Ebooks de historia | Casa del Libro, página 3 de 8

The word workhouse has a grim resonance even today, conjuring up a vision of the darker side of Victorian Britain. Almost every town had at least one workhouse, and most people dreaded ending up there. Here we examine how workhouses came into being, what life was like for men, women and children on the wrong side of the poverty line, and how social attitudes evolved through the momentous events of Victorian Britain into the 20th century. Illustrated from contemporary and modern sources, this fact-filled guide presents an intriguing picture of a world of steam engines, self-help, service and salvation - where workhouse life, and workhouse reform, influenced attitudes and services we now take for granted.

What constituted a secret or a scandal in times gone by? This entertaining title in this new series gives an overview of the times and attitudes to secrets, and what was meant by a scandal. The series uncovers revelations of spies and plots, financial scandals, secrets of the royal bedchambers, dynastic tangles, and the exploits of both villains and so-called saints. Noble lords and ladies sampled the same pleasures and sometimes met the same ghastly fate as common criminals. Enemies of the state plotted and were plotted against, while a horrible fate awaited those found guilty of treason, hanged, drawn and quartered to the jeers of the mob. Assassins lurked in alleys, ghoulish body snatchers opened graves in the dead of night

Life in a wartime house

After becoming king in 1199, resentment grew and grew at the inept way John dealt with financial issues until matters came to a head with his barons.John lost his military campaigns; he was corrupt, indulged in blackmail, and manipulated the justice system more than any other king. He was a womaniser and rumours of ruthlessness surrounded him. The author provides fascinating insights into Johns rule, which ultimately leads to the story of Magna Carta. Magna Carta placed huge impositions on the king; now he could no longer rule arbitrarily but only in accordance with the law of the land. The impact of this precedence remains with us today.From the charters clauses that focussed on more mundane matters to a whole range of references to feudal issues, this guide is a perfect introduction to the incompetent rule of King John and his legacy that is Magna Carta. Calls to standardise measures of wine, ale and corn follow the collapse of empire, bound together in this informative guide complete with full-colour illustrations and contempoaray artworks.

This fascinating book looks at a typical day in a big house, the relationship between the master and mistress and their valet and maid; the children and their servants; the various departments inside and outside a big house; the London season and country house weekends. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel.

This Pitkin guide uncovers the fascinating lives of medieval monks in Britain.The golden age of the monastery in Britain was between the Norman Conquest (1066) and the dissolution of the monasteries (1536-40). The monks were secluded in the great monasteries, freed from the temptations and distractions of the fallen world and governed by the triple vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Yet they contributed to the societies of their time to such an extent that they can be proclaimed pillars of the medieval economy. This guide explores how this happened, and how the daily lives of the monks influenced great social and political changes across the country.Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, particularly the other books in the Life in series: Medieval England, Tudor England, Stuart England, Georgian England and Victorian Britain.

Pomp, pageantry, power and prestige are just a few of the words to sum up the history and vibrancy of the City of London.Beyond its fame as the financial heart of London, this new guidebook explores the Square Mile of London revealing the secrets hidden in its rich treasure trove. Neither square nor a square mile, the City of London seems to lie beyond the limits of logic.From St Pauls, Wrens Masterpiece to the Barbican, Europes largest centre for Arts, the City of London is a compelling blend of diverse visitor attractions waiting to be explored. Whether you pop into the Old Bailey, the scene of many a courtroom drama, amble through Lincoln Inn Fields or drool over the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London there is never a dull moment in the City...Learn why the Bank of England is known as the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street and the importance of Mansion House, home to the Right Honorable The Lord Mayor of London and looks at the traditions behind the Lord Mayors Show.

Pitkin presents the fascinating and engaging story of everyday life in and around castles from 1066 to the 1400s.Alongside the Church, the stone castle was one of the enduring symbols of medieval life. To the poor, its intimidating walls represented the preordained social order. To many, the castle represented business, and the heights of ambition. And to the rich it represented fun and frivolity in the form of feasting, chivalry and games.The guide uncovers the complexities of life in and around such settlements: the family, the workers, the food, the wars and the entertainment.Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, particularly the other books in the Life in series: Medieval England, Tudor England, Stuart England, Georgian England and Victorian Britain.

Since their fairy-tale wedding in 2011 and the announcement in December 2012 that William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, were expecting their first child, the British have taken the young couple into their hearts. The first decades of the 21st century have seen a surge of pride for our Royal Family as never before and the birth of HRH Prince George of Cambridge, our future king, has been greeted with genuine joy. This celebratory and beautifully illustrated guide not only commemorates this Royal birth but looks at the history of children of the monarchy from Queen Elizabeth II to her great-grandchildren. Age-old customs, ceremonies, christenings, toys and pastimes, nannies, nurseries and the Royal line of succession are also explored, presenting an illuminating portrait of Royal children through the ages.

On Christmas Eve 1801, Cornish mining engineer Richard Trevithick tested the first steam locomotive on the road. Though it was short-lived, exploding four days later, this was the beginning of the railway age in Britain.By the end of the 18th century, there was a considerable number of railways across Britain with well established steam engines. This informative guide tells the story of these railways, beginning with the pioneers of locomotive engines and the navvies who built the railways themselves.A must for anyone interested in the history of the railways, industrial Britain and travel, this informative guide explores the lives of those on the railway. Train guards, station staff and passengers are all touched on, as well as underground railways and tragic rail disasters. Colour photographs and illustrations bring the golden age of rail in Britain to life.Includes a list of places to visit which specialize in railways, as well as a glossary of the key terms in the book.

What constituted a secret or a scandal in times gone by? This entertaining title in this new series gives an overview of the times and attitudes to secrets, and what was meant by a scandal. The series uncovers revelations of spies and plots, financial scandals, secrets of the royal bedchambers, dynastic tangles, and the exploits of both villains and so-called saints. Noble lords and ladies sampled the same pleasures and sometimes met the same ghastly fate as common criminals. Enemies of the state plotted and were plotted against, while a horrible fate awaited those found guilty of treason, hanged, drawn and quartered to the jeers of the mob. Assassins lurked in alleys, ghoulish body snatchers opened graves in the dead of night This highly illustrated guide includes places associated with the stories.

Over 4,000 years of history lie in the seams of British mines, beginning all the way back in the New Stone Age.Large-scale coal mining in Britain developed during the Industrial Revolution, providing energy for industry and transportation in industrial areas from the 18th century to the 1950s. This classic Pitkin guide provides a history of mining in Britain as well as of the hard lives of those who worked in them.Child labour was a normal part of Victorian life, so women and children were found in the dangerous deep pits until 1842, while male miners relied on safety lamps and canaries to avoid mining disasters. Fascinating photographs accompany this guides history of these peoples lives, including their time outside of the mines, their homes and hobbies.Whole villages grew up around mines, with close comradeship and tightly knit mining communities emerging. Here is the story of what that life was like for so many, up until British minings decline in the 19th and 20th centuries.Includes a list of mines, museums and heritage centres to visit.

The Tudor age was a pivotal period of English history. In little more than a century, the nation was transformed from a medieval kingdom to a modern state, from an insignificant offshore island to a major world power.Life in Tudor England sparkles with colourful illustrations and a lively text. Discover what life was really like during more than 100 years of Tudor rule in this pivotal period of English history: how industry became an alternative to agriculture as a means of employment; the lavish fads, fashions and fun enjoyed by the rich; the hardships suffered by the poor as inflation spiralled. All is revealed in this enticing taste of days gone by.Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, particularly the other books in the Life in series: Medieval England, in a Monastery and Victorian Britain.

Life in Ancient Britain journeys through the ancient worlds of our ancestors: how they lived, how they shaped the landscape we know today, and how we know what we do, about their achievements. This guide offers a concise and lively introduction to the prehistory of the British Isles covering the period from around 500,000 years ago when Palaeolithic hunters camped at Boxgrove in West Sussex, through the later Middle and New Stone Ages, and on to the Bronze Age and the start of the Iron Age. It describes how people first came to settle in Britain, and explores the rich mysteries of atmospheric ceremonial meeting places, barrows and stone circles. Also featured is the coming of the age of metals, when warrior-farmers created hilltop forts and settlements, stone brochs and lakeside villages indeed the Celtic Britain that the Romans found, when they first landed on our shores.

Kenneth Roys panorama of post-war Scottish life begins with the VE night celebrations in the spring of 1945 and ends with the coming onstream of North Sea oil in the autumn of 1975. It was the formative period in the making of modern Scotland, but it is a period little explored in depth and not fully understood until now. Using a wealth of contemporary accounts, the book tells a complex and often disturbing story of a country riven by poverty, struggling for a sense of its own identity, and ill-served by its masters. The Invisible Spirit is unsparing in its examination of the failings of the Scottish establishment. It delivers a stinging indictment of political complacency and judicial incompetence and shows that, too often, the interests of Scotland and its people were betrayed. It exposes how, time and again, the truth was covered up in order to protect the powerful and how the press acquiescently accepted a far from reliable official version of events. The book is also, however, the story of ordinary lives, the aspirations, the hardships and the achievements of the Scots themselves. Richly varied in mood from the controversial to the amusing, The Invisible Spirit is both entertaining and compelling. It provides a unique perspective on Scotland at a turning point in its long history.

This Pitkin Guide peeps inside to find out what life was like for all in the Middle Ages, rich and poor alike. Look out for more Pitkin Guides on the very best of British history, heritage and travel, particularly the other books in the Life in series: in a Monastery, Tudor England, Stuart England, Georgian Britain and Victorian Britain.

When the Romans came to Britain in AD 43, they brought a new style of domestic life, one that better-off Britons soon copied. This informative guide looks at how villas were built, and at the accommodation and daily life villa residents enjoyed - their living rooms and bedrooms, kitchens and baths, gardens and courtyards, furniture and food, and the servants and slaves who kept the villa running. Illustrated with site photos from Roman villas around Britain, archaeological treasures, and museum reconstructions of villa interiors, this is a fascinating look at life in Roman Britain before the Roman army left in AD 406 and the villa way of life faded into history. Includes a list of places to visit.

Education in Britain can be traced back to Roman times, but it was not until Victorian times that provision was made in England and Wales for every child to have an elementary school place, whatever their background.After new buildings were constructed and changes made in educational administration, British schooling saw a revolution. Literacy rates soared, taking over from the limited success of Sunday Schools previously. This colourful and entertaining guide traces the development of schools in Britain in the 19th century, from the initial religious intervention in education to state intervention later on.What was a pupils day like in a Victorian school? How did teachers discipline children? Was schooling different for girls? Learn all about the school day, public schools and even the buildings children attended in this guide filled with contemporary photographs of students, teachers and their lives.Look out for more Pitking guides on social history and heritage, and the Life in series this title is a part of.

The Clearances are well known as one of the darkest periods of Highland history. Over a hundred-year period somewhere in the region of 150,000 people evicted from the land they had worked for generations; many were forced to start new lives overseas. The human cost was enormous, but there were huge consequences for the Highland economy too as the land was put to different uses. This book details the Clearances as they affected the island of Mull the Hebridean hub for the emigrant ships which left for the New World. Peter Macnab discusses the influences which changed crofting in the 18th and 19th centuries, the triggers for migration, the crofter protests, the Napier Commission of 1883 and the introduction of various laws to provide security of tenure. Having been brought up in what likely was the last poorhouse in the Hebrides, where his father was governor, Peter Macnab was able to hear directly the stories and about the cruelties suffered. This makes his book a uniquely fascinating perspective on a complex and significant period of Scottish history.

Somewhere around 4000 BC, people in Britain began to give up their old hunter-gatherer way of life, instead raising livestock and planting crops: they became farmers.This comprehensive and informative guide covers the history of farming in Britain since this time, when cattle were huge beasts and ploughs did little more than scratch the grounds surface. Tools and technologies may have changed since these primitive times, but the patterns of life on the farm have remained much the same.From the medieval farm to the Agricultural Revolution as enclosure transformed the landscape, here is the story of how farming has evolved into the tractors and mechanization we recognise today. With photographs and illustrations this book also illuminates the life of farmworkers and their families.What was it like being a cattle farmer or a shepherd? What did a farmers wife spend her day making? An entertaining and detailed guide for anyone interested in the history and lives of the countrys farmers. Includes a list of farms and museums to visit of historic and general interest.