Wolverhampton in the West Midlands was granted city status in 2000 but its origins lie in Anglo Saxon England. During the Middle Ages Wolverhampton was a prosperous Staffordshire market town and a centre for the wool trade. Its coal and iron deposits enabled it to grow rapidly during the Industrial Revolution, when it became one of the most heavily industrialised areas of the country, specialising in coal mining, iron and steel production, engineering and manufacturing. The wealth brought into the town is seen today by the many civic buildings in Wolverhampton from that era, and large areas of social housing were built in the 20th century to accommodate the population. Much has changed in Wolverhampton in recent decades, following the large scale urban planning schemes of the 1960s and 1970s and later, and regeneration schemes for the city centre rebuilding old shopping centres and reflecting a change in working practices from industry and manufacturing to more service-based employment, but Wolverhampton has still retained its distinctive identity. Lost Wolverhampton presents a portrait of this corner of the West Midlands over the last century to recent decades that has radically changed or disappeared today, showing not only the industries and buildings that have gone but also the people and street scenes, many popular places of entertainment and much more. This fascinating photographic history of lost Wolverhampton will appeal to all those who live in the area or know it well, as well as those who remember it from previous decades.

The ancient Norwich firm of Boulton & Paul were brought into aircraft construction in 1915, and quickly became one of the great innovators. They pioneered metal construction and built the frame of the largest aircraft ever built in Britain, the R.101 airship. The Overstrand, the last of their superlative medium bombers, was the first aircraft in the world to feature a power-operated gun turret, and after their move to Wolverhampton in 1936 and change of name to Boulton Paul Aircraft their gun turrets became a vital component of the war effort, not least in their own Defiant, which fought in the Battle of Britain and was the most successful night fighter in the dark nights of the Blitz. Their post-war Balliol trainer was the World's first single-engine turboprop and their last production aircraft, because the technology of their gun turrets was translated into their world lead as manufacturers of power operated control units, and then fly-by-wire. Becoming part of the Dowty Group and later GE Aviation, their advanced aerospace product line is now invested in the firm of Moog, still in Wolverhampton, still innovating.

The first great British aircraft engine manufacturer, the Sunbeam Motor Car Company turned to the sunrise industry of aviation in 1912, and was among the first to buy an aircraft to test their engines, flown by a full-time test pilot, the famous Jack Alcock. Through the First World War Sunbeam was a vital supplier, of both engines and aircraft, particularly to the Royal Naval Air Service. Consistently Sunbeams were the most powerful British engines available, and they were fitted to the first aircraft to torpedo an enemy ship, the only aircraft to fly at the Battle of Jutland, and the first seaplanes to operate in the heart of Africa. After the War they powered the greatest of British Airships the R.34, the first aircraft to fly the Atlantic east to west, and the first to make the double crossing, and the R.33, the British dirigible with the highest flying hours. As Sunbeam reverted to car manufacture their aero engines were fitted to a succession of land speed record-breaking cars, including the first to exceed 150 mph and the first to exceed 200 mph, ironically, faster than any Sunbeam-powered aircraft.

The Boulton Paul Balliol was the last British aircraft powered by the iconic Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, and the last piston-powered advanced trainer in both the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm. Yet it began life as the world's first turbo-trainer, conceived in the last days of the Second World War, and became the first aircraft with a single prop-jet, beating the rival Avro Athena into the air by two weeks. However, policy changed and it was with the trusty Merlin that the Balliol ultimately went into production. Boulton Paul Aircraft hoped for huge orders-opening a second production line at Blackburn Aircraft in anticipation-but the RAF decided to switch to all-jet training; even though a dozen were sold to the Royal Ceylon Air Force, total Balliol production only ever amounted to just over 200 examples. Consigned to another footnote in aviation history, this was the last aircraft Boulton Paul-already world-leaders in the manufacture of power controls- would ever build. The Boulton Paul Balliol: The Last Merlin-Powered Aircraft is a detailed account of the journey of this aeroplane and its creators, and the shifting sands within the highly competitive post-war aeronautics industry. This is a beautifully illustrated insight into how a small, pioneering British manufacturer dealt with the fluctuating demands of its era, enhanced by the author's own story as a Boulton Paul enthusiast and restorer.

Though there were airfields in Shropshire during the First World War, at Shawbury, Tern Hill and Monkmoor, it was in the late 1930s that a massive building programme began to dot the county with new RAF airfields, mostly for training purposes, until there were over sixteen - in some cases they were so close together that their circuits overlapped. Since the Second World War the number has fallen away, but Shawbury, Tern Hill, Cosford and little Chetwynd are still used by the RAF, and Sleap has been revived for general aviation. In most cases the others have returned to agriculture and a few to industry, with derelict control towers and other iconic buildings remaining as lost sentinels of the days when young men trained to carry the fight into the dark skies of Germany.

Collection of over 200 archive pictures highlighting the developments that have taken place in the Shropshire market town of Bridgnorth during the last century. Every aspect of life in Bridgnorth is explored, from schools, churches and shops to sporting achievements, ceremonies and events.

Pictorial history of Heath Town, Wolverhampton. Images and research create a window into a golden age.

Fighting over the beaches of Dunkirk and in the Battle of Britain, guarding the night skies during the perilous months of the Blitz, pioneering electronic countermeasures, and serving air-sea rescue roles all around our coasts, the Boulton Paul Defiant played a vital part through most of the Second World War, finishing it in the important target-tug role. The Defiant is rightly considered Wolverhampton's highest profile contribution to the war, and the most important product of Boulton Paul Aircraft. This book celebrates the contribution of the Defiant to the war in over 200 illustrations, most from Boulton Paul's own archives, and many never published before. It exposes some of the false myths attached to an aircraft held in great affection by many of its crews.

A history of Bridgnorth

Shropshire Airfields tells the story of the county's airfields, from the quieter days before the Second World War, when the Midland Gliding Club first flew from Long Mynd, to more recent times. Shropshire Airfields is illustrated with over 200 photographs, accompanied by detailed captions, and is sure to appeal to all those with an interest in Britain's airfields and the people connected with them.

Staffordshire boasted one of the first dedicated aerodromes in Great Britain when, in 1910, Dunstall Park, Wolverhampton, hosted the first ever All British Flying Meeting. Since then, flying has always featured in the county. In the First World War Dunstall Park was joined by other aerodromes at Perton and Halford Lane, Smethwick, and even during the demise of flying in the 1920s, itinerant joy flight operators and flying circuses still operated. During the 1930s municipal airports were established at Walsall, Stoke and Wolverhampton, where the new Boulton Paul Aircraft Factory was built. The Second World War saw an explosion of airfield construction across Staffordshire as important training bases were built. After 1945 only RAF Lichfield remained in use, although RAF Hixon was used as a sub-site for the RAF Depot at Stafford. Then, in 1956, Boulton Paul reopened disused airfields in the area when they made RAF Seighford their Test Flight Centre. Since then, although the three municipal airports have closed, private flying is becoming ever more popular and airfields such as Tatenhill, Penkridge and Halfpenny Green are thriving once more. This fascinating collection of over 200 photographs vividly chronicles the highs and lows of flying in Staffordshire and the Black Country. From pictures of an early aviation meeting at Burton on Trent to the frenetic activity of the Second World War and the microlights of today.

This series of photos in the Images of England Series, this time by local author Alec Brew, depicts Wolverhampton, a central Midlands town. This collection covers the town centre as well as some of the surrounding areas, and records the changes that have taken place over the last one hundred years. Wolverhampton was a town of both heavy industry and vehicle manufacture. Coal, iron, and steel works were an integral part of the town's history, and there was also a growth of suburban estates as the town expanded. As well as featuring some of the important people of the town, the aspects of ordinary every day life are covered, from schools, work, and the fate of the local football team, the Wolves. All in all this volume is a must for everyone who knows Wolverhampton. For those who have lived there for many years it provides a nostalgic stroll down memory lane, while for newer residents it serves as an excellent means of discovering more about the community's history.

This collection of over 200 old photographs illustrates scenes from the communities of Willenhall and Horseley Fields. These pictures show how relatively unchanged the streets and buildings of Willenhall are. A walk around the town today shows that it is still possible to see many of the features which appear in the oldest photographs in this book. By contrast, the old area of Horseley Fields has all but disappeared. The history of Willenhall or 'Humpshire' as it is affectionately known, as a world-renowned centre for lockmaking is illustrated and we see people at work, leisure and sport. The book also looks back to the more industrial days of Horseley Fields. Through the medium of photography the book captures the essence of life as it used to be in Willenhall and Horseley Fields and will appeal to both young and old. This is the third book written by the author, in a series which, by the millennium, will cover all the environs of Wolverhampton. Codsall and Claregate and Tettenhall and Pattingham are already available and four more are in preparation.