From Old Photographs – serie

Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire has seen huge changes over the years. Originally a village built around Cumbernauld Castle and Cumbernauld House, it was designated a New Town in 1955 to house people living in poor conditions and war-damaged areas in Glasgow and elsewhere. Its population grew rapidly as construction started and by 1967, when the town centre was opened by Princess Margaret, Cumbernauld was winning awards for its innovative modernist architecture. Construction and expansion has continued in the ensuing years, with some of its original architecture being modified and even rebuilt for the changing requirements of people living in present-day Scotland.In Cumbernauld From Old Photographs author Adam Smith has drawn on a remarkable selection of images to give a pictorial record of how much the town and the community has changed over the years. Although many of landmarks have remained the same, the photographs show the town adapting and evolving, with many other buildings being replaced and the pattern of life in the town changing for many too. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Cumbernauld or know it well.

Pictorial books such as this dedicated to the past are not only invaluable to local historians, but also of interest to anyone wishing to know more about the history of the place they live or work in, for old photographs can provide fascinating insight and a tool to compare past and present. The Hampshire town of Lee-on-the-Solent is perfect for such comparisons, for although it has only been in existence under 130 years as a coastal settlement, in that time it has lost so much: a pier, railway, swimming pool,unique entertainment complex, and a large naval base and airfield. Well-known local author Ron Brown has compiled over 230 photographs, many not previously published, to provide a nostalgic reminder of the Lee that has passed.

As the nineteenth century progressed, shorter working weeks brought more leisure time and improved opportunities to promote and take part in sport and entertainment. By 1900 two professional football teams had become established in the league, Edgbaston had become the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, and ball games such as rugby, hockey, netball and tennis flourished. Birchfield Harriers regularly showed a clean pair of heels to clubs near and far. Gymnastics and swimming also became very popular. During the first three decades of the twentieth century music halls, theatres and the cinema attracted impressive numbers of patrons. All of these enjoyable activities are described in this book with over 200 photographs, postcards and other wonderful memorabilia. Coronations are also featured and the week-long city-wide pageant in 1938. Look out for the small boy who surely put the 'imp' into 'impudence'!

Now part of an almost continuous suburban built-up area on the northern fringes of the City of Sheffield, Ecclesfield, Chapeltown and High Green were for centuries three distinct communities. Although surrounded by fields and woodland, they were for much of the last two centuries not rural communities but centres of industry. Coal mining, ironstone mining, iron making, nail making, file making, engineering and chemicals production (Izal disinfectant) were all important. The communities also have a rich cultural and social heritage including hospital parades, local carols and hand-bell ringing. This selection of around 180 fascinating photographs from the thousands of photographs in the collection of the Chapeltown and High Green Archive provides a comprehensive visual history of the three settlements. The photographs and informative captions will be of interest to long-established residents and relative newcomers alike.

The London suburb of Highgate is still noted for its beautiful eighteenth- and nineteenth century architecture, its real village atmosphere, its old pubs and pretty residential areas. The nearby Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Waterlow Park make this a green and pleasant place to live, work or visit in the capital, with fantastic views across the city. However, as late as 1900, Highgate was a village at the edge of London and, until 1876, the site of a toll gate, hence the village's name. It is famous for Highgate School, founded in 1565, and for its tenuous connections with the highwayman Dick Turpin. Coleridge spent his last years in Highgate recovering from his opium addiction, and the village is also home to Highgate Cemetery, the final resting place of figures ranging from Karl Marx, Christina Rossetti and Douglas Adams to a brother of Abraham Lincoln's assassin! Join Michael Hammerson in exploring the past life of this historic village and some of its colourful residents through old photographs, many of which are previously unpublished.

The City of Nottingham as we know it today began life as an Anglo-Saxon settlement. By the late nineteenth century, Nottingham had developed into a thriving city. Through photographs, documents and other images, Nottingham From Old Photographs reflects the change from the early settlement of Tigguo Cobauc (a place of cave dwellings) to one of the leading cities in England. Most of the photographs and research within these pages have come from the collection of the late Paul Nix of the Nottingham Hidden History Team (NHHT). The work of the NHHT exceeds well over forty years. Combined with the author's own collection and never-before-published documents, images and photographs from the Paul Nix Collection, we see a new side to Nottingham, an ever-changing city.

Old photographs allow us to relive the past and the lives of the people in it, and through 162 superbly preserved images Gateshead From Old Photographs provides a spectacular insight to the lives of those who lived in this popular north-east town. Gateshead has had a rich history and throughout the twentieth century it has experienced huge changes. Major slum-clearance programmes resulted in wholescale demolition of some areas and a renovation of the entire landscape as many streets and buildings were lost to locals. Through beautifully maintained archive photographs this book allows a nostalgic look back at a period that is gone but not forgotten and is a fitting tribute to the memories of time gone by.Gateshead Local History Society celebrated its Golden Anniversary in 2014. Over the years the members have carried out various research projects and in 2012 they produced their first book, Gateshead’s Grand Houses. This is their second.

Rochester, Strood & the Hoo Peninsula From Old Photographs examines a diverse and fascinating area. Rochester, with its medieval castle and cathedral, Tudor buildings and Dickensian associations is a busy and vibrant tourist destination. Across the bridge from the ancient city, but far less well known is the town of Strood. Originally a medieval fishing village, which played host to Knights Templar travelling to the Crusades, it evolved over the centuries into a Victorian industrial and commercial hub. To the north of Strood, extending eastwards to the Thames Estuary is the Hoo Peninsula. Its marshes and isolated villages led the area to be denigrated by travellers who stumbled across it.Brian Joyce and Sophie Miller explore the entire area from Rochester to the Isle of Grain, using a unique collection of photographs, prints and postcards. In doing so, they have at last done justice to parts of Kent that have been neglected by historians for so long.

Hawick is a town of great beauty within the Scottish Borders. The undulating terrain has given up its secrets over the centuries, revealing a cluster of ancient hill forts and Roman connections. The medieval village was founded in the twelfth century by Anglo-Norman settlers, although it was often overshadowed by its near neighbours, the great Border Abbey towns. A royal charter made Hawick a Burgh of Barony in 1511, while the period of lawlessness when the Border Reivers flourished saw stone fortifications built to protect the surrounding land and its people. Hawick’s cultural epoch can arguably be traced back to 1514, when the settlement’s young men, or ‘callants’, were called to arms to defeat a marauding band of English raiders. The Battle of Hornshole is today celebrated through the annual Hawick Common Riding, which, combined with the ancient tradition of ‘riding the marches’, adds to the town’s unique and rich heritage.The size and shape of Hawick did not change radically until the Industrial Revolution, when the town experienced a boom period of growth and innovation. It is during this period that the earliest photographs of Hawick appeared. For a place of its size, Hawick has been home to an extraordinary wealth of talented photographers. Up to the current digital age, the ‘grey auld toon’ has been the subject of many fine snapshots – each capturing a unique moment in local history. This book aims to provide an insight into the past, by uncovering history through old photographs.

Norfolk in the Great War explores the story of the county of Norfolk, its military forces and the impact of the war on local people through a fascinating selection of over 200 photographs, many of them previously unpublished, from the archive of Neil R. Storey, one of the county’s foremost military and social historians. Accompanied by well-researched and informative captions, the images and stories from across the county include: the Norfolk Regiment, Kitchener’s Army, Territorial battalions, Yeomanry, military cyclists, Zeppelin air raids, bombardments, war hospitals and wartime occasions, which combine to create an evocative and moving portrait of our county during the First World War. There will be stories and images to interest both those new to the subject and those who know Norfolk and its history well.

Camberwell is an important part of the London Borough of Southwark, the city’s most historic borough. This vibrant part of South London is full of fascinating history. It was the birthplace of the poet Robert Browning and the politician Joseph Chamberlain. It was also home to authors John Ruskin and Muriel Spark. Mendolssohn was inspired to write his ‘Spring Song’, originally entitled ‘Camberwell Green’, while staying at Denmark Hill, where Ruskin Park is today.Author and historian Eddie Brazil grew up in Camberwell and from the early 1970s began to photograph his surroundings, knowing that developers were changing the district and that it would never be the same again. In this collection of previously unpublished images, local histories and people’s stories he illustrates the history of this South London district, providing a fascinating insight for newcomers and some valuable memories for long-time residents.

The historic East Sussex town of Rye has been an important place since medieval times when it was a member of the Confederation of Cinque Ports, a series of Kent and Sussex coastal towns formed for military and trade purposes. Once surrounded by sea, this fortified hilltop town has played a vital role in the defence of the south coast of England. These days the river no longer harbours warships and is home instead to the local fishing fleet.Rye is packed full of history. Its ancient buildings, cobbled streets and secret passages, once the haunt of smugglers and highwaymen, now attract visitors in their droves, eager to experience the unique charm of this perfectly preserved citadel. Though on the surface much about the town has remained the same over the past century or more, life for its inhabitants has changed significantly. Presented here in these photographs is a fascinating portrayal of Rye from the mid-nineteenth to the early twentieth centuries.

The city of Gloucester has been the subject of many publications in recent years that have detailed its long and eventful history. Gloucester From Old Photographs is a unique addition to the list as it records the old city during a very short time frame. The photographs were taken by the late John Rowden, mostly between the mid-1950s and the mid-1960s, when he diligently captured images of the many areas in the city before and during their redevelopment. Apart from the well-known main thoroughfares of the city, he also photographed many quiet corners and lanes that were later altered or removed.

Whitehaven & Around From Old Photographs contains a collection of never-before-seen vintage photographs from the town and surrounding areas, collected together into one volume and spanning Whitehaven’s heyday as a mining and shipbuilding town.Organised into sections featuring streets, industry, churches, sport and recreation, this book will be your guide through the Whitehaven of yesterday. Each picture provides a forgotten insight into how day-to-day life used to be in Whitehaven and details the town’s development over the years. Join local author Alan W. Routledge as he looks back through these wonderful images and discusses just how this port town has changed over time.

Yeovil rose to prominence in the 1800s as a major centre of glove making. By the early twentieth century, it was dominated by the defence industry, making it a target for German bombers during the Second World War. Between 1940 and 1942, over 100 high-explosive bombs fell on the town, damaging thousands of buildings. Today, Yeovil’s association with the aircraft and defence industries continues with AgustaWestland helicopters being the largest employer.Yeovil From Old Photographs charts the town’s proud and distinctive history through a fascinating selection of old photographs, prints and postcards, showing what life was like for Yeovil’s past residents and bearing witness to the celebrations and the struggles of this Somerset town. Written by local historian Bob Osborn, this book will inform and delight long-time residents as well as those new to the town.

The south coast city of Brighton has long been one of Britain’s most famous and influential places, ever since the Prince of Wales, later George IV, began to visit regularly, constructed the Royal Pavilion and thus encouraged its development as a fashionable seaside resort. Brighton continued to grow as a major tourist centre following the arrival of the railways in 1841, becoming a popular destination for day-trippers from London.In this fascinating collection of images from the Victorian and Edwardian eras, author Christopher Horlock shows Brighton at the height of its fame as the ‘Queen of watering places’, a time when many of her major attractions were built, including the Grand Hotel, the West Pier, and the Brighton Palace Pier. Brighton From Old Photographs provides something for everyone, be they long-time residents or first-time visitors.

This fascinating collection of over 180 images shows, in fine detail, some of the changes that have taken place in Derby over a period of more than 150 years. Many of Derby’s splendid Georgian and Regency buildings still remain, with little change from the time they were constructed. In total contrast, other buildings have been lost forever and landscapes changed beyond recognition.Many of the old scenes will bring back vivid memories for some and introduce others to what life used to be like in bygone days. The colour images help to show Derby’s transformation from county town to an important and prosperous city. The images have been arranged in an easy to follow format, so the reader can explore on foot if they wish.

Jarrow has a rich history that spans well over a thousand years. In the eighth century the monastery of Saint Paul was the home of the Venerable Bede, who is regarded as the greatest Anglo-Saxon scholar and the father of English history. Jarrow remained a small town until the introduction of heavy industries like coal mining and shipbuilding. Charles Mark Palmer established a shipyard – Palmer’s Shipbuilding and Iron Co. – in 1852 and became the first armour-plate manufacturer in the world. John Bowes, the first iron screw collier, revived the Tyne coal trade, and Palmer’s was also responsible for the first modern cargo ship, as well as a number of notable warships.In 1907 there was a terrific slump in shipbuilding; the whole of the industry was severely affected, but cracks were to appear in 1915 as the decline tightened its grip. It was the First World War that was to save Palmer’s from closure and revive the town’s fortunes and spirit, as the Royal Navy was greatly in need of ships to replace the war losses. Jarrow is marked in history as the starting point in 1936 of the Jarrow March to London to protest against unemployment in Britain. After 1945 the shipbuilding industries were nationalised. The last shipyard in Jarrow closed in 1981.Well-known local author and photographer Paul Perry takes the reader on a tour of this Tyneside town. Fully illustrated with pictures from the past, Jarrow From Old Photographs is sure to appeal to anyone who lives or works in the town.

Famous as a seaside holiday resort, Scarborough was believed to have been established by Norsemen around AD 966. The town and its castle changed hands seven times between Royalists and Parliamentarians during the English Civil War of the 1640s, enduring two lengthy and violent sieges. Following this war, much of the town lay in ruins. In the seventeenth century the discovery of a stream of acidic water running from one of the cliffs to the south of the town gave birth to Scarborough Spa and soon visitors flooded to the town. Scarborough Spa became Britain’s first seaside resort and a popular getaway destination for the wealthy of London. The coming of the Scarborough–York railway in 1845 increased the tide of visitors and in the same year Scarborough’s first hotel, the Crown, was opened, followed shortly after by the Grand Hotel, soon to be Europe’s largest. In this fascinating collection of images, local author Robin Lidster shows Scarborough’s history, from its Victorian heyday as a major spa resort through its continued popularity as one of Britain’s main domestic holiday destinations. Scarborough: From Old Photographs provides something for everyone, be they long-time residents or first-time visitors

In the twelfth century the abbots of Burton began to produce beer. The dissolution of the abbey in the sixteenth century saw inns and alehouses appear, with many selling beer brewed on-site. The first recognisable brewery was Benjamin Printon’s, which was established on Horninglow Street around 1708. The Trent & Mersey Canal, built in 1774/75, allowed further expansion to the industry, but it was the coming of the railway in 1839 that led to massive growth – by 1888 there were thirty-one breweries employing over 8,000 men and producing over 3 million barrels a year.In this collection of images, local author and historian Terry Garner illustrates the history of this famous east Staffordshire town and provides a fascinating insight into the many lost breweries that made Burton-on-Trent the brewing capital of the world.

The Rotherham area has undergone profound change in the last century or so. There has been much demolition and rebuilding in the town centre, the town has grown outwards in all directions and the surrounding settlements – rural and industrial – have been transformed in many cases. Many working patterns and workplaces have disappeared, means of transport have changed beyond all recognition and even how people used their leisure time in the early twentieth century shows some striking differences from today. This fascinating collection of old photographs, mostly from private collections and many of them not published before, will take long-established residents on an affectionate tour of their past, and for relative newcomers it may be something of a revelation.

During the nineteenth century Folkestone changed from being a small fishing village to a fashionable resort and busy cross-Channel port. The town expanded dramatically and by the turn of the century large hotels were being built to accommodate the wealthy, and a theatre, bathing establishment and pleasure pier were all built.Fashionable Folkestone came to an end with the advent of the First World War, when it experienced a huge influx of refugees and its harbour became a prime military embarkation point. After this war Folkestone realised that if it was to survive as a holiday resort, it would have to attract working-class families – not just the wealthy. Later, the building of the M20 and the Channel Tunnel all meant that Folkestone underwent further major changes and now, at the start of a new millennium, Folkestone is equipped with a high-speed rail link to London with travel times of less than an hour, and with the philanthropic investment of Roger de Haan, it is undergoing another change of guise as the town seeks to reinvent itself as a hub for arts and high culture.In this fascinating collection of images, most of which have not been published before, local author and historian Alan F. Taylor illustrates the proud history of this seaside town. Folkestone From Old Photographs provides something for everyone, be they long-time residents or first-time visitors.

The coastal suburb of Saltdean, which straddles the boundary between East Sussex and the city of Brighton and Hove, is best known for its art deco lido, the former Ocean Hotel and the various interesting styles and designs of buildings of the interwar era in particular. The residential area gradually developed on open farmland during that period, while the popularity of the beaches and resort amenities was boosted by the completion, in the mid-1930s, of the Undercliff Walk extending from the East Brighton starting point of Black Rock.In this book author Douglas d’Enno traces the changing face of pictorial Saltdean over the course of its intriguing history, starting with a survey of archaeological finds, then of the foreshore and associated hazards and of early activities on the downland on which the community would gradually be built. Alongside the development of Saltdean as a leisure resort, modern housing increasingly drew in new residents before the Second World War, including a number of prominent figures. Its development was halted during the war but resumed in the 1950s and 1960s as the infrastructure of schools, shops and churches was created for the community. Following its use for war purposes, the Ocean Hotel remained virtually unused until 1953 when Billy Butlin dramatically restored its popularity. For its part, the lido lay derelict from 1945 until 1964, when it reopened to huge acclaim from locals and visitors. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who know Saltdean and this corner of the Sussex coast east of Brighton, and equally to those unfamiliar with them.

The Wirral Peninsula in north-west England lies within Cheshire and Merseyside but has its own distinct identity. In the east, on the estuary of the River Mersey, lie the two largest urban centres on the Wirral, Birkenhead and Wallasey. These grew rapidly in the nineteenth century with large docks in both, increasing industrialisation and improved access to Liverpool across the Mersey. At the same time the resort of New Brighton was also established. On the eastern side of the Wirral, on the estuary of the River Dee, development in the towns of Hoylake, West Kirby and Heswall was slower, although improved transport links with Chester and Liverpool in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries saw these towns grow too. Away from these heavily populated towns, there are more rural areas in the south and west of the Wirral.Wirral From Old Photographs presents a fascinating portrait of the Wirral over the last 100 years. Drawing on an extensive collection of historical photographs, the author surveys how the area has changed, from the height of its industrial development, when the docks were busy, through the intense destruction of areas of the Wirral from aerial bombardment during the Second World War, post-war industrial decline and later regeneration. This book will appeal to all those who know this part of north-west England.

Lacock is an historic village in Wiltshire largely owned by the National Trust. The perfectly preserved village is popular with visitors and it and the nearby Lacock Abbey have also been used for many film shoots, not least Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and BBC productions of Pride and Prejudice and Cranford. The medieval Lacock Abbey was home to the photography pioneer William Henry Fox Talbot, and today houses a museum to his photography.In Lacock From Old Photographs author Chris Breach draws on his extensive collection of historical photographs of Lacock and the surrounding area to present a remarkable pictorial record of the history of the village and the community over the last century. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to all those who live in the Lacock area or know it well, as well as the many visitors to the village.

Manchester has changed rapidly in the last 100 years. The Lancashire market town was transformed during the Industrial Revolution through the manufacture of textiles, becoming the world’s first industrialised city. Its growth was largely unplanned but during the nineteenth century the Manchester Ship Canal was constructed, along with many of the great civic buildings of Manchester. Alongside the new wealth, the city also contained extremes of poverty and suffered extensive damage from aerial bombardment in the Second World War and the massive IRA bomb explosion in 1996. Mass rebuilding and regeneration has taken place as a result.In Manchester From Old Photographs author Eric Krieger has drawn on a remarkable selection of old images to give a pictorial record of how much the city and the community has changed over the last century. Although many landmarks have remained the same over the years, these photographs show the city adapting and evolving, with many other buildings being replaced and the pattern of life in the city changing for many too. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Manchester or know it well, as well as the many visitors to the area.

The historic Wiltshire market town of Chippenham has seen huge changes over the years. Its population has grown rapidly in recent decades and alongside its historic centre housing has spread out in new suburbs around the town that were formerly just villages. Today cattle traders can no longer be seen in Chippenham’s marketplace but the town has retained many historic buildings. Industries other than agriculture have also shaped the town, including Westinghouse (now Siemens) railway signalling company.In Chippenham From Old Photographs author Chris Breach has drawn on a remarkable selection of old photographs to give a pictorial record of how much the town and the community has changed over the last century. Although many of the landmarks have remained the same over the years, the photographs show the town adapting and evolving with many other buildings being replaced and the pattern of life in the town changing for many too. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Chippenham or know it well as well as the many visitors to the area.

A safe route from London to Bristol was long a dream of traders and ship owners. With a hazardous route via the English Channel an inland alternative was first proposed in 1788. After a couple of false starts construction began in 1794. Fourteen years later the Kennet & Avon Canal was opened, with the last section to open being the spectacular series of locks at Devizes. Attempts to close the canal in the 1940s were unsuccessful and the 1950s saw the formation of what was to become the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust. Over a long period, members of the trust, with support from British Waterways, rebuilt the neglected waterway and it was officially re-opened by HM the Queen in 1990. One of the most spectacular of England's waterways, the Kennet & Avon has become the biggest success story of canal restoration. Illustrated with over 200 images, The Kennet & Avon Canal From Old Photographs is a must for canal enthusiasts and for those lucky enough to live along the route of England's most picturesque canal.

Faversham From Old Photographs offers a captivating glimpse into the history of this beautiful market town, providing the reader with a visual representation of Faversham's colourful and chequered history. Drawing upon an eclectic collection of photographs, Peter Kennett presents the reader with an insight into the history and life of this town and the surrounding areas. Faversham From Old Photographs provides something for everyone, whether they have lived in Faversham all their lives, or whether they are just visiting this striking town. It also shows how photography has continually evolved to keep up with an ever changing society.