From the horse-drawn trams of the nineteenth century to the larger electric models of the early twentieth, this reliable form of public transport revolutionized town travel by making it affordable eno
On 3 September 1939, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain sat tensely at a microphone, using radio to declare that 'this country is at war with Germany'. During the ensuing wartime years, the BBC was th
Art Deco is arguably the twentieth century's most popular and memorable design movements. The style defined the interwar period with its clean sleek lines, streamlined shapes, bold abstract forms, and
The heart of every working farm and ranch, the barn is an icon of rural America. This book chronicles – and celebrates – all the main types, and looks at how these treasures of early American architec
Fern Fever (or Pteridomania, to give it its official name), hit Britain between 1837 and 1914 and peaked between 1840 and 1890. Although in previous centuries ferns played an important role in customs
From cooks and clerks to weapons analysts and air mechanics, generations of women have served in the Wrens (Women's Royal Naval Service or WRNS). The Royal Navy was the first of the UK armed services
In the 1950s and 1960s, luxury car buyers, from government ministers to captains of industry, almost invariably bought British. These were stately, dignified, and grand vehicles, with many featuring l
More complex and imposing than any other vehicle in the British emergency services, the fire engine has a long and interesting history. At first a blaze could only be tackled by buckets of water being
Almost everyone in the western world has at some time owned a Matchbox toy. Originally labelled Christmas-cracker trash by retailers and shopkeepers, the small-scale 1-75 series soon found worldwide s
Rolls-Royce is one of Britain's legendary car brands, representing the pinnacle of engineering quality and luxury like no other manufacturer. Since 1904, when Charles Stewart Rolls and Frederick Henry
