Bill Purdue was until his recent retirement Senior Lecturer in History at the Open University. He has been active in Newcastle politics for over 30 years and has also written extensively on the history of the city and the North East. His books includes THE SHIP THAT CAME HOME: THE STORY OF A NORTHERN DYNASTY, MERCHANTS AND GENTRY IN NORTH-EAST ENGLAND 1650-1830, THE SECOND WORLD WAR and A HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS. He was born in Newcastle and now lives in Hexham, just outside the city.
