After I had completed my first book, “County Durham in Photographs”, I was given the opportunity of working on a similar book for Northumberland. Neighbouring County Durham, Tyne and Wear and Scotland, it is a county rich in history and...

In 2019, I co-authored a book for Amberley Publishing about the small town of Beverley in Yorkshire. I have since moved half-way across the world and now live in New Zealand. There is no place on earth farther from Beverley...

As a youngster in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, my earliest memories of watching trains were at a time when diesel locos were replacing their steam predecessors. As a Northampton lad, those ‘spotting’ days involved regular sessions at the...

International Day of Women and Girls in Science took place on 11 February, it is timely to recognise the extraordinary achievements of women in a wide range of scientific disciplines. A glimpse into women’s lives that is indeed inspirational. There...

Ninety years ago, on 18th February 1930, twenty-one-year-old Jack Berg, known as Jack ‘Kid’ Berg, stepped into the Royal Albert Hall boxing ring to face the American world champion, Mushy Callahan for the light welterweight boxing title. Fifteen rounds of...

One of the main, general observations of my book is that history is constantly being rewritten. This is certainly the case regarding the Robinsons family. Further research, contacts with members of the extended family, and exchanges with individuals who knew...

The Lothians consist of West Lothian (Linlithgowshire), East Lothian (Haddingtonshire) and Midlothian and Edinburgh (Edinburghshire), which nestle along the south side of the broad estuary of the Forth. The strategic location and political and economic importance of the Lothians, with...

Over the years many stories have been written and recounted concerning the visitation of the Plague, or Black Death, when it was inflicted upon the tiny Derbyshire Peak village of Eyam.  At that time the vicar of Eyam, as is...

Sixty Years of Mutual Distrust Much to my surprise, no previous author has ever looked in depth at Queen Victoria’s ambivalent relationship with Russia and its ruling family. Armed with permission from the Royal Archives at Windsor to quote from...

Wander nowadays down many Shropshire country lanes near small villages like Atcham, Condover, Montford Bridge or Rednal, and you will come across silent, sightless sentinels, looking out across empty fields of corn or cows, derelict control towers watching over long...