In view of the pittance that authors receive from books sold via their website, I've decided to withdraw all my books and eBooks from Amazon. I doubt that anyone who writes about history hopes to make money from their work but the payments now are truly insulting. This image shows a return of 66 pence for a book sold on Amazon at £8.99.

My books are available here as usual.

Coven In Old Photographs

'Coven In Old Photographs' is now available to buy online at:

www.lulu.com

This large, 'US landscape' format album (similar to A4 size), has almost 70 pages and contains around 100 black & white and colour photographs.

'Tales of Old West Bromwich' Published

' Tales of Old West Bromwich' is now available in paperback form at:

lulu.com

The book has over 200 pages covering accidents, crimes and much more including...

Try before you buy! You can download a free 10 page preview taken from various chapters of the book to get some idea of content.

 

 

New West Bromwich Book Due Soon!

Our latest book 'Tales of Old West Bromwich' should be available at the end of this month and will be exclusively available at lulu.com...

This fascinating book details hundreds of crimes and
accidents that happened in West Bromwich during the
nineteenth century. It includes accounts of explosions,
fires and other accidents, in industrial and residential
settings, as well as mishaps on the roads, canals and
railways.
 
Separate chapters deal with all manner of crime, from
petty theft to murder, while others cover the grim
reality of poverty and neglect in the town.
 
While famous criminal cases and accidents in the
Black Country have been retold many times, the vast
majority of the events in this book have not appeared
in print since they were first reported and therefore
represent fresh material for those with an interest in
the history of the town.

Brewood Book Now Available For Digital Readers

'It Happened In Brewood' has just been published in eBook format for all devices.

More details can be found on the following page:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/paul-robinson/it-happened-in-brewood/ebook/product-23639739.html

Book now available at museum

'Crime and Calamity in Old Rugeley and Cannock' is now available in the gift shop at the Museum of Cannock Chase: http://www.museumofcannockchase.org/

Crime and Calamity in Old Rugeley and Cannock

Our latest book 'Crime and Calamity in Old Rugeley and Cannock' is now available at lulu.com

This book details hundreds of events that happened in and around Rugeley and Cannock in the Victorian era. Almost none of these stories have appeared in print since they were first reported upon. 

Separate chapters cover accidents on the railways, roads and canals as well as mishaps in the workplace and at home. Discover remarkable happenings which took place at some of the best known places in the vicinity and get a glimpse into the lives of real people of the age, from the highest positions in society to the very lowest.

Read fascinating stories about fires, floods, crashes and explosions, accounts of cruelty, neglect and squalor, and details of crimes ranging from petty theft to murder. Learn of suicide pacts and accidental shootings and follow the trail of dangerous stalkers and brazen fraudsters.

You'll meet fighting vicars, heroic firemen, a naked bridegroom, rabid dogs and thieving children as well as uncovering the exploits of one of the most remarkable women Rugeley has ever produced!

 The book contents are as follows:

Rugeley & Cannock Book In Production

Crime and Calamity in Old Rugeley and Cannock' is finally in production and will be available for purchase within the next 7-10 days.

Coven book now available in village

 
'Coven In Times Past' is now available at The Allotment in the village.

As well as housing the Post office, The Allotment has a small café, a wonderful range of fresh produce and a great selection of gifts and cards!

Rugeley and Cannock Book Imminent

A new book filled with stories from 19th century Rugeley and Cannock will be published in the next few weeks. The book details all manner of accidents in the area, in the mines and on the roads and railways. A detailed look at floods, fires and freak weather show how our ancestors coped with calamity and dealt with death and destruction. More chapters tell of brutal assaults, terrible suicides and grisly murders. Not since the original events happened over 100 years ago have people been able to read these fascinating accounts of events that took place on right on our doorstep.

Want to know what stood here in the past and what happened there? ...



 Or how about here?...



Watch this space for details! The new book also includes stories from Hednesford, Norton Canes, Handsacre, Colton, Longdon, the Ridwares, Chasetown, Burntwood and many other places around Rugeley and Cannock.

Paper Round 1873 Style

Any paper-boy or girl complaining about their round today should take a glimpse at the size of this round for the Staffordshire Advertiser in 1873. It began where the papers were dropped off at Spread Eagle (ie Gailey) Station and encompassed Coven, Brewood, Wheaton Aston and everything in between. The total distance 'as the crow flies' is over 13 miles, with the deviations required it would probably be nearer to 20 all told.

Wolverhampton West Magazine Features Brewood Book

Our local history title 'It Happened in Brewood' is featured in this months' Wolverhampton West Magazine.

'Dudley in Old Advertisements' Features in Black Country Bugle

Our latest book has received a full page write-up in the Black Country Bugle today:

Book featured in Penkridge magazine

A small excerpt from 'Crime & Chaos in Victorian Penkridge', dealing with an instance of child neglect, appears in this month's 'Penkridge Advertiser' magazine(which you can read online).

Dudley in Old Advertisements

This new title will appeal to those with an interest in the social, local and family history of Dudley. It's a slim volume, of around 70 pages, described as follows:


"Take a look back at the shops and industries of Dudley in Victorian times, through dozens of advertisements. Fascinating facts about each business, the people involved and the products they made or sold serve to conjure up a unique view of the town at the heart of the Black Country."

The book is available now at lulu.com and will soon be available on Amazon.

South Staffordshire History Books Special Offer

That happy (?) time of year is once again approaching and if you're stuck for a present for someone with a local connection, why not consider one of our SPECIAL OFFERS?

We're offering a discount on two local titles when purchased individually and an even bigger saving if you buy both. Take a peek at our Facebook page for details of this special offer.


Offer only available when buying direct (see our Facebook page for details). FREE local delivery in Brewood or Coven, please contact us for other delivery options. Offer ends 17/12/17

Another Dudley Book On Its Way

A new book delving into the lives of people who ran the shops, industries and businesses in Dudley in the 1800s is nearing completion. The book contains dozens of advertisements from traders in the town, accompanied by fascinating facts about the people concerned and their occupations. We expect the book to be available by mid-November... watch this space!

Dudley Book Available At Canal Trust Portal

'Tales of Old Dudley' is now available at the magnificent new 'portal' at Dudley Canal Trust

Drawing of Dudley Fire Disaster Shop

This drawing has just emerged, showing the premises of Dudley boot-maker Joseph Russell. The shop was the scene of a fatal fire, more details can be found  in the book 'Tales of Old Dudley - A Catalogue of Crime, Accident & Misfortune'.

The book is also available at Saturday Books, Tower Street, Dudley.

Fascinating Story Now Available As eBook

The remarkable life story of one man from the Victorian era may have remained shrouded in mystery forever, were it not for our research. James Fairweather published an anonymous account of a decade or so of his life but intense detective work in more than one country enabled us to discover his identity and reveal his entire life story.

His amazing tale is recounted in our book 'The Rise, Fall and Redemption of James Fairweather' which is also now available as an eBook. The first half of Fairweather's life was spent in and around Dundee and our eBook has proven very popular with people interested in that city and especially the history of Broughty Ferry.

This attractive suburb has its own Facebook page which is well worth a visit. Contrasting the images of that place with the grim exterior of Woking invalid prison, where James Fairweather spend around a decade, will give a hint of the transformation his life underwent.