Although its uses have dwindled over the years, straw was once a greatly valued by-product of cereal crops. When harvested and stored well, it can be attractive, fragrant and resilient, and for genera
At the turn of the last century, the American middle class was expanding rapidly as homesteaders moved west and as trains took travellers across the country, where they established themselves in the d
Central to the prompt delivery of the nation's mail is its efficient transit throughout the country. From 1830, the Post Office relied increasingly on the overland rail network to achieve this. Railwa
In the days before refrigeration, icehouses were designed to store ice in bulk for summertime use. This book examines icehouses in Britain, where they were built in increasing numbers from the early s
Patchwork quilts are hugely evocative emblems of our domestic past. With no two quite the same, each example hints at both the story of the particular household in which it was produced and at a large
During the nineteenth century there was a tremendous expansion of education in England and Wales. A combination of voluntary rffort and government action led to the introduction of a system of element
In 1913 the shipyards of Britain were responsible for building half of all the world's ships. At the Clyde in Scotland at this time a new ship was launched every eighteen hours. For decades Britain wa
The rood screen was used to divide the nave and chancel--the secular and the sacred--in parish churches in the Middle Ages. The screen was a visual spectacle, adorned with images of saints and surmoun
Historian and experienced rider Anne Holland explores the history of horse racing, from the horses and jockeys, the history and racecourses, to betting and race-goers. The "Sport of Kings," racing dat
A bungalow is now understood to be a single story home but that definition is a modern one and when introduced to Britain in the late 1860s the bungalow concept implied much more. Its origins lay in I
The midwife: a medical professional, a friend in a woman's hour of greatest need, and a potent social and cultural symbol. Though the role of midwife has existed since time immemorial, it is only sinc
Handel called Britain 'The Ringing Isle' because he heard bells ringing everywhere he went. Behind the quintessentially English sound of bells ringing lies a unique way of hanging bells and a special
If life is a drama, then for some men and women their most noteworthy moment on the stage has been at their unwilling exit. If Anne Boleyn's memory lives on it is because her head was lost, and the sa
The Jewish community is the oldest ethnic minority in the country. This book tells the epic story of Jews in Britain over a thousand years. Many came as wealthy traders - others as desperate refugees.
This book tells the story of the country blacksmith and his importance as the hub of village life. It describes his techniques, tools, and contribution to rural work. It includes the mythology of the
Boat races and regattas are mainstays of the British summer — but where did these races originate and how have they become so important a part of our culture? Historian, writer and novice sculler Juli
