Peter Ginn – författare

The Age of Railways was an era of extraordinary change which utterly transformed every aspect of British life – from trade and transportation to health and recreation. Full Steam Ahead reveals how the world we live in today is entirely shaped by the rail network, charting the glorious evolution of rail transportation and how it left its mark on every aspect of life, landscape and culture. Peter Ginn and Ruth Goodman brilliantly bring this revolution to life in their trademark style which engages and captivates. They explore the everyday lives and the intangible ephemeral history that make up the stories of the people who built, worked and were affected by the railways. From the very first steam train to the infrastructure that is still used in part today, they look at the men, women and children who lived and sometimes died constructing Britain's railway heritage.As they trace the emergence of the Industrial Revolution across the country, the authors discover a hidden layer of social history, using rail transportation as a backdrop to reveal Britain’s radical change in social attitudes and culture across the 19th and early 20th centuries, including the rise of the working class, women’s rights, industrial growth, economic decline, warfare and the birth of the great British holiday. They tell the stories of the historic characters whose lives were changed by this radical mode of transport.Beautifully illustrated with photographs and artwork throughout, Full Steam Ahead is a passionate, charming and insightful look at Britain through the lens of one of its most momentous eras.

The Age of Railways was an era of extraordinary change which utterly transformed every aspect of British life – from trade and transportation to health and recreation. Full Steam Ahead reveals how the world we live in today is entirely shaped by the rail network, charting the glorious evolution of rail transportation and how it left its mark on every aspect of life, landscape and culture. Peter Ginn and Ruth Goodman brilliantly bring this revolution to life in their trademark style which engages and captivates. They explore the everyday lives and the intangible ephemeral history that make up the stories of the people who built, worked and were affected by the railways. From the very first steam train to the infrastructure that is still used in part today, they look at the men, women and children who lived and sometimes died constructing Britain's railway heritage.As they trace the emergence of the Industrial Revolution across the country, the authors discover a hidden layer of social history, using rail transportation as a backdrop to reveal Britain’s radical change in social attitudes and culture across the 19th and early 20th centuries, including the rise of the working class, women’s rights, industrial growth, economic decline, warfare and the birth of the great British holiday. They tell the stories of the historic characters whose lives were changed by this radical mode of transport.Beautifully illustrated with photographs and artwork throughout, Full Steam Ahead is a passionate, charming and insightful look at Britain through the lens of one of its most momentous eras.

The Age of Railways was an era of extraordinary change which utterly transformed every aspect of British life – from trade and transportation to health and recreation.Full Steam Ahead reveals how the world we live in today is entirely shaped by the rail network, charting the glorious evolution of rail transportation and how it left its mark on every aspect of life, landscape and culture. Peter Ginn and Ruth Goodman brilliantly bring this revolution to life in their trademark style which engages and captivates. They explore the everyday lives and the intangible ephemeral history that make up the stories of the people who built, worked and were affected by the railways. From the very first steam train to the infrastructure that is still used in part today, they look at the men, women and children who lived and sometimes died constructing Britain''s railway heritage.As they trace the emergence of the Industrial Revolution across the country, the authors discover a hidden layer of social history, using rail transportation as a backdrop to reveal Britain’s radical change in social attitudes and culture across the 19th and early 20th centuries, including the rise of the working class, women’s rights, industrial growth, economic decline, warfare and the birth of the great British holiday. They tell the stories of the historic characters whose lives were changed by this radical mode of transport.Beautifully illustrated with photographs and artwork throughout, Full Steam Ahead is a passionate, charming and insightful look at Britain through the lens of one of its most momentous eras.

The humble spoon. Without it we’d be sunk. Slurping soup would never be the same. Research shows the average household contains 83 – teaspoons, soup spoons, dessert spoons, baby spoons, serving spoons, disposable picnic spoons, medicine spoons, measuring spoons, wooden spoons... and that’s before you really start looking!Unsurprisingly, humankind’s first eating utensils have a long and chequered history and crop up outside of the kitchen – in ceremonies, ritual, folklore, myth, scientific theories, art, music and literature. Here, archaeologist and TV presenter Peter Ginn delves into the fascinating world of spoons and serves up a complete history of this trusty companion.

This clear, concise book offers a down-to-earth system for newcomers to the field of birding, using a proven formula that remains valid even among experienced birders. It trains the reader, step by step, in the art of observing birds, from assessing their general size and shape to pinpointing their diagnostic features, habitats and idiosyncrasies. Mastering these observation skills will help beginners use a field guide more effectively, thus launching them into the captivating world of birds and birding. The clear, concise text is supported by full-colour photographs, making this book an excellent introduction for beginners of all ages.

This clear, concise book offers a down-to-earth system for newcomers to the field of birding, using a proven formula that remains valid even among experienced birders. It trains the reader, step by step, in the art of observing birds, from assessing their general size and shape to pinpointing their diagnostic features, habitats and idiosyncrasies. Mastering these observation skills will help beginners use a field guide more effectively, thus launching them into the captivating world of birds and birding. The clear, concise text is supported by full-colour photographs, making this book an excellent introduction for beginners of all ages.

Ruth Goodman and Peter Ginn have become familiar faces on BBC2 after their hugely popular and immersive time-travelling experiments, Victorian, Edwardian and Wartime Farm. But for their fourth series, and our accompanying book, they have joined forces with Tom Pinfold to take on their biggest challenge yet: going back to Tudor England to endure the harsh realities of working for an Abbey Farm.Peter, Ruth and Tom are trained historians, driven by new research and discovery. They are passionate about bringing period details to life, and they do that for us by comprehensively inhabiting the era for months, using only materials, tools and technology available at the time, to earn their living, celebrate their holidays, clothe and feed themselves and their families. Follow them as they discover how to build a pigsty, brew their own ale, forge their own machinery and keep a Tudor household. Scrupulously researched, totally authentic and with its own contemporary narrative playing out within an accurate reconstruction of Tudor England, this is a fantastic glimpse into history, as it was lived. This is set to be Peter, Ruth and Tom’s most ambitious historical assignment yet.

Forge • Carve • Weave • Mould • Ignite, Highly readable and hugely practical this book is either armchair reading or a valuable guide to getting your hands dirty and creating something useful as you discover the art of slow technology. Featuring topics such as building bread ovens, making clay pots in a bonfire, felling and processing trees, cooking on open fires, blacksmithing, beer making, wattle and daubing, this book is a combination of the dangerous book for boys and a practical manual of experimental archaeology and historical research., Author: Peter Ginn is an archaeologist and historian who graduated from the Institute of Archaeology at University College London and has a particular interest in experimental archaeology. His research interests include Egyptology, field archaeology and primitive technologies, and he specialises in 19th-century farming practice. Peter is best known for his BBC TV appearances in series such as Tales from the Green Valley, Victorian Farm, Secrets of the Castle and A Tudor Feast at Christmas. Peter now lives in Somerset in an amazing Victorian property that he is renovating.