Paul Chrystal – författare

The British passion for chocolate is centuries old and shows no signs of abating.Paul Chrystal here tells the story of chocolate in Britain, from its arrival in the late sixteen hundreds, through the glory days of such brands as Cadbury's, Fry's and Rowntree's in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, to the way companies have weathered the storms of foreign competition (spearheaded by Mars, Toblerone and Nestlé) and takeovers (Nestlé and Kraft) in more recent years.The book is colourfully illustrated with images of chocolate factories and their products, photographs of chocolate boxes and wrappers, and, of course, the advertisements that made household names of so many manufacturers.

John (‘Jack’) Scott Youll (June 1897- 27 October 1918) was a colliery electrician from a small village near Hartlepool, County Durham, before volunteering for the Army in 1915. Joining 1st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, he showed early promise and was selected for officer training. He first saw action on the Western Front and was mentioned in dispatches for his conduct during the heavy fighting around Polygon Wood in the Third Battle of Ypres. But it was after redeployment to Italy that he earned the Victoria Cross for his exceptional valour and leadership near Asiago, during the Third Battle of the Piave.The medal citation for 2nd Lieutenant Youll describes how throughout the fighting ‘his complete disregard of personal safety and very gallant leading set a magnificent example to all’. This was during an extended action which included his single-handedly charging an Austrian machine gun post that had his unit pinned down, killing most of the crew and turning the weapon on the enemy. Tragically, Lieutenant Youll VC was killed soon after during the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, the final battle of the Italian campaign, just twenty-four hours before the ceasefire on this front and a mere fortnight before the end of the wider war.Jack Youll’s example of dutiful service, leadership and courage has hitherto received little recognition beyond a dignified graveyard memorial in his hometown. This well-researched and detailed account, written by his relative , Nina Youll, and historian Paul Chrystal, provides at last a fitting testimonial to a true hero of the Great War.

Bridgerton Revisited is the first book to place the hugely successful Netflix production Bridgerton in its historical context, the Regency Period of English history which ran from around 17295 until 1837.This eagerly anticipated book is in three parts: Part One examines in detail the social history of the Regency, and is obviously the most recognizable to viewers of the series released so far by Netflix. As such it takes in all aspects of Regency society as enjoyed by the landowning and titled aristocracy in their opulent houses, with their lavish fashions and impeccably prescribed conduct and manners. We learn of the affairs, adultery, sport, leisure and the ardent pursuit of illicit sex in brothels, gambling houses and taverns, of Regency LGBTQ and the endless scramble for the best marriage match as played out in the extravagant balls and at the endless visits and soirées.Part Two takes a close look at the production itself and discusses its historical accuracy in relation to what we discovered in Part One, and the divergences from that history. Using first-hand evidence from the creators and writers of the production we explore the ‘alternate history’ underscoring the series, not least the controversial issue of racial diversity in the casting. Part Three looks at the other side of the coin: the plight of the vast majority living and just surviving in Regency England, amidst the routine squalor, poverty, vagrancy, prostitution and occupational disease, workhouses and domestic and sexual abuse navigated daily, particularly by the women of the day.

We hear a lot about the contribution of men to the brave new world which began to emerge in the mid-18th century with the start of the Industrial Revolution; and we can read the uplifting story of the tens of thousands of women who clocked on at the mills, mines and factories to resolutely power that revolution.But a lot less has been written of the women who were just as instrumental and important as the factory- owning men and politicians in these momentous developments and changes to our social and industrial fabric: these were the innovative and empowered women who pioneered developments in engineering and science, business, nursing, pharmacy and medicine, education and literature, music, art, politics and women’s rights, labour law and the trade unions, philanthropy and entrepreneurship.This book changes that great cover up, that virtual erasing of many women from our history: Trailblazing Women Empowered in the Industrial Revolution is the rarely told story of 200 or so of these women, some familiar, but most, at best, languishing until now in the obscure and obscuring footnotes of British history. This is the story of how those 200 women, and others, helped power the Industrial Revolution and change British society and labour relations for ever.It was never, however, the case that all men were intent on obstructing women’s progress or achievements. Indeed, a number of enlightened men did acknowledge wholeheartedly the contribution women could and did make. These are described in the book, likewise the long struggle inspirational and innovative women of colour endured while overcoming male discrimination, sexism, racism and sexual violence.This highly-researched, entertaining and fascinating history of women in the time of industrial and societal revolution is the first to guide readers through one of the most crucial times in the history of women, women and work, women in the professions, women and the vote and the juggling they did to change British society forever and lay the foundation for the more equable society we all live in today. There is, of course still much more to do, more action and fewer words…

This revelatory book charts and explains the impact and consequences of successive pandemics, plagues and epidemics on the course of world history - all through the lens of today's ongoing global experience of COVID 19\. Ranging from prehistory to the present day, it first defines what constitutes a pandemic or epidemic then looks at 20 guilty diseases: including cholera, influenza, bubonic plague, leprosy, measles, smallpox, malaria, AIDS, MERS, SARS, Zika, Ebola and, of course, Covid-19\. Some less well-known, but equally significant and deadly contagions such as Legionnaires' Disease, psittacosis, polio, the Sweat, and dancing plague, are also covered.The book is ordered chronologically. Each chapter features an explanation and description of epidemiology, sources and vectors, morbidity, mortality, governmental response and reaction, societal response and impact as well as psychological issues where known - and the political, legal and scientific consequences it had or has for each locus at a local and international level. In short - the book explains how each of the events both made and influenced subsequent history in its own way, particularly how each shaped future medical and scientific research and vaccine development programmes. It also examines myths about infectious diseases, the role of the media and social media. Perhaps most importantly, Paul Chrystal asks what lessons have been learnt. Will we be better prepared next time? Because, if one thing is sure, there is going to be a 'next time'.

Ever since there have been factories women and children have, more often than not, worked in those factories. What is perhaps less well known is that women also worked underground in coal mines and overground scaling the inside of chimneys. Young children were also put to work in factories and coalmines; they were deployed inside chimneys, often half-starved so that they could shin up ever narrower flues.This book charts the unhappy but aspirational story of women and children at work through the Industrial Revolution to the beginning of the 20th century. Without women there would have been no pre-industrial cottage industries, without women the Industrial Revolution would not have been nearly as industrial and nowhere near as revolutionary.Many women, and children, were obliged to take up work in the mills and factories - long hours, dangerous, often toxic conditions, monotony, bullying, abuse and miserly pay were the usual hallmarks of a day's work - before they headed homeward to their other job: keeping home and family together.This long overdue and much needed book also covers the social reformers, the role of feminism and activism and the various Factory Acts and trade unionism.We examine how women and children suffered chronic occupational diseases and disabling industrial injuries - life changing and life shortening - and often a one way ticket to the workhouse. The book concludes with a survey of the art, literature and the music which formed the soundtrack for the factory girl and the climbing boys.

Much has been written about the great extent encompassed by the Roman Empire's borders, their armies’ attempts to expand and defend them, and about the extent to which ‘Romanization’ imposed a uniform culture within them. But far less attention has been lavished on Rome's relations with the wider world that lay beyond these porous borders. A citizen shopping in the jostling market of a Roman city could buy amber or fur from Scandinavia, ivory from sub-Saharan Africa, spice from India or Chinese silk, among a host of other exotic foods and luxuries. These goods did not just show up at the nearest port; they were the result of centuries of trade missions, trade deals and a general compulsion to explore the outside and largely unknown world.Paul Chrystal examines Rome’s relations with the world it never conquered, describing what the Romans knew of it, how trade relations were established and commerce conducted. He explores the major trade routes such as the fabled Silk Road to China and the sea routes to India, as well as many more. He details embassies and exploratory missions conducted across thousands of miles to open trade and diplomatic links, such as that of Chinese general Bao Chao sent to contact the Romans. Importantly he discusses trade in both directions and emphasizes that along with goods went a two-way exchange of people, ideas, knowledge, and culture. Along the way, topical themes such as immigration, inclusion and xenophobia are raised.From Finland to Lake Chad, and from Ireland to India and China, the Romans left their mark upon the wider world, a world that in turn left its indelible mark upon their Empire.

Countless books have been written about prominent women in Greece and Rome, so we know all about Medea, Sappho, Lucretia, Boudica and Cleopatra and their significant actions and achievements. This book extends the invaluable story of women in early history to pre-classical civilisations, ancient Egypt and Israel to include prominent women in those civilisations as well, thus introducing them, and their roles and places in their respective societies and social histories, to a wide audience.The aim of this book is to demonstrate how 150 women (most little known) significantly influenced, informed and changed the worlds in which they lived. We show how a small, disparate body of women in each of these periods, united by their determination and strength of mind, were able to break free from the norms and values of the patriarchal societies which confined and restricted them to make a valuable difference to their individual societies, cultures, politics and foreign policies; in so doing they have changed perceptions of women and the role women were subsequently allowed to play. Some of the women are well known, others less so. The book reinforces the reputations of those who have endured popularity over the centuries and, where necessary, realigns those reputations after years of prejudice and the vicissitudes of sexism, misogyny, Hollywood and sensationalist literature. For those who have been written out of mainstream history and relegated to footnotes at best, this is a chance to re-introduce them and the impact they have made on their and our world. Their relative anonymity does not mean that they are less important - on the contrary, they are equally significant and the more we know about them, the better if we want a rounded picture of the civilisations to which they contributed so much.Each chapter is followed by suggestions for further reading to encourage further research.

This book is about women in World Wars I & II - women working in factories and on farms, or toiling perilously in field stations just behind the front lines, in inhospitable hospitals and convalescent homes. It is, therefore, about the prodigious contribution women made to the war efforts from 1914-1918 and 1939-1945, standing in for the men who had left their places of work for the various theatres of war from Greece and Italy to Belgium, from Mesopotamia to France. Their tasks were many and various: keeping the troops supplied with shells, bullets and explosives, keeping the nation from starving to death, keeping hundreds of thousands of wounded troops alive so that they might fight another day. The book is, in short, the uplifting but sometimes tragic story of the many women who stepped up to work in the factories, hospitals, field stations, in transport and in civil defence, on the farms and shipyards, or signed up to the various military and civil services during the two world wars of the 20th century, ‘wars to end all wars…’.The book is different because it deals with women’s labour in both world wars and in all occupations, it covers the discrimination and prejudice they faced from men at every level, military and civilian, even when they had demonstrated beyond doubt that they were quick learners, industrious and proficient, and usually as good as any man. The book raises the embarrassing question why it has it taken so long for the prodigious contribution women made in both wars to be recognised, and why some women workers still remain air brushed from our military history after more than a century.As it turned out, little was beyond their capabilities and it is reasonable to suppose that without their huge efforts and accomplishments both wars might have turned out very differently for us.

This is the story of the 1st Air Landing Light Regiment RA and its role in the Italian campaign and at the Battle of Arnhem. It is also the story of one of its soldiers: 14283058 Gunner Eric Wright Chrystal, father of the authors. Eric joined the army in September 1942 and, after training, joined the newly formed glider-borne regiment the following year. He first saw action in Italy in 1943, where he was seriously wounded. On 17 September 1944, two years to the day since he enlisted, he and the regiment were landed by glider near to Arnhem in the Netherlands.The authors recount set their father's experiences in context by describing the formation of the unit and the many months of training in England. Their involvement in the Italian campaign, where Eric served with E Troop, 3 Battery, is then recounted, detailing their actions at Rionero, Foggia and Campobasso, where Eric was wounded. It then moves on to describe 1st Air Landing Light Regiment's preparation for and involvement in Operation Market (the Airborne half of Market Garden). This very detailed account of the fighting highlights the regiment's pivotal (but often neglected) role near Arnhem bridge. Here, after nine days of intense combat, Eric was among the many captured and held until the end of the war. The inclusion of Eric's own eyewitness testimony lends a very personal touch to this excellent account of the regiment's experience of combat and life in the PoW camps.

This important, disturbing and timely book focuses on on the use of disease and germs as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) and the threat bioterrorism poses in an increasingly unpredictable and volatile future for the world.For context it traces developments from the earliest primitive but effective days of infectious rams, poison-tipped arrows and plague-infected corpses used as toxic, disease-spreading projectiles, to the twenty-first-century industrial scale weaponization of biomedicine.Paul Chrystal shows how biological weapons and acts of bioterrorism are especially effective at instilling terror, panic, death, famine and economic ruin on a large scale, shredding public confidence in governments and civilization itself. For the disaffected, lethal biological agents are comparatively easy to manufacture and obtain, and they have the benefit of being almost invisible and easy and quick to administer in lethal quantities through a variety of discreet delivery systems. Just what the terrorist wants.We explore the sinister connection between the industrial-scale proliferation of biological weaponry by state actors and the greater opportunities these growing bio-arsenals give to the increasingly scientific-minded and determined terrorist to manufacture his or her weapon of choice, taking advantage also of the state of the art sophisticated delivery systems.The epilogue analyses the concerted but groundless 2022-2023 disinformation campaign conducted by Russia, with support from China, relating to the claim that public health facilities in Ukraine are 'secret U.S.-funded biolabs', purportedly developing biological weapons.

This is both a history of books as objects and artefacts but also a social history about the use and transmission (or restriction) of knowledge in the ancient world. The author sets the scene by discussing the invention of writing and the development of the various alphabets. He then surveys the book's precursors, the evolution of writing materials through clay tablets, papyrus scrolls, parchment, wooden and bronze tablets, culminating in the codex - the book as we know it.The author then takes us on a fascinating 900-year journey through the classical world, describing the recording, preservation and dissemination of knowledge and literature for the edification, delectation and systematic instruction for contemporary and future cultures and societies. He looks at the processes of textual transmission of notable books and explains how that portion of the great literary and scientific writings of Greece and Rome that survived (often a matter of pure chance and only a small portion) informed and influenced later cultures through the Middle Ages, Renaissance and right down to the present day. Along the way Paul Chrystal explores a number of important but often neglected genres of ancient books, such as propaganda, paradoxography and the publishing of specialist military, scientific, technical and medical manuals, as well as catalogues of famous men and heroic women. The ways Greek and Roman authors described their work and the functioning of the great libraries and the Classical equivalent of the publishing and bookselling trades, in which public readings (recusatio) played a crucial part, are also examined.

Redcar, Marske & Saltburn Through Time is a wonderful collection of old and new photographs of this historic area of Yorkshire. The older images are printed alongside a contemporary full colour photograph, which illustrates the same scene. The contrasting illustrations show how the area has changed and developed during the last 100 years. The photographs illustrate shops, schools, garages, churches, houses and street scenes, each photograph is captioned and the book has an introduction which gives a brief overview of the history of the area. As you browse through the photographs, you will notice the increase in the number of vehicles on the roads and the number of residents, how shops and other businesses have evolved and the changes and developments in modes of transportation and the architecture of the area.

This is the second volume in a unique and exciting series on the history of York. York in the 1960s provides an account of York life during a definitive decade. Ten years in which the city emerged from the greyness of the largely derelict 1950s into a technicolour world of personal freedom and growing disposable incomes, allowing some to spend that money on newly available labour-saving devices, televisions, cars and holidays.Crucial to York in the 1960s was the ground-breaking Esher Report and the long-overdue University of York. Esher shaped today’s city; the university’s contribution to the city’s social, cultural, educational and scientific fabric was, and remains, inestimable. York in the 1960s will please and satisfy curiosity whether you grew up here then, whether you have left and want to rekindle your childhood and teenage memories, or whether you are a child of the twenty-first century curious to know what was going on in that exuberant decade.

Knaresborough has many secrets, and as you walk down 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. Situated on the River Nidd, this town, famous for its market and spa, has witnessed many of the key episodes of English history. Granted a castle by William the Conqueror, the town went on to house, among others, John of Gaunt, Mary Shipton and Guy Fawkes. As well as Knaresborough’s famous locals, the surrounding landscape also has significance. The caves, woods and rivers that frame the town each have their own stories.On a journey through this ancient market town, local historian Paul Chrystal recounts these untold tales. A history that spans centuries, these stories offer an intriguing insight into the area, as well as showcasing the role Knaresborough has played in British history. You may think you know Knaresborough, but take a look around and you will find more than you could possibly imagine.

Middlesbrough may have only been a hamlet in the early nineteenth century, but that all changed with the arrival of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, which led to the former farmstead soon becoming a cauldron of industrial activity. It is also home to many impressive works of architecture that are recognised the world over, including the truly iconic Transporter Bridge and Tees Newport Bridge, both living, and still working, testaments to the town’s industrial past.Middlesbrough can also boast an impressive musical and artistic heritage, being the birthplace of Chris Rea and Paul Rodgers, and home to the world-famous Linthorpe Pottery gallery and the unique Christopher Dresser collection in the Dorman Museum. Yet there is much that is less well known and more obscure in this historical town by the Tees: Secret Middlesbrough delves into this hidden past and reveals tantalising tales, traditions and trivia that will fascinate and inform anyone interested in what is still one of the great towns of the north.

Buildings are among the crucial features that define a city. They create the cityscape and form the horizon while, at a more personal level, they provide the homes for its citizens, their places of education, worship, entertainment, arts and commerce.The fifty buildings described in this book chart the history of Leeds from its pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution as a major producer of wool and white broadcloth at the White Cloth Hall, Marshall’s Mill and the stunning Corn Exchange. Leeds boasts four universities, the Brotherton Library taking pride of place with the Rose Bowl Building. The Thackray museum of medical history, the City Museum and the Armouries provide cutting edge culture along with the Art Gallery, the West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Arena. For sport there is Headingley and Elland Road while the beautifully elegant Victoria Arcades provide a special shopping experience. The skyline is pierced with windy Bridgewater Place, the Electric Press and Broadcasting Tower. Fine churches and mosques abound, as do old pubs like Whitelocks, the Whip and the Angel, and further afield are the splendours of Kirkstall Abbey, Temple Newsam and Harewood House.All of these buildings and many more are covered in this fascinating book: their history and the role they play today in one of England’s leading cities provide an enthralling historical narrative for the Leeds of yesterday and of today.

Famous as the birthplace of rugby league and of former Prime Minister Harold Wilson as well as being the childhood home of Herbert Asquith, Huddersfield rose to prominence during the Industrial Revolution as a major centre of textile production. Evidence of the town’s prosperity during the Victorian era can still be seen in its magnificent railway station and town hall, as well as in the many other fine nineteenth-century buildings that can be found around the centre, and in the fact that Huddersfield boasts the third highest number of listed buildings in the country.This is a town that has witnessed considerable change over the past century and Huddersfield Through Time charts its development through a collection of fascinating photographs, old and new, that help to illustrate its appeal, not only to those wanting to get to know it better, but also to long-time residents who thought they knew all about their native town. Neighbouring villages such as Derby Dale are also included in the book.

Bramhall is a thriving, bustling and leafy suburb of Stockport, close to Manchester. It has been voted the least ‘lonely place’ in Britain; according to research from the University of Sheffield, Bramhall came bottom of the loneliness index nationwide. It has a rich history stretching back to the Anglo-Saxon period. This book takes us back to Bramhall’s early days to meet Saxons Brun and Hacun, whose lands were given by Willliam the Conqueror to Hamon de Massey, who eventually became 1st Baron of Dunham Massey.The Edwardian shops and businesses in the village centre have been replaced by trendy boutiques and cool bars, but old Bramhall is still characterised by the grand Bramall Hall, with its beautiful park, as well as the town’s many farms and old pubs. The book also takes in neighbouring Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme, Gatley, Hazel Grove and Manchester International Airport in Ringway, where old and new pictures are juxtaposed to show how things have changed in these communities.

Harrogate History Tour is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this famous Yorkshire spa town. This new book guides us through the streets and alleyways, showing how its famous landmarks used to look and how they’ve changed over the years, as well as exploring its lesser-known sights and hidden corners. With the help of a handy location map, readers are invited to follow a timeline of events and discover for themselves the changing face of Harrogate.

The port of Kingston upon Hull is one of England’s most historical and diverse cities, and boasts a wealth of taverns, inns, alehouses and public houses. Most of the older drinking establishments that have survived have stories to tell – frequently quirky or surprising, always interesting and often with nautical links, given the city’s associations over the centuries with the fishing and shipbuilding industries.Author and historian Paul Chrystal takes the reader on a fascinating tour around some of the watering holes in the city and its surrounding villages, relating historical facts and dubious tales on subjects as diverse as the English Civil War, Philip Larkin, maritime matters and the slave trade. This book explores the histories and secrets, and tells of the many characters that have frequented or run the city’s public houses. Hull Pubs will make locals and visitors alike want to visit at least one one of the city’s venerable old taverns in the year Hull celebrates being UK City of Culture, and long afterwards.

This illustrated history portrays one of England’s most fascinating cities. It provides a nostalgic look at Kingston upon Hull’s past and highlights the special character of some of its most important historic sites. The photographs are taken from the unique Historic England Archive, the nation’s record of 12 million photographs, drawings and publications, ranging from the 1850s and the earliest days of photography up to the present day.Historic England: Hull shows the city as it once was, with its narrow streets to its old dock district, once a major centre of the fishing and whaling industries. By the end of the First World War much of the old city centre had been completely destroyed, but this book shows how it is now: a resurgent, modern place with some stunning new architecture, state-of-the-art museums, galleries, and a world-leading university and medical school – consistent with its current status as UK City of Culture for 2017.

This illustrated history portrays one of England’s finest cities. It provides a nostalgic look at Leeds’ past and highlights the special character of some of its most important historic sites.The photographs are taken from the Historic England Archive, a unique collection of over 12 million photographs, drawings, plans and documents covering England’s archaeology, architecture, social and local history. Pictures date from the earliest days of photography to the present and cover subjects from Bronze Age burials and medieval churches to cinemas and seaside resorts.Historic England: Leeds shows the city as it once was, from its streets, squares and parks to its mills and factories. The self-proclaimed ‘Capital of the North’ has come a long way since receiving its first charter in 1207. From its early developments during the Industrial Revolution, it became a major area for the production of wool, engineering and printing. Today, with its legal and financial services, it is a prosperous contender with London. Leeds is also a city with a wide variety of entertainment, arts, culture and history, as well as having a thriving university. Leeds truly is one of the country’s greatest cities and this book will help you discover its remarkable history.

York History Tour is a fascinating insight into the history of this ancient city and shows just how much it has changed during the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Readers are invited to follow local author and historian Paul Chrystal as he guides them through its streets and alleyways (known locally as snickelways), pointing out the well-known and lesser-known landmarks along the way. It is practical, fitting as it does into your bag or pocket, and has a map to guide you effortlessly around the city’s many treasures. It also contains pictures from three unique sources: the Yorkshire Architectural and York Archaeological Society, York Press, and the author’s own collection.

Hull History Tour is a unique insight into the fascinating history of this famous old fishing port and shows just how much it has changed during the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Readers are invited to follow author and historian Paul Chrystal as he guides them through its streets and alleyways, pointing out the well-known and lesser-known landmarks along the way.

This illustrated history portrays one of England’s most historically significant cities. It provides a nostalgic look at Bradford’s past and highlights the special character of some of its most important historic sites. The photographs are taken from the Historic England Archive, a unique collection of over 12 million photographs, drawings, plans and documents covering England’s archaeology, architecture, social and local history. Pictures date from the earliest days of photography to the present and cover subjects from Bronze Age burials and medieval churches to cinemas and seaside resorts. These unique images are complemented by selections from the author’s archive.Historic England: Bradford shows the city as it once was, from its streets and alleyways to the magnificent City Hall, and from the impressive neoclassical buildings of Little Germany to the perfectly preserved Victorian planned village of Saltaire. Bradford was an international centre of textile manufacture, particularly worsted. Today, it has been transformed into a centre of education and innovation, as well as a burgeoning tourist destination, becoming the first UNESCO City of Film with attractions such as the National Media Museum, Bradford City Park, the Alhambra Theatre and Cartwright Hall. This book helps you discover the remarkable history of this West Yorkshire city.

The nervous geopolitical tension between East and West, the Cold War, emerged before the end of the Second World War and lasted until 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The British Army of the Rhine was born in 1945 out of the British Liberation Army at the close of the war as the military government of the British zone of occupied Germany. As the Soviet threat increased, so BAOR became less of an occupational army and assumed the role of defender of Western Europe, and as a major contributor to NATO after 1949.This book traces and examines the changing role of BAOR from 1945 to its demise in the 1993 Options for Change defence cuts. It looks at the part it played in the defence of West Germany, its effectiveness as a Cold War deterrent, the garrisons and capabilities, logistics and infrastructure, its arms and armour, the nuclear option and the lives of the thousands of families living on the front line.

We all know our sweets. We all remember sweets - objects of pure delight and the endless cause of squabbles, fights even, hoarding and swapping; a chance to gorge, suck, crunch and chew. But they're by no means just a nostalgic thing of days past, and it's not only children who love and devour sweets - gobstoppers, bulls eyes, liquorice, seaside rock, bubble gum and the like; grown-ups of all ages are partial to a good humbug, or a lemon sherbet or two - in the car, (annoyingly) at the cinema or while out walking - wherever and whenever, the sweet is there, the sweet delivers and the sweet rarely disappoints.Sweets then are ubiquitous and enduring; they cross age, culture and gender boundaries and they have been around, it seems, forever. This book tells the story of sweets from their primitive beginnings to their place today as a billion pound commodity with its sophisticated, seductive packaging and sales, advertising and marketing. It explores the people's favourites, past and present; but there is also a dark side to sweets - and this book does not shy away from the deleterious effect on health as manifested in obesity, tooth decay and diabetes. It delves into sweet and lollyshops in supermarkets and markets, retro sweet shops, fudge makers, vintage sweets on line, sweet manufacturing, chocolate, the grey line between sweets and 'medicines' ancient and modern. It goes round the world sucking, licking and crunching sweets from different countries and cultures and it examines how immigrants from all nations have changed our own sweet world.

The Rowntree family, especially Henry and the younger Joseph Rowntree are, along with the Fry's, Cadbury's, Mars and Terry's, synonymous with the birth and growth of the chocolate industry in Britain. Between them, they were the chocolate industry in Britain.This book charts the fascinating story behind the birth and development of the chocolate empire that was Rowntrees. Background information to this astonishing business comes by way of chapters on the early history of the Rowntrees, contemporary York, the relationship between Quakers and chocolate, and the Tuke family - without whom there would have been no Rowntrees, and no Kit Kats.Henry, it is usually forgotten, was the founder of Rowntree's - he made the momentous decision to sign the deal with the Tukes and we join him in those very early days of the fledgling company and watch how he helped it through some very dark, and sometimes humorous, times in what was then a very shambolic set up - cash strapped and making it up as the company lurched from crisis to crisis. Joseph, his elder brother, it was, who became the driving force to eventual global success, mixing his hectic business life with acts of compassion and a benevolent management model, all of which paved the way for decent wages, pensions, insurance and mutual respect in the workplace. Charity work extended beyond the factories to lift workers and others out of the slums of York to a life in a healthy model village, to provide a good social life, an extensive park, swimming pool and education for children and adults. More context is given with chapters on Joseph's relentless industrial espionage, the advancements in chocolate production and 20th century rivals in the domestic and export markets, and mergers and acquisitions.Rowntree's role in the two world wars is also covered along with the struggle Joseph Rowntree had accepting the importance of advertising. Altogether this book gives two fascinating biographies of two exceptional and driven brothers who came together to form one of our greatest companies - producing some of our best loved confectionery products.