{"title":"Polperro Heritage Press","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9780954423308","title":"The Reluctant Restaurateur","description":"The story of one woman's unwitting transformation of her Nottinghamshire family home into one of the most successful private hotels in Britain today, now famed for its cuisine and comfort, feted by celebrities and winner of the 2003 Outstanding Achievement Award. In this candid autobiography, Imogen Skirving vividly recalls her unusual childhood and how, after inheriting Langar Hall, mounting overheads compelled her to take in guests. She relates some of the bizarre and often hilarious episodes with chefs and customers as she struggled to keep both and reveals some of the secrets of her success, often in the face of adversity. Ghosts as well as guests are frequent visitors, as is a cast list of showbiz personalities and other celebrities.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56295175520629,"sku":"9780954423308","price":12.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780954423308_201d6055-ed78-42a1-9bf1-8db25d7de15d.jpg?v=1786015998"},{"product_id":"9780955364884","title":"Cornish Guernseys and Knit-frocks","description":"In late 19th century, Cornwall hand-knitting was a vital cottage industry and coastal villages developed their own distinctive patterns and names for the traditional navy blue guernsey or knit-frock. Contract-knitting - the occupation of many Cornish women - had died out by the 1920s and was almost forgotten until Mary Wright started asking old people what they remembered of it. Her research has resulted in a remarkable picture of social history. This book includes many delightful contemporary photographs, and detailed instructions and charts show how to knit a Cornish guernsey incorporating one of thirty local patterns. Mary Wright is a specialist knitting instructor. Her work has been exhibited extensively throughout the United Kingdom, and in Japan. Since the publication of Cornish Guernseys and Knit-frocks she has given many lectures and broadcasts.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56295177716085,"sku":"9780955364884","price":8.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780955364884_ae2b3110-da9d-4de1-818a-dffd13eea359.jpg?v=1786016142"},{"product_id":"9780953001224","title":"The Smugglers' Banker","description":"This text reveals the true story of Zephaniah Job, the Cornishman who masterminded the flourishing contraband trade in Polperro during the Napoleonic wars, as well as the privateers whose adventures led to the capture of handsome prizes. Job's flair for business, his association with the Trelawny family and links with those engaged in the smuggling trade brought lasting prosperity to the inhabitants of this remote Cornish fishing village at the end of the 18th century.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56295275430261,"sku":"9780953001224","price":7.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780953001224_693719e4-55b0-419d-af48-d54c60445cfb.jpg?v=1786033432"},{"product_id":"9780955364877","title":"Rockhopper Copper","description":"Conrad Glass MBE is the Inspector of Police with the most lonely beat in the world: he patrols the remote island of Tristan da Cunha, a UK Overseas Territory in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean.  No aircraft fly overhead and none can land. Few ships pass this way. Just 267 people live here, earning their living from farming, fishing, conservation, handicrafts and the sale of coins and colourful postage stamps. Much of his work is involved in the conservation of some of the world's rarest species in this fragile and remote environment. It's as much about penguins as people.  This is the story of the Tristan islanders, told through the policeman's notebook and the anecdotes of Conrad Glass, a former Chief Islander and Conservation Officer, who is a direct descendant of the first settler and governor, William Glass, one of a garrison landed to prevent any rescue of Napoleon from St Helena.   It is the first book to be written by a Tristan islander: stories of rescue from wild Atlantic islands; volcanic eruptions; the protection of penguins, seals and albatross; of chase by a whale; escape from violent hurricanes and the keeping of the peace in this most remote of British Territories. There's a glimpse of the island's past too - hidden pirate treasure, a shipwrecked lion, ghostly apparitions, of slave ships and abduction.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56295287259509,"sku":"9780955364877","price":9.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780955364877_c30c42e0-9eda-4ab3-acac-4d570cb42f7c.jpg?v=1786016141"},{"product_id":"9780954913731","title":"Another Man's Shoes","description":"\"Another Man's Shoes\" is a gripping first-hand account of a Norwegian scientist's escape from German custody during the Second World War after his arrest for spying. Written just after the war, Sven Somme vividly describes his 200-mile trek across the mountains, pursued by German soldiers, in a bid to reach Sweden and freedom in 1944. Sixty years later, his daughter Ellie set out on foot with her sister to retrace their father's flight from Nazi-occupied Norway, meeting some of the people who helped him along the way. She recounts the emotional moment when a pair of her father's shoes, exchanged for mountain boots, were returned to her by one family who sheltered him along the way and pays special tribute to her uncle Iacob who was also arrested and later executed.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56295571882357,"sku":"9780954913731","price":9.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780954913731_796fcd0f-54b5-41b8-806d-2afe1c33d6fd.jpg?v=1786016060"},{"product_id":"9780955954146","title":"We Bought an Island","description":"Evelyn Atkins and her sister Babs were two middle-aged sisters who lived in suburban Surrey and led the humdrum life of so many commuters. Like others, Evelyn dreamed of owning an island. And Evelyn was a very determined daydreamer...Then Evelyn broke her leg and it meant an early retirement from her demanding job. The two sisters scraped together the money for a dilapidated cottage in Cornwall. From the cliffs they could see tiny Looe Island glimmering tantalisingly in the sunshine. Then came the momentous day when the island came up for sale. Needless to say, Evelyn and Babs were soon the proud - though somewhat bemused - owners.  Life on an island certainly seemed to raise a lot of problems. But, while the locals looked on with scepticism, the two sisters, nothing daunted, rallied to meet the biggest adventure of their lives.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56295598784885,"sku":"9780955954146","price":9.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780955954146_5e77b6d3-7305-426d-8852-8498433dbd09.jpg?v=1786033470"},{"product_id":"9780953001200","title":"Polperro's Smuggling Story","description":"This tale of smuggling is told through extracts from the letter-books of Zephaniah Job, the schoolteacher who became known as \"Smugglers' Banker\" for his role in the highly-organized contraband trade carried on in this Cornish village at the end of the 18th century. Featuring the exploits of the Quiller, Rowett and other Polperro families involved, it traces the voyages of the the \"Swallow\", the smuggling vessel whose capture of a valuable French prize laid the foundation to Job's fortune, and the raids on Polperro led by Captain Gabriel Bray in search of hidden contraband. Johns also tells the true story of the \"Lottery\": how the murder of a customs officer, the hunt for the men responsible and the subseqent trial and execution of Tom Potter led to the first Preventive boat being stationed at Polperro.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312005099893,"sku":"9780953001200","price":6.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780953001200_aa1d11bc-2982-4b5c-b6b4-d80b72e0887d.jpg?v=1786015873"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/publisher-polperro-heritage-press.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}