Amberley Publishing

Moscow in the Cold War. Karachi during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. Buenos Aires at the time of Perón’s death. Three critical chapters of twentieth-century history – and as a young diplomat, Tony Rossiter had a box seat.In Moscow in 1968, Western diplomats were kept under surveillance, their flats were bugged, and they were harassed by the KGB. From Moscow, Tony went to Karachi, a quasi-colonial world of servants and snobby expatriates. When war broke out, his young family huddled together as bomb blasts shook the walls. After a week of air attacks, women and children were belatedly evacuated. Transferred to Buenos Aires, it was out of the frying pan into the fire. Tony arrived, shortly after Perón’s reinstatement as president, as the Montoneros urban guerrillas were stepping up terrorist attacks against Western targets.Unlike the memoirs of most former diplomats, this book is not about high-level bureaucracy. Instead, it provides rare insight into the day-to-day life of a young man working at the coalface. Rossiter’s background was unusual for his era, and this vivid and evocative memoir offers a unique glimpse behind the curtain of international diplomacy.

Gloucester was a significant city in Roman Britain and has played an important role in the history of this country in the two millennia since then. It has also had an individual and often strange history over this period and in this book local historian author Paul James takes a look at his home city and uncovers some of its quirkier aspects. From Pinchbelly Alley to Rainbow Streets; from Ron Taylor’s Boxing Booth to W. G. Grace this book explores some of the oddities and characters that help characterise this ancient city. Readers will find stories of long-lost legal cases, ancient customs, modern myths, unusual foodstuffs, curious attractions, remarkable animals and much, much more.Drawing on archive material as well as his own, extensive, local knowledge Paul James presents a fresh look at Gloucester - from a slightly different angle – as he delves into lesser known but fascinating tales from the city’s past. Quirky Gloucester celebrates the unusual and often strange history of Gloucester and its characters over the years. This fascinating insight into Gloucester will be of interest to all those who want to know more about the city’s quirky history.

Over half of the Wirral’s built environment is Victorian and the era has left a huge imprint on the area. In this period the first docks across the River Mersey from Liverpool opened and Birkenhead became a pioneering planned Victorian town, including its municipal park and lodges which was the template later for Central Park in New York, the coastal town of New Brighton was developed as a coastal resort and Lord Leverhulme built his masterpiece garden village at Port Sunlight. Alongside these, many grand Victorian public buildings, town halls, baths, markets, libraries etc, were built as well as more humble but noteworthy structures. Another Victorian gem on Wirral is the magnificent cemetery at Flaybrick and the work of many nineteenth century architectural greats such as Pugin, Gilbert Scott, Norman Shaw and George Street can be found throughout the area. The book is illustrated throughout.All those interested in the history of the Wirral will find this a fascinating exploration of the Victorian heritage of this area.

Ipswich has been a major port and the county town of Suffolk since the Middle Ages. The town was known for its wealthy merchants, trading from the port, but in the seventeenth century it became an embarkation point for many to start a new life in the New World. Charles Dickens later stayed in and wrote about Ipswich, and during the Second World War the dock area was heavily attacked by aerial bombardment. Today the waterfront area has been rebuilt and draws in many to Ipswich. In Quirky Ipswich author Pete Jennings delves into the fascinating tales from Ipswich’s past. In this book, readers will discover stories of a Grade II listed hole in the ground and a Museum Street with no museum, as well as a Lord Chancellor chosen for his dancing ability. Find out which famous writer was granted ‘a gallon of wine daily for the rest of his life’ and the meaning behind the ‘odd brick’ and Coprolite Street. There are inside tales of sporting legends, an inept murderer and a pub with a perpetual debt. Be frightened by the Horrible Head and spontaneous human combustion, or cheered by the fly-swatting major and Nelson’s frustration. Discover why war hero Sir Henry William Paget suddenly fell from grace and the odd origins of Dogs Head Street and Silent Street. Learn a unique method of counting, how to be a Dwile Flonker or seek out traces of a legendary underground railway. Quirky Ipswich celebrates the unusual and often strange history of Ipswich and its characters over the years. This fascinating insight into Ipswich will be of interest to all those who want to know more about the town’s quirky history.

Many Indo-European peoples worshipped a sword-god, but the oldest of those associated with the Sword in the Stone come from the Hittite culture. The major evidence is found in a sacred complex at Yazilikaya near the original Hittite capitol of Hattusha. Twelve sword-bearing runners are depicted and there is a chamber dedicated to the swords that depicts a sword god. Clearly, we are looking at a zodiac pattern. Christ had twelve disciples and Charlemagne and King Arthur both had twelve companions. The twelve runners with the swords are on the western wall, and ''west'' is the traditional direction of the Otherworld, the Land of the Dead, in many Indo-European traditions. The Hittite ''Prayer of Kantuzzili'' tells how Underworld gods were shaped from clay into the form of swords and implanted in the ground. The story of the Sword in the Stone is repeated down through the centuries in different cultures, and the authors here bring all the strands together to explain hoe we arrive at Arthur. And even Galahad, the son of Lancelot, deputed to be the successful Grail knight in the later accounts of the quest, also performed this miracle. In this case the sword is placed in a floating stone by Merlin.Why is it a forty-thousand-year-old mystery? Observers in the Mesopotamian and Babylonian cultures noticed then that what is today referred to as the Pole Star, which sat at the centre of the heavenly dome, was shifting several degrees to the North. This event, which became known as Northshift, changed the positions of the constellations written across the sky, affecting the way in which the stars were perceived to influence the fate of us all. This is a fascinating tale of human perception of the night sky, and how it produced its own timeless narrative.

The VW Corrado is a purebred sports car in its own right, originally tasked with the difficult job of replacing the legendary Scirocco coupés. It was designed to showcase the Volkswagen Group’s considerable technical and mechanical capabilities in the late 1980s. As such, it was intended to compete head-to-head with Porsche and its 924-944 models, surpassing both in many aspects, as well as other rival models such as the Ford Probe, Toyota Célica, Vauxhall Calibra and Nissan 200 SX.Here the creative and development process of the Corrado is explored in detail through informative text and a full range of illustrations. The car’s evolution over the years, the different variants, the special series and even the original preparations, developed by the best German tuners such as Oettinger, Treser, ABT or Zender, are also featured in this book. This indispensable guide tells the complete story of the VW Corrado.

Think of Cambridgeshire and images of dreaming spires, gowned students and river punting probably spring to mind. In this book, local author Kathryn Brereton shares some of the lesser-known jewels of Cambridge City and the tucked-away treasures to be found across the county. Celebrating the remarkable landscapes, buildings, characters, stories and festivals; ''50 Gems of Cambridgeshire'' will appeal to all those who wish to learn more about this fascinating corner of the country.The author reveals that Cambridgeshire is a county that is different to any other in England. This superbly illustrated book explains its geography and history and shows how town, gown and the unique, watery landscape have shaped each other throughout the centuries. From Whittlesey’s strange Straw Bear Festival and the soaring splendour of Ely Cathedral to the ghostly goings-on in an historic riverside inn; Cambridgeshire offers something for everyone.Guided by an author who knows the county well, readers will discover the places and the heritage that make Cambridgeshire special.

Stockton-on-Tees was a small port and market town in the north-east of England for much of its history. Shipbuilding and other industries gradually established themselves over the years, but it was with the Industrial Revolution that the town received a massive boost. The opening of the pioneering Stockton & Darlington Railway enabled coal to be transported to the port. Industries developed around the discovery of iron ore locally, as well as engineering and potteries, and the population expanded rapidly. The town was transformed by large areas of Victorian dwellings, absorbing neighbouring settlements. By the turn of the twentieth century the town was supported by a thriving market, theatres, pubs, schools, libraries, fairs, parks and churches. The depression of the interwar years and the closure of shipyards saw many lose their jobs, but the period also saw the start of the chemical industry at Billingham, which grew into a vast complex. Although today Stockton has lost much of its traditional industry, sites have been turned into business parks, attracting service industries and a university campus. The story of the town tells of heroes, inventors, business leaders, rioters as well as the lives of ordinary folk. Illustrated throughout, this accessible historical portrait of the transformation that Stockton-on-Tees has undergone through the ages will be of great interest to residents, visitors and all those with links to the town.

Before its present-day affluence, the Notting Hill area of London once had a second-to-none reputation for its criminality. Victorian developers sought to bring in wealthy Londoners to the large villas, but in the twentieth century the houses became multi-occupancy and the area synonymous with cheap lodging and crimes of every hue. In Notting Hill and North Kensington Murders and Misdemeanours author Mick Davis explores some of the most notorious crimes associated with Notting Hill and adjoining North Kensington from the Victorian era onwards, including some of the less publicised but equally sensational crimes and infamous characters of this fascinating area. This collection of true-life crime stories gives a vivid insight into life in Notting Hill and North Kensington in the past. This book will fascinate anyone with an interest in the history of crime, as well as those who want to know more about the history of this corner of West London.

Newport Bus, the operating name of Newport Transport Limited, is the main provider of bus services in the city of Newport. It is one of a few remaining municipal bus companies in the United Kingdom and the second largest in Wales after Cardiff Bus. Newport has gone through a period of great change since the turn of the millennium, and so has its buses. The traditional green and cream livery has been replaced and now buses operate in overall green. 2020 saw the introduction of a fleet of Electric Yutong vehicles, making Newport Bus the largest operator of electric buses in Wales at that time.With a wealth of previously unpublished images, Simon Ingham documents the changing face of the city’s municipal bus company.

There have been many books on Victoria Cross heroes but this is the first one to explore the lives of those for whom the greatest accolade did not bring contentment, happiness or lasting fame. Men like the Cheltenham-born Duncan Boyes. The seventeen-year-old Midshipman Boyes won the VC in 1864, carrying the Queen's Colour through withering Japanese fire. Four years later, he would commit suicide by jumping out of a hotel window in Dunedin, New Zealand. How such tragedies unfold – and why – is the essence of this book. How do we judge the actions of Martin Doyle VC MM, for example? At the Battle of the Somme in 1916, under heavy fire, he carried a wounded officer to safety. Later he went to the aid of men in a blazing tank. When a machine gun opened up at close range, preventing the rescue of the wounded, he charged and silenced it, taking three prisoners. He also carried another wounded soldier to safety despite intense fire. Soon, he would be an IRA intelligence officer arranging the deaths of British soldiers. For Victoria Cross holders there is an observation that it is sometimes easier to win the medal than to wear it. Glory and Dishonour shows how true that can be.

There is no doubt that a greater understanding of the UK wagon fleet enhances the appreciation of the rail-enthusiasts’ hobby, whether for railway modelling purposes or simply enjoying watching the real thing, or both. The wagon numbering system alone is outdated and can be a minefield. Wagons built since 2008, including some conversions and rebuilds, now conform to the Europe-wide system of wagon numbering. In this book, however, the focus is on exploring almost 200 examples from among the thousands of UK wagons remaining in use that carry private-owner or nationalised UK air-braked numbering systems.Since the TOPS coding system was introduced in the 1970s much has changed in the rail-freight sector. The alphabetical classification used for wagon types has not. In this publication the 100 or so classifications are each featured and explained. Ranging from flat wagons for carrying shipping containers to wagons designed specifically for carrying steel or stone, for example, the variety of wagons built in the twentieth century that are still in use today are detailed.Drawing on one of the largest collections of wagon images on the Internet, John Jackson explores these survivors with the featured wagons arranged numerically for ease of reference. The cross-section included is designed to enhance the enthusiast’s understanding and, it is hoped, enjoyment of watching freight trains in the UK.

What makes the best setting for photographing buses and coaches? Finding appealing backgrounds or situations can make images more interesting and provides the opportunity in future years to take comparison ‘then and now’ shots.Richard Walter presents a diverse selection of buses, coaches and operators in a range of scenic locations both here in the UK and overseas, some familiar and some that might just be worth exploring yourself. Each image is accompanied by a short description of why the setting might make for more interesting viewing.

The life of politician and diarist Samuel Pepys spanned seven decades, meaning he bore witness to many groundbreaking events such as the execution of King Charles I in 1649 and the Glorious Revolution in 1688. His famous diary was written between 1660 and 1669 and provides fascinating detail on the world around him, from the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 to the plague in 1665 and the Great Fire of London in 1666. This invaluable record of life in seventeenth-century England offers an intriguing insight into the politics, court life, defence of the realm and commerce of the period as well as day-to-day living. He describes visits to coffee houses, taverns, theatres, bear pits and, with incredible candour, brothels. Here Pepys’ life and diary is detailed through the places and objects associated with him. Visit the locations where Pepys resided and worked, the dockyards he inspected at Woolwich and Chatham, as well as the churches where he worshipped and the coffee houses and taverns he frequented. Examine items such as the bills of mortality Pepys read during the plague, his wig, the church steeple from which he observed the Great Fire, and his will. Full of quirky facts and fascinating illustrations, this book transports you back to seventeenth-century London through places and objects central to Pepys’ life.

Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire has seen huge changes over the years. Originally a village built around Cumbernauld Castle and Cumbernauld House, it was designated a new town in 1955 to house people living in poor conditions and war-damaged areas in Glasgow and elsewhere. Its population grew rapidly as construction started and by 1967, when the town centre was opened by Princess Margaret, Cumbernauld was winning awards for its innovative modernist architecture. Construction and expansion has continued in the ensuing years, with some of its original architecture being modified and even rebuilt for the changing requirements of people living in present-day Scotland.In Cumbernauld From Old Photographs the author has drawn on a remarkable selection of old photographs to give a pictorial record of how much the town and the community has changed over the years. Although many of landmarks have remained the same over the years the photographs show the town adapting and evolving with many other buildings being replaced and the pattern of life in the town changing for many too. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Cumbernauld or know it well.

Flixton, Urmston and Davyhulme History Tour offers an insight into the fascinating history of the town of Urmston, including Flixton and Davyhulme, in Trafford, Greater Manchester. Author Chris Horlock guides us around its well-known streets and buildings, showing how its famous landmarks used to look and how they have changed over the years as well as exploring its lesser-known sights and hidden corners. With the help of a handy location map, readers are invited to follow a timeline of events and discover for themselves the changing face of Flixton, Urmston and Davyhulme.