Local History Books

This publication by Arlecdon History Group makes available the large amount of new material which came to light following the publication of their book Arlecdon’s Acre  in 2005. Each chapter, based on a decade of the 20th century, contains fascinating facts and stories, poignant tales and lively personal reminiscences from older present and former residents. It contains a large number of black and white and colour photographs. Local characters and families come to life once more, together with memories of long-gone schooldays, work and leisure: life on a farm in the ‘30s, Friday night dances, going to church and chapel, births and deaths before the NHS, the arrival of electricity and television…

Memories of both World Wars cast a significant shadow. We learn of the invalided James Tyson and his artificial leg in 1917 ‘a marvel of modern science’; the Great War German POW camp near Kirkland, Mrs Holman of Frizington’s Rheda Mansion whose husband was killed in the London blitz and Mrs Jane Briggs of Arlecdon who lost both husband William at the front in March 1918 and only son William Junior in France in June 1944.
Paperback. 112 pages. 24 x 16 x 1 cm.

Comes with complimentary DVD 'A stroll around Arlecdon past and present', with historic and modern photographs of Arlecdon, Asby, Rowrah, Winder and Eskett.

Beckermet is a pretty and very old settlement situated in parts of three adjoining parishes in South West Cumbria, where two tributaries of the River Ehen meet, about two miles from the Irish Sea. This book, beautifully illustrated by many rare and historic photographs, charts the history of the three parishes 'Great Beckermet' (St Bridget's), 'Little Beckermet' (St John's) and Haile. Topics include churches, the parish hearse, schools, farming, local trades, pubs, the grand houses, village life, customs and events, societies, Windscale, Sellafield and Calder Hall, Beckermet during the World Wars and Beckermet today.
Paperback. 174 pages. 24 x 16.5 x 1.5 cm.

This publication, part of a series by the same author on the medieval castles of England, packs a huge amount of invaluable information into its handy size. An introduction to castle construction is followed by the gazetteer of castle sites in Cumbria. Each entry gives geographic location, concise details of ruins and grounworks evident and a brief history, fully referenced to the major published sources. Many entries are supported by black and white photographs and plans. A chronology, bibliography and glossary are also included.
Paperback. 120 pages. 21 x 15 x 1 cm

This volume is a modern reproduction of the journal 'The Cumberland Miner' published between January 1908 and March 1911 and edited by local labour activist T Gavan-Duffy. The originals, number 1-17 are the only ones known to exist anywhere and are a unique insight into the activities of trade unionism amongst West Cumbrian iron ore miners.  Topics included the state of local mines, strikes and protests, mining accidents and inquests, and activities and accounts of the Cumberland Iron Ore Miners Association. Even the advertisements of local businesses and tradespeople carried in the original are reproduced in this volume. Anyone with ancestors involved in the industry or interested in iron ore mining would enjoy and learn from this reproduction by the West Cumbria Mines Research Group.
Paperback. 226 pages. 30 x 21 x 1.5 cm.

Cumbria Local History Federation's A-Z of Speakers was first published in 2002 and subsequent updates have maintained its usefulness to groups throughout Cumbria. It provides a ready directory of interesting speakers able to talk to groups on a wide variety of topics covering such themes as local and social history, international travel, places, events and personalities. This sixth edition, published in April 2011 brings the latest long list of speakers up to date. Part 1 of the booklet gives names and contact details for speakers, with information on topics covered, fees etc. Part 2 provides details of those willing to act as guides for walks and tours. Part 3 list those willing to provide specialist research help.

Paperback. 40 pages. 21 x 15 x 0.5 cm.

John Bragg (1723-1795) was a Whitehaven shoemaker and a Quaker.  His diary is a fascinating account of 18th century provincial life. His diary contains references to family events, his spiritual musings, everyday life in Whitehaven, and developments abroad, particularly in regard to the American War of Independence.  His diary records, for instance, the arrival of refugees from American and also the raid on Whitehaven by John Paul Jones in 1778.
Paperback. 127 pages. 20.5 x 14.5 x 0.75 cm.

John Burns (1782-1834) was a Whitehaven mariner captured off the coast of Spain in 1799 by Spanish privateers and then handed over to the French. His diary presents an enthralling account of his 1250 mile walk from the Franco-Spanish border to imprisonment in the Loire Valley and thereafter back to England and Whitehaven during 1799-1800.
Paperback. Black and white illustrations. 60 pages. 21 x 14.5 x 0.5 cm.

Herbert and Mary Jackson were enthusiastic and expert local historians of Maryport and this book is packed with facts, photographs and reminiscences of Maryport, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Eight chapter discuss living conditions, poverty and death; doctors, food and customs; schools and games; industrial disasters, railways, ironworks, the pits, the harbour and docks, leisure and tourism; the depression, the Maryport Educational Settlement, fishing, World War Two, Maryport dialect and a reproduction of the contents of a Maryport Directory for 1938. There are numerous rare and interesting photographs and reproductions of original documents. Ex-Library stock.
Paperback. 117 pages. 21 x 15 x 0.5 cm.

This book is based on a collection of Roger Bingham's short history articles originally published in the Westmorland Gazette. The collection covers all manner of interesting and amusing subjects relating to the history of Kendal, Milnthorpe and the South Lakes.

Paperback. 164 pages. 21 x 20 x 0.5 cm. Black and white, and colour illustrations.

'But as the Devil would have it, three misbegotten knaves in Kendal green came at me'. So says Falstaff to Prince Hal in Shakespeare's Henry IV part I.  This is just one of the entries in this fascinating anthology of original records relating to the Kendal wool trade c1420-1720, compiled from sources local and national both historical and literary. With an extensive introduction on the sources and on the Kendal wool trade and Kendal wool men in London and the provinces.
Paperback. 42 pages. 23.5 x 15.5 x 0.5 cm

Whitehaven is an 18th century Georgian 'gem' town situated on the west coast of Cumbria. In the late 1700s, its population was growing fast, mainly due to the increased labour requirements of Lord Lonsdale's collieries.  In 1788, Lord Lonsdale ordered the building of Newhouses. This was a unique development, being three rows of terraced houses built into the side of a hill, to house the many workers coming to Whitehaven seeking work. The houses were eventually demolished in the 1930s, most residents being moved to the new Greenbank estate in the town.
This book is about these buildings but more importantly is about the people who lived in them and about 150 years of building a community.  It has been re-edited to update the original publication Newhouses: a celebration  with more information, many rare and historic photographs and a name index.
Paperback. 188 pages. 21 x 15 x 1 cm.

Relates the history of half a century of the BBC short wave radio transmitting station at Skelton near Penrith and its impact on the local community, and how a small Cumbrian village helped "a Nation to speak to a Nation". Fully illustrated throughout by fascinating historic photographs. With a foreword by John Tusa, former Head of BBC World Services.
Paperback. 62 pages. 21 x 15 x 0.5 cm.

Just a few miles to the north of the town of Cockermouth lies the site of Moota Prisoner of War Camp. Constructed in 1942 to house 1,200 men, it hosted first Italian and then German prisoners. In the immediate post-war years, the Camp was used for displaced persons from Eastern Europe. The story of these prisoners and refugees is told here with many illustrations of contemporary documents and rare photographs.
Paperback. 46 pages. 29.5 x 21 x 0.5 cm.

Cockermouth seems to all intents a rural backwater far removed from World War Two. Yet this book establishes the impact of great international events in a small Northern town. Aspects of the war in Cockermouth such as Air Raid Precautions, the Home Guard, rationing, evacuees, farming and wartime appeals and campaigns are covered through original archive sources. The second section looks at how many of these topics were reported in the local newspaper, the West Cumberland Times. Section three covers life at the nearby Moota Prisoner of War Camp, which as well as holding many German and Italian prisoners also eventually hosted many displaced persons from Eastern Europe until well after the end of the war. Much of this material is new and was not included in the Moota Camp 103  book of 2005. A final section and appendices covers the aftermath of the war and issues such as names of ARP Wardens and of Cockermouth war dead. The book is richly illustrated with many rare wartime photographs and documents.
Paperback. 147 pages. 25 x 20 x 0.75 cm.