hereford and
Worcester but remains a small town. Ledbury has enjoyed its share
of changes in trade, transport, social provision, architecture,
industry and leisure, developments which have individually and
collectively helped to shape the town today. But what strikes the
visitor is its Tudor heritage, which continues to reflect the
unexpected and untold riches generated, albeit for such a short
time, in the later Tudor and early Jacobean decades.
A guide to over 60 of Britain's most notable abbeys and
monasteries. Taking you on a journey that has inspired pilgrims and
visitors for centuries, Abbeys and Priories of Britain is the
perfect introduction to some of the country's oldest and most
beautiful religious centres. The guide will take you from the wilds
of the Isle of Iona in Scotland and Iona Abbey to Tintern Abbey in
the beautiful Wye Valley in Wales, to the pomp and circumstance of
Westminster Abbey, shining regally in England's capital. While many
of the entries are now ruins due to Henry VIII's 'Dissolution of
the Monasteries' period, a visit still reveals the rich influence
and legacy they have had on Britain's history. Beautifully
illustrated with over 130 stunning colour images, and with concise
and accessible history for each entry, this is both a perfect guide
and a much-cherished souvenir of a visit. Includes extended entries
on Binham Priory, Blanchland Abbey, Buckfast Abbey, Dryburgh,
Fountains Abbey, Glastonbury Abbey, Hexham Abbey, Holyrood Abbey,
Jedburgh Abbey, Lindisfarne Priory, Melrose Abbey, Mountgrace
Priory, Rievaulx Abbey, Selby Abbey, Strata Florida Abbey,
Tewkesbury Abbey, Tintern Abbey, Westminster Abbey, Whitby Abbey
and St George's Windsor.
"A remarkable act of personal history: brave, revelatory and
unflinchingly honest" WILLIAM BOYD "There is no-one writing in
English like this: engaged humanity achieving a hard-won wisdom"
DAVID MILLS, The Times Lord of All the Dead is a courageous journey
into Javier Cercas' family history and that of a country collapsing
from a fratricidal war. The author revisits Ibahernando, his
parents' village in southern Spain, to research the life of Manuel
Mena. This ancestor, dearly loved by Cercas' mother, died in combat
at the age of nineteen during the battle of the Ebro, the bloodiest
episode in Spain's history. Who was Manuel Mena? A fascist hero
whose memory is an embarrassment to the author, or a young idealist
who happened to fight on the wrong side? And how should we judge
him, as grandchildren and great-grandchildren of that generation,
interpreting history from our supposed omniscience and the
misleading perspective of a present full of automatic answers, that
fails to consider the particularities of each personal and family
drama? Wartime epics, heroism and death are some of the underlying
themes of this unclassifiable novel that combines road trips,
personal confessions, war stories and historical scholarship,
finally becoming an incomparable tribute to the author's mother and
the incurable scars of an entire generation.
Drawing on the resources of English Heritage's unrivalled
photographic archives, The Thames Through Times is a photographic
journey along the length of the tidal river and over almost 150
years.We see the rural Thames as it approaches London, riverside
towns, the civic and commercial development of the riverbanks, the
working docks and warehouses, the development of the web of bridges
that now links north and south, barges, sailing ships and warships,
the great flood defences and a tiny beach that flourished briefly
at the Tower of London.Featuring the work of pioneers of
photography and some of the great topographical photographers of
the 20th century, and with a fascinating commentary by Stephen
Croad, The Thames Through Time chronicles the ebb and flow of the
life of the river.
The nine years between 1912 and 1920 were a period of economic and
political struggle for the Salish and Kootenai tribes of the
Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana. The Indian people
toiled to maintain their economic independence despite the theft of
most of their land assets. The new Flathead Irrigation Project
destroyed most of the private irrigation ditches tribal farmers had
dug over the years. Some tribal members opened businesses and
organized rodeos, but many ventures were frustrated by government
policies, fire, and drought. While trying to adapt to the economic
impact of allotment, the tribe also fought against paternalistic
and exploitive government policies. Until 1916 half of tribal
income from timber and land sales was used to operate the agency
and construct an irrigation project that largely benefited white
settlers. During most of the 1912 to 1920 period, Flathead Agent
Fred C. Morgan and his allies on the Flathead Business Committee
fought the more radical Flathead Tribal Council over agency
policies. The Flathead Tribal Council especially fought against
congressional appropriations to construct the irrigation project as
long as the construction was to be paid for with tribal funds or
with liens on tribal allotments.
Secret Newark goes behind the facades of the familiar to discover
the lesser-known aspects of the town's fascinating past. Situated
on the important old Roman road, the Fosse Way, the ancestral
market town grew around the, now ruined, Newark Castle and its
large marketplace. Later, during the English Civil War, the town
was a hotbed of royalist support and was besieged three times by
parliamentarian forces. Today the town serves as a thriving and
picturesque site, boasting many heritage attractions and
activities. Newark has many secrets, and as you walk along the
streets you are walking through history. There are clear reminders
of the town's past everywhere, waiting for you to stop, look and
listen to their intriguing stories. On a journey through this
ancient town, Jillian Campbell and Mike Cox tell these forgotten or
untold tales. You may think that you know Newark, but take another
look around and you will find more than you could possibly imagine.
In 1920, when Doris Buttery was born in the small village of
Elford, King George V was on the throne, and women still had to
achieve the vote on equal terms with men. Growing up with her
parents and two older brothers, worldly possessions were few and
money tight for most people in the village, but life was far from
dull. With an array of colourful characters, scandals, long-held
secrets, and the changing seasons, there was plenty to keep an
active, inquisitive young girl entertained. Decades later, Doris
picked up her pencil, grabbed some sheets of lined foolscap and
began to write down her memories. An Elford Childhood provides a
tantalizing trip back in time to a life lived in a place where the
milk came in churns, water had to be pumped and collected, few cars
troubled the narrow lanes, and electricity was still to be
installed in the house where Doris lived.
Hampshire has charmed visitors for centuries, and this collection
of intricate illustrations is a celebration of the county's unique
appeal. Featuring a range of picturesque vistas, from shingle
beaches and rugged coastlines to national parks and coastal ports,
each stunning scene is full of intriguing detail sure to fire the
imagination and make you reach for your colouring pencils. There
are absolutely no rules - you can choose any combination of colours
you like to bring these images to life. Suitable for children. If
you love Hampshire, then you will love colouring it in!
The New Forest is an old, old forest. The stories, like the forest
which defines them, are at once fresh and blossoming with each
telling, but ever rooted in the deep, dark soil of our history and
our heritage. From King Arthur and Robin Hood, to Rufus the Red and
Bevis of Hampton, award-winning storyteller Brice Stratford guides
you through the folk heritage and mythological past of Britain's
most haunted national park, taking in five headed dragons, giant
ettins, and shape-shifting pixies along the way.
Guildford's history dates from Saxon times, and the town has been
the residence of kings and many famous men and women, particularly
since Henry II turned the Norman castle into a luxurious palace in
the twelfth century. Also amongst the town's famous and influential
faces was George Abbot, who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1611
and was one of the translators of the King James Bible and founded
Abbot's Hospital in 1619 - an early example of 'sheltered housing',
which still fulfils that role to this day. High above the town is
the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. Consecrated in 1961, it was the
first cathedral to be built in the South of England since the
Reformation. Below it is the University of Surrey, which received
its Royal Charter just a few years later. Guildford's people and
visitors throughout history come to life in this well-researched
account, which also examines the town's architectural development
and heritage, from the castle and medieval guildhall to the modern
cathedral and beyond, portraying Guildford's significance on a
national and sometimes international scale.
Hong Kong was first captured on camera when the British arrived to
lay claim to its 'fragrant harbour' in 1841. Its fascinating
history has been documented through photography ever since - from
its rapid expansion as a Crown Colony to its handover to China in
1997 and its present status as one of the world's leading
international financial centres. Pairing rare and previously
unpublished photographs with contemporary views taken from the same
location, Hong Kong Then and Now highlights the rich and varied
history of this constantly evolving metropolis, from Victoria
Harbour, the Hong Kong Club and the Star Ferry to Kowloon Walled
CIty, Chek Lap Kok Airport and the gleaming skyscrapers of its
central banking district. Sites include: Victoria Harbour, the
Peak, the Star Ferry Pier, Man Ho Temple, Ladder Street, Queen's
Road Central, Hong Kong Club, Prince's Building, HSBC, Noonday Gun,
Happy Valley Racecourse, Tiger Balm Garden, Peninsula Hotel, Kai
Tak Airport, Kowloon Walled City, Shenzhen, Repulse Bay, Chek Lap
Kok Airport, St. Paul's (Macau).
Known as "The Mayor of Castro Street" even before he was elected
to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Harvey Milk's personal
life, public career, and final assassination reflect the dramatic
emergence of the gay community as a political power in America. It
is a story full of personal tragedies and political intrigues,
assassinations at City Hall, massive riots in the streets, the
miscarriage of justice, and the consolidation of gay power and gay
hope.
Harvey Milk has been the subject of numerous books and movies,
including the Academy Award-winning 1984 documentary, "The Times of
Harvey Milk. " His life is also the basis of a 2008 major motion
picture, "Milk, "starring Sean Penn. " " Randy Shilts was born in
1951, in Davenport, Iowa. One of the first openly gay journalists
hired at a major newspaper, he worked for the "San Francisco
Chronicle" for thirteen years. He died of AIDS in 1994 at his home
in the Sonoma County redwoods in California. He was the author of
"The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk
"(1982), "And the Band Played On: Politics, People and the AIDS
Epidemic "(1987), and "Conduct Unbecoming: Lesbians and Gays in the
U.S. Military "(1993). He also wrote extensively for many major
newspapers and magazines, including "The New York Times, Newsweek,
Esquire, The Los Angeles Times, "and "The Advocate."
"The Mayor of Castro Street "is Shilts's acclaimed story of Harvey
Milk, the man whose personal life, public career, and tragic
assassination mirrored the dramatic and unprecedented emergence of
the gay community in America during the 1970s. His is a story of
personal tragedies and political intrigues, assassination in City
Hall and massive riots in the streets, the miscarriage of justice
and the consolidation of gay power and gay hope.
The Abermule railway disaster is still the worst single line rail
disaster the UK has ever known. It occurred on the Cambrian railway
in 1921, killing thirty-four and injuring sixty-five people. The
railway operational ramifications of this terrible accident were
felt as far away as India.This detailed book focuses on the
Abermule disaster, telling the story using reports and testimonies,
photographs and diagrams. The book covers the accident itself, the
people involved, passengers, workers, the railway company, the
wreckage, the witnesses, the casualties, the press, the inquest,
the verdict, and presents original theories on how the incident
happened, backed up by information from the son of one of the
principal players.
Northumberland has charmed visitors for centuries, and this
collection of intricate illustrations is a celebration of the
county's unique appeal. Featuring a range of picturesque vistas,
from sandy beaches and national parkland to harbour towns and
medieval castles, each stunning scene is full of intriguing detail
sure to fire the imagination and make you reach for your colouring
pencils. There are absolutely no rules - you can choose any
combination of colours you like to bring these images to life.
Suitable for children. If you love Northumberland, then you will
love colouring it in!
This is a trip down the garden path to the loos of yesteryear with
photographs, a little history and many hilarious anecdotes. It is
illustrated.
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