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Norwich 1945 - 1960: From Austerity to Prosperity. NOW AVAILABLE

The story of the Norwich Boot and Shoe Trade cover book sample button

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Those who lived in Norwich through the years 1945 to 1960 have memories that range from prefabs to Teddy boys, from dancing at the Samson & Hercules to seeing the Canaries’ FA Cup run of 1959. They recall a manufacturing city where workers made shoes, chocolates and mustard. It was a time when roads were dominated by bicycles rather than cars and war-damaged buildings were being repaired. Jobs were plentiful, new schools were opened and new-fangled electrical goods were freeing women from the drudgery of housework.
But the story of the City is about more than events, it is also about the individuals who witnessed a remarkable time. It is about young men who went to war, children who played on bomb sites and teenagers who witnessed the birth of rock ’n’ roll. Ordinary people who saw a city rebuild itself: citizens who were on a journey that took them from austerity to prosperity.
£12
including P&P
   in UK or N.I.


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The Old Courts and Yards of Norwich - A Story of People Poverty and Pride - Available now

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For some the old courts and yards were the worst hell-holes in Norwich and needed to be razed to the ground. For others they contained historic buildings and vibrant neighbourhoods which should have been preserved. Who was right? At the turn of the 20th century more than 10% of Norwich’s population lived in the old courts and yards. Where were they located? What happened to them? Where did the people move when they were demolished? Should they have been preserved? What was it really like to live there?
Combining contemporary reports, newspaper articles and most importantly the views and memories of people who lived in Norwich in the 1930s, this book tells the fascinating history of the old courts and yards. It is an account which is about so much more than bricks and mortar, it is also the story of the communities and individuals who called them home.
£12
including P&P
   in UK or N.I.


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Norwich Pubs and Breweries: Past and Present    - 2nd Edition now available 

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For centuries Norwich’s pubs and breweries have been an integral part of the City’s life. Even today few places contain the diverse range of hostelries that are located here. This book combines anecdotes, photos and facts to tell their story through to the present day. Recollections from landlords, artists, brewery workers and entertainers bring the past alive. Encompassing hundreds of years of history and over 400 pubs, inns and taverns the book provides a compelling insight into a fascinating subject in 240 pages.
£15
including P&P
   in UK or N.I.

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The story of the Norwich Boot and Shoe Trade - Winner 2013 East Anglian Book of the Year (History & Tradition)

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In the years leading up to WWII the Norwich boot and shoe trade employed over 10,000 people, a staggering 15% of the total workforce, making it the City’s premier industry. Firms such as: P. Haldinstein & Son, Edwards & Holmes the Norvic Shoe Co. and Sexton Son & Everard were all forces to be reckoned with. Yet by the end of the century these mighty companies along with many of their competitors had floundered and failed. This raises many questions. Not least of which is: Why? But it is also important to ask: What was it like working in the shoe factories? What shoes were made? Who were the major companies? What is their legacy? The best people to answer such questions are those who worked in the factories. Here their fascinating commentaries have been interweaved with archive material, photographs, contemporary newspaper reports to tell the engrossing story of the Norwich boot and shoe trade. An industry which for many years was the ‘Heart and “Sole” of the City’
£12
including P&P
   in UK or N.I.


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A Market for our Times                Reduced to £5

A Market For Our Times tells the fascinating story of Norwich’s Provision Market which despite all the odds trades today on the same site it occupied in the 11th century. Beautiful contemporary drawings, paintings and photographs clearly show the important role that the Market Place has played in the history of Norwich and the developments which have led to it lying at the centre of a magnificent historical “cityscape”.

The book incorporates personal stories and intriguing facts to bring the Market to life not only for those who know it well but for others who wish they did.

£7
including P&P
   in UK or N.I.
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World Wide Shipping

Norwich Yards

We are sometimes asked to post to Astralia, New Zealand and the US. We are happy to send by airmail (takes about 1 week) but as it is expensive we charge £10. For postage world wide please click Add to Cart button to right to ADD £10 for world wide postage.

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