Neil R. Storey – författare

In spring 1940 Hitler unleashed his blitzkrieg, and as the British Expeditionary Force fell back to Dunkirk Britain was in imminent danger. In response to the threat of enemy paratroopers, Anthony Eden, Secretary of State for War made a radio appeal on 14 May 1940 for men 'who were for one reason or another not at present engaged in military service, and who wish to do something for the defence of their country' to join a new force named The Local Defence Volunteers. The men of Britain answered the call, not in hundreds as anticipated, but in thousands. Over 250,000 signed up in the first 24 hours and thousands more followed. Badly equipped and with no more uniform than an armband, the organisation was taken under the wing of Winston Churchill in July 1940 and re-christened The Home Guard. This book tells the Home Guard's story, using original training manuals, photographs, and memoirs, and covers all aspects of their history.

As millions of young men marched off to war, they left behind mothers, wives, sisters, and sweethearts who were determined to contribute to the British cause. Women enrolled as nurses to treat wounded soldiers, and over 700,000 became workers in factories making munitions. Women also took on hundreds of jobs formerly done by men, such as bus conductors and billposters. Later in the war women were accepted into the armed services, serving behind the lines as auxiliaries. This book looks at the realities and the myths of the role of women in the war effort. Illustrated with archive photographs, this is an ideal introduction for anyone wanting to know more about the vital role played by women in the First World War.

As the world became embroiled in the second global conflagration in just over two decades, the women of Britain once more answered the call of duty. Many of the first volunteers had served in the Great War and now they offered their services again – this time bringing their daughters with them. During World War II women proved themselves indispensable to the war effort, serving in both military units abroad and in home-front organisations through the darkest hours of the Blitz. Illustrated with contemporary black-and-white and some rare colour photographs, documents and ephemera, this poignant and moving book tells the stories of these women.

From gaslit city streets to dark wooded estates, crime was rife in Victorian Britain; through a wide array of historical court records, newspaper accounts and prison books, The Victorian Criminal gives a fascinating overview of those involved in it. Within these pages may be found accounts of petty criminals and poachers, baby farmers and notorious murderers, along with stories of the development of detective forces and forensic techniques. Countless novels, plays and films are testament to an enduring fascination with the dark aspects of the time and place that gave us Sherlock Holmes, Wilkie Collins and the great works of Charles Dickens.

In the skies above south-east England in 1940, battle was waged between the men and machines of the Royal Air Force and Hitler's Luftwaffe. At stake was air superiority, and the Germans intended this to be a first step in the invasion of Britain. Squadrons of Hurricanes and Spitfires – then among the best and most modern fighter aircraft in the world – took on the threat and, over a period of months, defeated the Luftwaffe, which ultimately withdrew. This fully illustrated history looks at the origins and events of the battle, but focuses especially on the men and women of the RAF and on the ordinary people of the nation, above whose heads the great battle for freedom was waged.

A colourfully illustrated history of the Women's Suffrage movement, which eventually gained the vote for all British women in 1918.The popular image of a women's suffrage activist is a stoical woman chained to railings or committing criminal acts to attract publicity for the cause. While such women as Emmeline Pankhurst and Emily Wilding Davison embody this image, these militant 'Suffragettes' of the Women's Social and Political Union were in fact a small part of a wider movement that operated mainly through peaceful means. Molly Housego and Neil Storey here trace the evolution of the women's suffrage movement from its emergence in the nineteenth century, through the various divisions that emerged over how to conduct the campaign, to its apogee before the First World War – an event that highlighted the abilities of British women and helped to gain them the vote in 1918.

A history of the women who worked the Land and the organisation of the Women's Land Army in the Second World War.When war broke out in 1939, the Women's Land Army (WLA) was already organised and ready for action. Women who had served in the WLA in the First World War returned to service with their daughters, ready to fill in for the male labourers sent abroad to fight: livestock was tended, fields were ploughed, harvests were reaped and everything possible was done to keep Britain self-sufficient. Neil R. Storey and Molly Housego here tell the story of the Women's Land Army – how it was organised, what its members did, what training was provided, and the work of the Timber Corps of the WLA, also known as the 'Lumber Jills'. Colourful illustrations of women at work, their uniforms and insignia bring to life the experiences of the ladies who helped keep Britain fed during the Second World War.

The burden of the Great War was not shouldered by soldiers alone: the tasks, the camaraderie, the day-to-day life and the devastation were all shared with the animals that accompanied the forces abroad.The horses that took part in the last cavalry charges or hauled heavy guns are the most famous examples, but were far from alone: pigeons carried vital messages, dogs sniffed out wounded soldiers, camels were used as beasts of burden in the desert, and even ships’ cats and baby orang-utans had their parts to play.From noted historian Neil R. Storey, this book looks at all the practical ways in which animals were essential to the war effort, but is equally interested in their roles as companions, mascots and morale boosters – on land, in the air and at sea.

In this latest volume by Neil R. Storey we encounter some of the personalities, folklore, events, disasters, heroes and villains that have become interwoven into the rich tapestry of Norfolk's coastal past.

In 1907, H.G. Wells published a science fiction novel called The War in the Air. It proved to be portentous. In the early years of the First World War, German lighter-than-air flying machines, Zeppelins, undertook a series of attacks on the British mainland. German military strategy was to subdue Britain, both by the damage these raids caused and by the terrifying nature of the craft that carried them out. This strategy proved successful. The early raids caused significant damage, many civilian casualties and provoked terror and anger in equal measure. But the British rapidly learnt how to deal with these futuristic monsters. A variety of defence mechanisms were developed: searchlights, guns and fighter aircraft were deployed, the British learnt to pick up the airships’ radio messages and a central communications headquarters was set up. Within months aerial strategy and its impact on the lives of civilians and the course of conflict became part of human warfare. As the Chief of the Imperial German Naval Airship Division, Peter Strasser, crisply put it: ‘There is no such thing as a non-combatant any more. Modern war is total war.’ Zeppelin Blitz is the first full, raid-by-raid, year-by-year account of the Zeppelin air raids on Britain during the First World War, based on contemporary official reports and documents.

The Little Book of Suffolk is a repository of intriguing, fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts and trivia about one of England's most colourful counties. It is an essential to the born and bred Suffolk folk or anyone who knows and loves the county. Armed with this fascinating tome the reader will have such knowledge of the county, its landscape, people, places, pleasures and pursuits they will be entertained and enthralled and never short of some frivolous fact to enhance conversation or quiz! A reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped in to time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging little book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike.

Norwich in the Second World War is the story of the city and its people, both civilian and military, from the construction of the first air raid shelters in 1938 through to VE Day in 1945 and the return of Far Eastern prisoners of war in 1946.Featuring first-hand accounts of what happened when enemy bombers raided the city, notably during the notorious Baedeker Blitz of 1942, rare photographs and documents make this book a must for anyone who knows and loves the city of Norwich.

Prisons and Prisoners In Victorian Britain provides an illustrated insight into the Victorian prison system and the experiences of those within it - on both sides of the bars. Featuring stories of crime and misdeeds, this fascinating book includes chapters on a typical day inside a Victorian prison - food, divine service, exercise and medical provision; the punishments inflicted on convicts - such as hard labour, flogging, the treadwheel and shot drill; and an overview of the ultimate penalty paid by prisoners - execution. Richly illustrated with a series of photographs, engravings, documents and letters, this volume is sure to appeal to all those interested in crime and social history in Victorian Britain.

Around Norwich is not just another book on this fine city. Combining many previously unpublished photographs of outstanding quality and interest with well-researched captions, including many new facts and stories, one of the county's foremost local historians has created a fascinating narrative of the city, suburbs, people, shops and events of the past. Some images will be reassuringly familiar, some have changed or are lost beyond recollection. In one of its most turbulent centuries, the city has lived through the coming of the trains and the tram system, the Baedeker Blitz of 1942 and the construction of the inner link roads in the 1960s. It also takes a look at some of the sports and entertainment; from Norwich City FC playing at 'The Nest' to The Hippodrome Theatre. This book will be an enduring and nostalgic record, of interest to anyone who knows and loves the City of Norwich.

A Grim Almanac of Lincolnshire is a day-by-day catalogue of 365 ghastly tales from around the county dating from the twelfth to the twentieth centuries. Full of dreadful deeds, macabre deaths, strange occurrences and heinous homicides, this almanac explores the darker side of Lincolnshire’s past. This compilation contains such diverse tales of highwaymen, smugglers, giants, hangmen, poachers, witches, rioters and rebels, as well as accounts of old lock-ups, prisons, bridewells and punishments. All these, plus tales of murder, suicide, mysterious deaths, accidents by land, sea and air, and much more, are here. If you have ever wondered about what nasty goings-on occurred in the Lincolnshire of yesteryear, then look no further — it’s all here, and if you have the stomach for it, then read on... if you dare!

Discover the darker side of Norfolk with this remarkable collection of true-life crimes from across the county. Featuring tales of some of the most notorious, nefarious and murderous characters from the county’s past, including pirates, smugglers, highwaymen, poachers, thieves, murderers and bodysnatchers, all factions of the criminal underworld are included in this macabre selection of tales. Drawing on a wide variety of historical sources and containing many cases which have never before been published, Norfolk Villains will fascinate everyone interested in true crime and the history of Norfolk.

The Little Book of Norfolk is a repository of intriguing, fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts and trivia about one of England’s most colourful counties. It is an essential to the born and bred Norfolk folk or anyone who knows and loves the county. Armed with this fascinating tome the reader will have such knowledge of the county, its landscape, people, places, pleasures and pursuits they will be entertained and enthralled and never short of some frivolous fact to enhance conversation or quiz! A reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped in to time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage, the secrets and the enduring fascination of the county. A remarkably engaging little book, this is essential reading for visitors and locals alike.

North Walsham & District: A Second Selection takes another look back at the changing face of one of Norfolk’s finest old market towns and its neighbouring settlements. More than 200 photographs, many previously unpublished, record nearly 100 years of the people and places which make up the rich history of the district. Businesses and trades, schools and churches, streets and lanes are all featured. Some images will be familiar to those who know the area today: sadly others record places now gone forever.Neil R. Storey, one of the county’s best-known historians and ;local boy;, has combined memories of local characters with tales factual and anecdotal to produce informative captions which evoke a way of life now long gone. He records everyday events as well as major landmarks from the last century including celebrations marking Queen Victoria’s jubilee, an outside broadcast for the coronation of King George VI and the disruption caused by war. The collection of pictures paints a fascinating historical portrait of this ancient town and district which lies 'Betwixt Poppyland and Broadland'.

Many of us have at least one ancestor who served in the British Army during the Second World War. We probably know where they served and what regiment they served with but we are not aware of exactly how they became soldiers.The British Soldier: Training for War focuses on those who became infantry soldiers, commandos and paratroopers and the training they received in the British Isles to fight 'at the sharp end' of combat all over the world during the years 1939 to 1945.Drawing on contemporary training manuals, battalion histories, magazines and newspaper articles, personal memoirs, regimental museum archives, declassified military files and interviews with those who experienced wartime military training first-hand, a vivid and authentic account is presented of training from 'square bashing' and skill at arms to the evolution of battle schools, assault courses, battle drill and significant training exercises.All infantrymen were trained hard but it gave them the skills, fighting spirit, endurance and confidence they needed in themselves, their comrades and their unit when in battle. By the end of the Second World War, nearly three million men had served in the British Army. Every one of them had to be trained to become soldiers. This is their story.

PC George William Gutteridge was a well-liked and respected village policeman for Stapleford Abbotts in rural Essex, where he lived with his wife and two young children. While on his beat out on a lonely country road in the early hours of the morning of 27 September 1927, he was gunned down in one of the most horrific and callous killings of a police officer in the history of British law enforcement.It had been PC Gutteridge's misfortune to stop a stolen car containing hardened career criminals, Frederick Guy Browne and William Kennedy. Neither had any respect for the police, and neither was afraid to use extreme violence to evade capture. What ensued was one of the biggest manhunts Britain had ever seen.The murderers were brought to justice by a masterpiece of detective work by Scotland Yard, and their arrest required the skill and bravery of officers from a number of police forces. Drawing on Home Office and police files along with a host of contemporary newspaper reports and long-forgotten memoirs, Neil R. Storey provides a vivid account of the case and, in doing so, presents a darkly fascinating insight into Britain's underworld during the roaring 1920s.

The naked and frozen body of Norah Fornario (33) was discovered lying on a roughly hewn cross on the ground, far from her London home, in the wilds of the remote Hebridean island of Iona in November 1929. The doctor declared she had simply died of exposure, officially, no regard was paid to the strange circumstances under which she had been found, no post-mortem was carried out, no inquest was ordered and there was no major police investigation.Award-winning historian Neil Storey investigates the case and throws new light on the life and mysterious death of Norah Fornario in a gripping story akin to the plot of an Agatha Christie murder mystery novel blended with one of the darkest stories of the occult by Dennis Wheatley. A story that involves the notorious occultist Aleister Crowley, 'The Wickedest Man in the World,' elite secret societies in London, an 'occult college' in the Home Counties, mystical Glastonbury, vampires, demons, fairy folk, and curses set against the backdrop of the roaring 1920s. A story that culminates on a remote Scottish island where folklore and superstition were still believed and feared, and an apparent case of murder by black magic … or was it?

The Royal Norfolk Regiment had a fighting record second to none. Five members of the Regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross, the greatest number to any Line Infantry Regiment during the Second World War.1st Battalion landed on Sword Beach on D-Day and fought with distinction through France, Holland and Germany2nd Battalion was the first complete infantry battalion of the British Expeditionary Force to land in France in 1939. Members of this battalion earned the first gallantry decorations of the war. Tragically, 97 men of this battalion were massacred at Le Paradis during the retreat to Dunkirk in 1940. The battalion was rebuilt and fought in Burma and the hellish Battle of Kohima.4th, 5th and 6th Battalions fought doggedly at Singapore but after the surrender of the island in 1942, spent the rest of the war as Japanese Prisoners of War on the infamous 'Death Railway' and forced labour camps.7th Battalion fought in France in 1940. Only fifty men made it back, but the battalion was rebuilt and returned again to fight in Normandy in 1944.Drawing on the diaries, memoirs and memories of those who were there, this book is a fitting tribute to the brave men of The Royal Norfolk Regiment.

Castles and fortresses have been strongholds dotted across the English countryside for centuries. From defences along our coast and borders to symbols of power, governance and status across the land, castles have been the scene of some of our country's most violent and darkest history.Join renowned historian and ghost hunter Neil R. Storey on a journey around England's ancient bastions as this master of the macabre regales the stories of legend, murder, torture, bloody sieges, fatal betrayals, lovers' tragedies, executions and horrible deaths that have left their ghostly legacies within the walls of the haunted castles of England.Come and join me if you dare!

The first reported UFO sightings in Britain during modern times date back to the early years of the twentieth century and have continued through two World Wars up to the present day. Cases include mystery airships of 1909 at Peterborough and the eastern counties, the Burton Dassett ghost lights of 1923, RAF gremlins in the Second World War, the Newbiggin abduction in 1942, Dorothy Kilgallen and the UK saucer crash of 1945, the Ranton encounter of 1954, the Hythe Mothman in 1963 which predates the infamous American sightings of a similar creature by four years, the RAF UFO Cosford landing in 1963, the Rendlesham Forest incident in 1980, and many others.Drawing on unpublished archives of British UFO material assembled by long-defunct UFO research groups, former RAF and ROC officers and other archive accounts, rare articles and cuttings of UFO sightings and incidents in the UK during of the twentieth century, including the Second World War and up to recent times, author and military historian Neil R. Storey presents a history of UFOs in the British Isles from over 110 years. A selection of illustrations are also included, showing some of the unidentified flying objects witnessed and the locations where the events took place.This book will appeal to all those interested in UFO phenomena as well as those interested in the social history of Britain.

Victorian Fashions for Men explores British the styles and clothing throughout the long reign of Queen  Victoria from the late 1830s to the first years of the 20th century. Within are a superb overview of the suits, coats, hats, hair styles, accoutrements, shoes and boots that typified the prevailing styles of men's attire for each decade. From those who had enough money to have day and evening wear and clothes for sporting and outdoor activities to those with limited income and wardrobes or labouring folk with little more than the clothes they stood up in.All decades are illustrated with original photographs, adverts and contemporary magazine illustrations from the authors’ own remarkable collections and are accompanied by a knowledgeable and informative text that describes the fashions, their social history context and influences reflected in the clothes of the time. Laid out in clear and easy to follow chronological order the key features of the styles for each decade will help family historians to date family photographs and will provide a useful resource for students and costume historians or for anyone with a love of fashion and style to enjoy.

The 4th and 5th Battalions, the Norfolk Regiment were formed in the early days of The Great War as part of the Territorial Force and deployed with 54th (East Anglian) Division to Gallipoli in 1915. Most significantly the 1/5th Battalion was unique in that it contained The Sandringham Company, the only unit to be raised entirely from a Royal Estate.Tragically the Company, along with King George V’s Agent Captain Beck, disappeared without trace on 12 August 1915, presumed to have been overcome by their Turkish adversaries.The Battalion was rebuilt and saw out the ill-fated Gallipoli Campaign being evacuated to Egypt in December 1915. Thereafter the Norfolks served with distinction in Palestine as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force.The Author has compiled a fascinating history of these Battalions’ distinguished service using contemporary records and personal accounts illustrated with a splendid selection of photographs. The result is a fitting tribute to the memory of these brave volunteers.

During his years as executioner between 1901 and 1924, John Ellis hanged over 200 men and women. Among them were some of the most infamous killers of the 20th century including Dr Crippen, John Dickman 'The Railway Murderer', George Smith 'The Brides in the Bath' murderer, Henry Jacoby, poisoners Frederick Seddon and Major Herbert Rowse Armstrong. Ellis also hanged Sir Roger Casement for treachery and carried out the execution of Edith Thompson, one of the most controversial hangings in the history of capital punishment.British executioners kept their own legers recording brief details of those they hanged, John Ellis maintained just such a leger too but he is believed to be the only British executioner to have kept an additional scrapbook of his personal accounts of those he executed and their crimes and as such it is a unique volume in the annals of British crime and punishment.Rediscovered after being lost for decades, John Ellis' scrapbook - its cuttings, manuscript texts, and annotations - have now been diligently transcribed and we can now read the book Ellis envisaged in his own words, and in doing so, we gain a remarkable insight into the life and executions one of Britain's most notable but least-known hangmen.

Bram Stoker: Author of Dracula is an affectionate and revealing biography of the man who created the vampire novel that would define the genre and lead to a new age in Gothic horror literature.Based on decades of painstaking research in libraries, museums, and university archives and privileged access to private collections on both sides of the Atlantic, the private letters of Bram and the reminiscences of those who knew him not only shed new light on Stoker's ancestry, his life, loves and friendships they also reveal more about the places and people who inspired him and how he researched and wrote his books. Bram wrote numerous articles, short stories and poetry for newspapers and magazines, he had a total of eleven novels and two collections of short stories published in his lifetime, but he would only become known for one of them - Dracula. Tragically, he did not live long enough to see it as a huge success.In his heyday as Acting Manager for Sir Henry Irving at the Lyceum Theatre in the West End of London, Bram was a well-known figure in a golden age of British theatre. He was a big-framed, ebullient, genial, gentleman, with red hair and beard, who never lost his soft Irish brogue, was blessed with wit, and a host of entertaining stories fit for every occasion. Described as having the paw of Hercules and the smile of Machiavelli, above all he knew what it meant to be a loyal friend.

The military heritage of Northumberland is without doubt one of the richest in all the British Isles. By nature of it being England’s most northern county, its borders have seen many bloody clashes and battles since the earliest times. Hadrian’s Wall stretches along the south of the county and is dotted with forts, garrisons and fortified settlements along its length. The first Viking raid was carried out upon Lindisfarne in 793. There were clashes with the Scots for centuries and from the thirteenth century and for 400 years afterwards there were border raids by reivers. The Battle of Newburn in 1640 was one of the flashpoints that led to the English Civil War, and many a noble Northumberland family was ruined in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.It is hardly surprising that within the boundaries of the county there can be found more castles than anywhere else in Britain and, as a breed of fighting men, the steel of the Northumbrians is like no other. The men of the North were the backbone of the British Army; a number of regiments have recruited here, including the Coldstream Guards, King’s Own Scottish Borderers and, of course, our very own Northumberland Fusiliers, ‘The Fighting Fifth’. They all served with distinction wherever they fought – from the Peninsular War to South Africa, through two world wars, and beyond.Award-winning military historian Neil R. Storey knows and loves Northumberland and this book will interest anyone keen to know more about its remarkable military history.