{"title":"Brewin Books","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781858582566","title":"Beaten Paths are Safest","description":"Beaten Paths are Safest - was the motto of The Reconnaissance Regiment. This book tells the story of the 61st Recce Regiment whose own official history was never completed for the period 23rd Feb 1944 to 1st October 1944. Roy Howard who compiled the book served with the Regiment through the period in question which saw 61st Recce land on \"Gold Beach\" on D-Day followed by continuous active service up to and including the German Ardennes offensive when the 50th Northumbrian Division, of which the Regiment was a part, disbanded. Roy's book consists of personal memoirs of events together with a considerable amount of material from The Old Comrades Association newsletter. Sadly, the author died in 1996 but the book has been completed by his son Mark, as a tribute to his father and all the members of the 61st Reconnaissance Regiment.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308119929205,"sku":"9781858582566","price":12.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858582566_93ea8e03-ab18-41b3-822a-22ef67799cce.jpg?v=1786034448"},{"product_id":"9781858584935","title":"The Friendly Invasion of Leominster","description":"\"The Friendly Invasion of Leominster\" relates the activities of a number of American units based in Leominster during World War II. During its history the Herefordshire market town had been no stranger to invasions from across the Welsh border, but in 1943 it was to encounter an incursion of another type. The invasion of U.S. soldiers was a friendly one, although not all of Leominster's residents recognised it as such at the time. On the outskirts of Leominster, Barons Cross became home to the doctors and nurses of the 76th and 135th U.S. Army General Hospitals and patients from the hostilities on the Continent. In the build up to D. Day, American units occupied camps in the grounds of Berrington Hall and in the town. Some of these units, such as the 5th Ranger Battalion and the 90th Infantry Division were to play a major part in the D. Day landings. Others, such as the 7th Armored Division and the 736th Field Artillery Battalion landed after D. Day and took part in the liberation of France. This book describes each unit's time in Leominster, using eyewitness accounts and photographs, and then follows the unit across the English Channel and through Europe.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308120125813,"sku":"9781858584935","price":12.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858584935_89512a04-c7bd-4802-ac14-56b56012d0b9.jpg?v=1786029095"},{"product_id":"9781858582429","title":"Beneath the Bull Ring","description":"There have been many books about Birmingham's history but this one is different. It is based on the archaeological evidence from the first major excavations to be carried out in Birmingham city centre. The book is written in a lively, accessible style and contains over 100 illustrations, most in colour. It provides new evidence of Birmingham's origins and its growth as a market town and industrial centre in the medieval period. The book also offers a new perspective on the transformation of Birmingham into 'the first manufacturing town in the world' in the 18th and 19th centuries. A large part of the book is devoted to the excavation of St. Martin's Churchyard, which uncovered 857 burials - in simple graves and elaborate tombs - of the people who made the Industrial Revolution. The burials are explored in fascinating detail, together with analysis of the health of the population based on scientific study of the skeletons. New research reveals intimate details of the lives of the men and women of the town of a thousand trades. If you are interested in the history of Birmingham, this book is essential reading.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308120191349,"sku":"9781858582429","price":14.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858582429_aca37052-1e67-4932-aef3-b823b04f0876.jpg?v=1786029085"},{"product_id":"9781858585659","title":"U.S. Army Hospital Center 804","description":"U.S. Army Hospital Center 804' tells the story of five U.S. Army hospitals located on the Shropshire\/Flintshire border during World War II: Llanerch Panna, Penley, Iscoyd Park, Oteley Deer Park and Halston Hall. They were built by British contractors during 1942-44 and used by American hospital units until the end of the war in Europe. When the American units left the area some of the hospital sites were used by displaced Poles. For a few months at the end of 1944\/beginning of 1945 the hospital at Iscoyd Park treated German Prisoners of War. The headquarters of the 5 hospitals - Hospital Center 804 was first located in Gwemheylod (Flintshire) and later moved to Whitchurch (Shropshire). U.S. ARMY HOSPITAL CENTER 804 An AawMolltis U\u0026amp; Military Hospitals in lb. This book looks at the day to day activities at the hospitals using archive material and accounts and previously unpublished photos from those who were there at the time and their relatives. It also looks in depth at the stories of some of the patient-soldiers who passed through the hospitals. It touches on the impact the occupants of the camps and other U.S. camps in the area, had on the surrounding towns, with particular regard to Wrexham in Flintshire.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308122321269,"sku":"9781858585659","price":13.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585659_42feed04-40ba-414d-b892-5db7c65d6e6f.jpg?v=1786029109"},{"product_id":"9781858585987","title":"The Last Lap!","description":"At the end of the 2016 Speedway season, the Coventry Bees Speedway team ceased racing due to their stadium at Brandon being purchased for housing development. Although it sent shockwaves through the Speedway world it didn't come as a complete surprise, as rumours about its future had been circulating for two years or so. Tony Watson is a keen supporter of Speedway Racing and the Bees in particular. In this book he sets out all of the final season's racing results, its team members, the guest riders used and the scoring statistics of the riders. He also touches on the attempts to keep the team's name alive by 'track sharing' at nearby Leicester, a venture which did not succeed. A must read for any Speedway follower","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308122550645,"sku":"9781858585987","price":9.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585987_dc3f9a29-4986-4cc8-8cc5-a81c3d65e96b.jpg?v=1786029117"},{"product_id":"9781858585086","title":"Fred Karno","description":"If in doubt fall on your arse. That was the mantra of Fred Karno: acrobat, comedian, writer, music hall impresario, film producer and the undisputed king of slapstick. From his famous nursery of nonsense, the 'Fun Factory', the Guv'nor conquered the world, built an empire, made millions and lost the lot. In the process he discovered and trained the early twentieth century's greatest comedians: Will Hay, Robb Wilton, Sandy Powell, Syd Walker, Frank Randle, Max Miller, Billy Bennett, the Crazy Gang, and most significantly of all Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin. He pioneer physical sketch comedy and developed the raw material that Hollywood later fashioned into the finest comics of silent film. The phrase 'It's like Fred Karno's Army' entered the lexicon to describe any chaotic situation, but his extraordinary legacy is largely forgotten, lost in the mists of time and sullied by a tarnished personal reputation. This book tells the remarkable story of the man behind the myth and reveals Karno's huge contribution to comedy and popular culture - an impact which still resonates today.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308122648949,"sku":"9781858585086","price":24.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585086_45b1067f-c3a3-4860-bbb9-bece74a355c1.jpg?v=1786029096"},{"product_id":"9781858585994","title":"Haunted!","description":"A mischievous ghost lurks in the Palace Theatre, Redditch; the Technical Manager has seen it three times. The Bull's Head at Inkberrow is haunted by a young seamstress. A female spirit has been seen four times in room 307 at the Falcon Hotel, Stratford. A courting couple went to Henley for the day and were advised by the ghost of an elderly lady to finish their relationship. These and over a hundred ghost stories, both ancient and modern, are packed into this book including many eye-witness accounts and spinechilling anecdotes.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308123107701,"sku":"9781858585994","price":10.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585994_02a133f3-5c22-4c4f-a73d-065bfd710e26.jpg?v=1786029117"},{"product_id":"9781858587585","title":"Brickmaking and Brick Building in The Midlands (1437-1780)","description":"Brick building came to the Midlands in the 15th century when its adoption reflected its prestige amongst the aristocracy and episcopacy. This study explores its wider acceptance and diffusion and describes the pattern and volume of a locally distinctive material. By 1780 its practical advantages saw its use in churches, chapels, gardens, estate buildings and early industrial factories. As 'hard' brick it was a significant factor in the development of industrial kilns. Based on documentary sources the text examines such factors as the technology of brickmaking, the price of bricks, building costs, the availability of other materials, the impact of fire and the social value attached to brick. It particularly emphasises the visual impact of brick on the landscape, for example in 1789 Lord Torrington recorded that 'At Grantham they leave of the stone and build with flaming red brick of which Newark is built and looks like a new town.'","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308124090741,"sku":"9781858587585","price":14.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587585_3689c7ff-a11d-4bbc-93d2-d863ae7078c5.jpg?v=1786029145"},{"product_id":"9781858587783","title":"Benjamin Britten - A life of Music","description":"The author, of Black Country parentage, discovered the music of Benjamin Britten in his early years. In this study he presents an account of the composer's life, and seeks to reveal something of the nature of the man, his circle of friends and associates, and the source of his continuing fascination both as composer and performer. Mr Gilbert is a devotee of the annual Presteigne Music Festival and the landscape of the Welsh Marches. All royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to the Presteigne Festival of Music and the Arts. About The Author The author lives in an undistinguished Black Country town, noted for its dour conservatism. As a necessary antidote, he finds pleasure in classical music, Anglican worship, conversation with friends, and a very modest walled garden.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308124156277,"sku":"9781858587783","price":6.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"9781858587769","title":"Funny Brummie Pictures 2","description":"Here is Volume 2 of Funny Brummie Pictures by RobertGeoghegan about his home city of Birmingham where he haslived all his life. His paintings, often captioned, are full of thedetail and colour of modern urban life with a comic twist.   There’s something here for everyone – from punks on a nightservice bus to squirrels taking part in ‘Parkrun’. There are footballpictures about Blues, Villa and West Brom and, of course, moreBirmingham bus pictures with zoo animals, the Beach Boys, dogs,bears, Jim Morrison and Hattie Jacques all aboard. The Peaky Blindersare included again, this time on a ‘Team Building Day Out atBirmingham Sea Life Centre’ and Tommy and Arthur riding e-scooters.   Landmark buildings are here – Highbury Hall with a Rebecca twist,Cadbury’s factory where they’re making dark chocolate on thenightshift, Sarehole Mill where a school party are causing ‘Trouble atMill’, to name but a few. Pubs and chippies also feature, with acustomer complaining of soggy chips outside Kings Heath’s Hi Tide.   The Loch Ness monster, Gandalf, the Owl and the Clocktower and theBrothers Grimm all make an appearance. Munch’s The Scream appearson ‘The Ramp’ and Van Gogh paints Starry Night over Birmingham’scity centre skyline. There are alsopictures of the ‘Mechanical Bull’ inCentenary Square during BirminghamCommonwealth Games.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308124221813,"sku":"9781858587769","price":10.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"9781858587561","title":"Faire and Goodly Built","description":"Faire and Goodly Built is the fascinating and thoughtprovoking story of the collegiate church of St. Mary, Warwick, until its rebuilding after the Great Fire of 1694. Author Tim Clark discusses the many influences on how the church looks today and what makes St. Mary's unique. He also considers the church's relationship with the earldom of Warwick, the town, and the townspeople, and in doing so introduces us to some memorable characters. The thoroughly researched text is enhanced by 77 illlustrations, most in colour.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":57685965603189,"sku":"9781858587554","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":56308124615029,"sku":"9781858587561","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587554.jpg?v=1792599229"},{"product_id":"9781858587592","title":"Saving a Bit of Old Wood","description":"Many towns and cities expanded and went through continuous redevelopment during the 19th and 20th centuries, and Wolverhampton was one of these, losing a lot of historic buildings. Fortunately, at the end of the 1970s, Wolverhampton Council stepped in to rescue and restore two town centre timber-framed buildings, bringing them back into use, to remind people of what was commonplace in earlier times. The stories of these two buildings are told in this book, along with the background story of the writer who, as a Council surveyor, was happy to play his part in the rescue, and who is pleased to see them both continuing to play their important part in the life of Wolverhampton.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308124647797,"sku":"9781858587592","price":7.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587592_fa536320-b081-45c1-9f30-164a38e91e3f.jpg?v=1786029146"},{"product_id":"9781858585246","title":"Birmingham Blitz","description":"During the Second World War Birmingham suffered 365 air raid alerts and 77 actual air raids. These raids took place between the 8th August 1940 and the 23rd April 1943. There were over 9,000 casualties of whom 2,241 were killed. This book contains the first hand accounts of some of those who survived. The Memorial shown on the front cover \"The Tree of Life\" by Lorenzo Quinn is dedicated to the memory of all victims of the Blitz on Birmingham. The memorial was donated to the City of Birmingham by the Halcyon Gallery on behalf of its founders Racna and Lionel Green, in association with Birmingham City Council and Birmingham Air Raids Remembrance Association.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308215316853,"sku":"9781858585246","price":13.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585246_6d757eaa-86f3-471e-a0cc-07bcac230eee.jpg?v=1786029099"},{"product_id":"9781858585307","title":"The Real Peaky Blinders","description":"Stylish and dark, the BBC series the 'Peaky Blinders' is set in the backstreets of Birmingham after the First World War and tells of the rise to power of Thomas Shelby and his criminal gang. Yet the real stories behind these fictional characters are just as dramatic, bloody and compelling as the TV series. Thomas Shelby's arch enemy Billy Kimber was in real life a Brummie from Summer Lane. He was a feared fighter with an astute mind and magnetic personality which earned him the leadership of the Birmingham Gang that dominated the highly profitable protection rackets of the racecourses of England. The members of this gang had once been 'sloggers' or 'peaky blinders' and their rise to supremacy was attributable to their viciousness and to Kimber's shrewd alliances with other gangs. But they soon incurred the envy of the Sabini Gang of London who fought violently to oust Kimber and his men and take over their rackets. The Birmingham Gang battled back fiercely in the infamous and blood-stained racecourse wars of the 1920s. This Birmingham Gang led by Billy Kimber were the Real Peaky Blinders and this is their story.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308216660341,"sku":"9781858585307","price":12.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585307_df6bfb17-f4a7-4d71-85c6-0b24aa5b2ece.jpg?v=1786029102"},{"product_id":"9781858585260","title":"Birmingham: The Fifties Revisited","description":"The fifties was the decade that saw Birmingham getting back to its feet, shaking off the dust and demolition of the war years and slowly getting on with the business of \"Life as normal\". For that reason we've deliberately weighted the book in favour of the later years in order to show a brighter city. Digging deep, we've discovered quite a few rare items and, bearing in mind your comments, once again included dozens and dozens of those much-loved street scenes. Lots of firms jostle for position with their advertisements and we do hope that many of our 300+ images ring bells with you. It seems a miracle to me that so much photographic evidence of Birmingham's past still remains!","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308216758645,"sku":"9781858585260","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585260_53de54a3-cff4-4c42-9cf8-69d69d3f21a6.jpg?v=1786029100"},{"product_id":"9781858587424","title":"The Rhythm of My Life","description":"In his memoirs lifelong drummer Mike Rubery entertains us with tales of his early upbringing in Canwell, Sutton Coldfield through his National Service years, including atomic bomb testing on Christmas Island, and on to his hectic life on the professional showbiz scene from the 1960s onward. His life story is told in his own original way interspersed with jokes, anecdotes and more celebrity stories than you can shake a drumstick at - from saving Billy Fury from jumping out of a window to appearing in Crossroads and being Larry Grayson's fall guy. Mike even offers advice on how to survive on board a cruise ship while playing drums in a force 10 gale!","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308217119093,"sku":"9781858587424","price":11.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587424_c120d6f0-9eea-4b5b-b3a1-82923dae44cf.jpg?v=1786029130"},{"product_id":"9781858587431","title":"65 Brunswick Road","description":"When Tommy Shelby, Steve Knight's principal character in The Peaky Blinders, first rode onto our television screen, viewers were presented with a battle-scarred, but still relatively young veteran, from the Great War. Meanwhile, in the neighbouring, real-life streets of Balsall Heath and Sparkhill, the Wareing family of eight children (and a musicallygifted mother, Lilian) struggled to cope with their invalid father's return to 65 Brunswick Road, fresh from the hell-hole of Gallipoli. Harry Senior, the author's grandfather, having contracted meningitis, returned home as a self centred, ruthless stranger. With a Good Old Days MC introduction, by Comedian, Entertainer and Papal Knight, Don Maclean, it features 12 of the author's newly composed songs. A Power Point display runs throughout, linked by five Edward Elgar compositions - the composer and Shirley's maternal Great Grandfather, Eustace Baylis, having been schoolboy friends. Introductory pages are followed by the main script, interspersed with song scores. All scenes are slide-illustrated, to correspond with the Power Point Disc (included). Music for the show's five 'a cappella' songs is in the Appendices. Add a diverse range of characters, plus shades of Oliver Twist, and we have an exciting new musical - just ripe for performance!","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308217217397,"sku":"9781858587431","price":14.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587431_fcdd2b48-2a0e-42e8-8c53-18bd1e8f1ce9.jpg?v=1786029131"},{"product_id":"9781858587578","title":"Deep Seas and Tall Ships","description":"The author's story begins in 1946. He recalls a UK canalside cottage and an early family crisis. He moves rapidly onwards to his sporting school years and forward to his active service at sea from age 16. His narrative includes accounts of early worldwide voyages as a Cadet Officer in the British Merchant Navy. Here is an 'all oceans' story. The author credits his own survival to 'the Grace of God and the kindness of strangers'. His account also refers in verse to the inspiring endurance of an albatross, first observed as a 17-year-old officer in training during a 1963 wild-ocean voyage to South Africa. 'Deep Seas and Tall Ships': A title inspired by the author's first 14-month deep ocean voyages and his long service in UK Tall Ships. Sea service was to mould six decades of the author's active life. He made regular voyages in Atlantic hurricanes and ice. His mid-life BA degree was supported financially by regular employment on worldwide subsea cable projects. The author splices in his salt-stained verse, employing his award-winning poetic style. He includes his recent war poem recalling the daylight bombing of RFA ships during the 1982 Falklands war entitled: 'Sir Galahad - a Lament'. His 25-year span of service in UK Tall Ships ended in 2015.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308217282933,"sku":"9781858587578","price":12.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587578_907f60bd-334d-4c97-9fde-81367823e32c.jpg?v=1786029145"},{"product_id":"9781858585819","title":"Top Secret Worcestershire","description":"Deep in the beautiful Worcestershire countryside lie a number of secret places that played a special part in protecting a generation from the onslaught of a world war. Travellers passing through leafy Worcestershire lanes may catch a glimpse of a structure that seems out of place against the backdrop of fields and hills - the dish of a gigantic radio telescope. How did such an incongruous structure arrive in the middle of nowhere, and what does it do? This book answers the question, and recounts the dramatic history of two 'Top Secret' wartime airfields, and how their activities were inextricably linked to the 'boffins' of the Malvern Telecommunications Research Establishment. It tells the story of brilliant inventions, wartime courage and sacrifice, tragic air crashes, and ordinary and extraordinary people, pushing themselves and their machines to the limit and beyond. Crafted using personal recollections - the book reveals the truly extraordinary wartime commitment and camaraderie that fuelled extraordinary endeavour and achievement.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308217315701,"sku":"9781858585819","price":14.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585819_5afe4c48-bc1b-4a1b-92e4-9f473f6e4f3c.jpg?v=1786029114"},{"product_id":"9781858587141","title":"Sheila","description":"In 1951 a two year old infant Sheila Jones was diagnosed at Birmingham Children's Hospital (BCH) with a rare condition Phenylketonuria (PKU). There was no treatment but, not accepting this, her distraught mother Mary persevered until she found help from three pioneering doctors at BCH: Dr Horst Bickel, Dr John Gerrard and Dr Evelyn Hickmans. In the hospital laboratory they worked tirelessly to prepare a special formula and Sheila was the first person in the world to receive dietary treatment for PKU. Until now, little has been known about the life of Sheila, and her family in Birmingham, and the hardships and sacrifices they endured. It is a remarkable story of a brave little girl, her brothers, and her courageous and tenacious mother. Sheila's contribution is immense; it led to the introduction of newborn screening and worldwide treatment for PKU. It is a great sadness that Sheila herself was unable to benefit long term but her legacy is a triumph for all those with PKU. This is Sheila's story until her death in Birmingham in 1999 and will be important to people with PKU, their families, health professionals and readers interested in the history of medicine.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308217414005,"sku":"9781858587141","price":14.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587141_56fc443e-da38-4bee-93fb-435f0789417b.jpg?v=1786034450"},{"product_id":"9781858587608","title":"Spider","description":"\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308217643381,"sku":"9781858587608","price":9.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587608_3b9cc137-7a42-447c-a5e4-fecf128b38c6.jpg?v=1786029147"},{"product_id":"9781858587721","title":"The Evolutionists","description":"Were we all created? Or did we evolve? If so, from what and how? The author does not pretend to know the answers, but instead has trawled over several centuries and some very prominent names. Amongst these of course is Charles Darwin, always associated with his book On the Origin of Species. His grandfather, Erasmus, was of the opinion that we all originated from snails! Lamarck has been ridiculed for his belief that an example of a different pathway to evolution was by lifetime experience, which would be transmitted to future generations. This was evidenced by the long neck of the giraffe assumedly having arisen as a consequence of reaching up high for the choicest tree leaves. But the nuts and bolts of the question came under closer scrutiny with the discovery by an Austrian monk, Gregor Mendel, of genes and their role in the inheritance of characteristics in peas. Subsequently the discovery of DNA illuminated the fascinating path whereby species might evolve as a consequence of trackable changes in DNA. Much of the foregoing is straightforward for the lay reader, but it is admitted that some parts delve deeper, and assume more knowledge of biology. However, at the end, the author comes clean and admits that there is much that we don t know, but slowly the curtain of knowledge is being opened and some startling facts have and will continue to emerge","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308217676149,"sku":"9781858587721","price":24.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"9781858587004","title":"Don't Worry 'Bout The Bear","description":"Jim Simpson of Big Bear Records has been involved in the music business for nearly 60 years, as musician, bandleader, promoter, record producer, festival director, manager, journalist and photographer. In his candid, constantly surprising, frequently amusing and occasionally shocking account you will encounter the joys and difficulties of managing Black Sabbath or of running a jazz festival in sun-kissed, crime-ridden Marbella. At home in Birmingham meet some of the characters who have enlivened 35 years of the Jazz Festival and read Jim's take on the scandals that closed the city’s premier jazz club. Revisit the exciting Brum Beat scene, take to the road with some 40 of the best (in some cases, most eccentric) American bluesmen of the 1970s, encounter the Blues Brothers Band in surprising places and enjoy Jim's tributes to some of the great names in British jazz, such as Humphrey Lyttelton and Kenny Baker, with whom he worked closely.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308218167669,"sku":"9781858587004","price":17.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587004_60878267-3d3e-4e73-824a-fa3b03f69eb3.jpg?v=1786029118"},{"product_id":"9781858587776","title":"Studley Scrapbook","description":"Following on from Studley Through Time, Studley Scrapbook is another fascinating, pictorial review of village life in Studley, Warwickshire. Incorporating a wide variety of sources and material, the contents covers over 150 years of history. Many of the village's bygone buildings and businesses are documented, together with nostalgic street scenes and memorable events. The regeneration of both Studley Castle and Needle Industries' sprawling Central Works site is also charted. Jam-packed with over 270 images, in both colour and black \u0026amp; white, witness how the village has evolved into the thriving community we see today.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308220428661,"sku":"9781858587776","price":13.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"9781858583532","title":"Life in Brampton with Lizzie the Witch","description":"Lizzie Baty, the Brampton Witch (1729-1817), lived close to the village of Brampton in Cumbria and was said to be a 'canny auld body'. A wise woman, she achieved great notoriety in her day. Numerous tales and anecdotes have been handed down over the years relating to Lizzie's 'second-sight', witchcraft and the strange powers that she appeared to possess. They tell of spells, curses and prophecies with Lizzie turning into a hare, her knack of finding lost objects, forecasting marriages as well as strange happenings at her funeral. This book serves to collect together these varying accounts and attempts to establish which are fact and which might be fiction. Whatever conclusion the reader may reach, the Brampton Witch stories, whether real or imagined, are part of Brampton's heritage and deserve to be preserved.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308558561653,"sku":"9781858583532","price":8.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858583532_7e7fec1b-f268-472a-96f9-3ad7a31cd151.jpg?v=1786029090"},{"product_id":"9781858582665","title":"Black Country Memories","description":"It is a thrill to have written a local history book in conjunction with the Express and Star. The paper is not only the biggest-selling evening newspaper in the country outside London, but also it is marked out by its commitment to its region and the people of that region. There can be few papers that are as local as the Express and Star and that commitment to localness affects positively every aspect of its reporting and coverage. The Black Country is fortunate to have a paper so dedicated to the well being of Black Country folk. I thank the editor of the Express and Star, Adrian Faber, and its management for giving me the opportunity to write so extensively about the Black Country.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308558594421,"sku":"9781858582665","price":13.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858582665_5281a22b-1e48-46d1-a568-4768588caf3c.jpg?v=1786029087"},{"product_id":"9781858584065","title":"King of Clubs","description":"Birmingham would definitely not be the place that it is today, without Eddie Fewtrell. Born one of ten children in the 1930s, in the backstreets of Aston, much of Eddie's childhood was spent keeping house and caring for his younger brothers. An alcoholic father and an invalid mother prevented him from attending school and leading a normal life - a scenario a million light years away from the vast nightclub empire that he was destined to build. By the 1970s he had become the most powerful man in Birmingham's Clubland. With the support of his large family, in particular his seven brothers, he went on to achieve even greater success.Eddie's first club, the Bermuda Club, was in Navigation Street, Eddie moved to pastures new, in the form of the Cedar Club, on Constitution Hill. Over the next few years Eddie opened Rebecca's, Abigail's, Boogie's nightclub, Boogie's Brasserie, Edward's No.7, Edward's No.8, the Paramount pub and Goldwyn's. Barbarella's became the top showcase for many up and coming UK pop groups. In 1989, he sold his clubs to Ansells but he returned three years later to open a new wave of clubs.   Professional success came at a high price; Eddie reveals how his millionaire lifestyle and the pursuit of wealth led to tragic consequences.Other contributors include Laurie Hornsby, Kenny Lynch, Patti Bell, Tony Christie, Raymond Froggatt and H. Cain, Mike Alexander, BBC WM presenter Phil Upton, pop legends Bev Bevan, Steve Gibbons and Chuck Botfield. Comedians Don Maclean, Dave Ismay and Eddie's good friend Bernard Manning, interviewed shortly before his tragic death.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308558627189,"sku":"9781858584065","price":16.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858584065_e9156571-800e-4ef4-b799-546bef319ad6.jpg?v=1786029091"},{"product_id":"9781858585567","title":"The Worcester and Birmingham Canal","description":"The Worcester and Birmingham Canal, some thirty miles long, was created from 1791, when it was authorised by Act of Parliament, to 1815 when it was completed 24 years later. Although intended as a broad canal for barges and having five broad tunnels, it was eventually completed with narrow locks due to financial difficulties. From Gas Street Basin at the Birmingham end it passes through the suburbs of Edgbaston, Selly Oak and Kings Norton, then through the long West Hill Tunnel and via Hopwood and Alvechurch through countryside to Tardebigge, all this section being on the Birmingham Level. Then it descends in stages via fifty-six narrow locks and two barge locks to the River Severn at Diglis via Stoke Prior, Hanbury Wharf, Dunhampstead, Oddingley, Tibberton, Blackpole and the eastern suburbs of Worcester City. The earlier chapters of this book trace in detail the successive stages reached in making the canal and the reservoirs needed to safeguard the water supplies of millowners, the financial and other problems faced, and the saga of the Tardebigge Boat Lifi.   Later chapters cover the history of the canal following its completion, its use for both commercial and pleasure purposes, its administration and management, its upkeep and maintenance, its involvement with railways, and the various industries and amenities which were established beside it, Three of the final chapters feature past and present places and items of interest located along the canal from Birmingham to Worcester. Of special interest throughout is the impact the canal had upon the lives of countless people, those involved in its construction, those who lived and worked on the boats, those who were employed by the Canal Company as engineers, lock-keepers and maintenance men, people who worked in canalside factories, shops, public house, boatyards, and on wharves, and those concerned for the welfare of canal boat families and their animals.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308558659957,"sku":"9781858585567","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585567_e4b2aefe-ecde-4298-9ff5-2fad100c3e53.jpg?v=1786029106"},{"product_id":"9781858585604","title":"Class 10's Chance to Shine","description":"Alex loves cricket! When Chance to Shine coaches come into school, Alex hopes his friends will discover a love of cricket too. Things don't work out quite how Alex had planned; but with the help of his teacher, Alex is determined not to give up.\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308558725493,"sku":"9781858585604","price":4.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585604_b7b62739-33a7-4599-940b-c06a3140d875.jpg?v=1786029108"},{"product_id":"9781858581057","title":"The Cadbury Story","description":"With full access to the Bournville archives, Dr. Chinn has traced the history of this distinguished family and its long established business.\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308558791029,"sku":"9781858581057","price":9.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858581057_66c2aacf-36d8-4ee5-9183-19110b5fd309.jpg?v=1786029083"},{"product_id":"9781858587356","title":"The Little Book of Slang, Sayings, Jargon \u0026 Humour","description":"The definition of slang according to the Oxford Dictionary is'a type of language consisting of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal are more common in speech than in writing and are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people'. Thus, the choice of a phrase, or the use of 'jargon', a saying, or abbreviation, can accurately reflect our links to a specific place, employment or situations that impact upon us in our everyday lives. In the UK alone it is estimated that there are at least fifty-six regional interpretations of how we use English to convey our feelings and to communicate with one another. This little book contains some 2,000 such phrases, sayings and abbreviations drawn together, in the main,from the experiences of one family. It manifestly displays what a diverse world we now live in as families transcend different cultures and countries. It is not an academic study, rather it is designed to promote memories, to enable reflection on previous life experiences and, above all else, to simply have some fun whilst reading it. Preserving our past whilst understanding the present helps us to create history for the future as new generations go on to create their own versions of 'slang' applicable to that period. 'Ta-Ra-A-Bit'.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308559806837,"sku":"9781858587356","price":7.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587356_b7fcb332-d950-4f80-a568-a9ef30c584ff.jpg?v=1786029127"},{"product_id":"9781858587080","title":"Haunted Pubs \u0026 Hotels in and Around Worcestershire","description":"Over ninety public houses and hotels are featured in this book. There is a brief overview of each one, giving type of inn and the fare on offer. Every inn has a story to tell. Some were patronised by royalty, others were smugglers dens or the local 'pick-up joint'! Some were caught up in the civil wars of the 1600s, others were a venue for an illicit romance. A few have even been involved in a murder. Above all, in every one of these hostelries, at one time or another, a ghost has made its presence felt.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308559872373,"sku":"9781858587080","price":10.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587080_4923c260-f521-4947-9d2b-77ae720af72a.jpg?v=1786029119"},{"product_id":"9781858587202","title":"Parmo to the Rescue","description":"George and Leila find life very different when Middlesbrough goes into Covid-19 lockdown. They miss their friends, football training, and going to watch Boro. They even miss going to school! Then Mrs Jenkins falls ill and her naughty sausage dog Parmo comes to stay with the children, keeping everyone on their toes. Parmo discovers a mysterious tennis ball and George is determined to find some answers. Will Parmo turn out to be the unlikely hero in the neighbourhood?","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308559905141,"sku":"9781858587202","price":4.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587202_2b755a92-3d60-445d-bc3b-b9205d73ea51.jpg?v=1786029123"},{"product_id":"9781858587097","title":"Tales of Guildford Street","description":"This first novel by Emilia Williams is a sweeping family saga of life in the working class community of the Birmingham back to backs. Set between the 1920s and the 1960s, the story of the Holtes and Hatfields of Aston and Lozells, and their friends and neighbours, is seen through the eyes of Ada, the family matriarch, Lily, her fiery shop steward daughter, and Grace and Susannah, her granddaughters. The narrative encompasses the social life, politics and fashions of the 1960s and also the winds of change that are coming - as the characters prepare to leave the back to backs, which are to be demolished, as is the entire area - houses, pubs, shops, schools, cinemas and markets - as the 1970s are about to begin. Everyone is looking forward to a brighter future, but with some regrets for leaving the old world behind and the breaking up of a tightly knit working class community.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308559970677,"sku":"9781858587097","price":9.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587097_20c414ee-a04f-4138-90ad-3503fe182c1b.jpg?v=1786029121"},{"product_id":"9781858587257","title":"Proud to Serve","description":"Proud to Serve chronicles the journey of one police officer between 1999 and 2004 as he worked with key community influencers and colleagues to tackle the challenges of policing diverse communities. Whether working to recruit more black and minority ethnic staff into the West Midlands Police, engaging with counterparts in India and the UK to tackle 'Forced Marriages' or simply making communities safer in Cyprus this illustrated book straddles continents as that journey unfolds. It contains recollections including from Paul Lewin, founding chair of the West Midlands Black Police Association who said of his work, 'Our legacy has been about learning from the past, living in the present in order to build and improve for the future. I am proud that we did our best. Ultimately, this will be for others to judge'. Michael Layton concludes, 'From Willenhall in the Black Country to Delhi and the Punjab, and finally Cyprus - was the journey worth it - of course it was!'","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308560101749,"sku":"9781858587257","price":14.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587257_f2e1e109-6df7-41a0-9a09-fad68a2863e4.jpg?v=1786029126"},{"product_id":"9781858585796","title":"The Girl from Guildford Street","description":"The Girl from Guildford Street describes a working class childhood, growing up in Lozells, Birmingham, 1957-1968. The author and her sister and cousins were the last generation to grow up in the back to backs: Birmingham council houses, two up, one down; no bathroom, inside toilet, central heating or hot running water; centred around a back yard with outside toilets, sheds and a brew'us or wash house. The author looks at family life in the back to backs, and how whole families lived on one street. The author's parents both worked in local factories at a time when manufacturing was booming in Birmingham. This is not a misery memoir - it is the story of a happy childhood in one of Birmingham's poorest areas. It also looks at the Sixties - the fashions, the politics, the music, the hairstyles, the World Cup - as a golden age.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308560232821,"sku":"9781858585796","price":12.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585796_89f0c463-75cf-45e7-b2bd-c7b0197f6c61.jpg?v=1786029113"},{"product_id":"9781858587851","title":"Dreams of Hope \u0026 Joy","description":"A collection of poems celebrating nature, inspired by the wonderful Worcestershire countryside, written by Philip O'Leary.\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308560396661,"sku":"9781858587851","price":4.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"9781858587547","title":"A Grammar School Girl","description":"A Grammar School Girl is the sequel to Grace Caroline Holte's The Girl from Guildford Street, which depicted an idyllic Sixties childhood in the working class Back to Backs of Aston and Lozells, at a time of radical political change when Birmingham was considered the Workshop of the World. The Seventies were a gloomier affair as much of the old city disappeared. Strikes, change and conflict were rife. The Birmingham Bombings marked the darkest day in the city's history. Yet there were happy times. In 1968, the author moved to the Newtown Estate, experiencing teenage trials and tribulations along with the delights of youth clubs and coffee bars. An education at King Edward's Grammar School for Girls, Handsworth, enabled her to attend University, a first for the family. Birmingham survived the troubled decade of the Seventies and emerged with her indomitable spirit intact. This is the story of one family during that era. It is Birmingham's story. It may also be your story.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308560429429,"sku":"9781858587547","price":12.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587547_9376d777-89ec-4e37-886e-57e47ff315cc.jpg?v=1786029142"},{"product_id":"9781858587820","title":"Robert Bakewell","description":"This book marks the birth 300 years ago on 23rd May 1725 of Robert Bakewell, the agricultural innovator, famous for rearing Longhorn Cattle, New Leicester Sheep and improving working horses. Probably the most famous son of Loughborough, he initiated the Dishley Society, named after Dishley Grange, where he farmed, to control the hiring out of the best rams that he and his friends had raised. The book Robert Bakewell and the Longhorn Breed of Cattle was published in 1995, and the New Dishley Society was established around that time, to coincide with the 250th anniversary of his death. The New Dishley Society has, since then, been researching Bakewell's legacy and promoting his name, and this book presents the results of their activities. The new material provides an extensive genealogy, covering his breeding methods and innovative farming practices, whilst he worked against the prejudices of his largely backward-looking farming neighbours. It explains the survival of his breeding business during his bankruptcy through support from his family, like-minded agricultural innovators and friends and his Unitarian network. The book describes his extensive export activities and his correspondence with George Washington, who sought his advice on improving his farming estate at Mount Vernon. Robert Bakewell's story is set within the social and economic framework of the times, fully referenced, the text aims to provide a detailed explanation of his importance and legacy.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308560462197,"sku":"9781858587820","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"9781858587622","title":"The \"Acci\"","description":"Birmingham Accident Hospital, fondly known as The Acci, was established to manage the victims of the Birmingham Blitz, enemy action overseas and those injured in the Midland's factories. This book tells the story of its role during the War and how, in the years that followed, it became world-renowned for excellence in the management of the victims of trauma. Staff at The Acci played a major role in almost every clinical advance from the introduction of antibiotics to the establishment of trauma critical care. Although the hospital closed in 1993, relocated first to Selly Oak Hospital and then to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, its staff went on to play a key role in the management of the victims of trauma during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, once again at the cutting edge of clinical practice. The legacy and the legend of the Birmingham Accident Hospital live on.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":56308560593269,"sku":"9781858587622","price":14.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":57697048068469,"sku":"9781858587639","price":19.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587622.jpg?v=1793083584"},{"product_id":"9781858587684","title":"Ann Greening: Mother of Edward Elgar","description":"At the height of his fame as a composer, Edward Elgar publicly admitted that his success was owing to the influence of his mother. Copiously illustrated, this is the story of thatinspirational mother, Ann Greening, who gave her son love, security and understanding – the best possible start in life. Despite her poor background and basic education, her interests were wide- ranging – the natural world, literature and chivalry – and she had a strong religious faith and sense of fun. She epitomised the Victorians' enthusiasm for self-improvement, and, in spite of not being musical, she played a crucial role in nurturing her son's genius. Her confidence and enthusiasm for learning enabled Elgar to turn what otherwise might have been seen as a distinct disadvantage in the lack of high-level music education to the creation of his own very individual style.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308560757109,"sku":"9781858587684","price":14.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"9781858585413","title":"The Story of Rotton Park","description":"This book relates the history of Rotton Park Lodge and the surrounding area of Birmingham. Margery Elliott provides a detailed account of the Lodge and gardens and its environs including the former farm, Edgbaston Reservoir and Perrott's Folly. She includes biographies of people associated with the Lodge and their families, several played a significant role in Birmingham's history. The author's grandfather, James Richard Turner, was a builder and prominent City Councillor who lived in the Lodge from 1903 to 1933. Her father, Edwin Elliott, was founder and managing director of E. Elliott Ltd, manufacturers of injection-moulded plastic goods. The book incorporates numerous photographs and reproductions of old maps and documents. It offers a fascinating insight into the social history of Britain's second city.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308604141941,"sku":"9781858585413","price":12.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585413_820ed11e-07f9-46bd-a528-8743e6fb9399.jpg?v=1786029103"},{"product_id":"9781858587417","title":"My Lozells Family","description":"Gill Mansell (nee Hewitt) was born in 1949 and brought up in the Lozells area of Birmingham, her large family had lived in the area for several generations and it was her happy playground whilst growing up. This book is the story of Gill, her parents and grandparents who led ordinary lives but were extraordinary people, living through hard times at the beginning of the 20th century, just carrying on and dealing with whatever life threw their way. Gill's family reminiscences and the history of Lozells are very much intertwined and record, for future generations, tales about the 'old days' with humour, sadness and all the other emotions which made up the rich tapestry of family life in Lozells.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308605649269,"sku":"9781858587417","price":9.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587417_86a44091-b86f-4f60-8c2a-6782f3209752.jpg?v=1786029129"},{"product_id":"9781858587400","title":"Trio of Devotion","description":"Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck were drawn to each other the moment they met, but there were obstacles in the way. Clara was ten years younger and her domineering father, Friedrich Wieck, Robert's piano teacher, was against their relationship as it developed over the years. He saw Robert as a dissolute womaniser, and he saw his own reflected glory disappearing if Clara's career prospects as a pianist diminished. But the couple did marry, with help from the judiciary, and had a happy life together, so happy that their increasing number of children did indeed hamper Clara's performing opportunities. Then a young composer, Johannes Brahms, came into their household as a disciple of Schumann and nothing would ever be the same again. About The Author Christopher Morley is Chief Music Critic of the Birmingham Post, and contributes to several international magazines. Schumann has always been very special to him, and a visit to the asylum in which the composer died made a huge impression upon him.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308605878645,"sku":"9781858587400","price":6.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587400_1f8bd883-09fe-494d-af84-6f6003c985e7.jpg?v=1786029128"},{"product_id":"9781858587813","title":"Lench's Trust","description":"Lench's Trust is a remarkable and positive symbol of continuity in a city of seemingly perpetual transformation. In 1525 in Tudor Birmingham, the wealthy and childless William Lenche decided that the income from his estates should be distributed in \"warke of charyte\". Since then, generations of Trustees and officials have carried out his wishes diligently, faithfully, and thoughtfully. Originally acting as an important aspect of local government through repairing roads and bridges, they gradually became more active in the provision of almshouses for those in need, and now Lench's Trust provides a host of later living services for people living in Birmingham. Five hundred years on and having successfully adapted to changing needs, Lench's Trust continues its valuable charitable work in Birmingham.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308606108021,"sku":"9781858587813","price":13.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"9781858587677","title":"Balsall Heath - A History","description":"Did you know...That Balsall Heath was once part of King's Norton Parish? That there was an open-air swimming pool in George Street in the 1840s? That there was a typhoid epidemic in 1873? That Balsall Heath once had its own zoo? That Balsall Heath flourished as an independent area from 1862-1891? All this and more can be found within this book. Originally published in 1992, this fully revised and updated edition traces the development of Balsall Heath from sparsely populated heathland in the 18th century, to the \"genteel neighbourhood\" of the 1840s, the populous quarter of 1891, to the busy and crowded suburb of the 1920s and 30s. A story of change spanning two centuries!","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308606304629,"sku":"9781858587677","price":10.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"9781858585185","title":"How to potty train","description":"Jude and Di, creators of award winning potty training product, Dry Like Me, bring all their experience and expertise together in this essential toolkit for potty training. This book is the definitive potty training guide, uniquely aimed at both parents and children. How to Potty Train offers parents helpful advice, tips and resources to guide them through each stage of potty training, from identifying the signs that their child is ready to begin training, through to the final stage of night time potty training. The colourful 'read together' sections help introduce potty training to young children in a fun way with beautiful illustrations to capture their attention and motivate them to make the leap into grown up pants. How to Potty Train makes potty training simple and enjoyable for parents and children and promotes success at this key milestone.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308702544245,"sku":"9781858585185","price":8.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585185_da57f188-dfe2-4c14-b31b-77fbe3834a71.jpg?v=1786029097"},{"product_id":"9781858582450","title":"The Streets of Brum","description":"Birmingham's streets, roads and lanes are an absorbing aspect of our history. They call out to us about long dead landowners, notable figures from the history of England, Brummies long forgotten, farms that have been swept away by the outpouring of our city, remarkable physical features, distant battles, intriguing foreign places and mysterious happenings. Such names almost demand of us that we ask questions of them. Why is Conybere Street so called? Where is the Fashoda that is highlighted in a Stirchley road? How did AB Row gain its name? For what reason are the Adderleys brought to mind in Saltley? Did people wash themselves in Bath Row? Were cherries once picked in Cherry Street? And where were Fisherman's Hut Lane, Noah's Ark Passage, Devil's Tooth Hollow Yard and The Froggery. In this deeply researched book, Carl Chinn looks at scores of street names, bringing to life their meaning and those people who belonged to them. Carl Chinn MBE is Director of the BirminghamLives multimedia project at South Birmingham College, Professor of Community History at The University of Birmingham, a broadcaster with BBC WM and a columnist with the Birmingham Evening Mail.   The Streets of Brum: Part One is his 21st book.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308702806389,"sku":"9781858582450","price":13.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858582450_6123a072-3167-4e6c-afd2-9b4e8521ea31.jpg?v=1786029087"},{"product_id":"9781858585222","title":"Pubs of Royal Leamington Spa - Two Centuries of History","description":"Many books have been written about Leamington's history, but this one is unique - it is the first to document the history of its pubs. The authors have painstakingly researched more than 200 years of history tracking back to a time in the late 1700s when the small village of Leamington Priors had around 300 residents and just 2 inns. With more than 220 entries and 250 illustrations, this comprehensive work traces the number of co-existing pubs from just 2 to a peak of over 100 before the progressive decline to less than 60 at the end of 2013; opening\/closing dates, licence listings and snippets of social history are also included. Whether you are a serious historian, a nostalgic Leamingtonian with a hankering for the local pubs of bygone days or someone who will just enjoy checking out the photos over a quiet pint, this is the book for you.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308702871925,"sku":"9781858585222","price":24.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858585222_a525d0ab-c776-431f-bda9-7d8fd991c9df.jpg?v=1786029098"},{"product_id":"9781858587240","title":"Funny Brummie Pictures","description":"Here is a selection of paintings by artist Robert Geoghegan about his home city of Birmingham where he has lived for all his life. His work is full of the detail and colour of modern urban life, often combined with a nostalgia for old Birmingham. Some of the works portray ordinary everyday scenes like someone walking dogs, a lollipop man or getting on the bus with an off peak pass, while others show many of the city's landmarks such as Selfridges, Aston Hall and the Custard Factory but always with a comic twist. There's something here for everyone – from depictions of modern-day Goths in Pigeon Park to yesteryear's children hanging off the back of the old Corporation buses. There's football pictures about the Blues, Villa and West Brom – both tragic and comic! One about Jasper Carrott and of course King Kong has to make an appearance. Here the Birmingham buses are peopled by bears, Morris dancers, druids, Santa Claus and even the Royal Family. There's pictures of Birmingham's public statues: the Iron Man squaring up to a Cyberman, Bullie being harassed and the statue of Victorian reformer Thomas Attwood attracting the attention of the police. The Beatles, characters from Father Ted, Dracula, Daleks and the Peaky Blinders all make an appearance in this enthralling collection. Robert sells prints of his work at local art markets in Moseley, Kings Heath and the MAC as well as in the city centre before Christmas. His work is also available to purchase online at robspaintings.com. As well as being a practicing artist, Robert is an art tutor who has run art sessions in primary schools for many years and also teaches drawing and painting to adults.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308705132917,"sku":"9781858587240","price":9.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781858587240_b9dc11a3-8c7d-4e07-9f6d-7e1ca0fb4f14.jpg?v=1786029125"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/publisher-brewin-books.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}