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Bygone Wandsworth, Earlsfield and Southfields are brought to life in this fascinating collection of old photographs. They depict an age before the domination of the motor car, when children still played in the street and the shopkeepers piled their goods up on the pavements. The horse-drawn trams which arrived in 1882 linked an area which had only known around twenty years' development with London, so encouraging the further development with surburban housing, and by the turn of the century the open fields had disappeared beneath bricks and mortar.But for all the changes that have taken place, the streets retain a familiar aurua which throws the passage of the years into sharp relief. Local historian Patrick Loobey links the present-day borough with its intriguing past in a manner which will delight and surprise modern residents.

Greenwich and Woolwich have long been associated with the great national monuments. Since the seventeenth century Greenwich has been associated with 'time'. The time-ball at the Old Royal Observatory still falls daily at one o'clock, just as it has done since 1833.But 'time' also means change. This fascinating collection of over 250 photographs shows that many changes which the area underwent between 1858 and the 1970s. It is not a definitive history of the London Borough of Greenwich, its monuments and its institutions, but a vividy authentic 'taste' of the life and times of the people of a region which was, until 1889, still part of Kent.Farms, rural villages, market gardens, open countryside, brickfields, heavy industry, bustling High Streets, the sounds of ships' sirens, from the River Thames and of guns being tested at Woolwich Arsenal were all part of everyday social and industrial life for the ordinary people that the images in this selection represent. Throughout periods of immense change - the amalgamation of separate communities into the metropolis, the 1920s and '30s, the heavy bombing of the Second World War, re-development - and the rigours of modern city life, the people of the Borough are shown at work and at play. This extraordinary portrayal of a time gone by recreates, reveals and perhaps reminds a few of a time that has now disappeared forever.

During the years between 1890 and 1930 Lewisham was a byword for solid comfort and respectibility. However, this was a time of rapid change, when the wealthy merchants who had dominated Victorian Lewisham were moving further from their workplaces in London, and the streets were being colonized by thousands of lower middle class settlers. The commercial clerk was the characteristic denizen of early twentieth-century Lewisham.These new inhabitants were great lovers of postcards, and most of the pictures presented here, more than two hundred in total, are taken from the huge number of them published during that classic period. Very few have appeared in book form before.There are photographs of Blackheath (both the Lewisham and Greenwich parts), Lee, central Lewisham, Hither Green, Ladywell, Crofton Park, Catford, Bellingham, Southend Village and Grove Park. Most of the sections can form the basis for an interesting historical and architectural walk. But hurry! One of the old Lewisham buildings illustrated here has probably been demolished while you have been reading this!

This fascinating collection of over 200 old photographs of Peckham and Nunhead demonstrates some of the extensive changes that have taken place in this corner of south-east London over the last hundred years. From the busy Old Kent Road to Peckham Rye and the rural atmosphere of Nunhead Cemetery, these old images recall a time that is hardly recognisable today.These photographs record not only the buildings and streets as they one looked but also the people who inhabited them and worked there. We are taken into the South Metropolitan Gasworks during the First World War where women were working for the first time and then, by contrast, to the unexpected sight of dairymen milking cows at a dairy in Lugard Road in the 1930s.Horses may not be a common sight in Peckham today but horse-drawn trams and carts once filled the streets and the book contains one extraordinary photograph taken in 1915 when the army closed Lyndhurst Road and used it as a stable for dozens of horses.This book will appeal to all who know this area of London and would enjoy a nostalgic trip into its more recent past.

The construction of the Crystal Palace at Upper Norwood in 1854 led to the area becoming a desirable residential one and much development followed. This book of nearly 200 old photographs is the first publication to look equally at developments that took place in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth centuries in Upper, West and South Norwood.The book looks first at the Palace and its ground in detail and another, earlier tourist attraction, Beulah Spa. The three Norwoods are examined in geographical order, making it an easy take to compare their development with the existing modern suburbs. Most of the photographs used have never before appeared in print.Many of the old images used here are taken from picture postcards and the author introduces some novel suggestions about the dating of examples from this useful source of archival material. He also describes a mysterious underground railway built in the Palace grounds in the 1860s and excavated in 1989. The book includes pictures of the Crystal Palace High Level Station, demolished in 1961, and devotes a space to the Sunnybank estate, which was surrounded by a bend in the old Croydon Canal. He also tries to identify a mysterious bearded photographer who lived in Woodside in the 1980s.

This fascinating collection of old photographs illustrates some of the dramatic changes that have been seen in Hemel Hempstead through this century as it changed from a small Victorian country town to rapidly growing post-war 'new town'.Eve Davis has assembled nearly 200 images of the town from a variety of private collections to tell this story. Most of the photographs that from this record of people, places and events have not been seen before in print and will provide much nostalgic pleasure for those who know and love Hemel Hempstead. Newcomers and a younger generation will be equally fascinated to see how their town once looked.

This fascinating collection of over 200 old photogrpahs from the Archive and Local Studies Collections of the London Borough of Sutton gives an excellent introduction to the recent history of this easter side of the Borough. The selection inludes images from an early as 1860 and captures some of the major changes seen by local people since the time when Carshalton, Wallington and Beddington were rural villages on the outskirts of London.Expanding steadily in the second half of the nineteenth century they were overwhelmed by surburban development in the 1920s and '30s and the transformation from countryside to urban sprawl was complete by 1939.Although this overall pattern of development was common to them all, the three communities had, and continue to have, distinct identities. The differences and similarities in their history are fully explored and give some clues to their present appearance and circumstances.

This fascinating collection of over 200 old photographs illustrates, in heart-warming detail, the traditional working holiday of London EastEnders which was known, affectionately, as the "Annual Hop." As a welcome escape from the poor working and living conditions of the city, the annual trip to Kent was for many families an important event. It was a chance to earn some extra money in the hop gardens but was also a "community event" to be enjoyed for its opportunity to breathe country air and share open space for a while with friends and neighbours. The work was hard, especially in the extremes of weather, but most of those who went hopping remember those times fondly.The early part of the book sets the scene by showing examples of the working and living conditions that were typical of some parts of inner London in the first half of the century. The stark contrast between these views and those taken in the fields of Kent in summer illustrates clearly why the Annual Hop was such an attractive prospect.The author has collected the stories of Hoppers from London and across Kent and has borrowed photographs from family albums as she travelled. The unique collection she has assembled forms a timely record of a traditional way of life that is gone forever. This intimate record of the hop-picking tradition will appeal to all ex-Hoppers and anyone who would like to see and hear more of this once-important annual event.

This fascinating collection of over 200 old photographs provides a unique and nostalgic pictorial history of Porthcawl, Newton and Nottage. The author was given the opportunity to use photographs and records from the archives of the Bridgend and Porthcawl libraries and the Porthcawl Museum and Historical Society. Some of the images are very rare. Others come from private sources and have not been seen in public before. Together, they trace the fluctuating patterns of life in the district.The area has witnessed many dramatic changes in its development. It was once, basically, a farming community and agriculture still plays its part. However, being on the coast, the sea has considerably influenced the destiny of Porthcawl, Newton and Nottage. From very early times when Roman galleys and Viking longboats sailed these waters, shipping has provided a means of communication and trade. This reached its peak in the late nineteenth century when Porthcawl became a major coal-exporting port. When fortunes changed, the area developed into one of Wales’ premier seaside resorts with the main business today centred on the holiday and tourist trade.This book is certain to interest anyone with ties to the area and will provide a wealth of memories to be shared by young and old alike.

Barking and Dagenham have been sister communities on the Thames shore since Saxon times. In their earliest days communication with other parts was mainly by water since inland the area was a wilderness of marsh passable only with the greatest difficulty. We must assume that these early settlers chose these sites to give good security from attack.Modern Barking and Dagenham have only come into being because of the success of entrepreneurs like Samuel Williams who created such improvements in these Thameside areas that it was possible to promote them as sites for potential industrial development. Following the arrival of the Ford Motor Company and the rapid growth. The village of Dagenham was soon swamped by housing developments like the huge Becontree estate which accomodated the new workforce, and the modern community that we know today began to take shape.This collection of old photographs and memorabilia of Barking and Dagenham illustrates many of these changes and the book will appeal to all who live and work in this famous Thameside area.

Having started as a small town near the quayside, one of the physical boundaries that stopped Blyth from growing into a larger town was the 'Flanker' or the 'Slake' as many of the local people knew it. It was not until the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of this century with the filling in of the 'Slake' that Blyth was able to grow in size. The Blyth we know today is the result of many local authority boundary changes. The main one was the amalgamation of Blyth Urban District Council and Cowpen Urban District Council in 1906, before that date these were two seperate and independent local authorities. With the closure of the railway at Blyth in 1964, Blyth Shipyard in 1967 and the end of coal working at Bates Pit in May 1986, more than one hundred years of industry that had helped to shape the town of Blyth came to an end. These industries had dominated the local economy and helped to develop the shops and other institutions in Blyth.This collection of over 200 pictures brought together by the Blyth Local Studies Group reflects not only the shops and streets of the town, but also gives an insight into the lives of the people, their work, leisure and sporting activities.

Bushey, in the ‘Archive Photographs’ series, is a remarkable collection of over 200 old photographs of the ancient community of Bushey, covering the period from the 1860s to the 1960s: the time of the most radical changes in the town’s long history.The book reflects Bushey’s origins as an agricultural village, and charts its expansion with the coming of the railway and the growth of industry in and around Bushey Hall Road. It provides extensive coverage of the town’s streets, shops, churches and schools, and illustrates the lives of such local celebrities as the painters Sir Hubert von Herkomer, RA, and Lucy Kemp-Welch.This photographic compilation is published in association with Bushey Museum and fills a major gap in the coverage of the town’s unique history. The photographs are derived mainly from the author, Bryen Wood’s, own collection and that of the Museum; very few of the images have appeared in print before.

Once part of Lancashire, Droylsden and Audenshaw are now part of Tameside Metropolitan Borough of Manchester. The varied histories of both towns see the transition from farming to an industrial community. Droylsden is still home to the James Robertson’s Jam Factory and, until recently, the Christy Fairfield cotton mills, which produced the first machine woven towels in the world. Audenshaw also has an illustrious industrial history including hatting, coal mining and the manufacturing of sewing machines as well as the production of cotton.People and places of note include the eighteenth-century Moravian community at Fairfield, in Droylsden, with its enclosed cobbled settlement of housing, including a chapel and girls’ school. In Audenshaw, the old village was submerged beneath the Audenshaw reservoirs, created by the Manchester and Salford Waterworks by 1884.The book, with over 200 photographs, gives us a glimpse of the streets of the two towns and the people who lived there, at work and leisure. Nearly all of the photographs seen here are loaned from family albums or church and school archives. In print for the first time, they will provide much nostalgic pleasure for all who have grown up in this area of Manchester.

The recent history of the heritage town of Whitstable, ever famous for its oysters, is vividly recalled in this fascinating collection of over 200 photographs and picture postcards spanning the last one hundred years.A combination of rare and more familiar views illustrate the many changes that have taken place in both Whitstable and Tankerton as well as in neighbouring villages such as Swalecliffe and Seasalter. People, fashions, shops, transport and industry have all altered beyong recognition. The oyster industry, which dominated the town's economy in the early part of this century, has declined, but the indomitable spirit of the people has survived this and more: floods, freezing, wartime bombing and the vagaries of the sea, to name but some. Entertainments, celebrations, regattas, seaside fun and amusements and holidaymakers also have their place alongside the everyday activities of ordinary people at home, at school, in the street, on the seafront and at work.Mick Glover is a native of Whitstable whose family have lived there for generations. The evocative images included here, many of which have been drawn from the author's private collection, will appeal to all those who know and love this historic town.

This collection of over 200 old photographs provides a fascinating insight into the places and the people that have made Bo’ness such a unique town in Scotland.Famed from its days as Scotland’s second largest seaport, the book examines and delves into not only its seafaring past, but other industries such as coal mining, oil and salt production which thrived on the south shore of the River Forth.To many people, however, Bo’ness will always be Scotland’s ‘Fair Town’ and great detail and attention has been paid by the author to the event which has transformed a mere march into Great Britain’s largest and most successful children’s festival.Other aspects of the town’s varied history examined include the connection with James Watt, the inventor of the steam engine, the founding of Britain’s first local version of the welfare state in Bo’ness, and on a anecdotal note, stories of witches and ghosts, including what is reputedly Scotland’s most haunted home.This book illustrates beautifully the character of the town and will be enjoyed by everyone who knows Bo’ness whether they be visitors, newcomers or real ‘Bo’nessians’.

Hayle exerts a powerful attraction over anyone who has spent time there. Very much part of the industrial revolution, this town has produced more than its fair share of engineers and innovators. Although much of the industry has departed, to be replaced with tourism, Hayle retains all of its industrial charm and that sense of togetherness amongst its inhabitants (apart from the traditional Copperhouse and Foundry rivalries!)Marlene Rew and her son, Martin, have compiled this book as a pictorial record of some of that social history that is powerfully embedded in the bedrock of Hayle culture. Within these covers are some 150 photographs that document the past of this small town and its close knit community. Included in this selection are images of the people and places that have been lost in the course of the twentieth century. The book pays special attention to school classes, churches, chapels, industry, transport and, of course, the popular annual regatta and carnival.If you know Hayle, you will love this book for its evocative glimpses at the way things used to be and the people who have lived here.

This collection of over 200 old photographs illustrates scenes from the communities of Willenhall and Horseley Fields. These pictures show how relatively unchanged the streets and buildings of Willenhall are. A walk around the town today shows that it is still possible to see many of the features which appear in the oldest photographs in this book. By contrast, the old area of Horseley Fields has all but disappeared.The history of Willenhall or ‘Humpshire’ as it is affectionately known, as a world-renowned centre for lockmaking is illustrated and we see people at work, leisure and sport. The book also looks back to the more industrial days of Horseley Fields. Through the medium of photography the book captures the essence of life as it used to be in Willenhall and Horseley Fields and will appeal to both young and old.This is the third book written by the author, in a series which, by the millennium, will cover all the environs of Wolverhampton. Codsall and Claregate and Tettenhall and Pattingham are already available and four more are in preparation.

Once a garrison town, the attractive town of Tralee is the industrial capital of County Kerry, competing for its share in the market place for tourism.The photographs in this fascinating collection capture life in the town through a period of great change, from the building of the ship canal at the turn of the century up to the 1960s. Horse-drawn vehicles and quiet streets have given way to an altogether faster pace of life. Buildings have been demolished, shop fronts have altered and once familiar streets and landmarks are but a recollection, yet the vibrant spirit of the people of the town lives on.Many of the photographs have been generously contributed by local people from precious family albums and personal collections. The result is an evocative and fascinating compilation that will appeal to all those who know and love this historic town.

Enniscorthy built its proud reputation on the rich agricultural produce of its hinterland. The combination of a unique strawberry crop and a festival have made Enniscorthy synonymous with fun-filled holidays in the South east. Yet the town has a more strident past; at the forefront of Ireland's struggle for independence, it was the scene of the Rebellion of 1798 and the only place outside Dublin to support seriously the 1916 Rising. This evocative volume will appeal to all those familiar with Enniscorthy, past and present.

Local history of Dungannon

The ancient Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield has a long and interesting history. From the time of its first mention in Domesday Book there have been several generic histories written on the area but this photographic record of Sutton Coldfield, from the early nineteenth century to the 1950s, is the first ever published collection of photographs relating solely to Sutton Coldfield.This fascinating collection of 216 photographs drawn from the Sutton Coldfield Local Studies Library includes examples from a wide range of sources, from the nationally famous photographer J. Benjamin Stone to amateur views taken by the person next door. This unique collection of images of Sutton Coldfield's history and its people will appeal to all who know and love the town and would enjoy a nostalgic look at its recent past.

The Cannock Chase region today is one of contrasts – between the residential and industrial settlements in the area and the outstanding natural beauty of the Chase itself. Numerous descriptions of the region survive from the years covered by the photographs in this collection – all varying degrees of accuracy – and some are more charitable than others. Many refer to the contrasts which still exist today, and most make reference to the effects of the widespread mining, but few succeed in looking beneath the outward appearance to provide a picture of life in the diverse communities. A much better impression of everyday life around the Chase will be gained from the photographs themselves.The authors' second volume of views of the region has been compiled as a result of the tremendous interest in an earlier selection published in 1989. Thanks to the kindness and generosity of the local people who enjoyed that book, many more unique and previously unseen photographs have light. They not only complement that selection but stand in their own right as a tribute to the people of the area and to their proud traditions.

This book is part of the Images of England series, which uses old photographs and archived images to show the history of various local areas in England, through their streets, shops, pubs, and people.

This book offers an in-depth look at the English town of Harrogate, which for many produces an image of aristocratic gentility, fine hotels, parks and gardens, The Stray and, of course, a famous Spa. The town's motto, "To Be of Service," is a clue to understanding the Harrogate story of the last century, with its huge emphasis of pleasing the visitor.

The photographs in this fascinating collection bring to vivid life the first half century of the City of Nottingham. They show the fledgling city emerging from the Victorian era into the twentieth century and the great changes which overtook it in the 1920s and '30s.More than half of them were taken by the distinguished photographer Frank Walden Stevenson, first as an enthusiastic amateur and later as the senior staff photographer on the Nottingham Journal. He was a man who foresaw that many of the Nottingham's older houses and public buildings were vanishing for ever and so captured on film a visual record that would preserve for posterity the city's rich architectual heritage. But Frank Stevenson's work is more than that. As well as possessing a distinctive beauty, it provides us with a glimpse of the everyday lives of our ancestors and imbues our vision of a past with a nostalgic glow.Chapters cover transport – guaranteed to kindle many fond memories – the city's major industries, and Nottingham during the Second World War. This intriguing book will appeal both to those lucky enough to remember the old Nottingham and to those who enjoy discovering their city's history.

Throughout the first twenty-five years of this century, before the widespread use of the telephone, the picture postcard was the principal means of communication. At the same time, the popularity of Morecambe as a holiday resort was at its zenith. Thanks both to the enthusiasm of collectors and to an enduring fascination with the past, these postcards now provide a window on the lives and times of our ancestors.In 1847 the North Western Railway Company began works on the line linking Skipton and Lancaster, at the same time the Morecambe Harbour and Railway Company sought approval to build a line from Morecambe Harbour to Lancaster. Thus Morecambe was established as a tourist resort.Throughout the summer months trains brought holidaymakers from industrial Yorkshire, who were joined by others from south and east Lancashire after the opening of the rail link from Blackburn to Hellfield. The following period was one of spectacular growth, and by the time the picture postcard arrived, Morecambe had never been more popular.The views in this delightful selection bring to life an era that has now all but disappeared. They include villages in the Lune estuary and in the bay as far north as the Kent. As well as reviving memories for those old and lucky enough to remember Morecambe's golden age, it will provide modern residents with a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of the 1990s.

The present-day, bustling market town of Yeovil has lost more than its fair share of the post-war developer. Many on old Yeovilian will fondly recall the medieval, half-timbered George Hotel (on Middle Street) and the Town Station which once boasted two stationmasters (GWR and LSWR). Regrettably, both have long since been swept away.However, this fascinating selection of about 200 old photographs, culled largely from the unrivalled collection at the Museum of South Somerset, allows the observer to revisit those once familiar scences that are now gone forever. Notable personalities of the town's past are also featured, which mayors rubbing shoulders with writers, firemen, footballers and bandsmen!Communities covered include Barwick, Brympton, Mudford, Tintinhull and other places within a ten-mile radius of Yeovil. Robin Ansell and Marion Barnes have delved deep into the local history of the area to produce a tantalising glimpse of the so-called 'good old days'.

This book is part of the Images of Wales series, which uses old photographs and archived images to show the history of various local areas in Wales, through their streets, shops, pubs, and people.

This book is part of the Images of England series, which uses old photographs and archived images to show the history of various local areas in England, through their streets, shops, pubs, and people.