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 leather interiors and wood trim. Unfortunately, that market has now largely disappeared and, with it, so have the car-makers themselves.
The book covers cars in the over-3-litre class from the biggest names in British luxury motoring including Alvis, Daimler, and Lagonda, and high-end models from Austin, Rover, and Jaguar. It examines the features and characteristics of these classic...
In the 1950s and 1960s, luxury car buyers, from government ministers to captains of industry, almost invariably bought British. These were stately,...
In the 1950s and 1960s, British sports cars ruled the road, and their charge was led by Triumphs. From the TR2, its first modern sports car, Triumph went on to produce a host of classic sports designs, such as the Spitfire, GT, and Stag, as well as more TR models, before ending with the TR7 in the late 1970s. These represented the epitome of the contemporary classic British sports car.
Fast, nimble, and gorgeous to behold, Triumphs offered the everyday motorist an exhilarating drive at a price they could afford. Popular both in the United Kingdom and the United States, the Triumph...
In the 1950s and 1960s, British sports cars ruled the road, and their charge was led by Triumphs. From the TR2, its first modern sports car, Triump...
The very real threat of the invasion of Britain in 1940 initiated a huge military construction program. Around the vulnerable coasts of the country, as well as inland, were built thousands of pillboxes, anti-tank barriers and other obstacles to defeat or delay the invader. The end of WWII saw much cleared away but sufficient still remains, and this book guides the curious in identifying the remaining defensive structures and features which once formed part of the military landscape. Although, to our eyes, the survivals might seem randomly placed, there was always a considered plan and the...
The very real threat of the invasion of Britain in 1940 initiated a huge military construction program. Around the vulnerable coasts of the country, a...
This book reveals the impact of wartime on British fashion, how a spirit of utility, make-do and mend unleashed a whole new creativity among Britain's women starved of high fashion by rationing. Many of these home dressmakers copied the high-end looks. Women doing war work created new street fashion looks. It also shows how world war shifted the centre of the international fashion from Paris to New York and established a casual American style for British women and men. Finally, we see the re-birth of Paris fashion in Dior's New Look and a new glamour.
This book reveals the impact of wartime on British fashion, how a spirit of utility, make-do and mend unleashed a whole new creativity among Britain's...
This revised edition of British Sheep Breeds explains how this hardy species has evolved, survived and developed over the past 250 years and provides a history of the species, their importance in British farming through the centuries, evolution of the various breeds, their origins and domestication. The breeds are categorised into groups depending on their role within the stratification system; primitive, mountain, hill, upland and lowland breeds. A description of the breed, evolution and wool type accompanies each illustration. Included is the normal behavior of sheep, biological data and...
This revised edition of British Sheep Breeds explains how this hardy species has evolved, survived and developed over the past 250 years and provides ...
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 way of ringing them that evolved in the late sixteenth century. Ringing has since developed and spread, with some 6,000 towers worldwide with bells hung in the English style, and most of them in England. Over 40,000 active ringers keep alive the traditions and skills of change ringing that have been handed down over many generations.
The book is an introduction to the world of bells and...
Handel called Britain 'The Ringing Isle' because he heard bells ringing everywhere he went. Behind the quintessentially English sound of bells ring...
Matchbox toys were ubiquitous items for children across the Western world. Originally labeled Christmas-cracker trash by retailers and shopkeepers, the small-scale 1-75 series soon began to see unprecedented worldwide sales in the 1950s. Smaller and cheaper than most of its competitors' toys, Matchbox models were also far more accurately modeled, but the company has nevertheless seen its own share of competition and challenging times over the years.
In this beautifully illustrated book, Matchbox collector Nick Jones tells the story of Matchbox and its most famous toys, from the...
Matchbox toys were ubiquitous items for children across the Western world. Originally labeled Christmas-cracker trash by retailers and shopkeepers,...
With over two-thirds of the globe covered by water, the ability to navigate safely and quickly across the oceans has been crucial throughout human history. As seafarers attempted longer and longer voyages from the sixteenth century onwards in search of profit and new lands, the tools of navigation became ever more sophisticated.
The development of instruments over the last five hundred years has seen some revolutionary changes, spurred on by the threat of disaster at sea and the possibility of huge rewards from successful voyages. As this book shows, the solution of the infamous...
With over two-thirds of the globe covered by water, the ability to navigate safely and quickly across the oceans has been crucial throughout human ...
Designed both to protect the inhabitants of the towns they towered over and cow them into submission, castles dominated the landscape of Medieval England and Wales. Though some were built before 1066, the Norman Conquest left a lasting legacy of domination in the form of fortifications ranging from small earthworks now barely discernible, to mighty and dominating stone fortresses.
This book examines why medieval English kings and Welsh princes constructed castles, their importance in warfare and domestic politics, and the day-to-day lives of those who lived and worked within them....
Designed both to protect the inhabitants of the towns they towered over and cow them into submission, castles dominated the landscape of Medieval E...
From the Houses of Parliament to the Midland Hotel at St Pancras and Strawberry Hill House, Gothic Revival buildings are some of the most distinctive structures found in Britain. Far from just copying medieval buildings, it was a style full of color and invention, in which its exponents created a daring new approach to design. Throwing out the old Classical rule book, Gothic Revival architects like Augustus Welby Pugin and George Gilbert Scott designed buildings which were asymmetrical in form and visually expressive of their function. It went beyond just bricks and mortar and had a strong...
From the Houses of Parliament to the Midland Hotel at St Pancras and Strawberry Hill House, Gothic Revival buildings are some of the most distinctive ...
