Michael Burgess

Weymouth Harbour was historically a major port, flanked by the two towns of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. These settlements form modern-day Weymouth, with a wealth of historical associations from the Middle Ages to the present. The Isle of Portland lies to the south, joined to Weymouth by the geological miracle of Chesil Beach, with Portland Harbour forming one of the largest man-made harbours in the world and the local quarried stone has been sought after for buildings throughout the world for centuries. The area is a popular tourist destination today but Weymouth was first developed as a resort by King George III but its military associations include a Royal Navy base and the embarkation point for thousands of Allied troops for the D-Day invasion in the Second World War.In A-Z of Weymouth and Portland author Michael Burgess reveals the history behind the Weymouth and Portland area, its buildings and landscape, industries and the people connected with it. Alongside the famous historical connections, he includes some unusual characters, tucked away places and unique events that are less well-known. Readers will discover a Civil War cannonball still embedded in the wall above a public toilet, the quayside where the Black Death is believed to have entered England and a memorial to Australian and New Zealand soldiers returning from Gallipoli among many other fascinating facts in this A-Z tour of Weymouth and Portland’s history. It is fully illustrated with photography and will appeal to all those with an interest in this fascinating corner of Dorset.

Reliant have long been famous for their three-wheeled cars. Television personalities such as comedian Jasper Carrot and journalist Jeremy Clarkson have relentlessly mocked the three-wheeler, this forming a large part of their repertoires. Only Fools and Horses made them famous to a whole generation of television comedy viewers. Yet behind these three-wheeled cars lay a world of four-wheeled cars – versions of the famous three-wheelers as well as larger sporting and sports cars. They provided ready-made indigenous car industries to Israel and Turkey and would be involved with the Metrocab, the only serious contender to replace the London black cab. Alongside all this they would provide sub-assemblies and bodywork for other manufacturers. The most notable Reliant four-wheeler was the Scimitar, which maintains a strong cult following to this day. This book puts these once popular four-wheeled cars back in the public eye where they belong, and shows there was much more to Reliant than quaint three-wheeled vehicles.