Backlist > International Non Fiction > Shire Publications

Founded in 1894 by James Wright Beswick, Beswick passed through three generations of family ownership before becoming part of Royal Doulton in 1969 and is now independently owned. As owners and collectors of its products will testify, Beswick aimed, and still aims today, to produce well made ceramics at affordable prices; wares which could be used daily in the home as well as decorative ornaments for animal lovers of all ages to cherish. In this volume Val Baynton explores the diversity of products revealing that far more than hors... read more

Railway posters have a huge appeal to the modern audience, but just what is it that appeals to us? Enduring images of iconic locomotives, bathing beauties and characters such as Sunny South Sam are testament to the persuasive power of the railway company marketing departments established in the late nineteenth century. Railway posters not only tell us about railway history and technology, architectural and engineering accomplishments, but they also give us insights into the cultural and social significance of the rail... read more

Exhibiting enormous power or inspiring incredible devotion, throughout history beauty has been women's chief asset. Each age has required its own standard - a gleaming white brow during the Renaissance, the black eyebrows considered charming in the early 18th century, or the thin lips thought desirable to the Victorians. For those naturally blessed, their beauty could ensure a good marriage, offer social mobility, fame or notoriety whereas those without such obvious gifts would resort to any ends to achieve an illusio... read more

Have you ever wondered why we talk about a handicap in sport, why boxing is so named, or whether a dumbbell ever rang? It was during the nineteenth century that hitherto local games with relaxed and varying rules were formalized. During this process terminologies developed to refer to these new standardized sports, borrowing, modifying and redefining words from all walks of life in sometimes strange and unexpected ways. Considering such subjects as why sport shares so many words with the fields of hunting and conflict, and how Engl... read more

When the first Women’s Institute was formed in Llanfair, Wales in October 1915, no one could have foreseen how this small-scale experiment would grow to become, by the early twenty-first century, an organisation with a membership of approximately 205,000 in 6,500 branches in towns, cities and villages across Britain. The organization instilled a new and enterprising spirit into the life of villages and their womenfolk, and gave them unique opportunities to share activities. This book traces the story and evolution of the WI: throug... read more

Wrought iron has been used as a decorative element in architecture from the eleventh century to the twentieth. At first a device to strengthen and embellish doors, wrought iron was soon adopted for free-standing screens and railings, examples of which can still be seen in churches and cathedrals.

Hollyhocks and cabbages, roses and runner beans: the English cottage garden combines beauty and utility, pride and productivity. Gardens did not just appeal to the senses, however: they played a philosophical and moral role in society, and thus in our social history.

Toys have been made in Britain for hundreds of years, but it was in the twentieth century that the British toy industry reached its peak. Names such as Meccano, Chad Valley, Dinky, Scalextric, Bayko and Hornby dominated the trade at home and abroad. This book tells the story of the British toy industry and its products.

Prefabricated corrugated iron buildings have been produced by manufacturers in Britain since the middle of the nineteenth century. Structures ranging from humble cottages to substantial churches, from halls to hospitals and hotels were produced, packed and consigned to destinations at home and abroad. Though often seen as cheap and temporary, these buildings are an expression of a progressive and vital chapter in the history of the construction industry. First used in 1829, corrugated iron has become a familiar element of vernacula... read more

Cider has recently seen a surge of popularity both in versions produced by large breweries and by small producers and home cider-makers who value taste and complexity. This book takes us through the history and practicalities, and introduces the concepts and techniques of craft cider production. It looks at the different styles of cider, and the effect of fruit variety, climate and orchard location on the finished drink, and the book concludes with a suggested method for the home cider maker. This is the perfect introduction for an... read more

Britain has issued medals rewarding war service since at least the early nineteenth century, and increasingly through the period of its imperial expansion prior to 1914, but examples of many of the early types are now scarce. However, few families escaped some involvement with the Great War of 1914-18, and many still treasure the medals awarded to their ancestors for wartime service. Today, with a growing interest in British military history and particularly in family history and genealogy, more and more people want to trace their ... read more

From William the Conqueror to Prince William and Kate Middleton, A British Heritage Publisher Offers a Revealing Look at Bygone Royal Weddings. With the recent nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton this April, Shire Publications offers "Royal Weddings," the perfect primer on Britain's rich nigh-millennial history of kingly couplings and the ideal accompaniment to the aforementioned must-see event of the twenty-first century. "Royal Weddings" traces the evolution of matrimonial majesty from the politically charged, rela... read more

Football's journey from the playing fields of Victorian public schools to the television screens of millions is a fascinating one. From modest origins, football rapidly took a grip on the affections and loyalties of the late nineteenth-century working classes and was transformed into a business involving thousands of paying spectators and the buying and selling of 'star' performers. After the golden age of the 1940s and '50s, attendances declined towards a nadir reached in the 1980s, only to re-emerge stronger than ever with the ar... read more

For the first half of the 20th century Great Britain led the world in motorcycle design and production, exporting its products to countries in every section of the globe. However, as the second half of the century began in 1960 this once great industry commenced what was to be a terminal decline. During the 1960s and '70s Britain still manufactured a wide range of machines, but a combination of poor management, lack of investment, foreign competition (notably from Japan), and the arrival of the small, affordable car transpired to e... read more

British gundogs, terriers, hounds and especially sheepdogs are used and held in high regard wherever working dogs are employed, and Border Collie stock from Britain is to be found wherever sheep are worked by 'strong-eyed' dogs. Inevitably, however, some old breeds have disappeared and, regrettably, many more may follow. In this book, David Hancock describes the working dogs of Britain down the ages, the extinct and the extant, uncovering the development of the various modern breeds and highlighting the changes which have taken pla... read more

The Victoria Cross, established in 1856 during the Crimean War, has remained to this day the highest British reward 'for valour' and is perhaps the most prestigious gallantry medal in the world. The VC has been earned in every theatre of war where British and Commonwealth soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians have served. In this book the author describes and illustrates many of the medals and the men and women who have been awarded them together with the award citations which are always remarkable and sometimes astounding.

'Jasper' refers to the highly distinctive blue-and-white wares that have been produced by the Wedgwood company for more than two centuries. It was arguably Josiah Wedgwood's most important contribution to ceramic art and was a direct result of several thousand experiments over many years. It has been by far the most widely collected of all Wedgwood products, and this book explores the history and stories behind this unique ware.

The strategic importance of railways was recognized almost from the beginning of their development, but it was not until the end of the nineteenth century that their real value was appreciated by the military. In both the First and Second World Wars, railways were crucial in the transportation of men, munitions and coal, whilst on the Continent British forces operated railways to support the war effort. The heroic story of railways at war was confirmed in the months before and after the 'D' Day landings in 1944 when thousands of tr... read more

The daring hold-ups and amazing exploits of many highwaymen made them heroes in their lifetime and legents in ours. Some were just as we imagine them - fearless cavaliers, carefree, chivalrous, romantic knights in three-cornered hats - true Gentlemen of the Road. Yet many more, such as half-mythical Dick Dutpin, were unmitigated rogues who simply desired easy money. In this book Russell Ash writes about both sort of highwaymen, their different backgrounds and methods, the measures taken against them, and the punishments they suffer... read more

The fields of the farming landscape in Britain are the result of a long series of past efforts and achievements and have much to tell us about the life and work those who lived in the past. They have been won with infinite skill and labor from wild nature and adapted to changing needs, so that their present boundaries may preserve the memory of a Roman road, a medieval peasant, a Hanoverian Act of Parliament or a Victorian magnate. @lt;br@gt;@lt;br@gt;@lt;i@gt;Fields, Hedges and Ditches@lt;/i@gt; describes the making and changing o... read more