Mike Royden – författare

The history of Chester goes back to its foundation as the Roman camp Deva and the city has remained an important centre for the last 2,000 years. The Saxons founded the cathedral, the Normans built an imposing castle and the fortifications surrounding the city were developed over the centuries. Chester is now one of the best-preserved walled cities in the country. The city is also famous for its historical black-and-white timbered buildings, which form the Rows in the city centre, where shoppers can walk along a covered shopping arcade on the first floor. The Victorians continued to build shops following this local style, as well as the prominent Town Hall in the city centre and the Grosvenor Museum; the preservation of the buildings and history of Cheshire remains important to the present day. Much of the history is still evident in Chester today, and historian Mike Royden takes the reader on an A–Z tour to reveal the places, people and history that make Chester such a fascinating city.

The Wirral Peninsula in north-west England experienced the tragedies and hardships of war at first hand during the two world wars. Many residents lost their lives in the conflicts both in active combat throughout the world and as a result of the Wirral being a target in itself, particularly around the docks and Birkenhead and Wallasey in the Second World War. Both wars had a devastating effect on local communities through the loss of life, the destruction of familiar places through intensive aerial bombing that in large areas destroyed or damaged virtually all of the buildings, the evacuation of children and the hardships experienced at home. Many served on ships keeping the vital routes from the docks open, the anti-aircraft batteries defending the docks in the Mersey, or on the RAF airfields on the Wirral. In this book, historian and author Mike Royden has captured the tribulations of the times, telling the stories of many local men, women and children during these trying periods.Wirral at War pays tribute to the people of this region who served, died and lived through the two world wars, and how they managed to endure in the face of the horrors of conflict.

The historic city of Chester in Cheshire, in the north-west of England, experienced tragedies and hardships during the two World Wars. In the First World War many young men called up to fight in the conflict lost their lives, leaving communities bereft. On the Home Front, food shortages and the demands of wartime work in manufacturing and other vital wartime industries changed life for all. In the Second World War the city of Chester was a direct target for aerial bombing raids, destroying many homes and familiar buildings with a significant loss of life. Communities learned to deal with rationing, air raids and large numbers of evacuees. Both wars had a devastating effect on local communities, but both were also a time of courage and fortitude in an effort to continue with everyday life. In this book, historian Mike Royden has captured the tribulations of the times in words and pictures, telling the stories of many local men, women and children during these trying periods.Chester at War pays tribute to the people of this city who served, died and lived through the two World Wars, and how they managed to endure in the face of the horrors of conflict.

Merseyside played a unique role during the Second World War, which directly led to the area being a major enemy target in an attempt to put the port completely out of action. Consequently, Merseyside became the most heavily bombed area outside of the capital. Despite the considerable damage, the campaign failed, and the port continued as a centre of operations for Western Approaches Command, controlling the safe passage of supply convoys into the Mersey, providing an essential lifeline to the success of the war effort.Rare insights into the life of war-torn Merseyside are included, along with untold stories from those who witnessed the events first hand, including the Blitz, the defence of the port, and the grim conditions in one of the largest prisoner of war and internment camps in the country in Huyton.A broad spectrum of life on the Home Front is recounted through memories, newspaper stories and personal memoirs to bear witness to the profound trials of courage and fortitude of ordinary people enduring this desperate struggle to survive the war years. This fraught resilience was not always a united front, and controversial topics are also studied, such as conscientious objectors, racism, strike action, and crime, plus the issue of the Spirit of the Blitz - was it a myth or reality?This book therefore is an attempt to cover the full period of the war on the Home Front, in all its aspects, from the day war was declared, to the wild celebrations on the streets at the cessation of hostilities, plus the immediate post war problems.