Great Britain
Published on 14. March 2019
Book
Hardback
144 pages
978-1-910821-20-6 (ISBN)
Description
Whether you want to learn about the teenager's skeleton from 1550 BC found at Stonehenge, explore the history of Britain's favourite beverages, tea and coffee, or discover how taxation on windows coined the expression 'daylight robbery', there is something for every enthusiast to dip into. The Amazing and Extraordinary Facts series presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Illustrations
20 Halftones, black and white; 100 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 178 mm
Width: 138 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-910821-20-6 (9781910821206)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Stephen Halliday is a historian specialising in British and industrial history. He is an authority on the history of London, with a special interest in the great engineering works. He is the author of The Great Stink and a number of books in the best-selling Amazing and Extraordinary Facts series by Rydon Publishing, including London Underground, London and Cathedrals and Abbeys. He contributes articles and reviews to magazines such as Literary Review, Times Higher Education, BBC History and History Today. Stephen lives in Cambridge.
Content
1 The Making of Britain 12
2 An Island Nation? 12
3 Going to Extremes 14
4 Meet the Ancestors 16
5 United by Geography, Divided by History? 17
6 The Tongue That Straddles the Globe 20
7 Hundreds of Years of Hurt 23
8 Extraordinary Places 25
9 A Hitler Among the Scousers 25
10 Want to Relocate Your Old Capital City? 27
11 My Horse for Your Daughter? 27
12 The Second City of the Empire 28
13 Ancient Essex Man a Devout Breed 28
14 Fractious French Exchange Programme Prompts Foundation of Britain's Oldest University 29
15 The Scottish Missionary Position 29
16 Linenopolis to Metropolis 30
17 'The Very Ramparts of Heaven' 30
18 Wales' Hidden Treasure-Trove 31
19 Water Way To Have A Good Time 31
20 Pulling Out The Stops 32
21 Dodgy Handshakes and Umpteen Takes 32
22 Shells of the Non-Collectible Variety 33
23 Sixty Warriors to the Square Inch 33
24 Morning Campers! 34
25 Cambria Ne'er Can Yield! 35
26 One-Way Ticket to The Eternal Underground 36
27 Oldest and Oldest 36
28 The Venice of the West (Midlands) 37
29 Tearing Down the Walls 38
30 The Heart of the British Film Industry 38
31 The Underground Church 39
32 Kings, Queens and Princes 40
33 Murderer Assassinated by Shakespeare 41
34 Chariots of Ire 41
35 Medieval Myth or Real Romano-British Resistance Fighter? 42
36 Wessex Warrior 42
37 The Importance of Being 'Unraed' 44
38 Prince of Wales Bowled Out 45
39 The Bard Comes Down Hard on the Thame of Glamis 45
40 Robert the Bruce Bides His Time 47
41 The Guardian of Scotland 48
42 The Tragic Catholic Cousin of the Virgin Queen 49
43 Placid Cymru? 51
44 William Conquers his Coronation Day Nerves 52
45 From Playboy Prince to Contemptible King 52
46 Eminent Surgeons Save the Day with Acid, Scalpels and Cigars 54
47 Two Divorces, One Abdication and a Trip to See Hitler 55
48 'Who Will Rid Me Of This Turbulent Priest?' 56
49 Summary Execution, Cambridge University and Bloody Civil War 58
50 Oliver Who? 60
51 A Grave End for Pocahontas 61
52 British Food and Drink 63
53 Protein, Carbohydrate, Salt and Fat 63
54 You Are What You Eat 63
55 You've Never Had It So Good 64
56 The Best Thing Since Sliced Flour and Water 65
57 Nice Cold Ice Cold Milk 67
58 'Wine Is But Single Broth; Ale Is Meat, Drink and Cloth' 69
59 The Water of Life 70
60 Forget Toothpaste: Clean Your Teeth With Sugar 71
61 Mashed-up Organs Boiled in Guts, Anyone? 72
62 Prostitutes Allegedly the Most Beautiful Women in Britain 73
63 Gathered by Virgins 75
64 Seeking a Healthy Balanced Diet? Go to War 76
65 Marmite for the Masses! 78
66 Disease and Death in the Pot and Bottle 79
67 Champagne: Made in Britain! 81
68 Mother Nature's Bountiful Harvest 82
69 Keeping Up With The Cromwells 85
70 Brittania Rules The Waves Thanks to Pickled Cabbage 85
71 British Government: Politics, Money and the Law 88
72 Tories and Whigs 88
73 Speak Up Mr Speaker! 88
74 The King's Jews 90
75 The Poll Tax 92
76 Father of English Literature Swaps Quill For Shears 94
77 Morton's Fork 95
78 Stamping Out The Smugglers 95
79 Pitt's Pictures and Daylight Robbery 97
80 William Pitt Strikes Again 98
81 Swamps and Midges Spread Diseases 100
82 The South Sea Bubble Bursts 103
83 That's Got To Hurt 105
84 Anything But Prison 107
85 The Bloody Code 108
86 Extraordinary Britons 110
87 The Great Outlaw 110
88 Will The Schoolmaster? 111
89 'A Certain Flush With Every Pull?' 112
90 Curiosity Killed The Cat 114
91 Brain of Britain 114
92 Doctor Pox 116
93 All Steamed Up 117
94 Half Nelsons 119
95 'Such A Damned Fool?' 120
96 Chip Off The Old Block 122
97 The Reluctant Clergyman 123
98 Immortalized in Print 124
99 The Lady with the Calculator 125
100 The First Stamp 127
2 An Island Nation? 12
3 Going to Extremes 14
4 Meet the Ancestors 16
5 United by Geography, Divided by History? 17
6 The Tongue That Straddles the Globe 20
7 Hundreds of Years of Hurt 23
8 Extraordinary Places 25
9 A Hitler Among the Scousers 25
10 Want to Relocate Your Old Capital City? 27
11 My Horse for Your Daughter? 27
12 The Second City of the Empire 28
13 Ancient Essex Man a Devout Breed 28
14 Fractious French Exchange Programme Prompts Foundation of Britain's Oldest University 29
15 The Scottish Missionary Position 29
16 Linenopolis to Metropolis 30
17 'The Very Ramparts of Heaven' 30
18 Wales' Hidden Treasure-Trove 31
19 Water Way To Have A Good Time 31
20 Pulling Out The Stops 32
21 Dodgy Handshakes and Umpteen Takes 32
22 Shells of the Non-Collectible Variety 33
23 Sixty Warriors to the Square Inch 33
24 Morning Campers! 34
25 Cambria Ne'er Can Yield! 35
26 One-Way Ticket to The Eternal Underground 36
27 Oldest and Oldest 36
28 The Venice of the West (Midlands) 37
29 Tearing Down the Walls 38
30 The Heart of the British Film Industry 38
31 The Underground Church 39
32 Kings, Queens and Princes 40
33 Murderer Assassinated by Shakespeare 41
34 Chariots of Ire 41
35 Medieval Myth or Real Romano-British Resistance Fighter? 42
36 Wessex Warrior 42
37 The Importance of Being 'Unraed' 44
38 Prince of Wales Bowled Out 45
39 The Bard Comes Down Hard on the Thame of Glamis 45
40 Robert the Bruce Bides His Time 47
41 The Guardian of Scotland 48
42 The Tragic Catholic Cousin of the Virgin Queen 49
43 Placid Cymru? 51
44 William Conquers his Coronation Day Nerves 52
45 From Playboy Prince to Contemptible King 52
46 Eminent Surgeons Save the Day with Acid, Scalpels and Cigars 54
47 Two Divorces, One Abdication and a Trip to See Hitler 55
48 'Who Will Rid Me Of This Turbulent Priest?' 56
49 Summary Execution, Cambridge University and Bloody Civil War 58
50 Oliver Who? 60
51 A Grave End for Pocahontas 61
52 British Food and Drink 63
53 Protein, Carbohydrate, Salt and Fat 63
54 You Are What You Eat 63
55 You've Never Had It So Good 64
56 The Best Thing Since Sliced Flour and Water 65
57 Nice Cold Ice Cold Milk 67
58 'Wine Is But Single Broth; Ale Is Meat, Drink and Cloth' 69
59 The Water of Life 70
60 Forget Toothpaste: Clean Your Teeth With Sugar 71
61 Mashed-up Organs Boiled in Guts, Anyone? 72
62 Prostitutes Allegedly the Most Beautiful Women in Britain 73
63 Gathered by Virgins 75
64 Seeking a Healthy Balanced Diet? Go to War 76
65 Marmite for the Masses! 78
66 Disease and Death in the Pot and Bottle 79
67 Champagne: Made in Britain! 81
68 Mother Nature's Bountiful Harvest 82
69 Keeping Up With The Cromwells 85
70 Brittania Rules The Waves Thanks to Pickled Cabbage 85
71 British Government: Politics, Money and the Law 88
72 Tories and Whigs 88
73 Speak Up Mr Speaker! 88
74 The King's Jews 90
75 The Poll Tax 92
76 Father of English Literature Swaps Quill For Shears 94
77 Morton's Fork 95
78 Stamping Out The Smugglers 95
79 Pitt's Pictures and Daylight Robbery 97
80 William Pitt Strikes Again 98
81 Swamps and Midges Spread Diseases 100
82 The South Sea Bubble Bursts 103
83 That's Got To Hurt 105
84 Anything But Prison 107
85 The Bloody Code 108
86 Extraordinary Britons 110
87 The Great Outlaw 110
88 Will The Schoolmaster? 111
89 'A Certain Flush With Every Pull?' 112
90 Curiosity Killed The Cat 114
91 Brain of Britain 114
92 Doctor Pox 116
93 All Steamed Up 117
94 Half Nelsons 119
95 'Such A Damned Fool?' 120
96 Chip Off The Old Block 122
97 The Reluctant Clergyman 123
98 Immortalized in Print 124
99 The Lady with the Calculator 125
100 The First Stamp 127