Archive Photographs Series

Stoke Newington in the early nineteenth century was notable as an 'old'world' suburb possessing great charm. Many of its interesting old houses, inns and chapels were recorded in the sketches and paintings of Thomas Hosmer Shepherd and his son. Also at this same time a new architectural genius at work in the area, Thomas Cubitt, who pioneered mass building techniques and whose work also later became well-known in Pimlico and Belgravia. This book concentrates on the last one hundred years of Stoke Newington's history and does so through the medium of old photographs. This superb collection of nearly 200 photographs will appeal to all who know this fascinating area of London.

Islington

by Gavin Smith

Published 1 April 1995

Islington retains a distinct personality which dates back to the days when it was a villages in the countryside visited by Londoners for leisure pursuits.
This fascinating collection of nearly 200 old photographs of the Borough takes a nostalgic look back at some of the changes of the last hundred years. We see the old shops, street markets and theatres, including the music halls, and some of the people who lived and worked in the area. Dramatic changes in public transport can be seen, from horse-drawn bus and tramcar to the arrival of the Underground and the motorbus.
This book includes early scenes of Holloway and Canonbury, Finsbury Park, the construction of the Highgate Archway and the new stand for Arsenal at Highbury in the 1930s. These old scenes will bring back strong memories for some and enlighten others about an Islington that is now history. This book takes us on a journey through Islington's past, sometime quite recognizable, sometimes unfamiliar, but in a time of rapid change, it is all the more interesting look at what has gone before.

The Great Eastern Railway

by Gavin Smith

Published 1 March 1996

The Great Eastern Railway rose phoenix-like from the ashes of bankruptcy to become one of the greatest of all passenger-carrying lines. Its empire ranged from London to East Anglia, to the coasts of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk. Through partnership in lines and co-operation with other railways it reached as far as the Sheffield region. A succession of Chief Locomotive Superintendents constructed ingenious workhorses for its traction needs. At one stage it built the most powerful steam locomotive in the world to show that steam could equal the tractive power of electricity. Finally after the First World War, under American General Manager Henry Thornton, the GER operated, out of Liverpool Street Station, the most intensive steam service in the world. This and the splendid continental and coastal dining-car express underlined the magnificent ingenuity and energy which had characterised the career of 'God's Excellent Railway'. This collection of over 170 photographs recalls something of those heady days.