Through Time – serie

Renowned for their illustrious ceramic manufacturing heritage, the Staffordshire Potteries originally centred upon six towns: Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke-upon-Trent, Fenton and Longton. The modern city of Stoke-on-Trent was created from these six towns and around fifty villages. In The Potteries Through Time, author Mervyn Edwards presents a nostalgic visual chronicle of the towns and villages in the Potteries across the decades.In his previous Through Time books, Mervyn Edwards focused upon each of the six towns individually. This latest volume explores the hills and hollows between the centres whilst also offering new archive photographs of the main towns. We find shabby backstreets cowering in the shadow of enormous coal tips – the Potteries’ own ‘black hills’ – and there are industrial hotspots and busy suburbs. Then there are the proud old chapels and pubs and the even prouder people that patronised them. Stoke-on-Trent was not a pretty place, but as the proverb tells us, ‘where there is muck there is brass’, and the fascinating landscape came to be captured by all manner of writers, artists and photographers.This collection of archive photographs is an engaging book that charts changing times and the shifting identity of the Potteries. It will be of immense interest to local residents, visitors and all those with links to the area.

Dorset has always been an important railway county, catering for holidaymakers heading to the resorts of Bournemouth, Swanage and Weymouth. As part of the mid-nineteenth-century desire for railways to reach many parts of the country, a line from Southampton reached the county town of Dorchester in 1847. This was to become part of the London & South Western Railway. The Great Western Railway arrived in the county in 1857 with a line from Yeovil to Weymouth built to Brunel’s broad-gauge standard. Another name associated with the county was the Somerset & Dorset Railway, which opened between Bath and Poole in 1870. Development of the various lines are covered – their heyday was the 1950s when they were used by holidaymakers heading for the sunny south coast. Then came the Beeching closures, but also the electrification of the main line to Weymouth. The various routes within the county are covered by a wide selection of photographs, many of which have not been published before.

Kent has an impressive collection of castles, over sixty including the scanty ruins and earthwork remains of now vanished ones, as well as the more celebrated castles, such as Leeds, Rochester and Dover. Because of their picturesque and dramatic appearance they have often been the subject of antique prints, and early photographs and in Castles of Kent Through Time author John Guy draws on his extensive collection of historical images of Kent castles to produce an illustrated history through the ages, charting the castles’ changing fortunes over the decades. Many are now ruined, when once they were homes and fortresses. Others, like Allington, have been transformed from ruins back into habitable and very comfortable homes, while others, such as Dover, have been in continuous military use right across the centuries from the Iron Age through to the Second World War. Just a few, like Westenhanger, which once was a completely overgrown ruin, have since been rescued and brought back into use.This fascinating selection of old and new images of the castles of Kent shows how castles, which are often perceived as static elements of the historic landscape, are, in fact, ever changing. It will be essential reading for all those who are interested in the history of the county.

The area of North Staffordshire combines urban and rural areas, from Stoke-on-Trent and the Potteries, the town of Newcastle-under-Lyme, the moorland and Peak District towns and villages to the border with Cheshire and Derbyshire.In spite of the many changes that have occurred in North Staffordshire, its towns and villages have retained their identity, with historical buildings alongside the new. This fascinating selection of old and new images of North Staffordshire will be essential reading for all those who know the area.

The North Staffordshire Coalfield is concentrated around the Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme areas, with a small outlying area around Leek and Cheadle. During the Industrial Revolution coal from the area fired the Potteries’ ceramics and iron industries.At its peak, fifty pits were working in the area but as the coal industry declined nationally, pits gradually merged or closed in the post-war years. Closures accelerated following the Miners’ Strike in the 1980s and the last deep mine, Silverdale, closed in 1998. Today, most of the sites have been reclaimed, including a nature reserve at Chatterley Whitfield.This fascinating selection of old and new images of the North Staffordshire Coalfield will be essential reading for all those who know the area or have family members who worked in the local coal mining industry.

Bexhill-on-Sea, often simply called Bexhill, is a seaside resort located on the south coast of England in East Sussex. The town was transformed by the arrival of the railways in the mid-nineteenth century. Once a haunt of smugglers, Bexhill became popular, attracting many to live by the sea or visit the town. The 7th Earl De La Warr developed Bexhill as a fashionable resort, building new streets and grand houses and hotels, and later generations continued this work, most famously with the 1930s’ De La Warr Pavilion. Today, the town retains a quiet and dignified appeal for its many visitors and residents.In spite of the many changes that have occurred in Bexhill-on-Sea, the town has retained its identity, with historical buildings alongside the new. This fascinating selection of old and new images of Bexhill-on-Sea will be essential reading for all those who know the area.

Liverpool’s growth and prosperity throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was reflected in the rise of its shops as much as any other aspect of city life. In this book, local historian Daniel K. Longman compares historic images of commercial premises throughout Liverpool with their modern-day counterparts. These pictures reveal an intriguing history of shops across the city and offer a fascinating insight into changing architectural styles and fashions through the decades. These comparisons reveal a rich heritage of traditional architraves, elaborate lettering, and ornate doorways alongside an aesthetic movement towards somewhat more simpler styles, minimalism, and modernisation. This book also reveals how much of Liverpool’s built heritage has survived despite extensive changes in this nostalgic look back at some of the city’s most interesting and impressive shopping destinations.This enthralling selection of old and new images of Liverpool shopfronts shows how our shops reflect the changing lifestyles of people through the years as well as the changing architectural face of the city. It will be essential reading for all those who are interested in the history of Liverpool and the surrounding area.

Edinburgh Old Town is the ancient centre of the city of Edinburgh. Many historic buildings still stand in the Old Town, on the Royal Mile which runs from Holyrood Palace to the Castle and in the surrounding area, alongside newer construction. Edinburgh Old Town Through Time explores the rich history and vibrant culture of Edinburgh’s Old Town through a collection of then-and-now images which reveal how the area has evolved, showcasing its historic architecture, bustling streets, and the lives of its inhabitants. Discover the stories behind famous landmarks, hidden gems, and the everyday scenes that shaped this unique place. Whether you’re a history buff, a lover of architecture, or simply curious about Edinburgh, this visual exploration connects the past and present of the Old Town.In spite of the many changes that have occurred in Edinburgh Old Town, the area has retained its identity, with historical buildings alongside the new. This fascinating selection of old and new images of Edinburgh Old Town will be essential reading for all those who know the area.

This is a photographic journey along the North Norfolk coast from the shingle banks at Weybourne to the crumbling cliffs at Mundesley. It's a dramatic tour that includes breathtaking cliff top walks and miles of beautiful sea-washed beaches. At the heart are Sheringham and Cromer, once small fishing villages, reinvented by powerful landowners in the nineteenth century as seaside resorts with vast Victorian hotels, now sadly mostly lost. There are West and East Runton, so popular with caravanners, to the one time millionaires' sanctuary of Overstrand. It ends at Mundesley with its reminders of former glories. It is an area rich in history of fishermen and lifeboats and man's struggle with the sea. It is a story of Victorian romance in 'Poppyland' and of holidays and heydays.

Southend-on-Sea is known for its picturesque seafront and many attractions. Visitors can stroll along the world's longest pleasure pier, or take the plunge at Adventure Island, one of the UK's favourite theme parks. Southend is also home to a vibrant music scene and cultural life, with several museums and art galleries, and plays host to a variety of events and entertainment at the Cliffs Pavilion. Recent investment draws huge numbers of people to enjoy this busy seaside town. Michael Rouse takes the reader on an 8-mile trip along the seaside from the ancient fishing port of Leigh-on-Sea through fashionable Westcliff, the day tripper's delight of Southend-on-Sea and then on to the quieter charms of Thorpe Bay and Shoeburyness, popular with lovers of the beach hut. This unique selection of old and new images and informative captions is essential reading for anybody who knows and loves this stretch of coast.

Ripon's story comes alive on this tour around the city. Evidence of life here hundreds of millions of years ago, with 'Ripon' at the edge of a tropical sea, can be observed at Quarry Moor; bronze age henges are to be found to the north and east of the city; Celts and Anglo-Saxons settled between the rivers. The King of Northumbria granted land for the establishment of a monastery in the seventh century and the famous St Wilfrid's monastery acquired international renown. As a result, the church gained control of thousands of acres of land, with the grant of a judicial franchise or liberty that lasted to the sixteenth-century Reformation. These influences are all to be seen. Like many historic market towns, Ripon owes much of its street pattern, its local government, its economic development and some would say its problems to earlier times. This book will help draw them out for you.

Pontypridd Through Time portrays the history of this iconic market town that sits at the gateway to three historic valleys of the South Wales coalfield. It also illustrates some of the changes that have contributed across centuries to the everyday life of a place that transformed from pastoral, drovers' river-crossing into a town that embodied a thriving conduit to capitalist mineral prospecting on a prodigious scale. A hamlet transformed from its rural obscurity in the eighteenth century to ride the wild, mechanical horses of the industrial fuel revolution to become a bustling market town. A town encapsulating all the excesses of the saga of the South Wales' coal and railway bonanza. It survives into the twenty-first century - to outlast the pits that gave it life and reared it. Pontypridd today - fighting back to rise again.

'There is some deep satisfaction in being born in a place like Chard', said Margaret Bondfield the UK's first female cabinet minister, in her book A Life's Work. 'The old cloth trade of Chard - the lacemaking industry - the dyeing houses - the iron foundries - the old radicalism and nonconformity of Chard - these must somehow have got into the texture of my life and shaped my thoughts, long before I had a thought or will of my own.' Much of what she wrote is still true today. The area around Chard has catered to various trades, many of which are still operating today, although on a smaller scale than in those days when this was the most industrialised small town in England. Some of the factories have been put to other uses, many have vanished, and some new ones have appeared. This book records examples of great change, alongside some changes that are not so great - Chard may not be what once was, but for many it will always be home.

Ebbw Vale's many losses over the past hundred years are celebrated here - collieries, steelworks, cinemas, churches, chapels, post offices, schools, railways, streets, local shops and especially jobs have all disappeared, only to be replaced, in many instances, by new housing estates, bypasses, town redevelopments, schools, car parks, leisure centres, council offices, light industrial sites and out-of-town stores. This collection aims to provide an unrivalled memento of hard times and good from the decline of iron and steel production in the 1920s to their revival and ultimate nationalisation years later. The 1992 National Garden Festival and the 2010 National Eisteddfod are commemorated, likewise demolitions, druids and the 1957 toast of the town, the Cwm Dyffryn School Choir.

Jersey is the largest of the British Channel Islands and is just 14 miles away from the French coast. Once part of the Duchy of Normandy, it became independent from France in 1204 and has governed itself ever since. St Helier is the historic capital of Jersey and the centre of its government. Named after its Patron Saint, Helier, the town has grown from a small fishing and agricultural hamlet hugging the seashore, to a bustling port and holiday resort.St Helier has a rich heritage and can even boast in having a battle fought in its town square. Royal Square, as it is now called, is where the States Chamber and ancient Royal Court House are to be found. Once a walled town, the area has expanded into a modern metropolis, but still retains a charm all of its own. This development through time has been traced and captured in this fascinating and unique book.

Newcastle East Through Time is a nostalgic look back on the historical past of a small but wonderful aspect of Tyneside. Drawing mainly on the sources Byker born photographer Walter Ritson(who happens to be the author's father), and the Newcastle Libraries and Information Service, this book documents the east end of Newcastle's bygone days from the late 1800s to the 1970s in picture format.Many buildings in this book are now sadly confined to the realms of history and are no longer standing, such as Spillers Flour Mill and Hawthorn Leslie's, but fabulous images remain to remind us of what once was. Modern day equivalent images show us what has taken their place and show how in the last hundred years or so just how times and places have changed. This is a captivating and varied assortment of images that reveals the area's rich heritage.

Nantwich occupies a pleasant position on the banks of the River Weaver and at least as far back as the Domesday Book has been one of the most important towns in Cheshire. The oldest and most ancient of the Three Wiches it has had several names over the years, a few being; Warmundestrou, Wich Malbank, Helath Wen, Namptwyche or simply Nantwich. The town is second only to Chester for the number of listed buildings and accordingly is a place of great antiquity. Paul Hurley has taken old photographs and used them as a guide to photograph the scenes as they are today. The oldest is that of the Market Hall when it was in the Town Square in the 1860s through to High Street in the 1970s. Use the book as a guide to take you through this quite unique town and see just how things have changed over the years; buildings, infrastructure, people and vehicles all are featured.

Lundy Island lies far out in the Bristol Channel, between the coasts of North Devon and South Wales. Its position makes it a natural fortress and an attractive refuge since man first inhabited this rocky but fertile outcrop throughout its piratical history up to the present day. Now owned by the National Trust it is a haven for wildlife both above and beneath the waves; cared for and managed by the Landmark Trust. This book explores the island using photographs, many of which have never or rarely been published before, looking at the buildings, the land and the very life and soul of this popular destination for birdwatchers, holiday makers or those simply seeking quiet and solitude. It will be of great interest to those who have come to know and love this beautiful island haven, just three miles long by half a mile wide.

Peeblesshire and its attractive county town are situated in Upper Tweeddale, an area of great beauty and tranquillity. Tucked into the Borders Hills, with the River Tweed at its heart, Peebles has much to offer both tourists and residents, including walking, fishing and cycling or simply strolling along the river banks or exploring the charming high street. The city of Edinburgh is a mere 22 miles north but Peebles retains its market town identity and is very much part of The Borders. Peebles was created a Royal Burgh in 1367 by David II. Some remnants of its past are easily seen such as the thirteenth century Neidpath Castle, dramatically towering above a meander in the gorge; others remain only as traces, like the east port of the sixteenth-century town wall. This collection of photographs portrays some of the changes that have taken place to Peebles and its environs as the town has developed and grown.

Very few buildings that stood in the centre of Plymouth before the War still remain. The city was devastated by enemy bombing especially during 1941. Many of the old, narrow, congested streets were destroyed completely, changing the face of Plymouth forever. After the War, a new modern City Centre was built with first class stores and spacious streets. Vast changes have also occurred in the areas surrounding the centre. Some areas are now totally unrecognizable but often a bit of old wall, post or fence will be exactly the same as it was a hundred years ago making it easier to work out where an old building, factory or farmhouse might have once stood. This book will prove appealing to both people who are interested in the history of the city and also to those who are interested in how the area has changed over the years.

A border town for most of its history, Stockport owes its origins to a prehistoric ford and the fortified rocky outcrop that overlooked it. Early industry included the dyeing and bleaching of cloth, hatting, silk spinning and, later, cotton. Some of its medieval past has been hidden by rapid expansion during the early part of the Industrial Revolution, but much still remains if you know where to look. Stockport's market area, cobbled brows, historic buildings, thoroughfares, shopping centres and parks all add to the broad range of interest within these pages. The book is designed to make readers think again about a town they thought they knew - a town that has continued to change for over 750 years. It will encourage you to make your own journey into Stockport's hidden past.

Belgravia and Knightsbridge represent the wealthy face of modern London, but it was not always that way. Belgravia did not exist before the 1820s, its site a bleak expanse of open countryside. Knightsbridge was a straggling settlement along the main highway from the west. Proximity to London and the Royal Parks was the key. Grand mansions arose in Knightsbridge and on the 'Five Fields' a classical townscape took shape from the 1820s - they called it 'Belgravia'. The Victorians welded both districts firmly to the capital, and with the photographs in this book we can follow the story through the Edwardian era and compare what the Edwardians saw and what we see today. Along the way are carriage-filled streets, grand hotels and an array of traders and shopkeepers, the lifeblood of Edwardian London. This unique portrayal of two iconic localities will delight and intrigue Londoners and visitors alike.

Harrogate Through Time is a wonderful collection of old and new photographs of Harrogate. 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.

A fascinating and informative look at one of Europe's finest cities and some of the delightful villages which surround it. The book uniquely features a selection of images from the renowned Evelyn Collection of Slides, which depict the city in a highly atmospheric way; they were collected by a man who was passionate about preserving what was, and largely still is thanks to him, best and special about the City of York.The book gives today's residents and visitors a revealing insight into how York and its villages used to look over the last hundred years or so. Villages included here are Bishopthorpe; Bulmer; Claxton; Escrick; Flaxton; Heslington; Nether Poppleton; Osbaldwick; Sand Hutton; Sheriff Hutton; Stillington; Shipton; Skelton; Stockton-on-the-Forest; Sutton-on-the-Forest; Upper Poppleton.

The market town of Banbury is a civil parish in Cherwell, the northernmost district of Oxford. Referred to as 'Banburyshire' by the locals, it is a centre of manufacturing; products including car components, plastics and electrical goods. It is also home to Kraft Foods' coffee-processing facility. Author Jackie Cameron has been visiting Banbury since childhood, and now offers her unique perspective on the town and its denizens.As well as the famous Banbury cakes, the local cuisine boasts Banbury rock and even Banbury cheese - which Shakespeare thought worthy of a mention in The Merry Wives of Windsor. Famous for the nursery rhyme 'Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross' - which refers to one of the crosses destroyed by Puritans in 1600 - Banbury is a town full of history and charm.

The town of Halifax is full of magnificent buildings designed by famous architects such as Sir Charles Barry, John Carr, Sir George Gilbert Scott and other buildings designed by the town's own talented architects. The town has altered quite dramatically during the last 150 years. Some of the earlier views dating from the Victorian period would be unrecognisable without more recent pictures to compare against. Changes to transport from the days of horse and carts, to trams and motorisation have brought other more noticeable changes in terms of traffic schemes and street signs in abundance and of course, the 'one way systems'. Halifax Through Time brings these changes to life contrasting the 'old' and 'new' and if the reader was so inclined, by following the structured sequence of photographs, provides a fascinating reference for a stroll around the town.

Until the middle of the twentieth century, the Port of London was the busiest in the world. A long, slow decline set in, as ships grew larger and numerous seamen's strikes and the advent of containerisation decimated the docks. Everything moved downriver and the Port of Tilbury grew to cope with the demand, while the docks in London itself declined and were closed. Some have been filled in, others converted to other uses, with London City Airport and Canary Wharf being built on converted docklands. Geoff Lunn tells the story of the Port of London, from the Pool of London to Tilbury and Gravesend, using a combination of images, both old and modern. Inside are views of the redevelopment and changing face of the docklands areas.

This fascinating collection of photographs shows how Southport has changed over time. Drawing on his own extensive collection of local picture postcards and memorabilia the author has selected photographs which illustrate not only the town centre itself but also many of the surrounding areas of the town. The sequence of images takes the form of a journey through the borough, and contrasts old and new images to offer a unique historical perspective on the town. As you browse through the photographs, you will notice the increase in the number of vehicles on the roads. Jack Smith's choice of photographs also cover a wide range of subject material including people at work and play as well as views of the street and buildings in which they lived. This book will appeal to all who know the famous town either as a home or as a favourite place to visit.

Whitehaven and the Borough of Copeland have seen many changes over the centuries, but the pace of their transformation has been breathtaking over the past decade. Whitehaven's one-time commercial harbour, tied to the needs of local industry, has been wonderfully restored, and now boasts a new sea-lock and marina dedicated to the needs of the leisure industry. Gone are the coal and iron ore mines, the iron- and steel-making industries and the great chemical works. Of the large employers, only the nuclear facility at Sellafield and the West Cumberland Hospital remain. These changes have pushed the people of West Cumbria toward alternative professions, largely within the tourist trade. This should not be surprising, as about a third of the district lies within the Lake District National Park, the home of England's highest mountains and deepest lake. Whitehaven's nearest lake, Ennerdale, is the subject of an imaginative scheme 'Wild Ennerdale', which will allow all future development within the valley to occur in a sustainable way. Apart from the lakes, mountains, castles, villages, rivers and museums, there are over 40 miles of coastline, including some fine sandy beaches and high, precipitous cliffs. Whitehaven and District Through Time is the perfect introduction and guide to this beautiful land.