The London Olympics of 1908 was intended to reveal Britain & its empire at its zenith. Before the games had ended almost everything that could go wrong had the organisers were universally condemned & it had caused a number of international incidents. When squabbling between Rome & Milan as to who should host the Games became too much they were moved at the last minute to London. Two influential well-meaning but incredibly inefficient English aristocrats picked up the baton & declared that London would show the world how to mount a major international athletics event. The games opened in the pouring rain which was to continue for the whole two weeks. One country insisted that another country march under its banner yet another country complained that it was under the banner of Britain when it shouldnt be & another refused to dip its banner to King Edward causing uproar. Decisions on competitions were questioned contestants were accused of being professionals a rival dropped the shot of the shot-put on the foot of a competitor & one contestant ended up running a race alone. Amongst the chaos there were some class performances but these were by overshadowed by disputes back-biting disqualifications & more even after it finished two weeks later. Olympic Follies is a superb entertaining tale of one of the most fascinating unusual & often hilarious Games ever held
- a must for anyone looking forward to the London Olympics of 2012.
...

Londons Secret Walks is a walking book with a difference taking in many of Londons lesser-known but no less worthy sights. As Samuel Johnson said to his friend Boswell in the 18th century on the occasion of the latters arrival in London: survey its innumerable little lanes & courts." By extension wander off the beaten tourist track & youll discover a world of fascinating sights & attractions that not many tourists
- or even Londoners
- get to see."

...

The streets & public spaces of London are rich with statues & monuments commemorating the citys great figures & events
- from Nelsons
...

This book is for the passengers & aviation buffs who use London's main airports. It

Includes:: a brief history

...

June 2013 sees the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Queen's Coronation only the second time in British history a monarch has reached this remarkable milestone. As the event was famously the first of its kind to be televised images from the ceremony inside Westminster Abbey are instantly recognisable & have become iconic. Far less familiar are the scenes in the streets outside however where huge crowds assembled to see a procession of state coaches & historic regiments marching past public buildings festooned with patriotic banners & colourful grandstands erected outside many famous landmarks. At the core of the book is a hitherto private collection of more than 200 images showing London's West End on the day. None has been published before & together they provide a unique & precious record of this historic occasion
- the day of the Coronation as it was seen by ordinary members of the public.
...

This fascinating insight into London's docklands is the result of extensive research into an part of London that has intrigued the author for many years. In its heyday the area was dominated by the Port of London; a sprawling network of quays ancient wharves deep canals & high-walled basins that stretched along the river Thames from the City to Tilbury. Two or three generations ago London Docks provided employment for over 100 000 men but the demise of London's docklands in the late 20th century ended a tradition of waterside industry that had existed in London since Roman times. Yet the Docks themselves still stand defiantly; too expensive (and expansive) to be attractive to property developers despite the fact that most are sited in prime real estate areas. For the foreseeable future the Docks will remain part of London a visual reminder that for a time Britannia did indeed rule the waves. This splendid book chronicles the rise & fall of this most under-explored part of historical London by plundering the wealth of evidence left behind by the people who worked lived & visited the area. From archaeological finds through to diaries newspaper articles census returns & personal interviews the lost docks of London are rediscovered through fascinating tales of Medieval mercers river pirates shipbuilders merchant adventurers mud larks Dockers socialist agitators brothel keepers & opium eaters to name but a few. London's docklands & its people were hugely influential not only in shaping the commercial destiny of the capital but also the development & social structure of the entire eastern side of the city. At this uncertain & precarious point in their history it is important that their story is told before all remnants of their illustrious past are erased forever. ...

People love walking the streets of London but there are always more questions than answers after a stroll through the capital. Following any of the 13 walks featured in the book will allow the user to walk in the footsteps of authors & statesmen murderers & revolutionaries. With over 400 full-colour photographs this book is packed with interesting details about London's history with both personal tales of those that wandered the same streets in former years & a more general social & economic history of the different areas covered. Each walk is brought to life with thumbnail photos striking full-page photos & detailed maps illustrating the route & where buildings & points of interest are located. From open sunny squares to winding alleyways & quiet hidden corners explore London & discover how 2 000 years of colourful history have shaped this city. ...

People love walking the streets of London but there are always more questions than answers after a stroll through the capital. The is the 2nd volume of London's Hidden Walks & features a further 13 new walks that will enable the reader to follow in the footsteps of authors & statesmen murderers & revolutionaries. With over 400 full-colour photographs this book is packed with interesting details about London's history with both personal tales of those that wandered the same streets in former years & a more general social & economic history of the different areas covered. Each walk is brought to life with thumbnail photos striking full-page photos & detailed maps illustrating the route & where buildings & points of interest are located. From open sunny squares to winding alleyways & quiet hidden corners explore London & discover how 2 000 years of colourful history have shaped this city. ...

Did you know that apart from Lancashire the greatest concentration of Boulton & Watt steam engines was in London demonstrating the enormous & often overlooked significance of London as an industrial centre? The story behind the many industries found in the capital is described in this unique book. London once had scores of breweries; the world's first plastic material was synthesised in the East End; there was even a gasworks opposite the Palace of Westminster. Clerkenwell was a centre for watch & clock makers; the River Thames used to be full of colliers bringing coal from Newcastle; Joseph Bramah invented his water closet & hydraulic pump here & Henry Maudslay made machines to make machines. Many household names began in London: Schweppes Crosse & Blackwell & Vauxhall motor cars. The list of fascinating facts goes on. In this the first book of its kind on the subject Geoff Marshall provides an enthralling overview of London's industrial face through history. ...

Essex is constantly in the news. Yet the county is more than 1000 years old. Its borders remained more or less unchanged until 1965 when the western part of Essex was snatched away & taken into London. Despite this change much of the media & two generations of residents have grown up believing they are still in Essex all be it in London. ...