Books in the Shire Library series

Explains the main differences between the various breeds and the qualities of their appearance, temperament, meat and wool, and also outlines the history of sheep farming and the way the industry works. This book is an introduction to the main breeds and their classification into upland, hill and lowland varieties.

Over the course of the nineteenth century, gardening came to be considered a respectable profession, providing a means to an education, a good chance of advancement and decent working conditions. This book explores the gardening profession within the complexities of Victorian society and the advances in science and technology.

Looks at all the practical ways in which animals were essential to the war effort, but is equally interested in their roles as companions, mascots and morale boosters - on land, in the air and at sea.

1914-18: the first air war, fought by true pioneers not only of aerial combat but of flight itself. British pilots, observers and gunners played a vital part in the Allied war effort around the globe, from the desolation of the Western Front and the mountains of Italy to the deserts of Egypt and Mesopotamia, and the freezing Russian steppes.

Tells the illustrated story of those who risked their lives collecting casualties from the front line, of the various transport and treatment facilities at their disposal and of the eclectic mix of buildings in which the wounded were cared for at home, including many famous country houses.

London's royal parks are among its most beautiful and beloved spaces. This book tells the story of all eight of the parks from the point when they were acquired by the monarchy until the present day, including the major historic moments and events with which they are associated.

Humphry Repton (1752-1818) ambitiously styled himself Capability Brown's successor: the century's next great improver of landed property. This book traces Repton's landscape designs from Picturesque wildernesses like Blaise Castle to the progressive Gardenesque style of Endsleigh in Devon.

Often hidden away or incorporated into other architectural features, icehouses are a largely forgotten part of our heritage. This book explains how icehouses developed; how, when and where they were built; and how they operated, including a chapter on icehouses from around the world.

Often called the sport of kings, horse racing dates back at least to the chariot races of the ancient Olympic Games. This book explores the broad history of horse racing from the horses, jockeys and racecourses to the practice of bookmaking and those in the audience.

In the motor-industry's early years, the three- and four-wheeled types were developed side by side, but the latter began to take precedence as its greater stability, and the three-wheeler's severe bodywork limitations, became evident. This book puts three-wheelers, and the companies that produced them, in their historical context.

Charts the history of the ancient crafts of rope, twine and net making, describing the traditional fibres and techniques used, as well as the modern machines and man-made fibres that took their place. This work features black and white photographs that show how the methods of rope, twine and net making have evolved over the years.

Explains who the smugglers were, what motivated them, where they operated, and how items ranging from barrels of brandy to boxes of tea would surreptitiously be moved inland under the noses of, and sometimes even in collusion with, the authorities.

Britain's rail network is now among the safest in the world, but the journey that brought it to that point has been long and eventful. Early incidents like the felling of William Huskisson MP by Stephenson's Rocket (1830) showed how new ideas could bring new dangers.

Follows the dynamic evolution of the touring caravan over the last century. Using a selection of images from his archive, this book reveals how technical advances as well as interior design revolutionised the touring caravan in the United Kingdom, and how caravanning became a culture and a lifestyle choice.

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. This book shows the solution of the infamous longitude problem, the impact of satellite positioning and other advances in navigation have brought together seafarers, artisans and more.

Looks at the role of the midwife in Britain from ancient times up to the present, paying particular attention to the incredible medical and social advances over the years.

London's many cemeteries, churches and graveyards are the last resting places of a multitude of important people from many different walks of life. Politicians, writers and military heroes rub shoulders with engineers, courtesans, artists and musicians, along with quite a few eccentric characters. Arranged geographically, this comprehensive guide describes famous graves in all the major cemeteries and churches in Greater London, including Highgate, Kensal Green, Westminster Abbey, and St Paul's Cathedral, as well as the City churches and many suburban parish churches. The book gives biographical details, information on the monuments, and is richly illustrated. As well as being an historical guide, it also serves as an indispensable reference guide for any budding tombstone tourist.

From the 1940s to the 1960s, the microcar posed a challenge to the large companies that mass-produced cars to uniform designs. The microcar was the opposite, produced by small entrepreneurial start-ups using quirkydesign concepts that offered motorists cheaper and more economical vehicles. This book is a beautifully illustrated history of the British microcar, from the early days of Bond and Reliant to the proliferation of micro marques during the 1950s and their demise during the 1960s. It explores many eccentric British concepts, comparing the cars to their influential European competitors, examining the social and economic reasons for the decline and disappearance of the microcar, but also saluting the signs of a microcar renaissance in the twenty-first century, this time from mainstream manufacturers.

The streets and public spaces of London are rich with statues and monuments commemorating the city's great figures and events - from Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square and Sir Christopher Wren's Great Fire Monument to the charming Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens, the range is glorious.

Vauxhall cars have been central to motoring in Britain for over a century. The company built a formidable reputation in its early years with notable machines like the Prince Henry, the 30/98 and the 1914 Grand Prix cars, and then moved into a more mainstream area of the market, remaining in the forefront of innovation during the 1930s. The post-1945 years saw the company as one of the foremost in Britain, catering for family needs with cars like the Velox, the Cresta, and the Victor, and then building the highly successful Viva range of smaller models. Closely aligned with its German cousin, Opel, Vauxhall relied increasingly on Opel's designs after the mid-1970s. Astra, Cavalier, Nova and Carlton were among the best-loved cars of their era, and no-one can forget the giant-killing 176mph Lotus Carlton. This illustrated introduction explores the history of Vauxhall cars from its beginning in 1903 to the city cars and SUVs that have led the Vauxhall product lines, as the company continues to excel in the twenty-first century.

The 21 censuses that have been conducted in Britain since 1801, have provided an invaluable insight into Britain's social, political and economic history over the past 200 years. From their original purpose to assess how many men were fit for military duty in the Napoleonic wars, to being a necessary tool for determining government policy, the 10-yearly census return is a fascinating snapshot of the state of the population on a particular moment in each decade. The growth of Britain's cities; the movement of population away from the countryside; the variety of people's occupations; their way of life; and what religious beliefs they hold are all contained within the census reports. With the imminent publication of the 1921 census results, this will prove a useful introduction, both for those interested in general trends in social history, and those researching family history.

A beautifully illustrated introduction to the seventeenth-to-nineteenth-century mania for all things Chinese, from blue-and-white china tea sets to entire suites of Chinese-inspired rooms, including parts of the sumptuous Brighton Pavilion.Chinoiserie is the taste for Chinese-inspired designs that were fashionable in Europe from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. British and other European designers adapted the visual culture of the Far East, reinterpreting what they perceived to be a mysterious, faraway place with little attempt at authenticity, creating a fantasy world of exotic birds, dragons, men in Chinese dress, and buildings with roofs with upturned eaves inspired by Chinese temples. Chinoiserie was produced in various forms -- in interior design (especially the fashionable ''Chinese rooms'' with their wallpaper and lacquered furniture), in tea sets when tea drinking was in vogue, and in the pagodas and pavilions of eighteenth-century gardens.Chinoiserie provides a beautifully illustrated introduction to this fascinating style of decorative art and explains how it evolved from direct contact between Western Europe and the Far East.

Using beautiful illustrations, this new book explores the life and work of Thomas Chippendale, the most famous furniture designer and manufacturer of the eighteenth century.For at least 150 years, Thomas Chippendale has been synonymous with beautifully made eighteenth-century furniture in a variety of styles ΓÇô Rococo, Chinese, Gothic, and Neoclassical. Born in Otley, Yorkshire, in 1718, Chippendale rose to fame because of his revolutionary design book, The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker''s Director, published in 1754. That same year he set up his famous workshops in St Martin''s Lane, creating some of the most magnificent furniture ever made in Britain. This beautifully illustrated history focuses on Britain''s most famous furniture maker and designer, including the worldwide phenomenon ''Chippendale style'' that became popular in Europe, North America, and Asia after his death in 1779. Today, his influence lives on with the ongoing production of ''Chippendale'' furniture, while the eighteenth-century originals are selling for millions at auction.

A beautifully illustrated guide to the world of Victorian stained glass and its manufacturers and designers.The glorious architecture of Victorian Britain gained much of its luster from the colorful stained glass which embellished the windows of cathedrals, churches and country houses. Inspired by the designs of medieval artisans, leading designers such as A.W.N. Pugin and William Morris used innovative techniques to produce colored and painted glass that complemented the architectural opulence of the Gothic Revival. These decorative artworks record contemporary beliefs and morals, indicative of the mind set of those who commissioned and executed them. Such was the impact of these new stained-glass patterns that companies mass produced cheaper imitations which were fitted in the doors and windows of offices, public buildings and thousands of middle-class terraced homes.This beautiful book introduces the reader to many wonderful examples of Victorian stained glass and where it can be found. It outlines the development of the craft, the leading designers and manufacturers, how the windows were made and the details which can help identify the date and style of a piece.

An essential introduction to the surprisingly long history of the electric car, from the early pioneers, through to the first commercially viable models such as Tesla.The electric car now stands center-stage in the motoring industry as we seek to reverse climate change by eradicating petrol and diesel cars. Yet, battery powered vehicles date back nearly 200 years and predate the development of the internal combustion engine by several decades. In the early Edwardian era electric cars were a strong contender to become the dominant form of transport, but their range and speed were limited and petrol-fueled cars rapidly eclipsed them. However, since the 1970s there has been an effort to revive the electric car market, and with the recent arrival of the Nissan Leaf and subsequent models in development, the electric car is at last set to take the lead.This beautifully illustrated introduction traces the history of the electric car from the early nineteenth century up to the burgeoning market of the early twenty-first century.

An introduction to the raucous yet educational 'gap year' tours of Europe taken by wealthy British aristocrats in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.For many young eighteenth-century aristocrats, the Grand Tour was an essential rite of passage. Spending many months travelling established routes through France and Italy, they would visit the great cultural sites of western Europe - from Paris, through to Venice, Florence and Rome - ostensibly absorbing art, architecture and culture. Yet all too often, it was a gateway to gambling and debauchery. In this beautifully illustrated guide, Mike Rendell shows how the tour reached its zenith, examining the young tourists' activities and how they acquired 'polish' and an appreciation for fashion, opera and classical antiquity. He also explores their passion for souvenirs and art collecting, and how these items made their way back to grand country houses, which were themselves often modelled to the rules of classical European architecture.

An illustrated introduction to how British industries, supported by thousands of newly recruited women, strove to meet the nation's wartime need for munitions, armour, shipping, uniforms and aircraft.During the Second World War (1939-45), Britain stretched every sinew of its industrial might to fend off a Nazi invasion. As the nation stood alone against Fortress Europe, it harnessed, coordinated and maximised its resources, firstly to defend itself and then to help liberate Axis-occupied countries. Wartime Industry uses informative text and beautiful illustrations to show how the men and women of Britain met this unprecedented demand for military and home-front materials. It explores the work of Lord Beaverbrook's highly organised Ministry of Aircraft Production; the 'Shadow Factories' that enabled manufacturers such as Vauxhall and Rootes to make tanks and aircraft; the Royal Ordnance Factories that produced firearms and explosives; the 'Bevin Boys' conscripted to work in the coal mines; the Women's Timber Corps; and war workers - who, together, helped the nation to make it.

Most people born before 1950 can remember visiting or working in shops that had cash carriers - cash balls that ran on wooden rails, wire systems where the carrier was catapulted along an overhead steel wire, or pneumatic tube systems where the carrier was whisked off to the cash office. This title reveals details about these devices.