The 1950s was a decade of transformation, as Britain moved from austerity to greater affluence. After the Second World War, there was a huge building programme and the creation of new towns brought a new mid-twentieth century vision of the home. The architecture could be very different from what had gone before, and inside new fashions and materials had an impact on every home, old and new. By the mid-fifties, the consumer society was under way, and the arrival of new materials such as pla...

Sixties children grew up in a more permissive and commercial age. They enjoyed a childhood in which new vaccines gave children protection from life threatening diseases while the contraceptive pill meant smaller family groups. A controversial programme of comprehensive education began to be rolled out while primary schools would become less rigid and more centred on the needs of the child. This was also the first young generation not to be conscripted into the armed forces. Rising prosperi...

Why is the Victoria Line so hot? What is an Electrical Multiple Unit? Is it really possible to ride from Kings Cross to Kings Cross on the Circle line? The London Underground is the oldest, most sprawling and illogical metropolitan transport system in the world, the result of a series of botch-jobs and improvisations.Yet it transports over one billion passengers every year - and this figure is rising. It is iconic, recognised the world over, and loved and despised by Londoners in equal mea...

The find of a lifetime starts with obtaining search permission or legally avoiding that obligation.Where can you legally search without permission? How do you find the landowner to ask for search permission? How do you persuade the landowner to give their permission? These are the questions on the lips of many participants in the hobby, be they beginner or old hand.In this groundbreaking best seller, expert metal detectorist, treasure hunter and internationally acclaimed au...

Living in History reveals the architectural diversity of English period houses through the eyes and beautiful hand drawn portraits of Artist Eli Ofir. Each detailed portrait is accompanied by in-depth historical research from House Historians Jane Davidson and Rosalind Chislett, as well as stories and memories from the people actually living in the houses today. This book is a unique and breathtaking study of the evolution of English house styles from Medieval and Tudor times up to the 193...

A fascinating account of how the railways came to Surrey and the impact they had on the people who lived in the countyThe book the great days of the steam railways in the county. It shows how and why the lines were built, giving an account of the people who laid the lines and built the stations.

From the author of ‘Britain BC’, ‘Britain AD’ and ‘Britain in the Middle Ages’ comes the fourth and final part in a critically acclaimed series on Britain's hidden past.The relevance of archaeology to the study of the ancient world is indisputable. But, when exploring our recent past, does it have any role to play? In ‘The Birth of Modern Britain’ Francis Pryor highlights archaeology’s continued importance to the world around us.The pioneers of the Industrial Revolution wer...

This illustrated Travel Guide is a part of the Mobi Sights series our concise guides that only feature the most essential information on city attractions. This guide is designed for optimal navigation on eReaders smartphones and other mobile electronic devices. Inside you will find a locator map and a list of top attractions linked to individual articles. Addresses telephones hours of operation and admissions information are included. Please search for " Travel Ireland " part of the Mobi T...

The period from 1900 to 1914—the Edwardian Age—is often thought of as a golden time of country house parties and endless summers. In fact, it was a time of great social change. Wealthy industrialists were building houses for their workers at Port Sunlight (Lever), Bournville (Cadbury) and New Earswick (Rowntree). The garden suburb was also being developed and seen as a way of clearing slum housing from big cities such as London and Liverpool. The Edwardians built a wide range of houses, fr...

Transport is key to our daily lives. The transport system is essential to ensure the movement of people and goods, and most of us will use the roads or public transport every day. Vast sums are tied up in it and are spent on trying to resolve the problems of congestion and delays. And yet it is a most neglected field of politics. Britain has never had a coherent transport policy. Transport ministers are regarded as minnows compared with their ‘big beast’ colleagues in other ministries. Suc...

Used extensively and somewhat taken for granted by millions of commuters and tourists every day, the London Underground has long been a part of our national heritage and way of life. It was the first underground railway in the world, and is now central to lives of millions of Londoners. Here Ben Pedroche explores the realities of building the railway from the beginning, 150 years ago, exploring this dangerous, back-breaking job and how it culminated in the rail system we s...

The Art Deco exhibition in Paris in 1925 ushered in a new style of architecture based on the latest designs from Europe and American—flat roofs, plain facades, reinforced concrete and white paint inside and out. Streamlining was the watchword and houses, from bungalows to detached family homes, were planned around their internal use. Using his own drawings, diagrams and photographs, author Trevor Yorke explains in an easy-to-understand manner all aspects of the 1930s house, and provides a ...