Through the Ages

Runcorn's position on the Mersey was identified as early as 915, by the Saxon princess Ethelfleda. The fort was built at Castle Rock in order to defend against the Danish invaders. The site, known as Castle Rock, is just where the railway bridge now spans the river. Prosperity first came to Runcorn with the building of the Bridgewater Canal, which was completed in 1776; the start of Runcorn as an industrial town. Heavy industry, such as soap and alkali works, soon moved in, as did major transportation links, including the Bridgewater Canal. Runcorn's history began with the Saxon settlement, and settlers have been arriving since. The Normans came, followed by the boatmen, the workers in the quarries and chemical works, and finally the residents of New Town, which permanently changed the look of the town. Runcorn has coped with change for the past 1,100 years, but has never lost its distinctive character.

In this follow up to the highly successful Kendal Through Time, author Norman Holloway showcases the town's countless attractions, using a mixture of old and new images to awaken fond memories in those who know and love this historic town. Chief among Kendal's unique points of interest are the shoe company that was at one time the only business registered with the single-letter trademark of 'K'; its two castles - the well-known Kendal Castle, and the much earlier structure of Castle Howe; Kendal walker and author Alfred Wainwright, who wrote the book Three Westmorland Rivers about the Kent, Sprint and Mint; the four football clubs whose names are all prefixed by Kendal - Town, United, County and Celtic; the parish church in Kirkland, which is one of the widest in England and has a total of five aisles; and six tenterhooks and six teasels inserted into the four quadrants on the town's coat of arms. Kendal Through the Ages is a fascinating and informative journey through the town, exploring its most-loved sites while also introducing the reader to its lesser-known gems.

Bristol, 'Queen of the West Country', is a city founded on manufacturing and trade. Once described as producing within its bounds every daily necessity required in life, its merchants were mocked by outsiders for lives dominated by a rage for profit. It was a city in which grandeur lived cheek by jowl with poverty and pollution, and dangerous industry with domesticity. Old and modern Bristol are described here in drawings, paintings and photographs (many previously unpublished from the author's collection and those of the Bristol Central Reference Library), in a volume that complements the author's previous book for Amberley on Central Bristol. The book is arranged as a series of textual and visual peregrinations around Bristol and its main arterial routes, and documents some of the myriad changes that have occurred in the city's evolution over the last few centuries.

Northwich Through the Ages offers a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of the country with a completely new set of past and present images. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of Northwich, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people of this town throughout the nineteenth and into the twentieth century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set. Through the author's factual captions for every picture, and carefully selected choice of images, the reader can also achieve a reliable view of the town's history. Readers are invited to follow a timeline of events and watch the changing face of Northwich, as Paul Hurley guides us through the town's streets. There is something for everyone here, whether they have lived in the area all their lives, or whether they are just visiting this fabulous town. Northwich Through The Ages also shows how photography has continually evolved to keep up with an ever-changing society.

Folkestone, a port town located on the English Channel, has an interesting history and has experienced many changes over the centuries. Folkestone Through The Ages details those changes, from the late 1700s through to the present day, including the coming of the railway in the early 1800s and the famous seafront as it moved away from being a place of holiday entertainment and a departure point for cross-Channel ferries. It also features the many developments that were brought about as a result of bomb damage from the Second World War. Folkestone played a big part in getting many tens of thousands of servicemen and women over to France during the Second World War. In this seventieth anniversary year of the end of the war, the author has dedicated a section at the end of this book to some of the brave men and women who fought, and died, in both World Wars.

Hartlepool Through The Ages is a sister volume to Paul Chrystal's Hartlepool Through Time, produced this time with Stan Laundon. Stan not only provides many of the old images but has taken care of the modern photography and, in so doing, has given us some stunning images of Hartlepool as it is today. Hartlepool Through the Ages offers a further 200 pictures or so, none of which appeared in the earlier volume. As before, the book explores the three towns that make up Hartlepool ('Old Hartlepool', West Hartlepool and Hartlepool), along with outlying villages, this time including Wolviston, Blackhall and Crimdon. In this selection you will meet Chick Henderson, Joe Brown, Terry Bell, Henry Smith, Captain Perry, Egbert the tank, Winston Churchill and Miss Great Britain, among others. The authors will take you to the steelworks north and south, to Blackhall Rocks, Steetley Magnesite, Greatham Co-op and to the top of Christ Church, and will show you parts of the town by night and by day; you'll learn how to street dance on the pier and will watch a rehearsal of The Wizard of Oz. Altogether, Hartlepool Through the Ages is a warm and colourful celebration of a warm and colourful town, past and present.

Leek, nestled at the foot of the Pennines in North Staffordshire, is a small, quiet market town rich in history and still boasting a wealth of architectural gems scattered throughout its narrow streets. Its people are friendly and welcoming, and visitors from Stoke-on-Trent and beyond stop by regularly to search its antique shops and to learn of its wonderful textile heritage. It has strong connections with such august figures as William Morris, who lived in the town for a period, and architect Norman Shaw. Leek Through the Ages is the sister volume to Leek Through Time, published in 2012, and covers subjects not included in the earlier title. It contains early photographs of many of Leek's pubs, which numbered fifty-two within living memory - a considerable number for a town boasting only 20,000 residents today, a time of rapid population growth. School-leavers would declare that they were going to tour every pub in the town and drink a half pint of beer in each - where they would obtain the money to do this from and why many more young people didn't die of alcohol poisoning suggests that this was a vain boast.

The coastal town of South Shields, which lies at the mouth of the River Tyne, has a rich and fascinating history. The town was established as a hub for fishing and retains that tradition to this day. Yet South Shields is much more than a historic maritime port, and over the years has had a number of various industries develop and prosper. It has become a popular tourist destination, with its reconstructed Roman fort, Guiness clock tower and seafront complex. In a follow-up to South Shields: The Postcard Collection, Caroline Barnsley has created a new pictorial history of South Shields. The book charts the town's buildings and monuments, and a miscellany of pubs, shops and street scenes. Coupled with stunning modern-day photography, South Shields Through the Ages depicts the many changes and events the town has witnessed over the past century.